Black Sabbath

Yes, the only reason you are here is for Iron man, paranoid, and war pigs....Ozzy was a horrible singer... Yes.

Althought this album is over 30 years old, that doesn't mean its good does it? Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple are about the same age as Sabbath and they were just as bad.

While the 60s did bring us all this "shock rock", atleast the classics have given us good artists from the disco era who are still remembered til today unlike those forgotten classic rock bands Led Zeppelin, Kiss, and The Doors.

Plus, most classic metal sucked, with the exception of Rap-metal of the late 80s/early 90s.

For good and truly inspritational metal, just listen to any of these modern MTV bands, because they are very groundbreaking.

Had it on vynil; been wanting on CD for years, finally it came to pass.

This is a fantastic album. It's a bit on the dumb side, sure - the lyrics are unintentionally hilarious, from the famous middle-school sci-fi scribblings of "Iron Man" (which is still an absolute classic) to the drug anthem "Fairies Wear Boots" ("'Cause smokin' and trippin' is all you do... yeah!" to the "Kashmir"-esque meanderings of "Planet Caravan" to the first line of the whole album, coming from the deservedly famous "War Pigs" - "Generals gathered in their masses... just like witches in their black masses."
However, you don't listen to Black Sabbath for the lyrics. Besides, the lyrics add a certain... well, I wouldn't say "charm," because Black Sabbath's about as charming as a battle-axe. But they add something. Nah, you listen to Sabbath for the guitar riffs. You listen to Sabbath because Tony Iommi rules. "Iron Man" has... what, four or five brilliant guitar riffs to it? And isn't that a nice, big, juicy one (that's what she said! Okay, fun had) on "War Pigs?" Yes and yes. Ozzy's cool, too. I love his vocals on the title track, a big-deal radio staple that's just as famous as "Iron Man." I love that one! It's chuggin' along, and Ozzy's doin' his echoed freaky vocal thing... cool guy, he. Out of his fjordkin' mind, but cool.
Ooh, ooh, and then there's the epicness! Epicity? Epic nature? Yeah, we'll go with that. "War Pigs" is huge, with some timely shifts in both tempo and dynamic, but I think I like the anti-heroin "Hand of Doom" even better. "Hand of Doom" is definitely one of my top Sab songs (which isn't a long list, seeing that I've only heard this album and We Sold Our Souls for Rock 'n' Roll). How, oh how, has the world let this song slip under the radar? It's so creepy! I like creepy. Or at least I like creepy songs. I'm not too big on creepy people. "Iron Man" and the similar "Electric Funeral" also both have that larger-than-life quality that, if done right, always makes for a great song in my book. (of course, if you blow it you blow it, but Sab succeeds in both places there). The multipart "Fairies Wear Boots" also has it to a degree, though it's hard to call it epic. It's quite funny, though. Yeah, yeah, funny and epic aren't the same thing. Just thought I'd put it out there.
One song here I totally dig that a lot of people don't even know is "Planet Caravan." It's not heavy at all - it's totally mellow and trippy and groovy and stuff. But who said a song has to be heavy to be good? I love that song! I'm pretty sure Geezer was on pot when he wrote the lyrics. I'm pretty sure Geezer was on pot when he wrote the lyrics to EVERY Black Sabbath song.
Again, I'm not a big "Rat Salad" fan, but the rest of the album is totally brilliant, and I'm not even a big metal fan. Out of the few metal albums I've heard (we won't even get into the whole "is [Hendrix-Zeppelin-Cream] metal?" discussion here, because it's late and I've gotta get to bed - they're all great bands/artists, though, and they definitely did shape the genre), I'd rank this pretty high. I still think Metallica's Master of Puppets edges it out by just the slightest bit. But let me make this clear: Master of Puppets, and anything else involving metal, would not have HAPPENED without Black Sabbath. Or Jimi Hendrix. But I'm rambling.
See, this is what happens when I write a review at 1:41 AM.

This is the earliest LP that I would truly call "Heavy Metal," although there were shades of what was to come (NIB) on Sabbath's self titled debut. As someone raised on speed metal, I didn't think I would enjoy the plodding pace of most of the songs on this work (except Paranoid itself), but I was pleasantly surprised. Iommi's sinister riffs manage benefit from the plodding pace and need to be at 200 bpm to be "heavy."

As much as Rubber Soul and Desperado, this CD should be in the library of any serious music fan, not just metal fans.

I grew up fearing Black Sabbath because of my strong religious upbringing. I was shocked to hear Satan's name used in a song; I didn't know if that was censorable or not at the time. When I was 11, I would sneak off on my bike with my Walkman, and I always heard "War Pigs" just about everyday on KNAC. It gave me such a heavy feeling at the time, but I knew that I liked it somehow.

Well, when I finally moved out on my own, I made up for lost time and sowed my wild metal oats.

Paranoid is easily one of the best rock records of all time. It goes beyond just being the defining Heavy Metal record. Everything about this record is perfect.

The sound is amazing. I love the way it was produced and mixed. The guitars have the perfect amount of crunch, with not too much of the mids in the EQ that make so many rock records draining to listen to.
The bass is loud, thick and chunky; it is not too muddy or inaudible which is something greatly missing from the Rock Recording Rulebook. The drums resonate perfectly with the perfect amount of punch, with not too many overtones or ringing in the toms and snare, and the cymbals are so crisp. Say what you will about Ozzy, but his voice is perfectly matched for this band and Geezer's lyrics, which will always remain timeless.

Take for example, the single, "Paranoid". We're nearly approaching forty years since this album's release, and the track still sounds fresh and relevant to how people feel, compared 95% of the pure crap that is put out today. There is no filler on this record. It is one of the few albums that you can listen to all the way through without skipping any songs. I always thought that "Rat Salad" was a nice response to Led Zeppelin's "Moby Dick", and I love "Planet Caravan" with the original solo and piano chords at the end.

I have the standard US Warner Bros. CD edition. I have not heard any of the remasters that have been released since, but I did manage to pick up the 180 gram vinyl reissue a few moths ago, and it is even better!

Anyone who hates this record does not deserve to be a called a hard rock or metal fan, period!

People always overhype The Beatles' work, but Paranoid is the yardstick that I measure all rock music by.

Even if you download it, YOU EVENTUALLY HAVE TO BUY THIS ALBUM because the guys really deserve the money for this true classic.

Maybe people didn't like it back in 1970-71, but artists that are way ahead of their time are always poorly misunderstood. Take KraFtwerk for example. Pure electronic genius.

I give this album 10 STARS!!!!

This is the album that birthed Heavy Metal. Dark, loud, fuzzed out, scary, and impossible to forget.

1. Black Sabbath - beginning a long-standing tradition of metal bands doing a song title of the band name on the self-titled album. Opening with a soft falling rain and a distant church bell tolling and a little thunder rolling in; at the 0:37 mark the riff hits. THE riff, completely overshadowing the thunder in the background Iommi, Bulter, and Ward blast Heavy Metal into existence like a sledgehammer. This song sets the tone for a lot of Sabbath tunes to follow: varying tempos, time changes, dynamics (loud as hell then soft as a mother's touch), with Ozzy's signature banshee wail, and a lyric about how there is real evil in this world & you should be very afraid of it. Four & a half minutes in the tune changes to a galloping, driving force rumbling to a close.

2. The Wizard - Opening with Ozzy's slow harmonica riff the rest of the band joins in for a bluesy rocker with a nice guitar & drum flourish early on. The verse structure settles into a simple guitar and bass line driven non-stop by Bill Ward's fluid yet powerful drumming. The title character walks the world casting spells and causing general discomfort for evil things around. The lone hero, "never talking, just keeps walking, spreading his magic".

3. Wasp/Behind the Wall of Sleep/Bassically/N.I.B. - Due to some record company stipulation, a band got paid more if a record had at least 10 tracks on it, so for the first few albums the boys slapped some extra titles on intros & outros and threw little instrumental bits in here & there. Thus, "Wasp" is nothing more than the 30-some second intro to "Behind the Wall of Sleep" and "Bassically" (yes, two S's) is a Geezer Bass solo intro-ing "N.I.B.". "BtWoS" has a groovy, laid-back riff and a lyric about opium. "N.I.B." (my personal favorite Sabbath tune) is a love song from the point of view of the Devil himself fallen for a human woman. Like tons of other love songs throughout the ages the song promises all sorts of unearthly delights and gifts, "the sun, the moon, the stars; all them I seal". Of course, being the Devil, Lucifer ACTUALLY has the ability to provide these promises. The song bops along at a good pace with a slower break at the "going to feel" bridge. Classic.

4. Wicked World - Opening with a jazzy drum line and a speedy little riff the song settles into a well-paced bluesy rumble. Lyrics once again about real evil in the world: single-parent families struggling to survive, politicians starting wars, etc. The song slows to a halt to let Tony throw a little solo around. The rest of the band pops right back in and comes to a squealing close.

5. A Bit of Finger/Sleeping Village/Warning - This suite opens with a guitar and Jew's-harp-sounding quiet intro with a couple lines about a "Sleeping Village". For those of you that don't know, "Bit of Finger" refers to the industrial accident Tony suffered in which the tips of a few of fingers were sliced off his right (fretting) hand. Thus, completely changing the way he played, tuned, and strung his guitar; forcing Geezer to make changes, and ultimately resulting in the down-tuned, signature Sabbath sound. Anyway, "BoF/SV" turns into a rollicking little instrumental at about the minute mark. Lots of change-ups, with Bill seeming to direct where we go next. At 3:50 the "Warning" kicks in and Sabbath take fellow British blues rocker's "The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation's" 3-minute tune from 1967 and stretch it to 3 times it's original length. No extra lyrics are added, but Ozzy must have left to go grab a sandwich (from 7:05 to 13:25) and the boys just left the tape running as Iommi, Bulter, & Ward take us to blues-rock school. Wonderful.

6. Evil Woman - A bonus track on Japanese releases of the album and on the Black Box: The Complete Original Black Sabbath-and-the-kitchen-sink-for-good-measure 8 CD box set. Anyway, a cover of "Evil Woman (Don't Play Your Games With Me)" from Minneapolis' "Crow", originally released in 1969. A good blues rock tune.

So, there you have it, while America was awash in peace, love, and flower-power, four working-class dudes from Aston, England shows us that things sucked and you'd better say something about it. Still influencing rockers 40 years later.

I myself am a Black Sabbath fan. I find music I like and listen to it over and over... some I come to like. This album is the beginning. I call it "the intro". This album preceded 3 of the greatest albums ever created. Its interesting and cool to see how the greats began.

If you are interested as far as a fan is concerned. Buy this album. N.I.B. is a great song... but, if you are in it for "Iron Man"... you may be disappointed.

If you really believe Korn and Limp Bizkit qualify as a couple of the greats... please go away, you don't deserve to touch a Black Sabbath album. Show a little respect for the people who got where they are without releasing pop music with a grundge pedal.

Enjoy all who will. I thought it was decent enough to add to the collection.

Black Sabbath's first album, Black Sabbath, is a great album. Here is my track by track review.

1.Black Sabbath-10/10 Classic riff. It starts slow with church bells, and a thunderstorm followed by a monster riff by Iommi. Ozzy sings slow lyrics. It evantually speeds up.

2. The Wizard- 9.5/10 Cool song. Ozzy plays a harmonica. It is a little short, but a fun and interesting listen. Cool lyrics by Geezer.

3. Wasp- Behind the Wall of Sleep- Bassically- N.I.B- 10/10 My favorite on the album. Wasp is an intro to Behind the Wall of Sleep, and Bassically is an intro to N.I.B. Its pretty much 2 songs in 1. The effects on Ozzy's voice are cool on behind the wall of sleep. The left headphone has an echo while the right headphone is his normal voice. N.I.B is one of sabbath's best.

4. Wicked World-8.5/10- Not awful. Not my favorite either. Its just not as good compared to the other songs. I listen to it ocassionally.

5. A Bit of Finger- Sleeping Village- Warning- 9/10 Not much singing. Mostly Iommi's guitar playing with a HUGE solo. Fun to listen to.

Paranoid may be more even and have some of the best songs. The Kinks may have one of the first "power chord" songs. The MC5 and Blue Cheer may have been metal "forerunners" predating Sabbath. Steppenwolf may have coined (or at least recorded) the phrase that describes it. Deep Purple and Zeppelin may have been as musically heavy (at moments) at almost the same time (debatable, but I'll give it to you anyway...). But, THIS IS THE FIRST.

The first heavy metal record by the first heavy metal band. Know why? All arguments and scholarly "but the Kinks..., but Blue Cheer..., but Zeppelin..." aside...

It's the DOOM.

Simple as that. No other band, bluesy as they still were (and this album is very bluesy compared to following Sabbath offerings) were simply as gloomy and oppressive as Sabbath were. This ain't no hippy B.S., this is the real stuff.

If you don't know this album and every note on it, you don't know metal.

I was 11 years old when this came out. The spooky cover, the sound of evil coming out of the speakers. LOVED IT!!! If you think Ozzy is famous because of his tv show you have a lot to learn childrens. This record, Paranoid, Master of Reality, Vol. 4, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, are all part of the education. Get them all now.

While there was a time that I may have wanted to deny that I was ever a hard rock fan, that time is finally over and I'm ready to face the music. There's no getting around it - I listened to rock radio growing up, the first recording I paid for with my own money was an Ozzy Osbourne tape of Black Sabbath songs ("Speak of the Devil," where he's got blueberry jam on his face), and guitar rock is pretty much what I could listen to for the rest of my days.

Having all the albums Ozzy did with Black Sabbath in one set saves me from buying them one by one, and also gives me a nice box, a cool booklet, and a so-so DVD of stuff. Great. Something to pass on to my son when he gets old enough to appreciate it, or maybe to my parents, who have heard a bit of Black Sabbath finally on their last visit to my pad. The primitive riffs are compelling, as are the funky drum beats. The sinister lyrics aren't so cool, but ultimately can be taken in. I'd never heard all of most of the albums, particularly the first one, and I was happy to hear that the final two weren't all that bad - some of the songs on "Technical Ecstasy" and "Never Say Die" were just as good as the early solo Ozzy albums, and the cheeziest song I could find was actually "Superczar," on Sabotage. Horrible!

If you are looking at this box set, I don't need to describe/review the amazing music of Black Sabbath for you. I like to say they 'created the awesome riff' and are gods of metal.

With that being said, I felt the need to review what I see as the most important and fantastic quality of this set-- the sound clarity. I've heard many reissues of Sabbath albums. I've always been satisfied but not impressed. With this set, that cycle has been broken. The quality of sound in this set is simply beautiful. It is-- by far-- the best sounding issues of Sabbath material that I've heard on disc.

For anyone that has been wanting to delve into Ozzy's Black Sabbath, look no further. BUY THIS SET.

I grew up in an era when Led Zeppelin , Deep Purple , and Black Sabbath were all starting to make it on the world stage I personally liked all three groups cos they were loud ,heavy and defined my music appreciation .There was a lot to like about Sabbath with outspoken lyrics & thumping music ,and guitar riffs that still sound fresh today !Over the years I have learnt to listen to their lyrics , and was surprised to realize that they w
ere not so anti religion, & they actually cared about the environment .In short Black Box covers the best years of Sabbath ,a must have for any true fan !

First, I was a bit leery about ordering this box set. After reading the reviews I wasn't sure it was worth it. Countless people complain about the spine of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. I guess some issues of the box have the word Bloddy, well mine doesn't. Also, some say the 80 page book has photos of Mother Earth in it, mine doesn't. Also, there are complaints about the quality of the remasters. Some claim all they did was increase the sound. Well what did you expect, psychedelic separation? Black Sabbath, in my eyes, is the seminal heavy metal band. I don't think sound separation, and technical clarity would do them any justice. The point is, at the time Black Sabbath was the heaviest, dirtiest, rawest sounding band. I enjoy the ruff edges. If you want Pink Floyd or King Crimson, then buy their box set. But if you want the birth of metal, then buy this box set. Another complaint: No booklets in the digipaks. Well, I guess the felt covered 80 page booklet, complete with lyrics isn't enough for some people.

Bottom line: If you want the best possible sounding Sabbath albums, then this set is for you. The sanctuary remasters will cost you much more, and their booklets aren't very impressive.

The ultimate way to have all these legendary albums!

In this box set are included the band's five classic albums "Black Sabbath" (1970), "Paranoid" (1970), "Master Of Reality" (1971), "Vol. 4" (1972), and "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" (1973).
Plus the last three albums "Sabotage" (1975), "Technical Ecstacy" (1976), and "Never Say Die!" (1978) which are, in my opinion, very underrated for some reason! I found those three to be as good as the early ones! The reason for it is because these later albums has the band stretching out with the songwriting so the material is more varied. It's still early metal at it's finest while you get excellent ballads and the addition of keyboards on some songs add a unique sound to these last albums.

Also of note are the awesome, extensive liner notes which contain quotes from other group members like Hetfield, Hammett, Novoselic, Rob Zombie, etc. plus a bonus DVD including the band performing the oldies rock classic "Blue Suede Shoes"!

This is the way to get all the Ozzy Sabbath albums!
Thanks for taking the time to read!
Later...

Master of Reality,Sabbath's third offering,and possibly there heaviest,is a milestone in the Heavy Metal genre.

By 1971,the band had formed there sound fully and this was quite the step from there last two releases.
The result was a thicker degree of heaviness and the fact that it was just one MEAN record.

Each track is a classic,several among the greatest of all time.
Here's a look at the album's tracks:

Sweet Leaf-The band's ode to the joys of pot is unerlined by one of the most iconic heavy riffs of all time.
That beginning cough is Tony Iommi taking a bad drag on a joint!

After Forever-"Would you like to see the pope on the end of a rope,do ya think he's a fool?"
With a line like that you'd be shocked to learn this is actually pro-christianity!
Great deep album track that certainly dispelled the band's satanic image.

Embryo/Children of the Grave-A moody instrumental piece follows into one of metal's great metal anthems,sung with absolute conviction by Ozzy.
Covered,rather well,by Dio on the Live Evil album.

Orchid-Lovely acoustic instrumental by Iommi,showcases what you could get away with in Heavy Metal at one time.

Lord of the World-One of my favorite riffs ever,and a surprisingly neglected Sabbath song.
The song is about how the devil has corrupted our world,and the question of who is actually in charge of it.
Typically good lyrics by bassist,Geezer Butler.

Solitude-Depressing,soft song about Ozzy contemplating his existence and loneliness of love long lost.
Rates among the best metal ballads ever made,and one of the most underrated.

Into the Void-About as heavy as it gets!
Probally the stand-out track on this album,Into the Void was very ahead of it's times,with a structure that set the standard for many a metal classic to follow in the next decade.
That riff is quintessential Sabbath.

And so is this album.

Metalheads,Rockers and so forth,if ya don't got it,pick up a copy now!
Classic.

Wait a minute, wait a minute... this is a Christian album? Is Black Sabbath going all Jesus freak on us? Um... what the hell? Why is Ozzy telling me that God is the only way to love? Okay, this is getting on my nerves. I'm gonna go listen to something else.

But wait! This album's good! Very, very, very good! Tony Iommi touched on the overlord of guitar tones here. Like your guitars deep, heavy, grumbly, thick, and evil? Oh, then you've got 'em all over this record. Check out "Sweet Leaf." A song and a half, that "Sweet Leaf!" Or, more accurately, a riff and a half! Ah yeah, man. The ultimate pothead theme song. I'm a-thinkin' it's Sabbath's very best song, with only two real competitors. One of them is "Symptom of the Universe..."

...and the other is "Children of the Grave," which is right here, on this very album! What's better than a song with one great guitar riff? Two great guitar riffs! What's better than a song with two great guitar riffs? A song with one of those guitar riffs played on guitar and the other played on a heavy, distorted, Jack Bruce-like bass that sounds like a guitar! It's really fast, too. It's one of those quintessential proto-thrash songs, along with "Symptom," "Paranoid," "Achilles Last Stand," and probably something by Motorhead. The song just keeps on delivering one great guitar part after another. There's even a slow section with haunting keyboard embellishments! Score! And it's anti-war, and if you ask me that's reason enough for it to be cool. Something tells me Geezer Butler didn't like war. I mean, "War Pigs," "Electric Funeral," and now this. Nothing wrong with that, of course.

"After Forever" is also great. Despite it being one of the more overtly Christian songs on this album, it's got the same heavy, sludgy doom riff we know from Black Sabbath. Totally grooves, too. Did I mention that those three songs are all on side one? Something about side one of Black Sabbath albums. Consider how amazing the first sides of Paranoid, Master of Reality, and Sabotage are for a minute. On the other hand, side two is a bit of a letdown. The Jesus anthem "Lord of This World" is a fine slab of sludge, though I still can't get over how weird it is hearing a band named Black Sabbath singing about the healing powers of God. But I don't really like the rest. "Solitude" is terrible, as a first. Black Sabbath should not be doing weepy, melotron-laced ballads. Some people can pull it off, but Sabbath can't. "Into the Void" is pretty much by-numbers sludge. And "Orchid" is a lousy acoustic instrumental. Iommi rocked the electric guitar, but Steve Howe he was not.

Still, a fine follow-up to the indisputable classic Paranoid.

Black Sabbath - Master of Reality I hadn't listened to this album since I bought it on cassette many years ago. It was as good as I remember! If you're a Black Sabbath fan from back in the day, this is a must for your collection. A classic indeed.

This album basically pioneered the Metal genre. The heaviest Sabbath has ever done by far, wayyyy far. From the opening song "Sweet Leaf" to the closing song "Into The Void", you are in a trance, literally. Oh sure, Black Sabbath (the first album) and Paranoid were classic albums, they just didn't have the metal sound to them that Master does. Master is regarded as the album that opened the doors to the other kinds of experimental metal, such as doom and sludge.

The last truly flawless Sabbath album, from the frenzied first year(s)... before the drugs and turmoil really started to set in. Sludge, doom and stoner metal nuts... listen up, 'cause this is the ONE!!!

I learned to play guitar to THIS album... not "Smoke On the Water" or "Iron Man"... "Sweet Leaf" has to be one of the best Sabbath songs ever (relatively easy to play, as well, for you aspiring guitar players)... "Children of the Grave" and "Into the Void" are personal favorites, as well.

Timeless, crushing, heavy, blistering, and a blueprint of how to do it right.

One of the best best of albums of all time,only flaw is Iron Man is an abbreviated version.

I cancelled this order, once I realized that "Symptom of the Universe: The Original Black Sabbath 1970-1978" existed. The same songs on this cd can be found on "SOTU", plus 13 more tracks. If you can't take too much "gloom & doom", then this would be the perfect Black Sabbath collection for you.

Finally! We have here the only domestically available remastered versions of Black Sabbath songs. This may be quibbling but the title is completely misleading. Sabbath was NOT a hit making singles group, the only songs here that got chart action as singles were "Paranoid" (61) & "Iron Man" (52). Both of these came from the album Paranoid. There were no other charting singles with Ozzy Osbourne as lead vocalist.

Now, with those small things out of the way, this is the best single disc collection of the Ozzy era of Black Sabbath. All eight albums that Ozzy did with Black Sabbath are represented here. From Black Sabbath we have "Black Sabbath", "N.I.B." & "The Wizard". From Paranoid we have "War Pigs", "Paranoid" & "iron Man". From Master of Reality we have "Sweet Leaf" & Children of the Grave". From Vol. 4 we have "Changes", Snowblind" & "Supernaut". From Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath we have "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath". From Sabotage we have "Hole in the Sky". From Technical Ecstasy we have "Rock 'n' Roll Doctor" & "Dirty Women". From Never Say die! we have "Never Say Die". Do I agree with all these selections? No! We always have this sort of problem with any compilation album. Honestly, all of Sabbath's albums should be purchased separately. For those who can't, won't or unwilling, then this IS the one compilation to purchase that represents the Ozzy era of Black Sabbath.

Personally, I feel that Sabotage & Master of Reality are under represented. And the choice of "Never Say Die" from the album of the same name rather should've been "Junior's Eyes". I would've liked to have seen "Megalomania" included from Sabotage; I probably would've done this at the expense of "Changes". "Into the Void" would've been nice to have seen here. Oh well, I can do all that on my laptop.

The liner notes are sufficient & there are some photographs included in the accompanying booklet. Rhino has done its usual outstanding job of remastering. All in all, a worthy product that ably represents the Ozzy era of Black Sabbath. It's not perfect but few compilations are. Enjoy!

As other people have pointed out, Iron Man is edited on this. On the Paranoid CD it's 5:58; here it's 3:29. A chunk of one solo is removed --poorly--in addition to the premature fade out. Bummer.

This is a great introduction to the greatest metal band of all time. But thats all it is , only an introduction . If you are a newcomer to Sabbath and not sure if you really want to spend the money on all their cd's , then this is for you. If you are already a Sabbath fan and you want a greatest hits, then go for the 2cd "Symptom Of The Universe" or better yet , save up your pennies until you can afford the 8cd box set .

I bought this album when it was released in 1974. (I was 15, so I had to hide it from my parents because of the "scary" cover!)

I couldn't get enough of this album then, and now 34 years later, I still love it. The songs are absolutely infectious, displaying a high degree of musicianship, the lyrics are just ambiguous enough to let your imagination go wild, and Ozzy has never sounded better with his signature style of controlled hysteria. This album is a timeless classic.

One of the standout tracks for me is Spiral Architect. It perfectly encapsulates Ozzy's take on false prophets and personal redemption:

"Sorcerers of madness/Selling me their time/Child of God sitting in the sun/Giving peace of mind/Fictional seduction/On a black snow sky/Sadness kills the superman/Even fathers cry/Of all the things I value most of all/I look inside myself and see my world/and know that it is good."

This song gets me every time.....

If you love heavy riffs and great drumming there is no way you can't love this album. SBS has it all....killer guitar, jazzy drums, and cool Wakeman piano.....people often overlook how great each player was in this band. Turn Sabra Cadabra up to MAX volume and feel the chills as the bass kicks in to that awesome guitar riff.....Billy Ward banging away with cool fills.....and it's a love song WTF? A couple of duds I could do without like Fluff and Who are You? But the rest rock.....SBS, National Acrobat, KYTL, and Looking for Today all rock out. Tough to be heavy and melodic but they hit it here. Cheers!

Black Sabbath-Sabbath Bloody Sabbath ****1/2

When I was asked to describe Black Sabbaths sound in my music journalism class all I could say was "Pompei, Black Sabbath is like the slow crawl of the volcano erupting and covering the village in certain death,' that explanation is about a cheesy and dead on as you can get. Ozzy's shrieks of heaven, hell, and strange dimensions in between combined with Iommi's under appreciated guitar work, and Geezer Butler and Bill Wards wall of rhythm, which by the way is the best in rock in roll, make this one of the heaviest albums of all time. I don't mean heavy as in loud and fast, I mean heavy as in slow, chugging, dark, scar the pants of your mother heavy.

The only misstep on the album is, and now this is a big one, 'Fluff.' The song is useless. It is a beautiful acoustic melody from Iommi, but it does not work here, yes it does give variety to the album, but it takes away from it as a whole. It worked on other albums but not here boys. The legendary title track, 'A National Acrobat' my personal favorite 'Sabbra Cadabra' with it's stellar guitar riff, and 'Killing Yourself To Live' all went on to become Black Sabbath classics. 'Who Are You' can be trying at times, but more often than not is enjoyable, and 'Looking For Today' is an underrated gem. 'Spiral Architect' closes out the album, and just might be the craziest thing the original line up of Sabbath ever recorded.

Sabbath Bloody Sabbath is easily one of the greatest albums in the bands canon. It might not be the bands heaviest (see Vol. 4) or their most popular (see Paranoid) but it is a classic that any fan would be happy to own.

Despite what the blurb above says, Black Sabbath cast off some of their gritty bombast to produce a more measured and experimental effort with Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. The killer riffs are still there, but a little of the high-volume was replaced with some high-fidelity. I initially found this disappointing - it is nowhere near as viscerally exciting as the Paranoid album for example - but it was necessary to make space for the plethora of other instruments & ideas to take hold. As such the listening experience is more complex and more interesting, but with less raw energy.

Others have done the detailed track analyses & I don't intend to repeat them here, but I would take issue however with the claim that the track "Fluff" is a misstep: far from it. Apart from being a worthy musical contribution in its own right, it provides a wonderful counterpoint to the heavier material on the album. They did a similar thing with "Changes" on Volume 4, and these quieter interludes have become a feature of Black Sabbath's releases. Not only is Tony Iommi the ultimate riffmeister of his generation, but he is also aware of the overall listening experience, providing a kind of aural intermission. This album-oriented approach is typical of a lot of 70s records where singles success was spurned in favour of a more wholistic musical goal.

The 70s influence of prog-rock really comes to the fore here too, with some of Sabbath's most interesting and experimental material. As is the nature of prog-rock, some of it is a little challenging, but it's fascinating to hear them try. And who could be a better partner in this endeavour than Yes boardsman Rick Wakeman? How I would love to have been a fly on the wall during these sessions to see the creative process at work.

An album of its time, and one that stretched Sabbath to the outer reaches of their creativity, and arguably to places they have never revisited (except perhaps briefly on the follow-up Sabotage). One of my favourites.

I recently bought this album, only expecting a little more then what Never Say Die had to offer, but listening to some of these tracks blew me away.

Basic reviews on songs I particularly enjoyed.
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath-Great song. I liked the acoustic jams in between the main riff, as well as the heavy riff towards the end.
A National Acrobat-This song has a good guitar solo, and the main riff with the two separate guitar recordings Iommi made sounds really cool.
Fluff-This might sound strange coming out of a sabbath fans mouth (listen to the song and you'll know why) but this song is beautiful.
Sabbra Cadabra-This was a nice song which in some ways reminded me of old 50's rock tunes, mainly because of the chord progression and the lyrics.
Looking for today-A good fast paced song that makes you want to get up and dance.
Spiral Architect-This song is epic,almost like something out of a movie, really good song.

The other songs were OK but they did not stick out to me as GREAT.

Over all this is a great album, but don't expect another Paranoid album. I think that this album is sometimes underrated but it deserves respect as one of Sabbaths best albums. This album defiantly brought a lot of experimental elements into it (Rick Wakeman from Yes on keyboards was cool) but don't let that deter you from buying this. It is a must have album and all Sabbath fans cant live without it.

This set includes Heaven and Hell, The Mob Rules, Live Evil (A two disc set) and 1992's Dehumanizer.

"We had to prove a lot on Heaven and Hell; we were written off by everyone." - Geezer Butler

With Ozzy dismissed former Rainbow frontman Ronnie James Dio was brought in for vocal duties to produce Sabbath's most successful album in years, HEAVEN AND HELL. It marked Sabbath's first million seller since Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.
"Neon Knights", the last track written for the album, kicks things off. Musically, Neon Knights is an aggressive challenge to the New Wave of British Heavy Metal including bands such as Judas Priest. It's an up tempo rocker filled with Ronnie's signature images of medieval lore.
The blues based "Children of the Sea" follows. Lyrically Children... is a cautionary tale warning against pollution featuring some kind of evil creature which rises from the sea.
Next is "Lady Evil" a tale about "a magical, mystical, woman." Just one of the many evil woman songs from the metal catalogue. Perhaps it even served as inspiration for Megadeth's She-wolf?
The title track, "Heaven and Hell," is quite possibly the best song Ronnie James Dio has ever been a part of. It is definatly his most recognized Sabbath era track and for good reason. It is an epic seven minute masterpiece filled with wicked guitar riffs and opposing lyrical images.
The albums weakest track "Wishing Well" is next, followed by the classic "Die Young."
"Die Young" is nearly as awe inspiring as "Heaven and Hell" Geoff Nicholls keyboard is a nice mix with Iommi's guitar skills. It starts nice and melodic followed by Ronnie's vocal "Oomph!" Then it rocks out to the end.
"Walk Away" is another forgettable track, but is followed by the classic "Lonely Is The World" (a song containing one of the most amazing guitar solos of the entire Sabbath songbook).

1980s "Mob Rules" is next album in the set. Vinny Appice is the master of the sticks on this album (Bill Ward left toward the end of the Heaven and Hell tour).
Mob Rules is often critized for being too much like it's predecessor, but it is still a great album.
"Turn Up The Night," kicks things off, and in many ways is reminicent of "Neon Knights." "Voodoo" is next. I really like this mid-tempo rocker because it showcases Ronnies theatrical lyrical abilities. Fan favorite "The Sign Of The Southern Cross" is the albums opus. It begins with acoustics and melodic vocals before Tony Iommi's bone crushing guitar riffing sets in.
Next up is "E5150" an instrumental intro to the title track. "The Mob Rules" exists in two versions, sadly only the studio version appears in this set. The other version was used in the animated film Heavy Metal (Collector's Edition).
The next track is the puzzling "Country Girl." It's ultimatly another evil woman track with a heavy metal melody, but it is only slightly better than the album's weakest track "Slipping Away." "Slipping Away" just feels too funkadelic for Sabbath. It's not a bad song; it just sounds more like Rainbow than Sabbath.
"Falling Off The Edge Of The World" is the album's second best cut featuring another melodic intro and lyrical poetry. Then the drum kicks in followed by some wicked riffing; then, the song turns up tempo and rocks to the finish
The album closes with "Over and Over," a soft, relaxed track with filled with melancholy and lyrical sorrow.

LIVE EVIL makes up disc 4 and 5 of this set. However, the two disks only contain a total of 15 tracks. It would have been nice to add more selections for the remastered version. In addition, only seven of the fifteen cuts are Dio era Sabbath tracks (E5105/Mob Rules, Children Of The Sea, Voodoo, The Mob Rules, and a Heaven and Hell/The Sign Of The Southern Cross Medley.) I am not a fan of medley's and I feel that Heaven and Hell and The Sign Of The Southern Cross are worthy of their own solo treatment; alas, they are mashed together.
The other songs on the set are all Ozzy era songs, (N.I.B., Black Sabbath, War Pigs, Iron Man, Paranoid, Children Of The Grave, and Fluff.) I'm not going to comment on the vocal performance of Ronnie on these tracks, but there they are. You can judge them for yourself. Thus ended the golden era of Black Sabbath Mk2.

Ten years pass Sabbath Mk2 is reborn for 1992's Dehumanizer. This album marks a departure from the traditional Dio/Sabbath material. There is much less magic and more technology based lyrics. The album as a whole sounds angry; plus it's slower tempo than earlier work. Even though the tracks are more mid or low tempo they are still heavy as Hades. Dio sounds p.o.d on this album and the music compliments it.
"Computer God" opens the album with lyrics that could be staight out of the Terminator and the The Matrix. "After All (The Dead)" is the second track, and it is a very creepy slow song about the afterlife, and how the dead are mad at the living.
Next is what many consider to be the albums best selection, "TV Crimes." It's one of the albums two rocker songs and it focuses on religious wolves in sheeps clothing. It has a hellatious guitar riff.
Following "TV Crimes" is "Letters from Earth," another slow ballad type song with sinister vocals.
"Master Of Insanity" picks up the tempo, and then there is "Time Machine." This song, like "The Mob Rules" has two versions. There is an album version and the soundtrack version to Waynes World, both are included. I prefer the Waynes World version myself, but you can judge for yourself. "Sins Of The Father" starts out with a warm and fuzzy atmosphere, and then the track erupts into the familiar doom associated with Sabbath. "Too Late" has an acoustic intro and then transforms into doom riffing. The song concerns a man who made a deal with the devil and the devil has come to collect.
"I" is a very self-centered, ego driven song, with a catchy hook. It's my favorite song on the album.
"Buried Alive" closes out the album (original album version without the Waynes World version of Time Machine, which is included in this set). "Buried Alive" is another doom crawling track. It slowly and methodically marches along to Vinny Appice's angry drumming.
In many ways Dehumanizer is a lost classic. It was released during the rise of grunge and got lost amidst the Seattle sound of Nirvana and Pearl Jam. While it isn't nearly as strong as Heaven and Hell or Mob Rules, it is still a wonderful album. I consider it the best album Dio has been a part of since Vivian Campbell left.

The PROs - The remastered sound is great. The quality is vastly improved over the original recordings. You get a nice box to store your set in. You get the hard to find lost classic Dehumanizer.

The CONS - No booklet, no DVD, and the three new songs recorded for The Dio Years(The Devil Cried, Shodow Of The Wind, Ear In The Wall) are not included. The Heavy Metal soundtrack version of "The Mob Rules" is not included, and it would have been nice to have extra tracks included on the Live Evil set.

I'm glad Warner/Rhino is continuing what they did in 2004 with the Black Box. Here's hoping they don't stop here and go all the way with the Gillan/Hughes/Martin era stuff next. If not, at least scrap up the old masters and get those elusive albums back into print!

I admit that I'm more an Ozzy fan than a Dio fan. Dio had the voice, but the band were simply at their songwriting peak with Ozzy (who went on to prove a thing or two of his own when he went solo). But that doesn't mean this material comes up short. After two disappointing albums, Ozzy left Sabbath and they recruited Rainbow singer Ronnie James Dio to help them soldier on. The resulting debut of this new line-up, Heaven & Hell, turned out to be their best album since Sabotage. It rocks in a more straight-forward almost bone-headed way than the earlier material, but there's nothing wrong with that. The band got their fire back. The title track is the epic standout, but there isn't a bad song in the bunch. A five star album that shut a lot of naysayers up at the time. It remains this line-up's best.

The follow-up, Mob Rules, is only a notch or two below. Sabbath repeated the Heaven & Hell formula and wound up delivering another great record. Not much else to say, really. If you like one, the odds are you'll like the other.

Live Evil is where the fans get divided. Personally, I think it's fun to hear someone else try to tackle old warhorses we've heard a million times the same way. And when you've got a voice as good as Dio's, the odds are in your favor. He delivers here. Obviously doesn't sound like the Ozzy versions we all know and love, but, again, I appreciate the fresh take. It goes without saying the band does the newer material great justice. Sabbath's first OFFICIAL live album and the last they'd do with Dio until 1992.

Which brings us to that 1992 album, Dehumanizer. It's not awful, but it's not great. Twenty two years into their recording career, I gotta appreciate the effort they put into it, but it doesn't match the early stuff. It happens with most bands who've stuck around for as long as Sabbath has. I throw it on from time to time so that must count for something, I guess. If I had to rate it, I'd give it a solid three out of five.

So, how does this box set sound? Phenominal. A big boost in the vein of what they did with the original eight albums four years ago that, thankfully, avoids the over-compression nonsense that record companies seem to love so much these days. The old masters sound tinny by comparison. Dynamics count for a lot with a band like Black Sabbath and the guys who remastered these albums kept them intact. Well done, guys.

What I'd love next (aside from a continuation of these Sabbath remasters) is for Dio's early solo catalogue to get the remaster treatment. His band is the only "classic" metal one I can think of that's still riding on the old 80s masters. Listen to the Holy Diver CD and you just KNOW it could sound better. Anyway...

Highly recommended. If you like this particular version of Black Sabbath, this set is essential.

This is all of the Dio Sabbath albums in one set. You either like it or you don't. The remixing isn't the issue for me - just having all of ths albums in one nice neat little set is what I like.

The first thing I noticed with this box set was that the albums were packed in jewel cases rather than digipaks the way that the Black Box was. This causes an ugly look and feel presentation wise if you take all the remasters out of their respective boxes and line them up. However, all the CD's have the same all black tops on them that the Black Box did so there was some attempt at continuity here.

The first thing I noticed with the albums when I listened to them was that Heaven and Hell was the most obvious of the remasters as Bill Ward's drums and Geezer Butler's bass are so up front that it hurts (in a good way). Mob Rules has finally gotten past the muddy sound that has been a major hindrance to this album in the past. The sound is clear and crisp and much better than the 1996 Castle Remasters.

Dehumanizer is the least obvious of the remasters unless you go back and listen to the original Reprise release. Then, and only then, does it become obvious that the album was remastered at all.

Then there's Live Evil.

The sound overall on Live Evil is better than the original Warner release but it's Live Evil (which is nothing special to begin with). If you have the limited edition Hammersmith Odeon CD from last year than you really don't need Live Evil (unless you have a raging hard on for the two minute version of Sign of the Southern Cross on Live Evil).

Overall it's a good buy and the first two CD's are mixed much better than the 1996 Castle Remasters.

The Heaven And Hell CD remaster is very good. Bill Ward's drums were buried in the original, but here they are sounding great. Geezer's bass lines, although present on the original, are sounding much better on this release. It was nice to have the other releases on something other than record or tape, but I really couldn't say that they were as much of an improvement as Heaven and Hell.

This album kicks. A masterpiece of metal. An awesomeness I can't seem to justify in words except to say, check it out and see for yourself.

Still a five star favorite, still an absolute must have... "Supernaut" and "Snowblind" are my favorite Sabbath songs, by far. "Wheels of Confusion/The Straightener" is awesome, and the "Laguna Sunrise" is an (out of character, sort of) but cool acoustic piece.

However, I DETEST the ballad "Changes". Hate it, hate it, hate it. Don't know why, don't care. Sorry, but Ozzy's voice just makes me cringe on this one and it always has... other than that, it's an awe inspiring album, and still great (if not on the level of the first three).

Amazing. I am speechless. This kept the creative flow that Black Sabbath, Paranoid, And Master of Reality set. "Wheels of Confusion", "Supernaut", "Snowblind", "Cornucopia", and "Tomorrows Dream" are just a few good cuts. However, When listening to "Under the Sun", I expected another one of Tony's Genius ballad instrumental(Which I cannot stress as to how good they are) But what I listened to was even better. A very sludgy opening riff, and great chord progressing. Buy this. Its a heavy metal essential and cannot be passed up.

Certainly, in these "modern times" making a comment of a Heavy Metal music album may sound like 'out of time', 'music my dad heard when he was a foolish teen buddy', and so on.

However, this Vol. 4 from Black Sabbath is a surprise box. Lots of guitar riffs, the screaming and sometimes terrifying voice of Ozzy Osbourne, songs that mix pure Heavy Rock music with Latin and even classical chords... Wow!

This album is a must-have for any serious Rock listener and collector.

Though they hinted at experimentation on Master of Reality, Vol 4
is the first truly experimental album from the great Black Sabbath. Of course, it isn't all different, and Sabbath are still heavy as hell, but this album shows their ability to break the mold that they themselves cast, and to try something different. To some extent, this album suffers somewhat from the new direction, and their efforts to do something different while remaining heavy are better realized on Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, but it still marks an important moment in the development of Sabbath.

This is a great start for those who want a collection of some of the best songs by Ozzy with Sabbath. All of the essentials are here and the recording quality is good. However, this is not a full range of great songs by Ozzy with Black Sabbath: there are many such as ' Hole In The Sky' and 'The Writ' from Sabotage; 'Lord Of This World' from Master of Reality; etc. The list is endless. Great intro to early Sabbath and Ozzy but not the end all of best songs by them. Check this one out and then explore.

So many clasic tracks on this cd, you simply have the real best of the band in the early days. Of course, there are some real good album that have followed this one but if you are looking for the best of the 1970-1975 era and get some of the greatest classic in hard rock, you can't go wrong with this one.

It figures. I am alone, again, in my Scottish Castle and the only light I have are torch fires throughout the stone hallways. Everything tonight is creepy. I can't explain it. The shadows on the wall cast images of Satan (laughing), evil witches and bats with clenched teeth. I am scared. Frightened. Evil wisps through the air. I feel my very soul is in jeopardy! My mind swims into dread imagination. I hear a sound and believe the gargolyes overlooking the courtyard are coming to life and circling your beloved Seer like vultures. I hear creaking and believe the graves are opening up on the hillside. People long gone for centuries are coming to life. Covered in slime I hear them march towards my castle door! My heart is pumping faster and faster. My skin is crawling and I know beads of perspiration flow from my aged brow. The sound grows! The steps grow closer and closer! I hear awful glee and laughter. I believe this is the last reflection for me. It's been fun people- but I can't escape. (accolades are gladly accepted in lieu of flowers!). Now they are right outside! The door shutters as they pound on it! The rafters shake and I know there is no escape. I move slowly towards the door knowing full well what awaits me on the other side. I am shaking as I open the door. As I do a great shout bursts at me in horror!
"HAPPY HALLOWEEN"!!!!!!!!!!

Oh....... it's children dressed up in costumes. And me, without candy. Welcome to Metamorpho's world people.
I retreat to the study and put on this album as they are outside soaping up my Castle.
I have to say that Black Sabbath really conveys the dread and black mysteries with amazing metal thunder with this outing. If you like hard, solid riffs and excursions to metal heaven (or hell, if you like), then you won't be disappointed with this. Assuredly, this is only an intro to their sound. But it contains many, many classics in the metal genre. Listen to the runs, the bends, the hard twists and turns. Especially beginning with "Paranoid" (finished with my woman etc.), "War Pigs" and "Iron Man". These three tunes in a row convey the "essence" of Sabbath. Raw tough riffs; great bass runs, heavy drums and the vocals of Ozzy. Did they make a deal with the devil to get these songs? Or, did they creatively produce a newer, darker, mystical arena with which (or is it "witch"?) to influence many bands to come?
And the music? So many times the introduce you to slower, lumbering intos only to have it morph into yet another groove. An example of this is "Fairies Wear Boots" whereby they take free reign and fly off to yet another riffed landscape. Hard to believe- but Sabbath has a more, wispful sound as well as evidenced by "Changes".
In all - they are experts at the inner dance and of dread and mysticism within the soul. Sometimes with a dark edge. If you like rock with a toughness and alluring grit, then Sabbath is definitely one of the major players in this genre. This album is a great start to learn the legacy. But, as we all know, there is so much more.
That's it for my reflection people. It seems the sea serpent in my moat did not get rid of those children outside. They have now pulled up a spruce tree and are using it as a battering ram! Got to find something to give them---and quick! Gotta search my pantry. Oh! I forgot I had pop-tarts. Do you think that will do?

Bat wings and scarecrow things--- Your "shakey" Metamorpho

Anyone who's a fan of Black Sabbath will know immediately upon looking at this track selection that many of their best songs haven't been included. I can see why this album is going for such a cheap price- you're only getting a small selection of Sabbath's best classic-period tracks. You really need to hear the bands first six albums to get the whole picture. Songs like "Sabbra Cadabra", "Into the Void", "Megalomania", "Hole in the Sky", "Wicked World", "Looking for Today", and "A National Acrobat". Those are Sabbath's best songs. This album only gives you the icing without the cake, and it's not even chocolate. It's not a good purchase.

This is all the Black Sabbath I own. Yeah, I've heard the classic Paranoid at a friend's house and liked it, but I decided to go with this instead because I wanted the basics outside of Paranoid. And man, did I get 'em! 14 classic Ozzy tracks, and 13 are great - my favorites are Iron Man - with one of the best introductions ever (thump... thump... thump... thump... thump... thump... DOO DOO... I AM IRON MAN!) and that pentatonic riff we all know so well (six minutes of head-banging goodness), the thrasher Paranoid; slow-burning antiwar epic War Pigs (Even if it commits the cardinal sin of rhyming by rhyming "masses" with "masses"), the acoustic/electric, Led Zeppelin-like Sabbath Bloody Sabbath; the infamous band title track, which may have a better intro than even Iron Man (the rainfall, the churchbells, the tritone - I'll never hear AC/DC's totally awesome Hells Bells the same way again), the bluesy Wizard, pot ode Sweet Leaf (with my favorite Sab riff ever), and the resident simple headbangers Tomorrow's Dream and NIB.
But what the hell is Changes? No more sensitive piano ballads for Sab, the DEFINITIVE heavy metal band out of the "Big Three" of early metal (the others being Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin). Zeppelin doesn't win the award, because Jimmy Page's guitar tone can't touch Tony Iommi's, and in truth, I find Deep Purple too boring to be definitive anything. And while I personally prefer Zeppelin, who overcomes their Achilles heel (Robert Plant, who sings like he swallowed something and can't write a decent set of lyrics when he isn't plagarizing Willie Dixon, AKA the best American composer EVER) with their pure instrumental skill, I very much dig Sab. They aren't your typical testosterone-laden metal band - their lyrics touch on Satanism, drug addiction, war, the occult, horror, sci-fi, all kinds of fun stuff. The lyrics sometimes read as stupid - there wasn't exactly a Bob Dylan in this group - but the way Ozzy delivers them, in that infamous monotone, is perfect. And as I said before, nobody can match Iommi's perfect tone.
One more thing I'd like to point out is the album's title. "We sold our SOUL for Rock 'n' Roll". Great concept, yeah, but note the funny little grammar violation - that implies that the group all shared a soul, and they agreed they'd sell it for rock and roll. I mean, Ozzy never struck me as that bright or anything, but come ON! Oh well, a minor quibble. So even though Changes sucks, this should be in any rocker's collection. Throw up those devil horns and ROCK OUT!

I think that this album is solid. As much as I love Ozzy, Dio is damn good on this. You just have to think of this as a different band. Anyone who likes Sabbath should enjoy this album.

It's amusing that Warner Bros. has chosen to remaster the Black Sabbath/Dio titles first. That being said, this title was a good one but not spectacular. Aside from the well-known tracks, the others come off as
fair. Good performances to be sure and an impressive debut for Dio. The remastering however sounds like a straight-normalise-the-volume-levels job to me. There is plenty of bass but the high end is lacking. I was
hoping for some better overall clarity in the vocals. Personally, I always thought this was a muddy recording. I wonder if the U.K. remaster sounds any different. The booklet is average with liner notes/credits but no lyrics. And where are the bonus tracks? 8 tracks/40.12.

The remastering, to my ears, sounds very close to the 1998 Castle (and 2004 Sanctuary) import version. It sounds really good, but to me, it's not light years above the Castle/Sanctuary remastering job from 1998. If you have the Castle versions, I don't know if I would invest in the new remasters. They sound a lot alike, to my ears. Now I love Sabbath, and I'm not dissing on Rhino. It's just that the remastering sounds similar to the 98 remastering job. I've heard Live Evil and it is nice to have the whole 2-LP set on Rhnio's version now.
It's odd that some people claim that Bill Ward's drums were "buried" on the previous CD versions of "Heaven and Hell." They sure weren't on the Castle/Sanctuary remasters, and they aren't here. Ward's drums thump. I am so glad Ward played drums on this album, as he is my favorite Sabbath drummer. Appice is good, but Ward is the top Sab skin-hitter.

heaven and Hell,by Black sabbath is one great album that everybody should listen too.when you are high on anything,it will put you in a trance.I admit,this for sure.Greatest artist forever.WE SALUTE YOU BLACK SABBATH.five stars all the way too heaven and hell///////////////////

I'm looking to buy this remaster with a release date of Oct. 7th 2008. Everyone seems to want to be Cameron Crowe in their reviews. Anyone want to give an opinion on the quality of the remaster? Unless you're 15 years old, the Dio/Sabbath albums are not new to you. The debate is decades old. Let it die. Is this a quality remaster? Is there anyone out there?