Black Sabbath Albums Ranked From Worst To Best
Exactly 50 years ago this week Black Sabbath released their eponymous debut album and birthed Heavy Metal. As the identity of the mysterious cloaked figure on that famous album cover is finally revealed Eddy Bamyasi looks back on Black Sabbath’s career and offers the most comprehensive ranking yet of all their albums.
Want to know where to start or how to buy the best and original metal band Black Sabbath? Read on for Eddy’s 24 album ranking.
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The Black Sabbath story began in Birmingham, England, in 1968 with Tony Iommi’s band Earth. Guitarist Iommi briefly joined Jethro Tull later the same year before leaving to reform Earth in early 1969, but not before picking up some essential tips from Tull leader Ian Anderson on how to run a band:
I learned quite a lot from [Anderson]… I learned that you have got to work at it. You have to rehearse. When I came back and I got the [Earth] back together, I made sure everybody was up early in the morning and rehearsing.
To avoid confusion with another band of the same name Earth changed their name to Black Sabbath later in 1969 naming themselves after a Boris Karloff movie.
The band consisting of Iommi, singer Ozzy Osbourne, bassist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward continued until 1979 releasing 8 studio albums before Osbourne left.
For the rest of their career Black Sabbath, under the constant helm of Iommi, underwent a series of reincarnations with the introduction of a keyboard player, various substitutions for Geezer Butler on bass and Bill Ward on drums, and a revolving door of different singers, some of whom came and went multiple times.
These included such stars in their own right as Ronnie James Dio, and ex Deep Purple front men Ian Gillan and Glenn Hughes. But the singer with the greatest longevity after Osbourne was Tony Martin who was with the band for a total of 5 albums, first between 1986 and 1990 and then again from 1993 to 1997.
Although embracing the fashion for forming “supergroups” the Black Sabbath name was retained throughout their career, except for the period 2006–10 where a Dio fronted band toured as “Heaven & Hell” before Dio’s death in 2010.
The Black Sabbath chronologically is broadly divided most obviously by fans and critics alike between pre and post Ozzy periods (echoes of pre and post Gabriel Genesis here too) — Ozzy Osbourne had such a characterful voice Black Sabbath without him were practically a different band.
Although both Butler and Ward were very instrumental in the original Sabbath sound too (Butler was also responsible for the lyrics), the next most defining characteristic behind Ozzy’s eerie voice has to be Iommi’s iconic playing thus his guitar sound (famously tuned down low to compensate for a factory finger accident) was essential in retaining some of the uniqueness of Sabbath through their post Ozzy career.
Bill Ward’s various health and personal problems prevented him taking on much more than occasional live reunions after 1980’s Heaven And Hell — his place being covered by Vinnie Appice in the Dio band, and briefly ELO’s Bev Bevan during Ian Gillan’s tenure. Cozy Powell from Rainbow was the mainstay behind the kit for the Tony Martin bands.
Post 1979 there was constant talk of a reunion of the original band and several tours and even a live album were convened but another actual Ozzy fronted studio album did not emerge until 2013 with their final proper album 13. Sadly the absence of Ward on the final reunion, both for the album 13 and its accompanying tours, was the source of much legal wrangling and anger amongst fans.
Compilations, lives, and solos
The album ranking below includes all 20 Sabbath studio albums but no compilations.
The compilation packages, particularly from the Ozzy years have been well considered with the popular We Sold Our Soul For Rock N Roll covering the best of the first six albums (and for the non-completists actually includes the majority of the debut album) and Greatest Hits with its classically grim album cover. Although excellent primers, especially for the early years, they don’t qualify for this listing.
Live albums can offer something different and new, and four of the main official live albums are included.
Apart from Ozzy’s long subsequent career which is beyond the scope of this listing the other original band members have also each released two or three solo records (and guested on each others’). Of course other stars that came and went, most obviously Dio and Gillan, have had many other bands and solo projects. No solo albums are included in this listing from original or subsequent band members.
Discography
Black Sabbath (1970)
Paranoid (1970)
Master Of Reality (1971)
Vol 4 (1972)
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973)
Sabotage (1975)
Technical Ecstasy (1976)
Never Say Die! (1978)
Heaven And Hell (1980)
Live At Last (1980)
Mob Rules (1981)
Live Evil (1982)
Born Again (1983)
Seventh Star (1986)
The Eternal Idol (1987)
Headless Cross (1989)
Tyr (1990)
Dehumanizer (1992)
Cross Purposes (1994)
Forbidden (1995)
Reunion (1998)
Past Lives (with Live At Last) (2002)
The Devil You Know (As Heaven & Hell) (2009)
13 (2013)
The End (2017)
The Top 24
24. Forbidden (1995)
Forbidden, was for many years the final Black Sabbath album (their 18th) until their reunion in 2013 (excepting the Heaven & Hell reincarnation in 2009).
The infamously clumsy mix lends the album a very heavy thrash metal sound and vocalist Tony Martin is straining and shouting rendering his slurred lyrics indecipherable, the sound reminding me most of the ill-fated Born Again Ian Gillan experiment.
Many of the songs are a little too predictable with a slow introduction followed by a full on band onslaught as Cozy Powell’s drums come thumping in.
Having said that there is still plenty of Iommi guitar for the fans to get their teeth into and to be fair Forbidden is barely more deserving of the prize turkey title than a number of other anonymous Sabbath albums of the period.
23. Tyr (1990)
Black Sabbath continued as a sort of refugee supergroup for washed up big name rockers throughout the post Dio decade (Tony Iommi perhaps continually trying to outdo his rivals in a misguided show of one-upmanship) and this time ex-Whitesnake bassist Neil Murray joined Cozy Powell in the ranks for Tyr, the band’s 15th album.
It seems at odds to say this but Tyr feels quite middle of the road by Sabbath standards with its ’80s drum production and predictably placed guitar solos. This feeling is most evident on the cheesy power ballad single Feels Good To Me.
Singer Tony Martin took over lyric writing duties and Tyr deflects Sabbath from their usual death and Satan obsession with its allusions to Norse mythology.
22. Headless Cross (1989)
For their Headless Cross outing Iommi drafted in ex-Rainbow drummer Cozy Powell for his debut on drums and there is even a guest appearance from Brian May on When Death Calls not that you would really notice.
But despite this new blood there is a repetitive theme here. Headless Cross is another pale copy of the Heaven And Hell album. The title track here even sounds like the Heaven And Hell title track with its slow marching beat and Tony Martin’s soaring vocals.
It is hard to escape the feeling that this period Sabbath was a poor imitation of the Dio era band just slightly updated according to the fashion of the day with a bombastic wall of heavy metal sound and thumping drums production. Tony Iommi was striving to remain relevant but it seemed his band had become followers rather than trailblazers.
21. Cross Purposes (1994)
The cover to Cross Purposes is an obvious reference to Heaven And Hell: Not for the first time Sabbath were trying to feed off past glories.
Opening track I Witness with its exciting rising guitar riff is indeed an excellent Neon Knights copy. Then acoustic guitar introduces second track Cross Of Thorns. You get the picture.
Vocalist Tony Martin divides the fans and is certainly no Ozzy but generally appears to have been unfairly viewed. Here, on his comeback, and 4th outing with Sabbath, he is indeed in fine voice again sounding, especially in the higher register, much like Ronnie James Dio (who had jumped ship once again following 1992’s Dehumanizer). Another ex-Rainbow drummer Bobby Rondinelli replaced Vinny Appice who had rejoined Dio’s reformed eponymous band.
Overall it’s a polished album, yet possibly a little too buffed up and predictable (songs start slow with low register vocals, then crash in fast with screamed vocals). Geoff Nicholls’ synthesizer chords are prominent and there’s even a power ballad in Dying For Love. Like a lot of Black Sabbath albums from the period it is passable formulaic heavy metal but doesn’t really sound like Black Sabbath.
20. Born Again (1983)
Born Again appeared in 1983 with a disturbing cover that reminded me of the final fade out scene from the terrifying Rosemary’s Baby film.
The departed Ronnie James Dio was replaced with ex-Deep Purple vocalist Ian Gillan. Unfortunately despite the anticipation this latest dream team didn’t really mesh, with Gillan’s high pitched frenetic screaming not best suited to the Sabbath sound.
More metal in sound the album was also marred by a rushed and muddy production, however tracks like Zero The Hero with its dirty low down riffing did recall former glories. Ironically Digital Bitch also recalled former glories of… Deep Purple, being pretty much a remake of Highway Star.
The Hawkwind like instrumentals Stonehenge and The Dark showed the Sab’s had (through regular backing member Geoff Nicholls) finally mastered fruitful use of the synthesizer after some amateur attempts on earlier records.
The Born Again episode was also characterised by a farcical tour. Gillan, who could not grasp the lyrics to Sabbath’s back catalogue, struggling to read his script through dry ice surrounded by oversized Stonehenge monoliths and a dancing dwarf. They even took to doing Smoke On The Water for goodness sake — talk about wheels of confusion. You couldn’t make it up and evidently the Spinal Tap script writers didn’t need to!
19. Seventh Star (1986)
Seventh Star was originally intended to be a Tony Iommi solo album hence the cover photo and the “featuring” wording on the cover — he by now being the only original member. However marketing pressure (and presumably Iommi’s lawyers’ skills at securing the name) eventually led to Seventh Star being released under the Black Sabbath banner.
This time it was Glenn Hughes’ turn to take up the mic mantle left by fellow ex-Deep Purple singer Ian Gillan and although he doesn’t possess the Gillan scream the vocals are a little on the shouty side. Having said that he could still lay claim to being Sabbath’s third best vocalist ever!
The drums, also fast becoming a revolving seat in the Sabbath line up, were this time provided by Eric Singer (later of Kiss). They are of the full on plodding thump variety so prevalent in heavy metal (and most rock music) at the time.
There was also a new face, David Spitz (now another lawyer!), on bass. This, Sabbath’s 12th album, was the first not to feature Geezer Butler who left during the Born Again tour.
Overall the music is like listening to Black Sabbath through a wall or under water. There are elements of the classic Sabbath sound, usually via Iommi’s guitar not surprisingly, as on the title track, but you have to listen very carefully to pick these up. When they do emerge from beneath the commercial sheen they remind me most of the Never Say Die! guitar sound. Other than that it all sounds like any other generic heavy metal group from the ’80s especially on the, dare I say catchy (complete with fade out) power ballad No Stranger To Love (think The Scorpions after they went stadium).
18. Live Evil (1982)
With no live albums throughout the ’70s Black Sabbath suddenly released two. First came the unsanctioned and shoddy Ozzy era Live At Last released by their former record label and then the much more polished and stadium friendly Dio era Live Evil.
The Live Evil setlist was culled largely from the contemporary Dio albums Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules but Dio did entertain some classics from the back catalogue exclusively from the first three albums despite Ozzy Osbourne warning him he should consider wearing a bullet proof vest if he were ever to attempt Iron Man or Paranoid! These are raced through almost apologetically and Dio is much more at home with his own songs as you’d expect.
The band farcically fell out over the mixing (Dio was accused of sneaking into the studio under the cover of darkness to tweak his vocals) and the album ended up sounding very contrived and barely live especially with the inaudible crowd. The more rough and ready (and hence authentic) Live At Last / Past Lives therefore gets my vote over this one for best live document.
Representations of the songs are depicted on the very naff cover.
17. The Eternal Idol (1987)
The 13th studio album The Eternal Idol was the first of 5 Black Sabbath albums to feature vocalist Tony Martin… and he makes a pretty good job of it.
Immediately from the opening track The Shining Martin sounds remarkably like Ronnie James Dio. As such it means this incarnation of Sabbath, twinned with the ’80s production, of course sounds much more like Heaven And Hell than Paranoid. The Shining even borrows the famous Heaven And Hell title track groove (again).
Iommi’s guitar riffs and arpeggios are clear and heavy and some of his best since the Ozzy days. Hard Life To Love has an effective simple guitar riff reminiscent of early Sabbath (although there is no mistaking this is the ’80s when the singing comes in). The title track also has an ominous atmosphere and welcome slowed pace in the context of an album of frenetic metal: Iommi was always best playing foreboding fat riffs instead of breakneck shredding. It was his (and Sabbath’s) signature sound.
But the drumming — you’ll be tired of hearing this by the end of this run down — although effective on some tracks like Hard Life To Love is generally plodding and over loud (courtesy Eric Singer again, plus a tiny bit of ELO’s Bev Bevan, although maybe the 4, yes 4, producers should take credit). Checkout Ancient Warrior for example which otherwise has the makings of Rainbow’s classic Stargazer. I guess therein lies the issue as this music (especially with the vocals) sounds much more like Rainbow than original Sabbath.
Bizarrely the entire album had initially been recorded with a different vocalist, Ray Gillen (later of Badlands), before he quit and Martin substituted. Gillen’s contribution was scrapped entirely except for a credit of “sinister laugh” on one track Nightmare (which does sound very sinister actually). For completists only the original Gillen tapes have now been made available through a deluxe edition of the album.
Even the cover was problematic — failing to secure rights to use a photo of Rodin’s The Eternal Idol sculpture (can’t imagine why), two nude models were painted up in bronze instead.
Anyway, despite this difficult provenance (even by Sabbath standards) and some musical reservations Eternal Idol can be considered the best of the non Dio or Ozzy Black Sabbath albums — the proverbial best of a bad bunch.
16. Reunion (1998)
In 1998 the original members of Black Sabbath reconvened for a tour.
This was documented in the decent Reunion album which 20 years after the original band separated was much better than the long suffering fans had a right to expect.
The repertoire is straight down the line with all the old favourites from the Ozzy years (Sabbath didn’t tend to push the boundaries live much either with song choice or alternate versions save for the odd instrumental solo) although it is nice to hear Spiral Architect.
Consummate frontman Ozzy whips the crowd up into a frothy excitement and the sound is big and heavy thus not quite having that raw intimacy of the early live recordings heard on Live At Last / Past Lives.
Two new studio songs are pointlessly added to the end of the album only serving to dilute the experience really, although to be fair both were minor singles hits in the US and Psycho Man particularly gave an insight into the sound that would be unearthed on the reunion studio album 13.
15. Dehumanizer (1992)
Dehumanizer is a curious affair in the annals of Black Sabbath as it heralded the fleeting return of the Dio band with both Dio himself and drummer Vinnie Appice coming back to the fold for the first time since 1981’s Mob Rules.
As if that wasn’t enough for the fans original bassist Geezer Butler, who had been absent since 1983’s Born Again, also made a welcome return after missing the last 4 albums.
And indeed the ghosts of Mob Rules are resurrected with a powerful set of heavy metal songs that would not have been out of place on that album.
So with the Dio voice once more (Tony Martin was decent but Dio had more effortless power and range), Geezer’s pumping bass work, sympathetic drumming (at last), chugging guitar, and even some ambitious song structures Dehumanizer fused elements of Heaven And Hell with vintage Sabbath and now stands out as one of their best latter period albums. It also marked a resurgence in the band’s popularity after a number of years of poor record sales and under attended concerts.
The reunion however was sadly short lived — Dio threw his toys out of his pram again and somewhat surprisingly the temporarily shunned Martin was back again for the next album Cross Purposes. In the interim Iommi was once again left at short notice without a vocalist for some concerts, but ever the man with connections he managed to draft in fellow Brummie Rob Halford from Judas Priest.
It wasn’t the end for Dio and Co. though with the same band reconvening one more time under the Heaven & Hell banner for 2009’s ironically titled The Devil You Know.
14. The End: Live In Birmingham (2017)
The End is a recording taken from the final homecoming show of Black Sabbath’s final tour.
With Ozzy Osbourne on lead vocals it is, as such, like Reunion from 20 years previous, a pretty decent summary of the Ozzy years band with an (albeit) predictable setlist of authentically recreated tunes entirely drawn from the band’s ’70s heyday.
In fact the most recent song here is Dirty Women from 1976’s Technical Ecstasy. Fair enough, it’s what the fans wanted, but nevertheless what is particularly surprising is the lack of any songs from 2013’s reunion album 13.
The sound is beefed up (particularly the wall of sound guitar riffs) and the production more polished and modern than the stripped down ’70s Sabbath but there is enough Iommi guitar and Butler bass to please the long term fans. Furthermore Osbourne, albeit a little slurry, sounds remarkably good, his voice having barely aged at all. His limited yet enthusiastic in-between song banter is typically Ozzy:
“We love you, god bless you all, I can’t f*’ hear you, louder, let’s go!”
Sadly Bill Ward wasn’t present and two of Ozzy’s own band members helped out — Adam Clufetos on drums and Adam Wakeman (Rick’s son) on keyboards.
I don’t know how much technical wizardry has gone into the production of this album but if the band had sounded this good at the actual concert (and played all these hits this well) I would have been technically ecstatic.
13. The Devil You Know (2009)
A Black Sabbath album in all but name The Devil You Know was released under the band name Heaven & Hell.
In fact the lineup was another reunion of the celebrated Heaven And Hell band from 1980 with Dio, Appice and Butler reconvening with Iommi for the first time since 1992’s Dehumanizer.
The results are a predictably powerful album drawing on elements of the previous Dio albums, yet sounding up to date and relevant: a modern big metal sound yet sounding like Black Sabbath.
Sadly this album was to be Ronnie James Dio’s last record before his death in 2010.
12. Live at Last / Past Lives (1980/2002)
Live At Last was Black Sabbath’s first live album. This recording from 1973 was rushed out in 1980 following the success of Heaven and Hell reportedly without the band’s knowledge or endorsement.
Although the timing of the release was odd with Ozzy having left the band, and the production was only of bootleg quality (a polar opposite to the new Ronnie James Dio fronted studio album Heaven And Hell) it is actually a pretty good document of the Ozzy band from the time.
In response to this album (and a solo Ozzy Osbourne live album too) the current Dio fronted Black Sabbath followed up with their own live album Live Evil.
Later releases twinned the original remixed LP with further live performances from 1970 and 1975 in a double CD package entitled Past Lives. With better sound quality and inspired performances, particularly from the 1970 Paris concert, this addition greatly enhances the offering.
11. Mob Rules (1981)
Following the success of Heaven And Hell the rejuvenated Black Sabbath followed up with the similar (and almost as good) Mob Rules.
Just like Heaven and Hell (Neon Knights) the album kicks off with a fast rock song Turn Up The Night. Then Sign of the Southern Cross continues the theme with a thinly veiled reprise of the Heaven and Hell title track.
Largely an exercise in consolidation being very much a H&H mk. II it is also nice to hear something quite different: Slippin’ Away has an exciting start / stop Physical Graffiti period Led Zep groove.
Sadly vocalist Ronnie James Dio left after the 1982 Live Evil tour taking drummer Vinny Appice with him to form his own band Dio. They would both be back in 1992 and 2009 but their departure set in train a commercial and critical decline in the fortunes of the band.
10. Technical Ecstasy (1976)
It is a close call between this one and its successor Never Say Die! for the honour of the weakest of the original era Sabbath albums but in fairness neither are bad and suffer purely from the excellent consistency of what had gone before.
There are some catchy tunes on this album and some decent rock by numbers tracks including the popular Dirty Women, Rock ‘N’ Roll Doctor and All Moving Parts (Stood Still).
However unfortunately the record overall is marred by some poor production which seems to highlight the weak parts of the sound at the expense of the grinding bass and riffs that made Sabbath great in the first place.
Fair play, attempting to explore new musical directions the band employed more synthesizers but actually, ironically, the weakest part of the album could have been Osbourne’s voice which had become higher and more weedy since the early days. Both of these less than endearing characteristics are evident right from the first track Back Street Kids with Osbourne screeching over feeble synths.
You Won’t Change Me embraces the synthesizer more successfully with a central organ theme and has an anthemic chorus. This progtastic track could have appeared on Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.
Bill Ward took over vocals on the very pleasant novelty item It’s Alright which could have been a hit single or stadium anthem but also seems a bit out of place in the context of the whole album and serves to lend further weight to the view that Technical Ecstasy is a patchy album.
The odd looking cover (two robots exchanging bodily fluids while passing on an escalator — well, why not?) was designed by Hipgnosis.
9. Never Say Die! (1978)
Come on Sabbath lovers. This is actually a corking good album! Like Technical Ecstasy before it, Ozzy’s breakup album Never Say Die! only suffers relatively from comparison with the earlier albums, that were even better, but as a standalone rock album from 1978 it knocks the spots off most competitors.
Granted the sound is different from what we were used to, with a more conventional rock sound — the tracks are more upbeat, the guitar is tuned higher and the overall production is super polished. There are even elements of jazz which is not entirely alien to the Sabs going back as far as their debut album (although admittedly instrumental honker Breakout is taking it too far).
Another track that doesn’t work too well is the messy closer Swinging The Chain where Bill Ward takes up vocals again as he did more successfully on It’s Alright from Technical Ecstasy (there is a reason the best bands have a good singer).
However where the new polished production really comes together well is on tracks like Junior’s Eyes which has a funky drum and bass backing a chugging guitar, and a catchy chorus, and Air Dance which has fluid guitar and piano arpeggios and goes full on jazz fusion in its second half.
The overall continuity of sound and style is pleasing and in the title song Never Say Die! the band nail down one of their most exciting rockers ever — enough to keep even the most cynical fan happy.
I also love the cover with the hooded pilots, stormy sky, and iconic Sabbath font (another from Hipgnosis).
Sadly due to peaking tensions and personal issues which had been brewing for a couple of years, not to mention escalating substance abuse, Never Say Die! was to be Ozzy Osbourne’s last Sabbath studio album (until the 2013 reunion).
Iommi had already drafted in an alternative singer, Dave Walker (from Savoy Brown), for rehearsals for the album, before an ill-prepared Ozzy was reprieved at the last minute. Nevertheless Never Say Die! remains a fitting, yet underrated, (first) swansong for vintage Sabbath and the band even held it together long enough to tour (albeit reportedly upstaged by young upstarts Van Halen in support).
Osbourne even began work on the follow up album Heaven And Hell before finally being ousted in 1979 going on to forge a hugely successful solo career that would eclipse Black Sabbath’s commercial success particularly in the US.
Ironically it was Osbourne’s future wife, the then Sharon Arden (daughter of Sabbath’s manager Don Arden), who would introduce Iommi to Ronnie James Dio, thereby beginning a long standing rivalry between the singers, and never ending debate amongst the fans.
8. Sabotage (1975)
After the more experimental Sabbath Bloody Sabbath the band made a partial return to the basics with this powerful set of riff heavy compositions.
Right off the bat Hole In The Sky and Symptom of the Universe contain two great Iommi riffs and Ozzy Osbourne’s vocals are delivered with passion and bite. The two tracks are separated by a fine acoustic guitar number recalling Iommi’s solo interludes so successfully used on Master Of Reality.
The old second side of the album isn’t quite as good employing some experimental synth, and satanic choir chanting on Supertzar, less successfully than on Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.
Am I Going Insane is more radio friendly and an obvious single (the band perhaps making concessions to their burgeoning popularity in America) before the album ends on the ominous The Writ with its distorted bass and trademark dynamic changes.
7. Heaven and Hell (1980)
Fans were understandably worried when Ozzy Osbourne left the band in 1979. They need n’t have been though as the rest of the band reconvened with new recruit Ronnie James Dio and recorded Heaven And Hell which injected a new lease of life into a band that had definitely passed its peak and probably had run its course in its original format.
Bravely and sensibly the band decided to take the opportunity to make a conscious move towards a new sound (with Dio’s voice and style being very different to Ozzy’s there was little choice to be fair). Very much influenced by Dio’s work with Rainbow and Elf, the reborn Black Sabbath cleaned up their sound and delivered a powerful set that became their best seller since Master Of Reality.
Heaven And Hell was the original and the best non Ozzy album — for many the only one that deserved to rank as an equal among the classic Ozzy period Sabbath albums, and for some even the best Black Sabbath album period.
I certainly wouldn’t go that far. It’s an excellent heavy rock album in its own right but the production is so new and Dio’s influence is so strong as to render it a completely new animal making comparisons with the earlier albums difficult.
What is remarkable however about this perennial favourite is that the band radically updated their sound whilst retaining their legacy and without alienating the Ozzy fanbase.
6. 13 (2013)
Wow, the first thing to say about this final proper Sabbath album is it actually sounds like Black Sabbath.
Rarely has a vocalist been so instrumental to a band’s sound as Ozzy Osbourne was to Black Sabbath — but it’s not just Ozzy: The guitar, the drums (Brad Wilk from Rage Against The Machine substitutes for Bill Ward), the bass — it’s all so much better. What had been so difficult frankly since 1981? Why had it taken so long?
Much credit must therefore be bestowed upon producer Rick Rubin who asked the band to listen to their debut Black Sabbath and forget everything subsequent to that as though they were recording their second album. It succeeds and is a much stronger album than any fan of the original band could have expected.
Steering just the right side of self parody the two lengthy openers restore classic Sabbath characteristics of slow doom laden riffs and multi faceted changes of key and tempo. The lyrics of religion, soul, life and the universe are also spot on classic Sabbath. Ozzy is on effortless form — a very welcome relief from the heavy metal screaming that had infested much of Sabbath’s work in the interim.
Opener End Of The Beginning sounds very similar to the famous Black Sabbath track that opened the debut album 43 years previous, and final track Dear Father ends with the same tolling bell and thunder, neatly book ending their whole career — nice touch.
In between we have an excellent straight forward rocker Loner and a superb grungy blues Damaged Soul. The acoustic Zeitgeist with bongos is 13’s Solitude or Planet Caravan.
It could all be a bit contrived but Ronnie James Dio tried to remake Heaven And Hell each comeback so it’s only fair to allow Ozzy Osbourne another stab at Paranoid. And to be fair he and his erstwhile colleagues make an excellent job of it — 13 stands proud as a fitting final studio album which many fans will be surprised I’ve ranked within the fabled top 6 and ahead of all the Dio albums.
5. Vol 4 (1972)
Vol 4 represented quite a leap forward for Black Sabbath. Whilst the music retained its basic raw grinding power the band expanded their musical palate to include some more experimental tracks — the outrageously beautiful and poignant Changes featured piano with synthesizer backing, FX was an avant-garde piece of ambience, and there are three excellent instrumentals — the electric The Straightener and Every Day Come And Goes, and the acoustic Laguna Sunrise.
Ozzy Osbourne may have worried where the introduction of synthesizers would ultimately take the band but here they are used tastefully to introduce some new textures the band would develop on the next album, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.
Of course the meat of the album remained the riff heavy classics including the cocaine fuelled Snowblind, Supernaut and Wheels Of Confusion, with Iommi’s distorted arpeggios, Ward’s galloping drums, Butler’s pumping bass and of course Ozzy at his manic best.
4. Paranoid (1970)
Paranoid, the band’s second album, is really the go to album not only for Black Sabbath, but pretty much heavy metal full stop.
If you want the most famous Sabbath songs in one collection look no further. This album contains both the metal epics War Pigs (“generals gathered in their masses”) and Iron Man (with one of the most famous riffs in rock history that everyone can recognise even if they can’t name), plus Sabbath’s greatest hit, the title track Paranoid famously thrown together in minutes just to fill out the album and reaching number 4 in the UK singles charts.
In addition the brilliant multi parted Hand Of Doom continues the anti Vietnam war sentiment, the jazzy Planet Caravan goes off piste, and Fairies Wear Boots (written by Osbourne about an encounter with some skinheads) bounds along under Bill Ward’s drum rolls like Children Of The Grave.
The album not only provided the metal template that influenced bands for years to come, it also captured a mood and moment in time at the turn of the decade as the world emerged from the carefree ’60s towards an uncertain future.
The odd looking cover depicting a swordsman in helmet and pink tights initially related to War Pigs which was going to be the album title before record execs. got cold feet at the last minute and named the album after the hit single. Maybe they had a point — Paranoid remains Black Sabbath’s biggest selling album.
3. Black Sabbath (1970)
Black Sabbath’s eponymous debut album appeared exactly 50 years ago in February 1970, the band announcing themselves with a doom laden signature tune that caused a mighty stir in rock listening circles — no one had heard anything like it before and you can just imagine the impact those first 3 “tritone” (known as the devil’s interval) chords had on the listening public at the time.
Although the album was not critically well received on release, it has gone on to achieve cult status actually becoming considered the birth of the genre of heavy metal itself. To be fair this does it a disservice. Black Sabbath music is so much more than what one would term plain heavy metal which implies music that was rather base, simple and unrefined— in fact it was a term that, although it became synonymous with the band, distinguishing them from other heavy rock contemporaries like Cream and Led Zeppelin, was even dismissed by the band themselves. It is perhaps more telling to say Black Sabbath, especially through their early albums, influenced a number of heavy metal bands, although their particular brand of “doom” or “stoner” metal remained unique.
You can also hear the blues in Black Sabbath with Geezer Butler’s walking bass (the bass lines are probably more prominent on this album than any other), Iommi’s crisp guitar breaks, and some rare harmonica (by Osbourne), especially on The Wizard (hear Bill Ward’s clattering drumming), and the 10 minute Warning.
But it’s not all doom laden devil worship — Evil Woman, a cover of a song by US band Crow, despite the title provides some light relief being a jaunty pop song and became the band’s first single.
Considering Black Sabbath was recorded pretty much live over only 2 days the sound quality is brilliant and Ozzy’s voice is astonishing.
Legends grew up around the mysterious woman (or apparition?) captured on the iconic cover at an Oxfordshire watermill including her ghostly reappearance at a concert years later. Only this week the model for the photo shoot was finally revealed as one Louisa Livingstone who near froze to death one early morning that winter wearing nothing but a velvet coat and possibly a black cat (she wasn’t a fan and never went to any Sabbath concerts).
The music, the lyrics, the name, the imagery, including the inverted cross on the inside cover, and the band’s penchant for wearing crucifixes, set in motion the notion that the band were obsessed with the occult and the dark arts. This to a large extent was accidental or contrived although the band had noticed how horror sells, especially in film. The band’s dark image also appealed to an audience who had grown sceptical of the hippy flower power sentiment of much of the music of the late ’60s — a sentiment that was a world away for these 4 working class boys from inner city Birmingham, and their new fans.
Over the years the band did try to distance themselves from this characterization — Ozzy Osbourne later saying that the only black magic Black Sabbath ever got into was a box of chocolates!
2. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973)
The ambitious Sabbath Bloody Sabbath album heralded a more fleshed out sound that employed synthesizers and strings. The more complex arrangements demonstrated the band’s growing musicianship and took Black Sabbath as close to prog rock as they ever came.
Although generally the songs are on the epic side rather than heavy metal there are a couple of classic Sabbath riff based numbers — the multi faceted title track which begins the album is a quintessential Sabbath song up there with Paranoid, War Pigs and Iron Man.
Killing Yourself To Live has a satisfying rolling riff and the jaunty Looking For Today is classic single material.
Following on from Vol 4 there are two experimental slow tracks — the guitar and piano instrumental Fluff and the electronic Who Are You?
However where this album glows in a way unlike any other in the band’s repertoire is in the prog rock epics A National Acrobat, Spiral Architect, and Sabbra Cadabra (with Rick Wakeman of Yes on keyboards), that combined trademark Sabbath brawn with a new found beauty.
Although the new style risked alienating their traditional fan base (and Ozzy) the underlying strength of the compositions won through yielding an album many consider the band’s peak. Where previous records may have had more “hit” single tracks Sabbath Bloody Sabbath is a real album album.
…And an endlessly fascinating cover illustration too, doing nothing to dissuade onlookers that the band really were into the dark forces alluded to since the debut album!
1. Master Of Reality (1971)
Master Of Reality is a monster rock album unlike anything else made before or since.
Everything that’s great about Black Sabbath — the tuned down guitar riffs, the lolloping drums, the chugging bass, and Ozzy’s unique voice, plus the lyrics (rhyming pope with rope!), come together perfectly in an oft copied, never bettered, masterpiece of heavy metal.
From the opening ode to pot Sweet Leaf (with Iommi’s famous coughing fit introduction in stereo) through the downright scary born again After Forever (“I think it was true it was people like you that crucified Christ”) via the expansively jazzy Solitude (“my future is shrouded in dark wilderness”) to the closing environmentalist anthem Into The Void (“rocket engines burning fuel so fast”) there is an atmosphere and theme running through this relatively short album of just 6 fully formed tracks, lyrically, musically and artistically, that elevates Master above the other great Ozzy era albums in the sense of “album”.
Master Of Reality is a clear triumph of quality over quantity, where the proverbial whole adds to more than the sum of its parts.
…And one of those parts is Children Of The Grave which Geezer Butler described as “the most kick-ass song we’d ever recorded” and the most exciting thing I’d ever heard when first introduced to the band all those years ago!
So there you have my Black Sabbath Top 24. How many of these are essential? How far would you go?
Are there any obviously misplaced albums or any that are missing from the list altogether — perhaps a live album I’ve not heard or an overlooked solo album?
Is there any need to look beyond the first 6 Ozzy albums or do any of the Dio fronted albums deserve to break into this exclusive set? Is Master Of Reality the best or are you an advocate for Paranoid or the debut, or perhaps the atypical Sabbath Bloody Sabbath is more your thing?
Is Heaven And Hell really that good, and conversely are Never Say Die! and Technical Ecstasy criminally underrated? Where do you stand on 13? Was it really a return to form or a naff attempt at regaining old glories? Are there any hidden gems amongst the Tony Martin albums?
Is Forbidden the top of the dummys or is it no worse than any of the other albums from the post Dio wilderness years? Should it be Born Again or even Never Say Die!?
I see this list as organic — I will revisit and potentially rearrange over the coming months. I’d love to hear your comments.
Eddy
Quick Summary
Too rushed for the full words right now or just want to cut to the chase? Here’s just the listing, in reverse order:
24. Forbidden (1995) — generally accepted as the weakest Sabbath album although there are a few close contenders.
23. Tyr (1990) — it’s just a bit middle of the road this one and hardly Black Sabbath.
22. Headless Cross (1989) — anonymous metal by numbers and big production befitting of the day.
21. Cross Purposes (1994) — over polished and predictable like a lot of the post Dio albums.
20. Born Again (1983) — an ill conceived supergroup union with an incompatible Ian Gillan.
19. Seventh Star (1986) — almost an Iommi solo album and suffers from a rent a crowd lineup with ‘80s production.
18. Live Evil (1982) — Dio gamely interprets some Ozzy numbers but the recordings are over produced and disjointed lacking any live atmosphere.
17. The Eternal Idol (1987) — Black Sabbath do Rainbow.
16. Reunion (1998) — a decent live reunion 20 years after the disbandment of the original group.
15. Dehumanizer (1992) — Dio returns briefly with Heaven And Hell mk. III, nearly.
14. The End (2017) — a pretty good final document with Ozzy in fine voice but an oddly unambitious setlist omitting any tracks post 1976.
13. The Devil You Know (2009) — Heaven And Hell mk. IV, really.
12. Live At Last / Past Lives (2002) — the best live album capturing the best Black Sabbath.
11. Mob Rules (1981) — Heaven And Hell mk. II, almost.
10. Technical Ecstasy (1976) — an attempt to go a little more rock mainstream with mixed results.
9. Never Say Die! (1978) — a marked new sound with even jazz undercurrents, accomplished and underrated.
8. Sabotage (1975) — a slightly patchy return to basics following progressive distractions.
7. Heaven And Hell (1980) — a rejuvenated band with a new confident sound and a rampant Ronnie James Dio.
6. 13 (2013) — a triumphant comeback and final album that sounds like the original Black Sabbath.
5. Vol 4 (1972) — a very well rounded album with all the trademark riffage but new delicate moments too.
4. Paranoid (1970) — the gold standard metal album packed full of Sabbath’s most famous anthems.
3. Black Sabbath (1970) — Sabbath at their most raw and exciting.
2. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973) — the most prog Sabbath ever became, beauty and the brawn.
1. Master Of Reality (1971) — it’s exactly what they were all about.
And What Do You Think?
When researching this article I commissioned a modest survey on social media channels asking fans for their nomination for their favourite Black Sabbath album.
The results (again in reverse order) out of 337 votes were:
13=. Born Again and Tyr (1 vote)
12. Technical Ecstacy (2)
11. Live Evil (3)
10. Never Say Die! (4)
9. 13 (8)
8. Mob Rules (11)
7. Sabotage (27)
6. Heaven And Hell (31)
4=. Master Of Reality and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (41)
3. Vol 4 (42)
2. Black Sabbath (59)
1. Paranoid (66)
What I find most significant here is, although the fine detail in positioning differs, the love is spread relatively widely across the first 6 Ozzy albums, plus Dio’s first, Heaven And Hell. The distribution of votes over these 7 albums suggests a strong consistency without a clear front runner.
Meanwhile at the bottom end there is but one token vote each for the non Ozzy/Dio albums Tyr and Born Again although the fact any of them appear at all is somewhat surprising.
Most surprising to me is the poor showing for Never Say Die! and Technical Ecstacy which I maintain are unfairly lampooned. Also 13 doesn’t rank as well but it is new in fans’ consciousness and time will tell if it has legs. But do note I only asked for one favourite album, thus no credit was given for the albums that may have been everybody’s second or third favourites!
