The Foundation of Heavy Metal
Before Black Sabbath there was The Cream, Deep Purple, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, the Jeff Beck Group, Blue Cheer, Savoy Brown, Steppenwolf, Ten Years After, Led Zeppelin, and Iron Butterfly, as well as many other Heavy groups which are more obscure; so Sabbath did not invent Heavy music.
Black Sabbath pushed the Blues-/-Psychedelic Rock envelope a little bit further, though; and in a startlingly original and creative way. At the end of the day, the band had codified a new style of Rock music. Other bands started it, but Black Sabbath clarified, crystalized, and finalized it. They call it Heavy Metal.
The concept of the band was apparently inspired by some of the Gothic horror movies of the 1960's.
Their songs dealt with God, the Devil, drugs, war, the occult, monsters, love, death, fear, loneliness, vengeance, mental illness, loss, morality, and religion. Sometimes their lyrics were adolescent; sometimes brilliant. Of course not all of these topics were touched on in their first recording. One of the songs on this first release details the attempt of Satan to seduce and deceive mankind into evil, spiritual darkness, and servitude. WICKED WORLD deals with a world gone wrong, and man's moral and social irresponsibility.
As for Black Sabbath's early MUSIC, and more specifically this release:
THIS IS GENIUS !
The musical roots of the band are Blues, Hard Rock, and to a lesser extent, Jazz.
There are slight traces of Pop and Folk throughout their later work; and possibly even a very, very slight Classical influence in a couple of songs.
The whole band is very inventive, and great guitar and bass motifs, riffs, and solos abound amidst fantastic drumming. Ozzy Osbourne was young and strong when he sang these songs; and his voice was full and powerful before the ravages of time and abuse took their toll. As a singer he has charisma to burn.
Some of the musical ideas simply have to be heard to be believed; and even the cover photos are beautiful (although the idea to color the skin of the lovely young woman who adorns the front cover green was a lapse of aesthetic judgement in my book).
Highest Recommendation !Read full review
