"Paranoid" Album Review
Alpha101 Black Sabbath is considered by many to not only be the first heavy metal band, but the absolute best, and who could blame them? This band had it all! From Ozzy's uneasy vocals, to the great riffs, the amazing solos, and the fantastic drumming. Also, they weren't afraid to come up with dark and unsettling lyrics, which set a trend for many bands to come. Time to review possibly he best metal album in history."War Pigs" does not only an amazing job of opening, but it's, in my opinion, the best on the album. It's a great anti-war song. The vocals are good, the riff is unmistakable, and the ending is simply mind-blowing!
"Paranoid" is possibly Sabbath's most recognizable song. The opening riff is among one of my favorites in history, the vocals really mix well with the song, and the lyrics, while apparently written in minutes, are some of the best ever conceived onto paper.
"Planet Caravan" has a slow opening, unlike the two songs above. I don't want to be that guy that only likes the band's hits, and dismisses anything that is experimental, but this is my least favorite song on the album. I can applaud it for sounding uneasy, and the lyrics were very well written. But, if people want a list of songs to introduce them to the band, then I would recommend pretty much all the songs on the album, except this one. It is a good song in it's own right, but it is easily overshadowed by the rest.
"Iron Man" is best known for it's outstanding guitar riff, and Osbourne's fantastic singing, which is kind of unusual for him. The drumming is also great in this one, and the solo, while nothing too special, was a nice addition, and got me head banging in no time. This is one of the strongest tracks on the album.
"Electric Funeral" is another superb song. Black Sabbath is possibly most well known for their riffs, and this song does not break that cycle. But what really makes the song appealing is, yes, Osbourne's singing, which really makes me feel uncomfortable, which was the intent of the song. I love the lyrics, the message, and the ending. It's a very good song, and one of Sabbath's most impressive.
"Hand of Doom" is an anti-drug song, which is kind of ironic, considering what band is performing. Nevertheless, it is still a pretty good song. Sure, it's weaker than tracks like "Paranoid," and "Iron Man," but it still impresses me on listen after listen.
"Rat Salad" has a wonderful opening. The drumming is spectacular, and it's the main thing that I enjoy about the song. It's a nice addition to the album, and it's slowly became one of my favorites of the band.
"Fairies Wear Boots" has, yet again, another great opening, like the rest. One thing that I love about the album is that every single song has a grand opening, and immediately hooks me in. I can't say that for a lot of albums. Usually I have to wait a minute or two to really get interested in the song. In short, is perfectly closed the album, and is a track that anyone can enjoy.
I can really see why this is considered to be the best metal album. Every single track, even "Planet Caravan," was strong, and I would even deem a few of the songs perfect. The album itself is very consistent, and there wasn't one single bad song on the entire album. The only flaw, and this is very minor, is that I would like a few of the songs to be a little more diverse. Sure, I love the riffs, but they do get a little old after a while, especially in "Iron Man."
9.6/10 - Great Album