Black Sabbath, Vol. 4

Performer: Black Sabbath
Engineer: Colin Caldwell; Vic Smith
Producer: Black Sabbath; Patrick Meehan
Distributor: Scorpio Distribution

Notes: Black Sabbath: Ozzy Osbourne (vocals); Tony Iommi (guitar); Geezer Butler (bass instrument); Bill Ward (drums). While Black Sabbath's 1972 release VOL. 4 didn't contain a renowned heavy metal anthem as PARANOID's title track, "Iron Man," or MASTER OF REALITY's "Sweet Leaf" and "Children of the Grave," for example, it was far from a lackluster effort. VOL. 4 is a consistent, complete album that contains many of Sabbath's most underrated and often-overlooked compositions. Based on the inspired performances throughout the album, you'd never know that the band has considered the writing/recording of VOL. 4 to be its most out-of-control and drug-heavy period. A pair of long and winding epics open and close VOL. 4.: "Wheels of Confusion/The Straightener" and "Under the Sun/Everything Comes and Goes," each consisting of two separate sections. The reflective, love-lost ballad "Changes" remains one of Sabbath's best, while Tony Iommi's gorgeous acoustic instrumental "Laguna Sunrise" is another low-key standout. But plodding, mega-decibel heavy metal is what Sabbath is known for, and VOL. 4 delivers with such dark rockers as "Tomorrow's Dream," "Supernaut," and "Snowblind," a track warning against the dangers of cocaine. VOL. 4 is one of Black Sabbath's most underrated albums, despite its exceptional quality.

Rolling Stone (12/7/72, p.63) - "...Storms of liquid metal...the Sabs pour it on...The Sabs are genius..." Q (6/00, p.69) - Ranked #60 in Q's "100 Greatest British Albums" - "...The sound of drug-taking, beer-guzzling hooligans from Britain's oft-pilloried cultural armpit let loose in LA..."

Known worldwide as the embodiment of heavy metal, England's Black Sabbath enveloped the 1970s in a dense fog of apocalyptic imagery, monolithic guitar riffs, and horror-movie lyrics. When frontman Ozzy Osbourne left the band in 1979 for a highly successful solo career, the band soldiered on with a number of replacements, including Rainbow's Ronnie James Dio. In 1997, Ozzy and his former bandmates staged a much-publicized reunion. In the 2000s, when Ozzy got busy with solo recordings, Ozzfest, and his reality show THE OSBOURNES, Dio stepped in once again to front another incarnation of the band.

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