Black Sabbath

MrKnickerbocker said:
LOL. Never picked up on that.

But I'm talking about the intro riff that starts on bass.
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Oh, lol. It's fine. Maybe from a guitar standpoint it's super intricate but it doesn't rip me out of my seat any time it comes on.

chaosapiant said:
-10 points for not mentioning that Time Machine was on the Wayne's World soundtrack. For shame.
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I haven't even listened to the Wayne's World version. Is it better than the album version? I wasn't blown away by the Heavy Metal version of "Mob Rules" so I skipped over this one.
 
Diesel 11 said:
I haven't even listened to the Wayne's World version. Is it better than the album version? I wasn't blown away by the Heavy Metal version of "Mob Rules" so I skipped over this one.
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I just assumed it was the same song either way. But I grew up with that soundtrack having never heard the album until the last couple years. Good tune! It's good stuff.
 
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Cross Purposes (1994)

1. I Witness - Bobby Rondinelli wakes us up before the rest of the band jumps in and off we go speeding through the desert! After the heavy doom of Dehumanizer, "I Witness" is like a back-to-basics heavy rock song that sits in a pretty zippy groove for most of its runtime and executes it really well. Tony Martin returns with vocals that are a lot lower than what he's done before, but by the time the pre-chorus comes around he's back in the swing of things. I love his soulful delivery of the melody there. The actual chorus is the one time the song deviates from that groove and brings back the signature Sabbath stomp. Lots of fun, even the little tease back into the riff at the end puts a smile on my face. It's never gonna go down as one of Sabbath's definitive songs but it's a great opener. 8/10

2. Cross of Thorns - Dark, quiet opening and Martin is mournfully warning you not to tread upon this unhallowed ground. This track feels like the album cover come to life. The chorus is fantastic, Martin puts his soul into it and ughh I love his voice. He isn't hitting insane high notes on this album, instead we get to really hear him croon his heart away and it's awesome. I feel like I'd like one more chorus reprise from this track but as a whole this is another great song. 8/10

3. Psychophobia - This track is pretty clearly inspired by the grunge scene. It would be easy to write this one off as Sabbath attempting to sound hip and cool with the kids but I really really like Iommi's riffing throughout this song. Weaker vocal melodies that are kinda shoved together but hey, I'm still having fun here. I thought the line "It's time to kiss the rainbow goodbye" was a reference to Dio but apparently this song is about Waco. Really venomous lyrics about religion here. A little one-dimensional but I think it's a good song! 7/10

4. Virtual Death - "Life's a never-ending wheel," so it's pretty cool that bands influenced by Sabbath were now influencing Sabbath. This is another grungy track that's practically an Alice in Chains song, right down to the apathetic doubled vocals. Sabbath's trademark doom sound is stretching its wings and trying out one of their apprentice's interpretations. I think that's neat! Very slow song, Rondinelli's drumming is super clean as he keeps a methodical beat. Iommi's riff is so dark and evil. Love Martin's voice on the title line. Good stuff, not as good as Alice in Chains themselves but it's awesome to hear things come full-circle in this kind of way. 7/10

5. Immaculate Deception - Stomping, almost proggy riff drives this song. Martin is playing with mists and shadows again but as he utters the title things begin to pick up the pace. This is another song that benefits from his incredible voice. Love his passionate delivery of the pre-chorus and the chorus itself. His soaring peak with the final line after the solo is godly. Speaking of the solo, some of Iommi's solos in the past have kinda reminded me of what Dave Murray would do later on with Iron Maiden, and this one feels like it's straight off The X Factor - although that might be because the guitar on this album is mixed a little too cleanly and without the grit that we're so used to from Sabbath. Anyway, by the time this one comes to a close I'm super into it. It feels a little unfinished but it has so many great elements within it. 8/10

6. Dying for Love - On first listen "Dying for Love" feels like a cleaner successor to "Feels Good to Me" from Tyr. But man, the more I hear it the more I love it. Opening with a bluesy solo from Iommi, he switches gears to a really beautiful, sparkling, distortionless riff that provides the stage for Tony Martin to lay down an utterly flawless performance. I mean, a power ballad like this really shouldn't work as well as it does, right? But Martin is just so caught up by the music that I can't help but be moved by him. "All that's left... IS YOU AND ME!" FUCK. The lyrics are a very '90s, lighter-in-the-air, call for peace in a world stricken by war. I guess beyond stealing that Scorpions single cover they also had to rewrite "Wind of Change", eh? The guitar interlude here sounds like what Steve Harris would incorporate 27 years later on "Hell on Earth". Just an excellent ballad with a superb performance from Mr. Martin that drives it all the way home. 9/10

7. Back to Eden - This is the hidden gem on the album. Fucking groovy riff gets me jiving immediately. Lyrically it's a continuation of the themes from the previous track, only now they're rockin' instead of pleading. The chorus is one of my favorite moments on the whole album. Smooth as hell, super fun, and Martin executes it like he does this shit in his sleep. Kinda wish the song ended on those vibes instead of returning to the riff but it's another great track. 8/10

8. The Hand That Rocks the Cradle - It's a little odd to hear the makings of a ballad again so soon after "Dying for Love", but credit to the band because the intro to this track is gorgeous. Love the guitar work and Martin's voice is dripping in quiet emotion. The intro disappears and suddenly we're fully engaged in a kick-ass rock song. I had to look up the meaning to these lyrics because they're pretty vivid. Turns out it's about a nurse who killed infants in the '90s?? Jesus Chriiiist. Chorus is awesome and so is the guitar solo. This is a song that grows on me every time I hear it. Great stuff. 8/10

9. Cardinal Sin - This one starts out like Sabbath's take on Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir", completely with a stomping groove and orchestral keyboards married to the guitar. It's pretty cool. I don't think this song comes quite to the heights of a lot of the others here, though. There's no really standout hook and the faster section at the end is just alright. Lyrically I guess this one is going after the Catholic church? Good song, but not one of the album's highlights. 7/10

10. Evil Eye - What better way to end this album than with one of the perennial Iommi blues tracks? This song just ain't it for me. Martin is solid as ever (although he strains to hit the super high notes here), but there's almost nothing about this song that stands out. The chorus is a dud. The one thing I like though is the bridge, where the guitar drops out and we get to hear Geezer's groove as Martin digs really deep to deliver a killer vocal. Otherwise this song is pretty average, shame we had to go out like this. And co-written by Eddie Van Halen, too? Shiiiit. If ever there was a band less hot than Sabbath was in the '90s, it was Van Halen. Not to mention - y'all wrote a song called "Evil Eye" without Dio?? And lyrically it's "Lady Evil 2: This Time Boring"?? What are you doing Tony?! What are you doing??? 5/10

OVERALL

Cross Purposes doesn't reach the heights of Headless Cross or Tyr, but nonetheless I find it a super enjoyable album that holds up with repeated listens. It's nice to hear Tony Martin again, his voice is great as always, and working with Geezer for the first (and only) time makes this is a pretty interesting experience. Geezer's basswork is kind of overshadowed by everyone else, but if you listen closely he's back there doing what he does best and you love to hear it. Bobby Rondinelli gives a pristine performance on the drums - nothing flashy, but exactly what the songs need. And of course Tony Iommi is cranking out riffs like the GOAT that he is and Geoff Nicholls adds the perfect amount of texture within every song.

It's not one of Sabbath's best, but it's a fun rock/metal album with a dash of grungy influence thrown in, and super consistent throughout (until the last track). I would take this over a couple classics and even - dare I say it - over Dehumanizer. Knick, please don't kick my ass!

Total: 75%

BONUS

• What's the Use - Fun song, cool chorus. 7/10
 
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Cross Purposes Live (1995)

Ozzy and Dio are two of the most iconic vocalists in metal history. Both of them have unique voices that changed the game and inspired millions of fans and singers in the years since they first took up the mic. Their stints in Black Sabbath revolutionized metal as an art form. So it would be really easy to look at Tony Martin, a guy who recorded music with Sabbath at their lowest point in popularity, and write him off as some faceless dude who did the job, sure, but it would’ve been better to have Ozzy or Dio in the studio instead.

However, that, to me, is clearly not the case at all when it comes to his work in the studio. The Eternal Idol isn’t his best performance, but by the time they regrouped for Headless Cross and he was writing his own lyrics and vocal melodies, he lit a fuse and laid down one of the coolest vocal performances I have ever heard on an album. Then he did the same thing on Tyr - a song like “Anno Mundi” is just spell-binding. Even on Cross Purposes, which holds back the bombast, Martin is in full force, using his passionate, soulful singing to elevate what could have easily been lesser material.

All that is to say, Tony Martin is my favorite singer Black Sabbath has had. But if you were only exposed to Cross Purposes Live, I could see why you’d write him off.

The CD (which is what I listened to) omits three tracks that were on the VHS (“Anno Mundi”, “The Mob Rules”, and “Neon Knights”) so I hope that they include this record as part of the new Sabbath remasters and give it the double CD it deserves. It’s a fun record. It’s nice to hear the band (the two Tonys, plus Geezer and Nicholls and Bobby Rondinelli) playing through material from each of their eras. It’s mostly comprised of Ozzy material (“The Wizard” gets played for the first time since 1971), but it also has some Dio songs (“Time Machine” is the concert opener), Martin material, and three new songs from Cross Purposes itself.

The biggest thing about this album is that Martin just isn’t in his element. Having done some reading, he was sick during this tour and that really shows. It’s not like he doesn’t wanna be there, but you can tell that he’s not pushing himself hard for obvious reasons. No sense in overexerting yourself and then permanently ruining your voice. A lot of the higher lines he changes so he can sing it in a lower key.

The effect that this has basically makes it feel like a tribute to Black Sabbath rather than simply being Black Sabbath. It’s unfortunate, because I’ve heard some bootlegs from 1990 where the man is singing like he does in studio and it’s awesome. Shame then that their only live album with him can’t deliver the same grace.

With that said, I think I like this album about the same as Live Evil. I think Martin sounds a little better than Dio on the Ozzy tracks, songs like “Into the Void”, “Black Sabbath”, and “The Wizard” are really fun. Plus the three tunes from Cross Purposes all work really well live and I kinda wish they played more from this album. A song like “Back to Eden” would have killed.

But yeah, like Live Evil this one’s a bit of a mixed bag for me. Like I said with that album, I’ll probably mostly stick with studio Sabbath stuff in future listens.
 
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Forbidden (1995)

NOTE: I gave the original album a spin first so I could properly hear the difference between how it sounded in 1995 and how it sounds now with Tony Iommi's new remix. I don't hate the original mix, but it's definitely a haze. The remix doesn't fix the songs themselves but it is good to hear a lot more clarity. All of my comments in this post will be based on the remix.

1. The Illusion of Power - The intro to this song is super epic with a vaguely eastern melody. For a moment I'm almost thinking that maybe the haters are wrong and this is a misunderstood dark horse album. Then the actual riff comes in and it's some trite shit that sounds like Black Sabbath watered down. How do I like my Sabbath? Black. Maybe a little cream, maybe a little sugar. But this is straight up piss. My boy Tony Martin stumbles in from the backdoor and I'm all excited to hear what he has to sing and... Tony... Tony... are, are you trying to rap? Lord Jesus white boy please dear god no... What a bum opener. I don't hate this song but it's absolutely tedious and goes nowhere. If it were shorter and just an intro to the rest of the album it might be okay, but it's nearly five minutes long, the hook sucks, the guitarwork is rote, and the only bright spot is Ice-T's guest appearance. Here's a guy that's actually got the voice for this (although this material is still beneath him). Martin is just wasting his time and his talents here. I'm not mad. I'm just disappointed. Sabbath's worst album opener by far. 3/10

2. Get a Grip - Another dud. This one's just sad. Tony Martin is actually singing here but he's completely checked out at this point. "That ain't nice!" Thank you for the stunning social commentary, man. This all sounds so b-league. You're telling me this was the same lineup that recorded Tyr? What the fuck. "Here we go!" yells Martin, and then we don't. His vocals in this outro sound like Paul Di'Anno after a couple beers. Fuck man, they even gave this one a music video. It's not... baaaad, but I really expect better from this band and especially these players. 3/10

3. Can't Get Close Enough - This one starts out as a sleepy ballad and turns into a rocker part way through. The vocal melodies are really, really uninteresting but Tony Martin at least puts a minutia of effort into his singing here. He still sounds one-dimensional compared to his four previous albums with the band, though. The heavy part really feels like Iommi wanting to sound hip and cool with the kids who have traded in their Sabbath tapes for Pantera CDs. Ugh. It's better than the previous two but it's still not very good. 4/10

4. Shaking Off the Chains - This guitar has some crunch to it, which is cool, but the riff still sounds stale. Martin's vocal melody is literally just the riff, rhythmically and tonally, and there is no passion anywhere. The chorus is trash, an unpleasant warning alarm thrown into a drunken maelstrom with Martin just shouting over it. Fucking hell. The fire has clearly all burned out, Iommi's solo at the end is one of the most phoned-in things he's ever recorded. Sabbath have two songs with the word "chain" in the title, and both of them suck. 2/10

5. I Won't Cry for You - A power ballad that sounds like it's attempting to do what "Dying for Love" did on the previous album but it just isn't the same. Iommi's playing isn't as magical, Martin's voice isn't as passionate. The pre-chorus has the tiniest hint of life gleaming in it, but everything else still sounds so tired. The chorus is annoyingly repetitive. Goddammit. I feel like a just sat through 5 minutes and 25 seconds of nothing. 4/10

6. Guilty as Hell - What can I even say at this point? They're just shitting things out and hoping that the turd isn't diarrheal. Tony Martin drops the ugliest vocal performance he's done to date. Was this man chain-smoking Marlboros between Cross Purposes and Forbidden? What the fuck? I would be content in calling this song a rough, uninteresting stomper that goes nowhere if they had left off that fucking bridge. Martin is back to shouting and drops the band's first F-bomb and nobody clapped, nobody cared. Iommi doesn't even try to do a solo on this one. Jesus Christ. 2/10

7. Sick and Tired - Cozy tries to recreate his iconic "Stargazer" intro on a song that does not need a "Stargazer" intro. This track is just "Cloak and Dagger" but boring. At least the song title is a good descriptor for the experience of listening to this album. Look, it's fine, whatever, I don't care. Legitimately yawned when it wrapped up. 4/10

8. Rusty Angels - Holy shit, is that actually a proper fucking RIFF???? Iommi finally pulls something out of his ass that has me hooked, hell he's even got some Jimmy Page swagger in there just to show off. Martin's voice is still rough but at least something is happening. This song rumbles along like a freight train and ughhhh I've sat through seven fucking songs waiting for something like this to finally hit me. Was it worth it? No, but at least I'm here now. The verses are pumping, the chorus is simple (more daft lyrics) but I love the melody to it, the sparkling clean guitar behind it is such a nice touch. It also doesn't overstay its welcome. This is a good song still held back by the weaknesses of the album but a good song nonetheless. I'll fucking take it. 7/10

9. Forbidden - The dynamics of the previous track are gone here but the title track is actually a cut above most of the album. Martin genuinely sounds alright on this one, more soul in his voice than we've heard since "The Illusion of Power" began playing. He's still just singing the riff on this chorus, and it's repeated a bit too much, but otherwise this song is pretty solid! Okay, scratch that, I'm docking a point because I hate the "UOOGH" sound Martin retches twice here. Iommi also phones in another solo. 5/10

10. Kiss of Death - I was pretty worried on my first listen that the 6+ minute closer lying in wait at the end of the album was basically going to be Everything Wrong With Forbidden But 6 Minutes Long, yet from the minute "Kiss of Death" started I was completely caught off guard by just how GOOD this song is. The quiet intro wriggles its way into view and Tony Martin actually sounds great here. The bursts of heaviness are like a supernova, and the song uses a ton of build up before we get anywhere close to the chorus. When that chorus hits, it hits fucking hard. Close to chills. The vocal melody is kinda stock but everything about the build-up to that moment really makes it click. The song also speeds up at the end which is a super nice touch, although I wish it stayed here a bit longer. I feel like this track is at least missing a solo but all the individual parts are great. In a way it's like a return to "Eternal Idol" but with the big powerful hook that that song was missing. I'm so happy that the band locked in for one fucking moment on this album and Tony Martin got to end his final record with the band on a high, fucking, note. This is a great song, album be damned. 8/10

OVERALL

Forbidden is definitely a record that exists. You can listen to it. I'm not really sure why you would want to, though, at least not when you can play pretty much any other Black Sabbath album. Barring two songs that are actually pretty good, the material here is the least exciting they've ever done. No one in the band sounds like they're actually invested. I know Iommi was pretty pissed about the production but his own music feels like he's just trying to push this out to clear his record contract.

The sad thing is that none of these songs are awful, there's nothing as bad as "Keep It Warm" on here. They're all just really lame and there's no spark from anybody (I guess Neil Murray is alright on the bass). Tony Iommi plays stock riffs. Tony Martin doesn't even try to write a decent vocal melody or lyric. What an utter disappointment. It's also weirdly lopsided. The other bland Sabbath records started out with their best material and then devolved as the albums went on. Forbidden hides its best work at the very end after you've already given up with the rest of the album.

It's not hard to understand why this was the end of the Martin era. Black Sabbath had lost the plot and clearly needed to shut this whole thing down before it got worse. A real shame because the other four albums that Martin did with Sabbath are probably my favorite era in the band's career.

Simply put, Iommi had forgotten how to write new music and it's no wonder then that come the end of the decade he would be much more interested in reliving the past with Ozzy, Geezer, and Ward. Fuck me. I need a spirit or something.

Total: 41%

BONUS

• Loser Gets It All - Man, why wasn't this song on the actual fucking album? It's actually pretty solid with a nice groove and a better performance than Tony Martin did almost anywhere across the actual record. Even in allocating bonus tracks they fucked it up, SHIT! 6/10
 
Toss out "The Illusion of Power", which is the only song here I actively dislike, for "Loser Gets It All" and Forbidden would be a better, though still very much sub-par album.
"Kiss of Death" is my favourite and the only true A-tier song here, but I do enjoy "Guilty as Hell" too (the riff is great). The rest is more or less forgettable.
 
Forbidden benefits from the remaster (the guitar tone is cool) and I enjoy a few songs like ''I Won't Cry For You'', ''Rusty Angels'', the title track and the closer. Riffs (''Shaking Off The Chains one is one of their best!) and solos are on point, but overall material isn't strong or memorable enough imo. It's similar to Cross Purposes, although there's a bit more strong material and use of sounds.

I definitely prefer their approach (to say) than Dehumanizer - it's really heavy, but I like about the same amount of songs as the above albums. Overall it's probably better, but not by much. I like half of them.

KidInTheDark666 said:
the title track actually makes it into my top 25 Sabbath songs.
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With that chorus I can see why.
 
Kalata said:
It's similar to Cross Purposes, although there's a bit more strong material and use of sounds.
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Really? I think Cross Purposes is heads and tails above Forbidden from almost every standard. The riffs hit harder and the vocals are great.
 
Diesel 11 said:
Really? I think Cross Purposes is heads and tails above Forbidden from almost every standard. The riffs hit harder and the vocals are great.
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The collection of songs and vocals overall are better, yes. Tony's riffs during the Martin era are as strong as his old stuff. Riff master for a reason. His solos too, I think they should be praised and you have to admit that solo/s or a short melodic interlude improve the songs.
Diesel 11 said:
But if you were only exposed to Cross Purposes Live, I could see why you’d write him off.
(“Time Machine” is the concert opener)
It’s unfortunate, because I’ve heard some bootlegs from 1990 where the man is singing like he does in studio and it’s awesome. Shame then that their only live album with him can’t deliver the same grace.
I think Martin sounds a little better than Dio on the Ozzy tracks
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^Agreed. Tony is a great vocalist and sounds good singing songs from all eras of the band. He made ''Time Machine'' (kind of an odd opener) as if it is a song written with him.
 
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Reunion (1998)

Okay, now THIS is a proper live album! The original Black Sabbath lineup has reunited and are performing live in their hometown of Birmingham and the result is just... magical. The production is a little muddy but the band sounds really, really alive. Ozzy is completely in the zone. At first he sounds almost aggressive, ready to kick someone's head in if they don't clap their FUCKING HANDS. But as the show continues you began to feel the tears that must be forming on his cheeks. The entire band is in sync, performing their classics as though the past ~20 years never happened.

And the setlist? Not only are all the classics represented - "War Pigs", "Paranoid", "Iron Man", and of course "Black Sabbath" itself - but the band reaches a little deeper to provide a truly fantastic show for casual and hardcore fans alike. "Behind the Wall of Sleep" is awesome, "Spiral Architect" is a joy, even "Dirty Women" fits right in. Aside from the notable omission of anything from Sabotage, this is kind of a dream setlist, performed with vigor and an energy that really proves that the time was right for this reunion.

It's unfortunate that going forward Black Sabbath would turn a blind eye to their non-Ozzy work (although Heaven & Hell would spotlight Dio's material), but this record is a fantastic live document and I will absolutely be returning to it. You can feel the emotions in the air as Sabbath give Birmingham a night to truly remember.

The album also comes with two brand new songs tagged on at the end:

• Psycho Man - The first new Ozzy Sabbath song in 20 years opens with Iommi's trademark doomy guitarwork before Ozzy steps out of the mist with a quiet verse reminiscent of his solo career. He's one with the night, using his deeper register to paint a picture of a merciless killer with no morals. Then the chorus kicks in and god DAMN here we go! "He's the angel of death!" cries Ozzy and man do you wanna scream along with the Prince of Darkness. Iommi throws in a pretty awesome solo in here before we get a "Megalomania" style change-up into something almost reminiscent of "Johnny Blade". The song's ability to evolve and sound fresh while also nabbing elements from previous Sabbath songs and even Ozzy's non-Sabbath years makes it a truly captivating new single. The faster chorus at the end takes it all in a cakewalk. This is a GREAT song. 8/10

• Selling My Soul - Unlike "Psycho Man", this track is pretty much... average. Bluesier stomp here, Ozzy sounds really good in the heavy verses but I'm not thrilled by the chorus. It's whatever. At least the song is short enough. 5/10


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The Dio Years (2007)

Yeah I'm not gonna lie I didn't listen to the whole compilation. You get 75% of Heaven and Hell, half of Mob Rules, and three tracks from Dehumanizer. I'd rather just listen to all three of those albums in full honestly. But I did my due diligence and spun the three brand new Dio Sabbath Heaven & Hell tracks because I'm a completist.

• The Devil Cried - Really slow but heavy as fuck, this is a track that's gotten better the more I've played it. Dio narrates a tale in which someone attempts to escape Hell by making the Devil himself feel sorry for him. The twist at the end is that the Devil doesn't care until he learns about the woman this man has had to suffer with in his mortal life. It's actually pretty engaging, although it didn't need to be a full six minutes. Overall a good song though. 7/10

• Shadow of the Wind - Two utterly slow songs back-to-back is certainly... one of the choices you could've made. Goddamn this song is SLOW. The chorus is alright but Jesus Christ there's barely any movement here beyond plodding for like three-fourths of the runtime. We finally get somewhere at the end, which is pretty great, building to a peak by taking a page out of the "Country Girl" bridge, but unfortunately it's too little too late at this point. On balance this one is solid, but it really walks a fine line between good and boring. 6/10

• Ear in the Wall - Finally a good ol' rip-roarin' heavy metal track. The guitar is heavy as hell, the drumbeat is actually pumping, and Dio is ranting and raving about weird body parts he's seen in a wall, begging for someone who believes him. I have no idea what the lyrics mean and would love some enlightenment, but it's definitely a really paranormal experience. Appice does some really cool drumming in the bridge. I don't think this one touches the Dio Sabbath classics but it's definitely a good song, almost great. 7/10
 
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The Devil You Know (2009)

1. Atom and Evil - The drums roll in and we're back with more motherfucking doom metal. From the people that brought you Mob Rules and Dehumanizer comes... Black Sabb- I mean Heaven & Hell! Our opening track is slow like those tunes from The Dio Years, but the music is so much more engaging, with Iommi throwing in all sorts of interesting twists and turns here. Dio is an elder mage now, but he still has a twinkle in his eye and a fire in his heart, ready to lead the young ones through the hallowed halls of heavy metal once again. The world he sings of is one filled with radiation and decay from deceptive spiders who lead the naive flies unto their deaths. "Falling's easy, rising will never be, so we must rise together," declares the mage, reaching out his hand to you. We may not yet realize it, but this is the beginning of the end, and the elder one seems to know this already ("...but then there's no forever"). Still, before the sun sets, we get one more chance to embrace the power and the majesty with Ronnie James Dio, and this is a weighty and powerful opener to his final record. 8/10

2. Fear - ...and the riffs kept rolling in. Iommi reminds you once again that he is the riff master bar none with one of his coolest compositions ever. It's rumbling and twisty and immediately gets you into the groove. Instead of the usual signature Sabbath stomp, Vinny Appice comes at this thing with a proggy swing and it is absolutely captivating. Dio is in full command once more as he unpacks the very human ability to fear with a mix of the psychological and mythological. His doubled vocal lines in the pre-chorus are awesome and the chorus sees him rise from the mire of fright in a way that only he can. The entire experience reminds you just how good these guys are when they're working in unison, delivering a heavier-than-hell majesty uniquely their own. 9/10

3. Bible Black - And here we go. The spirit of the "Southern Cross" lies deep within this epic affair but I'll be goddamned if "Bible Black" doesn't leave its predecessor in the dust. The intro plays with acoustics and soulful electric leads as Dio sings inside of a library in a mansion lost to time. Here he weaves the tale of an old man caught up in the throes of an evil book that is warping his mind. It's a bit of a corny concept but if you aren't fucking ready to rock and roll when the heavy waves of distortion crash upon your ear then I don't know why you're listening to Dio Sabbath in the first place. This song has it all - crunchy metallic riffage, twisted beauty ("Let me go, I've seen religion!"), and the utterly godlike howl of Ronnie James Dio. "Let him go, he can't come back, he's reading from the Bible Black!" For the first time since Mob Rules this quartet has truly mastered the art of magic with this monster. I can't bring myself to nitpick. This is the kind of song that Dehumanizer was so sorely missing. It is epic and awesome and - unlike the aforementioned "Southern Cross" - never gets old. 10/10

4. Double the Pain - Geezer reminds everyone that he's still here, still taking his time with the basslines, still got love for the game, with a double bass intro that worms its way into your skull before Iommi and Appice charge in like an earthquake on a quest to decimate your eardrums. This has got to be the heaviest thing Sabbath have ever written, right? Holy fuck this is heavy. There's another almost proggy groove to the riff before the band hit a steady beat as the guitar continues to scorch and Dio comes in roaring like a lion. The pre-chorus dabbles with acoustic guitars and a choir of Dio vocals which is pretty magical. The song unfortunately catches a tough break with the chorus though. It's not bad, but compared to how awesome the rest of the track is it's too simple and lackluster to bring us to the next level and could have been cut altogether. It brings this track from a monumentally killer composition to a good song, could've been better. Love that scorching Iommi solo though! 7/10

5. Rock and Roll Angel - Heavy yet so melodic is the intro, before the crushing blows of the signature Sabbath stomp bring us on a mystical journey through a caravan that time forgot. Iommi's guitar is once again as blazing as the fire in the sky, and Dio sings of a rock and roll angel (himself?) that should be way cheesier than it is. Honestly the only cheesy thing about this song is the title, the rest is focused, magical heavy fucking metal. The bridge (and later outro) is almost like a metallic hymn and without the backing distortion could pass as a lullaby. The song's ace is its pair of solos, though. The electric one in the middle is rapturous, taking all the time in needs to build into something spellbinding. The acoustic one in the outro is just as good, hearkening back to "Nightwing" from Headless Cross (although dare I say it, this might be better). It took me some time to get into this one but I think I can call this another great track from Heaven & Hell. There's a spell in the air, goddammit. 8/10

6. The Turn of the Screw - Slow, heavy dirge of an intro before the sSs comes in swinging for the verse. Dio is the salesman from Hell, sucking his victims dry from their pocketbooks and then casting them into the machines when their service to him is finished. I dig the way he sings the title line, there's an extra gusto to it. There's a lot to this song I like - more fiery guitar, great solo - but I also think it's a little more one-dimensional than the previous songs on this album. Overall? Solid, but doesn't quite grip me enough. 6/10

7. Eating the Cannibals - The album's shortest song bursts in like it's trying to recapture the spark of "Neon Knights" and it... doesn't pull it off. There's a nice swing to this one, I'll give it that, and it's placed well within the album, but otherwise it's just an average rocker. The guitar solos aren't really my style either. 5/10

8. Follow the Tears - Okay, forget what I said about "Double the Pain" being heavy. What the actual fuck is this song??? Is the dude who wrote bluesy downtuned rock music in the '70s seriously behind this leviathan? Jesus Christ, Iommi, holy fucking shit. The intro is incredibly ominous with the backing organs and when the riff kicks in it comes storming like a motherfucking tempest. Goddamn. Goddamn. GODDAMN. I just can't get over how heavy this shit is. I wish there was a better hook in this one because it could have really made this another album stand-out, but nonetheless is it a great, skullcrushing monster that absolutely brings to life the villain on the album cover. Wow. 8/10

9. Neverwhere - Fun rocker. Dio namedrops a Tony Martin song in here. 7/10

10. Breaking Into Heaven - The album's finale is a doomy epic about a band of demons rising up to take over Heaven. There is hatred here, regret, but there's also a ton of emotion, especially in the pre-chorus where Dio really gets to stretch his vocal cords. It plods a little too much for me, but as the final Dio song I also can't help but be moved by it in its own way. A good closer for sure. 7/10

OVERALL

And so the time has come to say goodbye to Ronnie James Dio. This incarnation of Black Sabbath/Heaven & Hell is kind of metal's ultimate 'will they, won't they' line-up, with each union too fleeting to fully take root. And by the end even time was set against them, but I think that makes it all the more meaningful that he ended his career with Iommi, Butler, and Appice.

I won't lie, my first listen of this album was really underwhelming. It stays in doom metal mode so much and that's kind of the antithesis to what Dio Sabbath was back in the '80s. Dio transformed Black Sabbath from a cocaine-fueled downer rock band into a pumping heavy metal machine, which makes Dehumanizer and The Devil You Know seem odd in comparison, more content to take a slow and heavy approach.

That said, with further listens (especially on headphones) this album has clicked for in a lot of ways. The guitar sound is the heaviest that Iommi has ever had, his riffs are spectacular, and even his solos cook. Dio is older but his performance is still just as captivating as it's always been, and lyrically he's remained a master. The album also has a couple higher highs than "Dehumanizer" - "Fear" and "Bible Black" are utterly awesome and really show that this final reunion was a special one. The other thing is that I played this record before I heard the three songs from The Dio Years, and frankly most of the material on here is so much better than those songs that we kind of dodged a bullet. In two years they really recaptured the fucking fire.

Some of the vocal lines don't glide as much as the old ones do, but this is still a more than respectable curtain call to the man who gave heavy metal its magic in a little band called Rainbow, who brought that magic to Black Sabbath and struck gold, and who then hopped ship to send that magic onto the radio waves with his own solo band. Fifteen years after his death, may Dio's legacy continue live as long as the rock 'n' roll he guided.

Total: 75%
 
Heavy riffs are great, but doom metal style for the whole album is not for me, despite some good ideas and vocals from Dio. I like ''Fear'', ''Double The Pain'' and the song ''Ear In The Wall'' from the compilation album. Some others like ''Follow The Tears'' are effective.
 
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13 (2013)

1. End of the Beginning - Sabbath's final album opens on a bit of an odd note. The heavy riff and slow, ambient verse juxtaposition is clearly a call back to their eponymous first song. Ozzy sounds out of his element on here, struggling to hold the lines. Luckily, the song decides to speed up to a trot pretty fast and from here on out it's a lot more interesting. Good riffage, good solos, Ozzy sounds more in control here. His voice is much more limited now but he still knows how to use it for the effects he wants to achieve. The real downside is that this song did not need to be a whole eight minutes long, but overall it's still a pretty solid start to the record. Just needed some trimming. 6/10

2. God Is Dead? - I find it really odd that this song seems to be the album's most heralded track. To me it's pretty average. Sure, there are some good moments within it - the bassy build-up in the intro and the Dio Sabbath-sounding riff that follows (reminds me of "Falling Off the Edge of the World") are really cool - but the verses are tedious, the song is overlong, and I really just don't jive with Geezer's lyrics here. It feels like he was trying to make some kind of point but just got completely bogged down by whatever the hell he's trying to rhyme here. (Although I do like the "Give me the wine, you keep the bread" line). The album has better moments later on than this bloated single. Hard to keep from zoning out. 5/10

3. Loner - This hard rockin' riff immediately throws you back to "N.I.B.", but Sabbath take a different approach here with a simple but effective verse about a man who keeps to himself. There's enough going on to keep you invested - the quiet middle eight is what really roots me in this song. A lot more fun than the first two tracks. 7/10

4. Zeitgeist - Okay, here's the successor to "Planet Caravan" and "Solitude". Dare I say it? I actually like this song more than those two. The lyrics are really vivid, about being trapped out in space and having to reckon with impending death, and the song builds over the course of its runtime with some absolutely lush and beautiful music. One of the record's highlights. 8/10

5. Age of Reason - This song comes close to being another highlight but misses the mark at the end. The drum intro is super sweet, the riff is pretty cool, Ozzy sounds strong on the verse, everything is working together. Unfortunately the change-up to the faster section is a bit clunky - luckily the roaring riff we're thrust into next is the highlight of song, even if Ozzy's verse is a bit stale. The final two minutes drift into a decent solo but not one that I love. Another song that should've been trimmed because its best aspects are among my favorite on the record. 6/10

6. Live Forever - Average rocker. 5/10

7. Damaged Soul - The intro here sounds like something straight off of The Beatles' Revolver, but Iommi quickly swoops in to kick off the album's mandatory blues track. It's slow, it's long, and it trudges, but I actually quite like this one. Ozzy is at his most forsaken and delivers these lines in a way that only he can. When he says he's "losing the battle between Satan and God!" you really believe him. Just when the song starts to run a little long the band kicks into second gear for a fun ending. It's not great, but I dunno I think it's kinda neat. 7/10

8. Dear Father - This album keeps the ace up its sleeve hidden until the very end. "Dear Father" is absolutely killer. Iommi's riffs are heavy and on-point, Ozzy's verses are choppy but deliver a tale of religious pedophilia and revenge pretty vividly. The chorus is strong with some really ominous watery guitar backing it. I love the multi-layered Ozzy choir on the line "Now it's your turn to die!" - best moment on the album. You could've ended the song here after the faster riff but instead they throw in an extra bridge (Ozzy goes hard here) and we get an extra chorus and verse and honestly, I like that they dig further in to the track and really let it linger. The final riff is so dark and evil, everything you want from Black Sabbath as their recording career winds to a close. And to cap it all off, Rick Rubin reuses the outro from Slayer's "Raining Blood" - oh wait, it's the intro to "Black Sabbath"! The discography has come full circle.

Am I okay with this being the last Black Sabbath song on the last Black Sabbath record? Honestly, yeah. It really brings that classic Black Sabbath fire with a narrative that shows the band isn't done experimenting with the confines of their sound. I dig the hell out of it. 9/10

OVERALL

Rick Rubin gets Ozzy, Iommi, Geezer, and the Rage Against the Machine drummer into the studio to finally release a new Black Sabbath album. 13 has to live up to a stunning legacy and honestly... it's certainly not one of the band's best albums, but I appreciate it as the bookend to such a long career. It definitely leans hard on its past, taking most of its cues from the first three Sabbath records, but it still offers something new to the mix. A lot of these songs pale in comparison to their predecessors but "Zeitgeist" and "Dear Father" stand out as the band really rising to the occasion and making something special here.

And so this is it. The career is done. I've submitted my list to Mosh, and am looking forward to seeing the results when he tallies up all the submissions. What more is there to say? Well, I'm not quite done with Sabbath. I still have an EP and a live album to get through, plus I need to go back and hit some of the bonus tracks I missed the first time around. But if you've been following along then thank you for taking an interest. I have really loved going through these albums and frankly I think at this point I can say I'm a full-on fan of Black Sabbath. What can I say? It's been a blast.

Total: 66%

BONUS

• Methademic - It's a shame this song is a bonus track because it's really fun. The acoustic intro is screaming for Dio to sing over it, but Iommi's riff kicks in with gusto. This is the fastest Sabbath song in fucking ages. Ozzy's lyrics are really strong and the music is pretty interesting throughout. Should've been on the album, it's the third best song from the sessions. 7/10

• Peace of Mind - This could have easily replaced "Live Forever" on the album. Solid rocker. I especially like the second half, although it seems to be building towards something but instead just ends. 6/10

• Pariah - 'Pariah' is a cool word. I mean how often do you use it on the reg? Geezer probably had the same thought while cobbling these lyrics together. Bro did not give a fuck as long as it kinda sorta rhymed. 5 minutes and 35 seconds of boredom, fucking Jesus. 4/10

• Naïveté in Black - Solid rocker. Also could've replaced one of the album's lesser tracks. 6/10
 
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