As a starter, no better place to go then the very root of dark hard rock…
Black Sabbath – Black Sabbath (1970)
Black Sabbath started out as a blues jazz band back in the day, playing as Earth. From this primordial brace, they started to embrace darker music.
The album stars out with rain falling, a bell tolling, and thunder roaring. Then dark riffing and moody drum bass combo spook the hell out of the listener. The eerie voice of Mr Osbourne is perfect for this mood as his dispirited, lonely cries wail in the dark pocket. The song crawls as a dead animal toward a bleak future. At 4:40, it picks up speed and moves to a crescendo of hellish sounds. A Black Sabbath – Tony Iommi trademark. Black Sabbath, the song is a strong culmination of the original group talent and musical direction.
The second song is less iconic, but much loved in the community. ’The Wizard’ starts with the harmonica of Ozzy, harmonizing with a stop start Iommi riff. This gives the song a weird up-mid feel. Thanks to the re-master, you can hear the utter genius of Bill Ward as he filling the background with his jazzy rhythms. The Next, ’Wall of Sleep’ is built on strong blues riff and guitar drum interplay. I say it here but Geezer Butler is an incredible foil for Iommi as he moves with the Riff master with ease. After a seedier interlude and a brief drum solo we get Geezer soloing Bassically then the monstrous NIB comes. Iommi serves as a mammoth riff again, propulsive drums, mid tempo singing, a great, great track. The forth offering after the longish third is Wicked World. Jazzy, frightening but quickie, this number used to be the Iommi solo spot with a middle section designed to noodle. A forgotten gem of heavy jazz.
’Bit of Finger’ serves as a memento for Tony’s lost fingers. Sleeping Village is an excellent work out, showing how tight the group are; yet wandering a bit more than in the future. Warning is a cover track. This lost love song is a great fit for this Birmingham quartet. This song includes a longish jazz jam. ‘Evil Woman’ is another cover. Rather good but I in retrospect, not the best single here.
Black Sabbath was an immensely powerful album. I can understand the critics’ hatred. It is dark, evil, and a bit satanic. Ozzy was strong back then and the group had a vision about their music.
