What a relief! In the liner notes to the 1998 live album Reunion, drummer Ward commented that Master of Reality was "an exploratory album". This was the first Black Sabbath sleeve on which the lyrics were reproduced on the back of the sleeve. He has nothing to bring to this track. The godfathers of metal themselves have had a lengthy discography with many hits, and even some of their weaker releases still have something special in them that makes them memorable. Unashamedly so, meaning that people assume because youre a Sabbath fan you spend all your time drawing skeletons on your school work, not that you dont, its just youve other hobbies, too. The music. what is being displayed here . Ozzy Osbourne's vocals on the previous albums are great, but his vocals are even better in this album. 100%: erickg13: January 1st, 2007: Read: Heavy . 2. Chilling. The entire atmosphere and mood of the song just enraptures you when you hear it. I also love the bridge section with rolling toms which almost go out of tempo against Butler's walking bass line and Iommi's shredding, before it gradually slows down again and - BOOM! This is actually one of the few songs I've ever heard where I ALTERNATE between air guitar and drums. Ozzy screams and yells, for maybe the most powerful vocal performance of his career, though hints of his signature mechanical, overdubbed vocals appear on Master of Reality. "Sweet Leaf" is a prime example of why I dislike Bill Ward's style. Master of reality was far ahead of its time for 1971 and it is still a breath of fresh air in today's standards. "Sweet Leaf" The third Black Sabbath album saw the band attempt to diversify their sound a little, and so there's a bit less of the pure proto-doom sound of their debut on view here and a few more 70s hard rock cliches (Bill Ward even unleashes a little cowbell on Lord of This World). "Orchid" is an outstandingly beautiful piece from Iommi. Although perhaps not as consistent as their seminal album "Paranoid", Black Sabbath took new steps forward with "Master of Reality". He doesn't solo as frequently as on Paranoid but the solos still play an important role on the majority of the songs. But now we could take our time, and try out different things. Also, it seems way ahead of its time: the fast part in the middle sounds like the precursor to thrash metal. This is not the driving melodic riff of Electric Funeral or Wicked World, this is just a couple of power chords. My life was empty, forever on a down This is probably the one moment on the album that Ward's drumming shines on, and Geezer is also stupendous here. It was certified double platinum after having sold over 2 million copies. None of this type of songwriting made sense to anyone prior to when Sabbath came along. They didn't care about a radio single, it was all about quality to them and that would continue on into the 70s and beyond. The song itself is perfectly heavy, but the lyrics bash people who unthinkingly bash religion simply because they think it's the cool thing to do (which is fair enough - I'm an atheist myself but I think people should choose their religious beliefs because they've thought things through for themselves rather than to make a fashion statement), but then turns around and uncritically embraces Christianity as the answer to all man's ills. The opening track "Sweet Leaf" has a SWEET mid-section that is truly epic in its own rights. The shortest album of Black Sabbath's glory years, Master of Reality is also their most sonically influential work. There's stuff here that's haunting (Into the Void) thought-provoking (Children of the Grave) controversial (After Forever) and poignant (Solitude). In 1971 the band released 'Master of Reality'. The drumming has slowed down a bit, and there arent so many jazzy interludes and off-beats thrown in here which again adds to the less busy, more efficient feel this album has, but the most important consequence of this is that the power coming from behind the kit has increased tenfold, complementing the new, groovier style of writing the band have endorsed. And at nearly forty-eight years old, it shows no signs of ageing. Sabbath have released significantly better albums, including during the Ozzy era, just listen to any other. Black Sabbath and especially Master of Reality was a huge influence of the 1990s stoner rock / Desert Rock scenes in the UK and the US, bands like Kyuss, Monster Magnet, Sleep, and Orange Goblin have cited Sabbath and Master of Reality as a defining album of that genre. Bill Ward's drumming is also the perfect companion to the songs on his album . But the 7 other albums had diversity, MoR just plods along, each song riding one or two riffs through their entirety. If you're looking for a doom/stoner metal album with a heavy 70s nostalgia vibe, then "Master of Reality" is an album I highly recommend. After Forever has a progressive approach to it, with dissimilar sections and all, but that had already been done with Hand Of Doom. I don't know which 1971 song was written down first but Sweet Leaf's rhythm structure has a commonality with Black Dog by Led Zeppelin. And so the album draws to a close with a great solo and an even better riff from Tony Iommi. Lord of this World is a bit weaker but still great, with its fantastic chorus, and Into the Void is another monster of heaviness, even containig a little thrashy part on it. Of note are Bill Wards strange drumming (what is that, a trash can?) First off, Ok junior, NOW you can sing the praises of Tony Iommi tuning lower and creating a much heavier sound that would define metal. They should realize before they criticize I must note that the cavernous, gently reverberated guitar sound coupled with the swooning flute is just magical and a testament to the bands astounding versatility. Mans distress so great that he boards a rocket to the sun. In the year since their self-titled debut, the band had received their share of fame and notoriety for their unprecedented heaviness and perceived 'Satanic' themes. Simplicity in its most purest heavy metal form, as well as sheer feel and love for all things heavy as well as the strongest available cannabis obtainable, can be the only explanation of the perfect output that is contained on this album . Third Black Sabbath album, released on July 21, 1971. An album that has reached this magnitude of worship over the years cannot receive a disinclined review lightly and I have no intention of doing so. And Geezer matching the riff behind him? Arguably the most important album Black Sabbath ever made, its worth buying for Children of the Grave alone, and the rest is like a fantastic full price rebate. Classic opener "Sweet Leaf" certainly ranks as a defining stoner metal song, making its drug references far more overt (and adoring) than the preceding album's "Fairies Wear Boots." Very poignant and dark. . Now I will concede that it is the most fun part of the song - mostly because Ozzy is not singing(see: ruining the song) - but what does that lead to? To say that Black Sabbath as a band was ahead of their time is an understatement. "[8] In an interview with Guitar World in 2001 Butler recalled: "I do remember writing "Sweet Leaf" in the studio. Some early German, US and Canadian pressings had the title incorrectly printed on the record labels as 'Masters Of Reality'. Theres something about this release that feels unique and fresh as it probably did back in the 70s. Thats Ozzy singing? moments, well, it isnt fucking Bill Ward, now is it!). Whether youre looking at the Lord of this World doom chugs, the proto-power metal After Forever, or the ambient Solitude, every song has a legendary status with influences heard in multiple demographics. For this metal head the answer would be their first six albums: Black Sabbath, Paranoid, Master of Reality, Volume 4, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath and Sabotage respectively . But, if a core of five songs seems slight for a classic album, it's also important to note that those five songs represent a nearly bottomless bag of tricks, many of which are still being imitated and explored decades later. Black Sabbath DOMINATED the metal scene, and for good reason. 1992's Blues For The Red Sun was the influential outfit's standout achievment, with the then-19 year old Homme tuning down as low as Drop C. Sabbath, in the Californian desert, on even more acid. The next track (after "Orchid") is a really, really pounding piece of almost southern doom, appropriately given a massive, must-hear cover by Corrosion of Conformity on the Nativity in Black tribute album. At a very lean 34 minutes, it does not need to be any longer than it already is. I know there have been endless discussions and debates concerning who the first metal band ever was but let's be realistic here it was and it is Black Sabbath . Even the band's presentation of this album just exudes a fuzzed out stoner feel that has not been matched since it's release date in 1971 . The actor's a Slipknot/ Linkin Park guy, but Aemond's all over Black Sabbath. One excellent example of this is in the final track "Into the Void". It adds virtually nothing to the track's mood or groove beyond Bill saying "Look what I can do!" Now, they are not kidding around; they love Jesus. This is Sabbath's first really good production job, Geezer's bass being so loud and so flat-out heavy that Iommi could take the album off and the band would still be heavier than any other band plying their trade as of '71. is really awesome. Well, you know, we wrote 'Sweet Leaf': 'When I first met you / didn't realize', that's about meeting marijuana, having a relationship with marijuana That was part of our lifestyle at that time. And the riffs fucking hell, the riffs on this album are brilliant, from the groovy grunt of Children of the Grave to the sludge covered monster that is Sweet Leaf to the intricate weaving of Orchid its all great and its all different, and thats another reason why this album is so important in defining the band: the CD exhibits a hugely varied palate of riff styles, from doom, rock, folk, acoustic, psychedelic, to whatever, but theyre all SABBATH riffs, unmistakable in their simplicity and delivery, which is what made them such an important band in bridging the gap between genres at the time. [4] The album . Set aside all of the influence, the first aspect, and all that would unravel later on. What I like best about this song is Iommis very creative guitar playing. I always did wonder what that would sound like if Tony copied the bass line to make it a proper riff. But even then it was only Black Sabbath whod dare to be this ominous and fierce. Black Sabbath, the bong-headed dead-beat dads of metal proper, had accomplished virtually everything that they were ever going to according to the mainstream by the end of the Master of Reality record. Unexpectedly, the song slows down and sleazes along effortlessly. What makes this even better is the vocals. Tony Iommi probably has more unforgettable riffs on this album than most guitarists have in all their career. Note that, while the overall timing of "Deathmask/Into the Void" is approximately correct, the apportioning of time between the two parts of the song may be arbitrary, as the 3:08 mark occurs during "Into the Void"'s middle-8 vocal section ("Freedom fighters sent off to the sun "). "Lord of this World" has a swinging crushing groove to it led by another brilliant riff from Iommi. Make no mistake about it, this is Black Sabbath's greatest achievement in a long list of insurmountable achievements . Originally released in July 1971, it is widely regarded as the foundation of doom metal, stoner rock, and sludge metal. I miss songs like Wicked World or N.I.B. though, with their big emphasis on the bass lines, but heh, it's not a big issue at the end of the day. Although it shares the same style of sludgy riffs and over-the-top occult atmosphere with much of Sabbath's work up to this point, it stands out for its relatively intense rhythm, a gallop that would later be mirrored in Maiden's work. This performance is one of the absolute worst in Ozzys career, which is saying something considering the majority of his solo output. Take the lyrics to "After Forever" for example, where this verse quotes: [11] Subsequent editions corrected the album's title and removed three of the four subtitles (all but "The Elegy"). Tony Iommi's riffs are almost always unforgettable, Bill Ward's drumming is ridiculous, Ozzy's vocals, though gruff and very off-putting at first, have a distinct quality, and Geezer is, in my opinion, the greatest bassist of all time. Even the outro: Children of the gra-gra-grave.. [33] Billy Corgan, leader of The Smashing Pumpkins, considered Master of Reality the album that "spawned grunge". Black Sabbath > Master of Reality > 2009, 2CD, Universal Music Japan (Reissue, Remastered, Japan, Mini LP, SHM-CD) . I concede the albums significance, there is no doubt many a young metalheads who were inspired greatly by the thundering rhythm section of down-tuned strings and absurdly dark and heavy atmosphere. (This trick was still being copied 25 years later by every metal band looking to push the . Based around a medieval chord progression, Iommi and Butler paint a perfect smooth picture, while Osbourne's vocals are augmented by a flute. Sadly, Master of Reality is often despised by the majority of the people, who constantly say that Paranoid is the be-all, end-all of Sabbath's catalogue. Prog elements had also been injected to the classic sophomore album. This was the "best" he could do at the time? The labels of the album were different too, as Side A featured the infamous swirl label, although the black circles were white and the white circles black. My favorite metal album ever, if you haven't heard it then go listen NOW. These pressings also incorrectly listed the album title as Masters of Reality. during the wordless chorus, and the first appearance of synthesizer in a Black Sabbath song toward the middle (if you dont count the intro to After Forever). Black Sabbath - Master of Reality - Encyclopaedia Metallum One half of people are still definitely afraid of Black Sabbath and the music they ended up very rightfully burying into the ground. After losing his fingertips in an accident at his workplace, he had to have metal implants where they used to be. For me, it has always been an album with very few truly low points, but not really any shining highlights either. If Paranoid has more widely known songs, the suffocating and oppressive Master of Reality was the Sabbath record that die-hard metalheads took most closely to heart. Every single person that defines themselves as a metal head has heard of Black Sabbath even if they haven't heard their music personally . So yeah there are a few problems I might add, spoiling that if I may say so, cool climax of this review, but I gotta say em. The band also seemed to be tighter as a unit with a much more focused vision. Its true that you either like his voice or you dont, but if you do like his voice, theres absolutely nothing wrong with his performance on this record; he delivers. This song is the apex of the record, the last song and what may as well be the last word in music in general. Ever. At an objective level, Black Sabbath hit their peak very early in the game, and its one of those records that buries so many layers deep into the grooves. The world's first true stoner metal album was born. But this is Black Sabbath, emotional variation is one of their many fortes it may a stoned, happy anthem its still a Sabbath anthem. Black Sabbath's Strongest. Let me start by saying that I absolutely ADORE Iommi's into riffs on this song. That's where the classical music influence comes in handy. This release saw the band exploring more doom metal structures as well as an even heavier sound that would give birth to the stoner rock/metal movement. For many years people feared the ominous tones of Sabbath, but with Ozzy's recent public castration at the hands of MTV and his wife, sadly, people have forgotten their fear. Unlike various forms of propaganda that dwell upon specifics, this song takes a very generalized approach and can apply to the world that we live in today. 1, and "Sabotage" is a very good second. The vocal performance on this album is good. This is a release from a band that has already been able to observe some of the things going on around them on their first two records. Finally, Ozzy. Master of Reality was without question Iommi's greatest triumph in the driving groove filled riff department . - I dont actually think there to be a higher art form that seventies rock. It's Master of Reality, and after listening to this whole record, the light just isn't the same for a few minutes. Ultimately, I think it really confused us. If the album were "Children of the Grave" and "Into the Fucking Void" four times, it would be totally fucking perfect. Children of the Grave Its relevance and history just make it that kind of gateway album, but it also carries with it honest musicianship and vision, the true ingredient to making it a timeless great. Another killer riff, and in comes another killer vocal performance from Osbourne. But this was the first time when we didn't have gigs booked in, and could just focus on making the album a landmark. As for the rhytmic department, Geezer Butler's bass guitar isn't as audible as in the past, unfortunately, but is still there. (This trick was still being copied 25 years later by every metal band looking to push the . I really enjoy the opening riff. So I can see how this song would be more of a relaxed fair, its slight swing makes it excusable. But its only 28 seconds long, so Ill give him a break. It's oddly cold, vacant Ozzy, depressed flute (?!) Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. They were already writing the material for this album within a month or two after the release of Paranoid. Throwing any hint of a solo only into the end was such a power move that I feel like it could have gone on even longer and I wouldnt have complained. Guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler downtuned their instruments during the production, achieving what Iommi called a "bigger, heavier sound". Master of Reality - Black Sabbath | Release Info | AllMusic When Ozzy's voice starts up you can hear the difference in his voice is instantly evident. THIS is pretty much where thrash metal took root. The structure on Children of the Grave was, at the time, unlike anything Sabbath had normally written. The opening riff of Sweet Leaf was the bands loosest, most stoned groove to date, and it was probably the first popular song ever to be a flat-out tribute to smoking the ganj. Ozzy's haunting voice flows perfectly with the doom/stoner feel, and his story about the rockets is greater thanks to his emphasis of some words. Maybe that's why Children of the Sea was written to complement it nine years later. Master Of Reality has been voted the greatest Black Sabbath album ever The story behind Black Sabbath's Heaven And Hell For the drummer, this was a major turning point in the way Sabbath were thinking about not only their music, but also about life in general. [31] They described the album as representing "the greatest sludge-metal band of them all in its prime. new releases; staff reviews; best new music; . Just on this record you get the contrast between the stay-at-home-get-high anthem, Sweet Leaf and the forlorn, Solitude (a song that is inexplicably subject to a whole lot of What? Time to get with Reality! Almost every riff is, indeed, very catchy and heavier than the ones featured on the band's past records. During the album's recording sessions, Osbourne brought Iommi a large joint which caused the guitarist to cough uncontrollably. Hell, here's a track that didn't really influence anyone. The timing of "Solitude" on these pressings is also incorrect, as it includes the first half of "Into the Void", whereas the timings of "Deathmask" and "Into the Void" from the original US pressing should have been grouped instead. As stated before, this album has a more simplistic approach to structure than the previous albums, but this does not mean that we dont have any progressive moments. Most of all, it was always be the Master. Again, Sabbath wallows in the bluesy rock that they had on both their debut and Paranoid, however this is the most hard-hitting of all of them. *cough cough* Upon listening to Master of Reality, it is immediately apparent that this album is a darker, heavier affair than the first 2 Black Sabbath albums. The perfect closer on the album. Yeah cool, arms crossed, eyebrows sloped, asses kicked. "[citation needed], Butler, the band's primary lyricist, had a Catholic upbringing,[8] and the song "After Forever" focuses entirely on Christian themes. But still, the song is a monumental achievement and I cant really think of any band that could have done this around the same time with possible exception of King Crimson, who could have played something almost this heavy for a brief moment but followed with five minute bongo solos which you could stroke your beard to. A short, interlude entitled Embryo segues nicely into the album's most famous song, Children of the Grave, with a speedy and shuffled groove established early on with Butler's bass pulsating with emerging drums. The third Black Sabbath record is widely regarded as a classic and is also one of the heaviest albums of the band's long catalogue. mainly because Ozzy Osbourne is able to really showcase his ability to be very calm and cool but he's doing it in such a subtle manner. (This trick was still being copied 25 years later by every metal band looking to push the . Think about it; all the bands early output is riddled with massively non-metal moments, but this is what makes them so special but of course this gets its detractors, the same fellows who think Hamlet would have been better if Junior had knifed Claudius in Act II rather than soliloquising about the nature of truth and the afterlife youre boring us, William! Master of Reality is the third studio album by English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released on 21 July 1971 by Vertigo Records. It's that perfect balance that makes this one of the most metal and heavy albums Sabbath ever did. Ozzys voice is in top form as he expresses his undying love for marijuana, and the band sounds equally confident. Into the Void reads almost as a continuation of Solitude. Anyone who is familiar with doom metal will automatically recognize the rumble of Children of the Grave by rote.