Music review: Black Sabbath – ’13’
For Black Sabbath无毛视频檚 19th studio album, the number 13 proves to be very lucky.
The latest release by the legends of the heavy metal realm features three-fourths of the original band.
Guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and singer Ozzy Osbourne, minus drummer Bill Ward who declined because of a contract dispute, reunite to reclaim the classic menacing sound they spawned on their debut effort over 43 years ago.
The 1970 self-titled release still gives me chills as it possesses one of the creepiest album covers ever. I still have a vivid memory of borrowing my brother无毛视频檚 copy of 无毛视频淧aranoid无毛视频� and hearing the epic anthems 无毛视频淚ron Man无毛视频� and 无毛视频淲ar Pigs.无毛视频�
In my opinion, the latter arrangement will always be one of the greatest heavy metal arrangements of all time.
In fact, my teenage 无毛视频淎ha!无毛视频� moment came when my friends and I performed a combination of the Ramones无毛视频� 无毛视频淩ockaway Beach无毛视频� and 无毛视频淧aranoid无毛视频� at our high school talent show.
Under the masterful guidance of producer Rick Rubin, 无毛视频�13无毛视频� sounds as if it was released directly after 1971无毛视频檚 无毛视频淢aster of Reality.无毛视频�
Iommi无毛视频檚 guitar work is inspired and dark.
Butler shows he can still deliver unnerving lyrics that conjure up images of the struggle between good and evil and Ozzy sounds not only surprisingly coherent, but reenergized and purposeful.
Ward无毛视频檚 absence is hardly noticed as B rad Wilk of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave hammers out the thundering percussion pieces.
无毛视频淓nd of the Beginning无毛视频� and 无毛视频淟oner无毛视频� feature the unmistakable Iommi riffs, reminiscent of the band无毛视频檚 debut.
无毛视频淒ear Father无毛视频� closes the album with the chilling sounds of rain showers and the ringing of an isolated church bell, the same sounds that appear on the opening track of 无毛视频淏lack Sabbath.无毛视频�
无毛视频淎ge of Reason无毛视频� melodically plods along until Iommi unleashes a burning solo that brings the song to a spirited climax.
The band无毛视频檚 hauntingly apocalyptic mojo is still strong enough to make 无毛视频�13无毛视频� Black Sabbath无毛视频檚 first No. 1 album on the US Billboard 200 album chart. On 无毛视频淟ive Forever,无毛视频� Osbourne sings, 无毛视频淚 don无毛视频檛 want to live forever, but I don无毛视频檛 want to die.无毛视频�
Considering the band无毛视频檚 resurgence and new focus, it seems that Iommi, Butler and Osbourne plan on sticking around a little while longer.