Black Sabbath – 20 albums ranked

I was recently on another metal blog site that labeled all the Black Sabbath albums from weakest to strongest.  Honestly, it’s a pretty solid list.  However, I feel like there was some bias to the original line up of the group.  This is understandable as they are the fathers of heavy metal and innovated pretty much everything that we cherish in the name of metal.  My idea was to do a list that really focused on the songwriting as a whole and not so much on innovation or what one might expect from Black Sabbath.  There are a lot of albums that are overlooked in the 20 album catalog that deserve their credit.  After all, at the end of the day there’s no such thing as a bad Black Sabbath record.

Forbidden

It is universally accepted that Black Sabbaths 18th studio album, is bar none their worst album.  For 14 years many fans thought it would be the last studio outing for Tony Iommi and company.  Luckily a reunited ‘Mob Rules’ line-up of the band had a final stand in 2009 with ‘The Devil You Know’.  Followed by the Ozzy fronted 13 a few years later.  There’s a lot of confusion on the album.  You can year how Tony Iommi was trying to redefine the group in one last effort to start selling records (1994’s criminally underrated ‘Cross Purposes’ simply wasn’t promoted).  One last stand to become relevant became instead an inconsistent effort that would ultimately force Iommi to reunite the original line-up two years later to save his career.

Never Say Die

By 1978, drug abuse had gotten the best of the original line-up of Sabbath and it shows on ‘Never Say Die’.  While the title track is a Sabbath anthem, the rest of the album is discombobulated and lost.  ‘Johnny Blade’ is simply not well arranged, a rarity in the Sabbath world.  The Bill Ward sung ‘Swinging the Chain’ just doesn’t feel at all like a Black Sabbath song.  The structure less ‘Air Dancer’ is one of the most confusing and unsatisfying songs in the entire catalog.  The lighter edge of the album would take a toll on sales and legacy.  That doesn’t mean that the album doesn’t have it’s moments though.  ‘Junior’s Eyes’ is a trippy, fun mid tempo rock piece that really delivers.  ‘Shock Wave’ sounds completely appropriate for 1978.  Frankly I think if ‘Shock Wave’ and ‘Juniors Eyes’ were released as singles in the United States the album would have fared better.  Check out one of the strong moments of the album.

Born Again

The Ian Gillian era was a weird one, Gillian and Iommi have both said so.  The album pretty much reflects what was going on in the band, which was “we don’t really know what’s going on”.  Gillian joined the band on a whim of a phone call and bar fling with the band.  If there’s one word for the album though, I would say murky is the most appropriate.  They recorded the album on Gillian’s front lawn in a marque tent and you can hear it.  The result is an album that sounds like where it was produced, on a front lawn in the cold, in England.  Fortunately that sound is metal as fuck.  The sound holds up and the digital technology available at the time was used well.  ‘Hot Line’ isn’t the strongest Sabbath song in the world, but it’s enjoyable.  On the other hand, the interludes ‘Stonehenge’ and ‘The Dark’ are a little indulgent.  ‘Digital Bitch’ isn’t bad by any means, in fact it’s great.  The opening track ‘Trashed’ and ‘Zero the Hero’ are some of the best songs in all of the Sabbath universe.  The latter is one of two songs that Slash ripped off for Guns N Roses debut album ‘Appetite For Destruction’.  The song of course being ‘Paradise City’.  We’ll cover the other song when we get there.

Seventh Star

Originally going to be released as a Tony Iommi solo album, ‘Seventh Star’ was quickly given the Black Sabbath brand by the record label.  The idea didn’t do much to boost sales as the band had gone through so many line up changes the fans had lost interest.  It’s probably the record that Sabbath fans know least about.  There is a mystique to it due to the fractured line-up and lack of interest.  It’s by no means a bad album.  It’s actually quite a great record.  The problem is that it doesn’t sound like Black Sabbath.  ‘In for the Kill’ and ‘Turn to Stone’ are great power pop metal pieces.  But they sound more like something Todd Howarth would do instead of Tony Iommi.  Not that that’s a bad thing.  The strength continues with the title track and the epic ‘Danger Zone’.  In fact, if Sterling Archer heard the Sabbath ‘Danger Zone’ he most assuredly would have a new theme song; sorry Loggins.

Technical Ecstasy

Probably the most underrated of the first eight Black Sabbath albums.  It’s lacking a little umph which is why it’s at number 16 on the list.  A lot of people think the songs are a reflection of the drug abuse starting to take it’s toll.  While the drugs certainly did start doing that, I feel like the album is a reflection of their surroundings.  It’s pretty hard to write dark, bleak material when you’re partying your ass off in Miami while recording an album.  That being said, it’s easy to understand why o.g. fans felt let down.  However, the fact remains that these are great songs.  They’re arranged very strongly and honestly, Tony Iommi’s guitar work is much better on the album than people give it credit for.  ‘Back Street Kids’ is a fun, heavy track that would be a blueprint for more radio friendly types of metal that spawned in the 80’s.  ‘You Won’t Change Me’ is a terrific ballad that ranks among ‘Changes’.  Unfortunately the album takes a steep dive with the next track ‘It’s Alright’ which feels completely out of place.  The next two tracks solidify that this is a strong album.  ‘Gypsy’ is a classic Sabbath piece while ‘All Moving Parts (Stand Still)’ is one of the greatest funk rockers ever written.  The rest of the album is unmemorable with the exception of ‘She’s Gone’ which gains relevance due to Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne filing for divorce.

Sabbath Bloody Sabbath

I know I’m going to get shit from a lot of people for putting ‘Sabbath Bloody Sabbath’ in at #15 on the list.  But honestly, I feel like it’s an appropriate spot.  There are too many duds on the album to put it any higher.  The title track is memorable, but not in a good way.  Frankly, the drums kind of annoy me on the song.  ‘Fluff’ is just kind of that, fluff.  The keyboard melody on ‘Who Are You?’ is exhausting and ‘Looking For Today’ sounds like Jethro Tull.  There are some great moments however with ‘A National Acrobat’, ‘Sabbra Cadabra’, ‘Killing Yourself to Live’ and the epic signature ‘Spiral Architect’.  The final being one of Sabbaths finest moments ever.

13

To be honest, this is some of Tony Iommi and Geezer Butlers best guitar and bass work they’ve ever done.  It’s an honest Black Sabbath record and it fulfilled the fans hopes and desires of one more Ozzy album.  The reason it isn’t higher on the list is because it’s a little too predictable.  Listeners can hear what’s going to happen next.  That’s valid and there’s comfort in that.  That’s probably why the album debuted at #1 in 2013.  But it keeps the album from truly popping off and being really really special like it could be.  Also, Ozzy sounds tired, really tired.  There is no way this guy could sing ‘Hole in the Sky’ today while some of the other veteran singers still have their voices in full (Tony Martin).  Good thing it doesn’t take too much away from the albums energy.  It’s still one of the finest heavy metal albums out there.  ‘End of the Beginning’ delivers the old school goods with one of Iommi’s tastiest riffs appearing about 3 minutes into the epic.  However, the album gets a little boring for a few tracks.  ‘God is Dead’, ‘Loner’ and ‘Zeitgiest’ are honestly sleepers.  It picks up with ‘Age of Reason’ and ‘Live Forever’ which are in league with the albums opening track.  Honestly, the rest of the album sounds like an extension of 2009’s superior ‘The Devil You Know’ which happened to be Ronnie James Dio’s final album.  That’s not a bad thing because it lends some of the best and heaviest work ever from Black Sabbath.  But it lacks in originality.

TYR

This is where the rankings begin to get tough.  TYR is a near perfect heavy metal album.  Tony Martins voice soars above and beyond anyone’s expectations.  The opening track ‘Anno Mundi (The Vision)’ is one of the strongest Black Sabbath songs to be presented.  The drums are thunderous and Tony Iommi’s riff cuts through in true Sabbath fashion.  The single ‘Jerusalem’ is one of the most underrated songs in all of metal.  The chorus chant just gets stuck in your head in the best way possible.  The keyboards may turn off a few fans.  Of course there are always going to be fans that say the only Sabbath is Ozzy or Dio.  What many of those people overlook is that Black Sabbath is Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler’s band.  They started it, Ozzy joined at the last second when they couldn’t get a singer.  The Tony Martin era of Black Sabbath is proof that Tony Iommi runs the group.  ‘The Sabbath Stones’ is the perfect example of how Iommi takes command.  Some of the later tracks on the album wane on the quality and intensity which puts this album at #13.

Volume 4

Containing one of the most iconic photos of Ozzy Osbourne on the cover, Volume 4 is everything you may expect from the original line up.  Except everything is a little less consistent as their first three albums.  It does contain the signature track ‘Snowblind’ and their first and best ballad ‘Changes’.  ‘Supernaut’ is among the best songs from the Ozzy line up.  It’s too bad they never really played it live, it had a lot of potential.  Fortunately they’ve realized this and have put it in the set list for recent tours.   However, again, the energy wanes off in the final tracks of the album.  If the song structure of ‘Snowblind’ and ‘Supernaut’ were more consistent, this would rank among one of the best Sabbath albums ever.

The Mob Rules

The first Black Sabbath album that I fell in love with.  I just loved it.  I thought it was light years ahead of what the band did with Ozzy.  Plus the album cover is so sick.  With the addition of Vinny Appice on drums they seem untouchable.  It’s his drum tone that gives the album a quality studio production that holds up to this day.  I still can’t believe that it came out in 1981.  It’s just such a heavy record!!  ‘Turn Up the Night’ kicks things off with a resemblance to ‘Neon Knights’ from the previous album.  The sexy ‘Voodoo’ follows with one hell of a blues metal groove.  The title track is one of the most iconic guitar riffs of all time.  It’s the first tune that Slash used for Guns N Roses’ debut album.  If you listen you’ll find a striking resemblance to ‘Welcome to the Jungle’.  ‘Country Girl’ is much darker than expected and the time changing ‘Slipping Away’ follows.  It’s then that you think they could do no wrong.  But the final two songs kind of prove that wrong.  ‘Falling off the Edge of the World’ takes a little while to get moving with a weak introduction but strong finish and excellent guitar riff.  The closing song is the ballad ‘Over and Over’ which feels really out of place on this album.

Black Sabbath

Again, I’m prepared to receive death threat letters in the mail for this one.  I love this album I gotta say.  The production is light years ahead of anything at the time.  Also this is the album that officially started the genre we now know and love as Heavy Metal.  It’s the biggest fuck you to hippies everywhere.  At a time when flowers and psychedelic music were topping the charts, the four lads decided to go back to basics with music while creating new, heavy sounds.  The reason this album is #10 on the list is because it feels a little incomplete.  The title track and signature song that started it all seems a little boring to me to be quite honest.  It does have it’s excellent moments with ‘The Wizard’ and the mashed together ‘WASP/Behind the Wall of Sleep/Bassically/NIB’.  However, I don’t understand why they are all mashed together as one song.  They certainly didn’t perform it that way.  ‘Behind the Wall of Sleep’ is performed as it’s own song usually.  ‘NIB’ particularly is singled out and would become a signature concert song for the group.  I feel the album would have better flow if they were tracked as their own individual songs.  ‘Wicked World’ shows where the band came out of which was performing blues.  It still has the signature Sabbath tone and mood though.

The Devil You Know

For many years fans wondered, were disturbed and eventually accepted that ‘Forbidden’ may be the final studio testament of Black Sabbath.  Fortunately for the metal world 2009 revealed a re-invigorated ‘Mob Rules’ line up of the band.  They released ‘The Devil You Know’ under the band name Heaven and Hell after Black Sabbaths first album with Dio.  They were forced into that decision as Sharon Osbourne has selfish claws which she would finagle in order for her to own the Black Sabbath name; even though she or Ozzy have no moral right to the name.  Either way, this is a Black Sabbath album.  It’s also their heaviest album in the catalog.  The one issue is that some of the songs are repetitive.  The album revolves around about 85 bpm, which is the sludgy groove tempo that made Black Sabbath who they are.  There are only two songs that pick up the pace:  ‘Eating the Cannibals’ and ‘Neverwhere’.  They are perfect Sabbath songs and it’s a shame there aren’t more tracks of this aesthetic on the album.  That doesn’t mean it’s not full of some of the crunchiest and strongest riffs ever.  ‘Double the Pain’ slams down so much metal you’ll have to check your blood for high iron.  The album is complete, that’s why it’s in the top 10.  It may be a little repetitive, but that’s better than an incomplete album.

Headless Cross

Coming in at #8 is the extremely overlooked Headless Cross.  What an album!!  During the time Black Sabbath had gone through more line up changes than a college sports team.  However, this was also the first sign of stability in the band as it was the first album to have a returning front man (Tony Martin) since 1981’s The Mob Rules (seven years).  The result is a group finding it’s groove again.  The album opens with the bone chilling interlude ‘The Gates of Hell’ which is what I assume is actually playing at the gates of Hell 24/7.  Just on repeat over and over again.  The song goes into the title track which is just a huge statement of “Black Sabbath is going NOWHERE!!”  Followed by ‘Devil and Daughter’ and the albums peak piece ‘When Death Calls’.  The latter is considered by many to be the best non Dio or Ozzy era Black Sabbath song.  I have to say it’s a compelling argument as it is a masterpiece of heavy fucking metal.  The reason the album doesn’t fare higher is because of the slight tangents into hair metal displayed on ‘Kill the Spirit World’ and ‘Call of the Wild’.  However, those two tracks still retain some of the signature Sabbath sound.  The album finishes incredibly strong with ‘Nightwing’ and ‘Cloak & Dagger’ which sound as classic as any Ozzy album.

Paranoid

Easily Black Sabbaths most recognizable album.  That being said, recognition doesn’t equal a #1 spot on this list as some might have assumed.  Is is a phenomenal record?  You bet.  Did it contribute to the legacy of heavy metal as much as their first album?  Absolutely.  The album contains Black Sabbaths most famous tracks:  ‘War Pigs’, the title track and of course ‘Iron Man’ which might be the most famous riff in all of heavy metal.  Once more, fame and recognition doesn’t mean it’s the best.  Some of the album is predictable.  There are also parts that feel a little bit rushed.  The first album was a smash in England and did well in the United States and the record company wanted a quick follow up.  ‘Electric Funeral’ is in my opinion the strong point of the album.  Just heavy as hell while also innovative with the wah pedal.

Dehumanizer

From the prophetic ‘Computer God’ to the sludgy, muddy heaviness of ‘Burned Alive’; Dehumanizer is the most underrated of the Dio released Sabbath albums.  It’s near perfect with one weak spot, the out of place ballad ‘Too Late’.  Other than that, it’s one of the most “Sabbath” sounding of any albums in the Black Sabbath arsenal.  In 1992 Tony Iommi and company found themselves in an odd spot.  Stability was achieved through a hard working and sane singer, Tony Martin.  However, no matter how high quality the work was or how disciplined the band remained, it didn’t add up to sales or big touring.  Tony Iommi had been flirting a bit with hair metal at the peak of the genres success without sacrificing the Sabbath sound.  It paid off for the most part but by 1992 the music climate had shifted considerably to a heavier and darker metal aesthetic thanks to bands like Alice In Chains and Soundgarden.  Both of whom claim Sabbath as a primary influence.  Mr. Iommi decided to take advantage and go back to basics.  He got rid of the entire line up at the time and quickly got Geezer Butler back on board.  A classic line-up was intended, but Ozzy was in the middle of enjoying peak solo success on the first of many farewell tours and Bill Ward was doing what Bill Ward does.  The back up?  Bring in the Mob Rules line up which works to the albums advantage.  This line up of Sabbath always had a knack for writing the bands heaviest and darkest material and on Dehumanizer they let loose and bring it.  It’s their second heaviest album next to ‘The Devil You Know’.  ‘After All (The Dead)’, ‘Letters From Earth’ and ‘Sins of the Father’ are slow churners that resemble the band 70’s and early 80’s heyday.  Of course there’s the classic Dio twist to the album with tracks like ‘Time Machine’ and ‘Master of Insanity’.  But it only serves the album to make it strong and diverse.  Dehumanizer is a must have for any Sabbath fan.

The Eternal Idol

It’s down to the top five.  First up on the perfect Black Sabbath album list is 1987’s ‘The Eternal Idol’.  The first album to feature Tony Martin on lead vocals is about as underrated as his masterful voice.  Often overlooked due to the line up, ‘The Eternal Idol’ delivers all of the Sabbath goods in a mid 80’s musical climate.  The first time ‘Ancient Warrior’ hit my eardrums I new instantly that there was more to Sabbath than Ozzy and Dio.  It has that classic mid tempo, haunting riff that we’re all used to.  Tony Iommi was smart, he didn’t sell out to the hair metal crowd.  Instead he kept Sabbaths integrity in tact and tweaked small elements to accommodate the times.  The album roars on with ‘Hard Life to Love’, one of the most monstrous songs Iommi ever did.  For those who may doubt that this era of Black Sabbath isn’t Sabbath need look no further than the two tracks ‘Nightmare’ and the title track.  Both of which sound like they could be on Sabs first three records.  The strongest track in the bunch is the rip roaring ‘Lost Forever’ which is pure power metal to the max.  The screaming riff, the soaring bass line and the final moment of Tony Martin screaming “LOOOST FOREHHHVAAAAHH!!!”

Sabotage

This was my last Ozzy album I heard.  This is often the least talked about of the Ozzy works.  Even if it is light years ahead of the two preceding and two that would proceed it.  The first time I heard this album I thought the universe was going to explode.  Tony Iommi’s guitar tone just cuts through the speakers like shark teeth.  ‘Hole in Sky’ is just one hell of a jam that will get you on your feet no matter what.  ‘Symptom of the Universe’ is considered by many to be the first New Wave and Thrash song.  It did more than that.  It made it alright to be that heavy, it was def the heaviest song they had written to date.  It created the environment more than influenced it.  Their previous albums had done the influencing, now it was time to be a part of what they had created.  My initial listen to ‘Megolomania’ made me rip my skull in two.  It’s just fucking awesome!!!  It may be the best Ozzy song he did with the Sabbath.  ‘Supertzar’ and ‘Am I Going Insane (Radio)’ are different tunes for Sabbath, but they fit in the mix of the album somehow.  The big finale is ‘The Writ’, which was inspired by their former record company suing the band.  It always seems that turmoil and stress bring out the best in certain artists.  Black Sabbath are absolutely no exception to that rule.

Cross Purposes

Cross Purposes is, without question, the most underrated Black Sabbath album in the entire 20 album collection.  From ‘I Witness’ to ‘Evil Eye’, this is a metal album that does no wrong.  Tony Martin was always the most underappreciated singer in the Sabbath regime.  The album was so unpredictable.  After ‘Dehumanizer’ didn’t do nearly as well as expected, Ronnie James Dio went back to his solo project.  That’s not a bad thing as he delivered one of the greatest and most overlooked metal albums of all time with ‘Strange Highways’.  Geezer Butler and Tony Iommi on the other hand were, again, cornered.  Iommi brought back Martin on the vocals with the attitude of writing the baddest and most “Sabbath” of all the Black Sabbath records.  I’ve always said that Black Sabbath is Tony Iommi and Geezer Butlers band and this album is the definitive proof.  ‘I Witness’ brings the most exciting track to the Sabbath catalog since ‘Trashed’.  It may be Geezer Butlers finest bass moment in the bands 40+ year career.  ‘Cross of Thorns’, ‘Psychophobia’ and ‘Virtual Death’ fill the speakers with high quality metal that’s catchy and memorable.  Check out the bridge on ‘Psychophobia’ for proof.  ‘Immaculate Deception’ goes back to the bands ability to write powerful, progressive metal pieces.  ‘Dying for Love’ is a perfect ballad while ‘Back to Eden’ may be the funkiest riff Tony Iommi has ever written.  ‘The Hand That Rocks the Cradle’ keeps the Sabbath tradition going while ‘Cardinal Sin’ strengthens the tradition with one hell of an epic metal masterpiece.  The album closes with ‘Evil Eye’ which in my opinion is the sickest, nastiest and most engulfing introduction in the entire Black Sabbath universe.   It just doesn’t get much better.

Master of Reality

The most universally accepted album to be Ozzy’s best with Black Sabbath.  ‘Master of Reality’ took the sound of the first two Sabbath records and furthered it to plains unknown in the musical climate.  It’s not only responsible for inspiring what would later become the British New Wave Heavy Metal movement and the American Thrash movement, it’s also responsible for creating what’s now known as stoner metal.  ‘Sweet Leaf’ kicks off the album as the stoner metal anthem.  Things get even stronger with ‘After Forever’, which in many ways is the first Christian metal song.  It’s not preachy, it was mainly written by Geezer Butler to put to rest all of the Satanic rumors at the time.  It delivers one of the most aggressive riffs and jams that Sabbath ever did.  ‘Embryo’ bridges well into ‘Children of the Grave’ which still breaks necks to this day.  ‘Orchid’ appropriately follows meshing with ‘Embryo’.  If ‘Lord of This World’ doesn’t dig under your skin then you may need to see the soul doctor.  ‘Solitude’ does something that no other Black Sabbath songs do:  create an amniotic atmosphere with the flute without being lame.  It’s a completely original piece that the band never seemed to be able to capture again.  The album closes with the coup de gras ‘Into the Void’.  It encases the evolution of the band perfectly.  It’s a forever timeless metal piece.  There is no fiercer version than that of the classic line-up live version from the 90’s reunion concert.

Heaven and Hell

“It goes on, and on, and on…it’s HEAVEN AND HELL!!”  The legendary chant by Ronnie James Dio is a heavy metal battle cry that would stand the test of time.  In 190 Black Sabbath were in new form.  Ozzy had been kicked out of the band and many doubted whether or not they could continue without him.  All the doubters were quickly silenced when ‘Heaven and Hell’ was released in 1980.  It was unlike anything anyone had heard thus far.  The production was far beyond any of it’s predecessors.  It started the clean, heavy and sleek production that would rule the heavy metal radio for the next 12 years.  Also, for many, this was the first Black Sabbath record.  The previous five years hadn’t been to kind to Sabbath in terms of recognition in the United States.  ‘Heaven and Hell’ put them back on the map in a huge way, saving their careers.  The album kicks off with ‘Neon Knights’ and it’s instantly clear that this is a band that’s focused and reinvigorated.  The signature ‘Children of the Sea’ follows bringing in Dio’s more fantastical lyrical influence in the band.  The strip club anthem ‘Lady Evil’ is next with a steamy riff and groove.  The albums centerpiece and title track would go to become an anthem bigger than any of the band members could have predicted.  The riff is sung live world wide in massive audience attendances to this day.  When the audience sings the riff, you know you’ve made it.  ‘Wishing Well’ brings in a bouncy, feel good pace not found too often on Ozzy Sabbath records.  The massive ‘Die Young’ follows crushing all in it’s power metal path.  ‘Walk Away’ keeps the newer, lighter lyrical subject matter alive with a bounce similar to ‘Wishing Well’.  The album finishes in perfection with ‘Lonely is the World’.  The sludge metal slammer showed fans that this is indeed Black Sabbath and they weren’t going anywhere anytime soon.  From start to finish, ‘Heaven and Hell’ is one of the strongest records in all of heavy metal.  Not one song is skipped on the album.  Every song works to serve the others in a balanced marriage of heavy metal.  That’s why ‘Heaven and Hell’ is, the #1 Black Sabbath album.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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