The BEST Black Sabbath Album is?

[MR. CREEPER]

I'm with the Majority, and the S/T, and MoR are my all time favs. Then Vol. 4 and Paranoid. All are great in their own way, but as all have stated the first 4 RULE ALL!!!!!

[EddieMullet]

Damn I want to hear that War Pigs with Dave Walker!  Did they just do those 2 songs or is there a whole show?

[Doommantia]

The 1978 performance of 'Junior's Eyes' by Black Sabbath featuring Dave Walker on vocals from the BBC Midlands programme 'Look! Hear!' was screened on the 'Missing Believed Wiped' event at the National Film Theatre on London's South Bank. It was only the second time any footage has been screened from this performance in 32 years. I have been searching everywhere for a copy of this but haven't come across it as yet. The BBC has the version of War Pigs but that hasn't surfaced either.

[EddieMullet]

Sweet picture there.  If I find any of those videos I'll let you know.

I'm just wondering if ANY of Walker's vocals survived, like reference mixes and so forth before they were wiped from the multitrack.

It's not even that I'm a huge Dave Walker fan, I just love to hear odd stuff like that.

The other Sabbath curiosity I'd like to hear one day are the versions of the Dehumanizer songs with Tony Martin singing.

[Doommantia]

The Dehumanizer songs with Tony Martin singing would be great to hear. Apart from what has been discussed here, the only other Sabbath rarity I want it a split with Status Quo. There was only 100 pressings made and never offically released but versions have turned up on E-Bay. Everytime I hear it is on there, I go there to find its been sold. I think it was made for Juke-boxes in 1972 with Children of the grave on one side and Status Quo's Roadhouse Blues on side 2.

[Doommantia]

I know everyone considers the first four the most pure sabbath albums but shark jumping or not sabbath bloody sabbath and sabotage contain some serious magic.  Just sayin.

I feel sad that the experimentation of the final 2 albums, coupled with in-house fighting issues, overshadows the fact that there's some killer riffage hidden between the layers, some real serious magic. Never Say Die's "Shock Wave" is a classic case in point. It has possibly the most infectious riff ever stashed away and not unleashed in full fury to last moments of the song. And the lyrics? Fuck.... some of the darkest stuff Geezer penned, just "lost" and overshadowed by a band who was losing their way, and a world not ready then, or even now, to embrace a new Sabbath sound era.

Damn shame. Just sayin.

I agree Shock Wave has some of the best lyrics Geezer ever came up with, very underrated song.

There's no reason for you to run
You can't escape the fate of the chosen one
Black moon rising, in a blood red sky
This time you realise that you're gonna die

Drinking your blood brew is your answer
That's what you plan to do
No dreaming, time you cheat this master
You're on your own going through

Wind of mist has taken over your mind
And you think you're on your own
Don't believe you are the only one here
Look around, you're not alone

Feel the forces from another world
Ghostly shadows fill your mind
Evil power hanging over you
As you freeze, you're like a child
Look behind you!

Somebody's calling
Someone is near
Feel yourself falling
Falling with fear
You tell yourself you're dreaming
You realise you're screaming
You know that this shouldn't happen to you
You tell yourself that it must not be true
But there is nothing you can do, oh!

Ghostly shadows from the other world
Evil forces in your mind
Trapped between the worlds of life and death
Frozen in the realms of time
Look behind you!

You feel yourself falling, you're at the end of the line
Your body is crawling, but your senses are blind
Cold, cold feelings are running through your brains
Ice cold fingers, running through your veins

[deleted account]

Sabotage

[goldwater]

sabbath bloody sabbath is the pinnacle of a great lot. the dio albums and born again are also of the "classic" sabbath period. everything else just not for me.

[Discö Rice]

sabbath bloody sabbath is the pinnacle of a great lot. the dio albums and born again are also of the "classic" sabbath period. everything else just not for me.

No Dio for me, thanks. That shit ain't right.

[goldwater]

you have to respect that dio kept them from being the kind of " has been" band that plays high school gymnaiums in idaho. he was'nt ozzy, but he was'nt a tony martin either.

[Isabellacat]

drats i'm late for the poll, but gotta agree with the winner...their first album is the Best. nothing beats the guitar and drum tones on that one. Love Tony Iommi's fuzzed out,tripped out late 60's reverb tone. the first track is still one of the heaviest songs ever recorded.

too bad Ozzy sold out with that Justin Beeber crap tho. Sharon must be out of her mind. funny and i met Ozzy too.... i wish i met the psychedelic Ozzy from the 70's tho. damn that was a year ago since i met him. time sure flies.


i would have said Master of Reality but if only it had the same sound as the first, although 'Solitude' sounds like it could fit on the first album.

[Instant Dan]

It depends, a year ago I would have said their self-titled but right now it's volume 4 and now listening to SBS again. As much as I love paranoid, I am burnt out on it.

[Isabellacat]

It depends, a year ago I would have said their self-titled but right now it's volume 4 and now listening to SBS again. As much as I love paranoid, I am burnt out on it.

Sometimes I feel it's a tie between Master of Reality and the first one for me. 'Sweet Leaf' has to be one of my favorite songs ever. I can never get burnt out on that one. 'Iron Man' however just sucks. Sorry to say that but it's their corniest song imo.

EDIT- as much as Paranoid is played out.....if i'm in the right headspace i can still groove to it. 'Planet Caravan' is prolly the coolest song on that.

[mortlock]

ironman doesnt suck but its horribly over played..that sucks..

[core9]

I have always rated Sabotage as number one but only just over Master Of Reality. I think musically they were at their peak around 75 especially if you listen to the live boots from that era. The band was on fire.

I agree, just flip em.

[jibberish]

just like always IMO S/T started and trumped the genre in one shot.

[Isabellacat]

ironman doesnt suck but its horribly over played..that sucks..

okay i agree with you on that. i take back saying it's corny,it's a good song....but yea heard it way too  much.


Technical Ecstasy is a cool album to play side by side with the first album. sounds weird but they actually go well together.

[Lumpy]

Iron Man is retarded, in the best possible way. Sweet Leaf a little bit retarded in a similar way, but not to the same degree that Iron Man is. Yeah, it's easy to get sick of Iron Man. Just leave it alone for a few years, but some day you'll come full circle. It rules. So basic, primitive and direct, with no extra shit that you don't absolutely need. Almost like pop music in it's basic construction.

[Isabellacat]

'Sweet Leaf' retarded!?? no way! that song is epic, unless you don't smoke pot i can see why it would be,but still Sweet Leaf is beyond awesome. one of the BEST riffs ever created.not even played out like Iron Man. i covered that song once in my last band. fun riff to jam to..

anyways....so who are the posters who voted for Technical Ecstasy and Never Say Die?


sometimes i feel the last two with Ozzy are very underrated and in a way more interesting than the first few albums.

[Mr. Blue]

'Sweet Leaf' retarded!?? no way! that song is epic, unless you don't smoke pot i can see why it would be,but still Sweet Leaf is beyond awesome. one of the BEST riffs ever created.not even played out like Iron Man. i covered that song once in my last band. fun riff to jam to..

anyways....so who are the posters who voted for Technical Ecstasy and Never Say Die?


sometimes i feel the last two with Ozzy are very underrated and in a way more interesting than the first few albums.

I voted for Technical Ecstasy.  It's just a great album.  I usually play it most or the first one.  The only non-Ozzy Sabbath I have is Born Again with Ian Gillan, and I dig it as much as any Ozzy era album.

[Isabellacat]

'Sweet Leaf' retarded!?? no way! that song is epic, unless you don't smoke pot i can see why it would be,but still Sweet Leaf is beyond awesome. one of the BEST riffs ever created.not even played out like Iron Man. i covered that song once in my last band. fun riff to jam to..

anyways....so who are the posters who voted for Technical Ecstasy and Never Say Die?


sometimes i feel the last two with Ozzy are very underrated and in a way more interesting than the first few albums.

I voted for Technical Ecstasy.  It's just a great album.  I usually play it most or the first one.  The only non-Ozzy Sabbath I have is Born Again with Ian Gillan, and I dig it as much as any Ozzy era album.

Funny but for awhile i considered Technical Ecstasy to be the best Sabbath album and I'd even say it's wayyy better than Heaven and Hell (which is also a great album but it's not as good as TE). That was back in the late 90's when i was smoking ALOT of weed...still do lol but listening to TE the first time really high was really really awesome. favorite song is 'Dirty Women'....soo underated. That album is very heavy but in a different way. 'All Moving Parts(Stand STill)' sounds like a disco/Funk Metal song.... 'Gypsy' sounds like something Foreigner would do but way better.

then back in 2005 i met another chick who likes Technical Ecstasy too. that really surprised me as i thought I was the only girl on earth who liked that album....and my friend was a huge drug addict too lol. was into harder stuff tho.


Come to think, I feel it's a tie between TE and the first album for me.

[Mr. Blue]

'Sweet Leaf' retarded!?? no way! that song is epic, unless you don't smoke pot i can see why it would be,but still Sweet Leaf is beyond awesome. one of the BEST riffs ever created.not even played out like Iron Man. i covered that song once in my last band. fun riff to jam to..

anyways....so who are the posters who voted for Technical Ecstasy and Never Say Die?


sometimes i feel the last two with Ozzy are very underrated and in a way more interesting than the first few albums.

I voted for Technical Ecstasy.  It's just a great album.  I usually play it most or the first one.  The only non-Ozzy Sabbath I have is Born Again with Ian Gillan, and I dig it as much as any Ozzy era album.

Funny but for awhile i considered Technical Ecstasy to be the best Sabbath album and I'd even say it's wayyy better than Heaven and Hell (which is also a great album but it's not as good as TE). That was back in the late 90's when i was smoking ALOT of weed...still do lol but listening to TE the first time really high was really really awesome. favorite song is 'Dirty Women'....soo underated. That album is very heavy but in a different way. 'All Moving Parts(Stand STill)' sounds like a disco/Funk Metal song.... 'Gypsy' sounds like something Foreigner would do but way better.

then back in 2005 i met another chick who likes Technical Ecstasy too. that really surprised me as i thought I was the only girl on earth who liked that album....and my friend was a huge drug addict too lol. was into harder stuff tho.


Come to think, I feel it's a tie between TE and the first album for me.

Sometimes I think I just need to smoke some pot and chill.  I'm listening to TE now, and yeah It would go great with some high grade weed.

[MikeyT]

     You guys are just kidding around, right ?
About Technical Ecstasy being a great album & one of Sabbath's best, I mean.   

[Mr. Blue]

     You guys are just kidding around, right ?
About Technical Ecstasy being a great album & one of Sabbath's best, I mean.   

No, I'm not kidding.  I really dig this album.  Just because it's different from previous releases doesn't mean it sucks.  People really need to listen to it instead of wanting to hear what has been done previously. 

[Isabellacat]

Technical Ecstasy is a GREAT album......first time i heard that i was sober and i still liked it. the first time i heard that stoned however really blew my mind.


Never Say Die the same. something about those albums while under the influence is just so awesome.  the guitar solo in 'Junior's Eyes' is really heavy. Tony Iommi's best guitar solo imo. it's so full of emotion and just the way the band plays against it is excellent.