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List Price: $11.98
Our Price: $9.99
You Save: $ 1.99 (17%)
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Binding: Audio CD
Brand: BLACK SABBATH
EAN: 0759927327270
Label: Warner Bros / Wea
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
Number Of Discs: 1
Publisher: Warner Bros / Wea
Release Date: 1990-10-25
Studio: Warner Bros / Wea
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Customer Rating:
Summary: "'Cause smokin' and trippin' is all you do..."
Comment: 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.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Essential
Comment: 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.
Customer Rating:
Summary: One Of The Greatest Albums Of All Time - It's Not Just A "Metal Record"
Comment: 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!!!!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Good Samaratin
Comment: This review may not be very helpful. Because I ordered this item (and some other previous Amazon.com music), for a friend who hasn't any access to the Internet and limited transportation. And I know my friend likes this album/CD, I personally do not care for Black Sabbath.
Customer Rating:
Summary: One of the best, ever. Simple as that.
Comment: Every moment is PURE metal, losing most of the bluesy sounds from the first album... and virtually every song is metal perfection. It's one of the very, very, VERY few albums that I listen to all the way through every time. In the car, I will detour a few blocks around, just to let "Fairies Wear Boots" finish. No, I'm not kidding.
Best listened to at antisocial levels of volume. I can't wait to hear the remastering job on the Black Box set...
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