Black Sabbath: Master of Reality

Black Sabbath: Master of Reality

1971

Vertigo Records

Format I Own it on: Vinyl and Compact Disc

Track Listing: 1. Sweet Leaf  2. After Forever  3. Embryo  4. Children of the Grave  5. Orchid  6. Lord of This World  7. Solitude  8. Into the Void

This was another one I originally had on vinyl...It was another one I had left in Michigan, but I recently just picked up a replacement vinyl copy at Revolver Records in Tempe, AZ...In my mind this is the most Black Sabbathy Black Sabbath album ever...Track after track of thick, doomy metal and the odd acoustic/atmospheric interlude...Uncharacteristically, however,  the album features very christian-rock type lyrics... I mean, check out "After Forever:

"Could it be you're afraid of what your friends might say
If they knew you believe in God above?
They should realize before they criticize
that God is the only way to love..."

or "Lord of This World":

"Your world was made for you by someone above
But you chose evil ways instead of love..."

Woah, is this Amy Grant or Ozzy Osbourne?!



I don't know if this was all done in response to the constant allegation that the band was some sort of Satanic Death Cult or what, but it does distinguish it from their other albums, lyrically....Also notable, is that on this record, Black Sabbath downturn their instruments to C# and get an even heavier sound..that's immediately striking as soon as that big wooly "Sweet Leaf" riff begins (after a couple seconds of coughing, appropriately)...There's something about that fuzzy sound that practically forces you to crank the volume up...

And it's just a fact that the leaden gallop of "Children of the Grave" is just  the heaviest shit ever, even with all those weird bongos flying around everywhere...and that creepy ending with the wailing feedback and "children of the graaaave..." whispers still has the ability to creep you out some 40 years later....

For the longest time I had no idea who was singing lead vocals on the flutey soft-rocker "Solitude." That gentle, lilting voice emanating from my speakers certainly sounded nothing like Ozzy...Years later someone cleared it up for me, telling me it was Bill Ward...Oh, okay. That makes sense...But wait, it doesn't sound much like Bill Ward either...

The general consensus is that it's Ozzy, but in actuality I can't find any definitive proof of that...But after listening to a demo version on youtube, which features a vocal that  sounds very similar to the final take, but with just a touch more Ozzy-ness, I think it's safe to say it's Ozzy...You can judge for yourself...

So yea, Sabbath's sludge masterpiece...Just listening to it will give you the munchies...So let's grab a bag of Cheetos...

...and check out "Children of the Grave" by Black Sabbath...Enjoy...