Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Black Sabbath
Label: Vertigo Records
Release: 1973
Length: 42:35
Rating: 5/5
On their fifth studio album, »Sabbath Bloody Sabbath«, Black Sabbath threw the doors wide open to the kind of broad-minded artistic experimentalism you don’t usually associate with the term ‘heavy metal’. One of the key players in all this was Yes keyboard legend and Ozzy’s (drinking) buddy Rick Wakeman, who came in as a special guest. Wakeman happened to be in the studio next door with Yes at the time, recording the masterpiece »Tales From Topographic Oceans« (1973), and his symphonic arrangements on »Sabbra Cadabra« inspired the band to give some of their mostly heavy-rock standards, all soaked in that ‘doom & gloom’ vibe, an orchestral dimension too. So Ozzy, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler also tinkered a little with a synthesizer, which they had unexpectedly found lying around in the California studio.
But even the synth technology of the day, revolutionary as it was, couldn’t hide the band members’ struggles with intoxicating substances, above all alcohol, and you can feel it in the lyrics too, which, in true Geezer tradition, are full of the occult and unresolved sociological and psychological questions. What proved crucial for the dark, esoteric and at times downright apocalyptic atmosphere of »Sabbath Blodoy Sabbath« was the move from Los Angeles back to England after a chronic shortage of ideas. In the dungeons of the old Clearwell manor in Gloucestershire (supposedly haunted, if you believe the local legends), they finally found the inspiration they needed and broke through the creative block. Iommi came up with the main guitar phrase for the title track while wandering around the castle cellars, and from there on it wasn’t hard to write the rest of the songs, every one of which ranks among the best moments of their long and turbulent career.
Some prog rock tendencies had already been slightly noticeable on the previous album, »Volume 4« (1972), so it came as no surprise when they pushed on with this adventurous, more complex sound, which ended up paying off big time. It’s somewhat ironic that the top contender for the best album of classic Black Sabbath is also the most experimental record of their career. »Sabbath Bloody Sabbath« had a major influence on the later development of heavy metal, and yet, thanks to its adventurous nature, plenty of progressive rock fans value it highly today too.
The otherwise excellent album cover caused quite a bit of controversy, especially in the hypocritically moralistic United States, with its Nazi-flavored initials in the title, a skull and the ‘devil’s’ number above the bed. The front and back images portray an occult-spiced schizophrenia of a person caught in a dual dream, which is to say one of this legendary heavy rock band’s favorite themes, the very thing that had them tied to Satanism throughout their entire career and gave them some extra free publicity. The dreamer finds himself in the middle of a nightmare where his nearest and dearest, turned into perverse demons, try to destroy him. On the other image he has reached a state of bliss and peace, although you could also read it as him having died of fright during the nightmare and ending up in ‘God’s embrace’.
The title track, which carries far more than just symbolic weight thanks to its conspiratorial, fatalistic lyrics, is one of the most beloved classics in their story and a heavy rock standard in every sense of the word. It opens with an imposing Iommi guitar riff and Ozzy’s furious singing. Geezer’s groovy, melodic bass lines and Ward’s crushing drum fills provide a mighty rhythmic backbone, while the melodic chorus is the high point. What makes it so distinctive are the acoustic interludes in between, which add a subtle, broader dimension. »A National Acrobat« is an interesting, experimental and rhythmically unpredictable piece set in a mid-tempo groove, with plenty of witty time changes and a unique Iommi guitar solo. A slightly psychedelic guitar riff and Ozzy’s conspiratorial-mischievous vocals add another layer. »Fluff« is a gorgeous instrumental with a magical mood, built on a lovely Iommi melody on acoustic guitar and delicate piano arrangements. You could say that just as the title track perfectly captures the front cover, »Fluff« neatly symbolizes the image on the back, since it’s a downright ambient counterpoint to the typically dark and creepy Black Sabbath.
»Sabbra Cadabra« is another interesting, experimental gem with a pronounced bluesy guitar phrase and a quickened rhythm, where Wakeman’s dynamic piano and Moog synthesizer arrangements fit nicely into the sonic collage. The love lyrics about a femme fatale are in sharp contrast to the usual Sabbath tradition, but Ozzy’s furious vocal contribution is, as expected, anything but lyrical, so instead of his beloved he might as well be singing about a beheaded bat.
»Killing Yourself to Live«, whose lyrics deal with the band members’ health problems as a result of excessive boozing, is the next heavy metal classic, and it’s actually a three-part suite with the titles »Killing Yourself to Live«, »You Think That I’m Crazy« and »I Don’t Know If I’m Up or Down«, which is yet another prog rock move. The full-bodied guitar riff is bloodied up with rattling bass lines, while the paranoid mood seems tailor-made for Ozzy’s schizoid vocals. A mouth-watering guitar solo and cataclysmic drum fills eventually make room for an interesting instrumental section, which also features some mischievous synth arrangements.
The synths are present on the anticlerical »Who Are You« too, where Geezer once again touches on the eternal, unsolved question of the existence of ‘somebody above the clouds’ in the lyrics. It’s an almost typical Sabbath creation with a slow, rolling rhythm, evil vocals and a dark, fatalistic, almost spooky atmosphere. What comes across as totally untypical, though, is the dramatic orchestral section with dramatic bursts of Moog synthesizer and mellotron, both instruments typical of prog rock. »Looking For Today« is yet another dynamic heavy rocker, with lyrics about how quickly fame fades, built around a dirty guitar riff, groovy bass lines, mighty crashes on the cymbals and pastoral arrangements on flute and acoustic guitar. Ozzy’s paranoid singing fits perfectly with the dualistic mood of this composition, which keeps drifting somewhere between tension and relaxation.
The centerpiece of »Sabbath Bloody Sabbath«, however, belongs to the closing masterpiece »Spiral Architect«, which, thanks to its gifted rhythmic complexity and broad-minded orchestration, contains plenty of prog rock finesse. The pastoral-ethereal intro on acoustic guitar creates a mysterious mood, which, with the help of a punchy guitar passage, morphs into a relatively cheerful section. The psychedelic lyrics with elements of metaphysics sit in fine harmony with the mighty orchestral arrangements under the baton of Will Malone and Ozzy’s furious vocal approach. The pompous finale with applauding audience is the cherry on top of Sabbath’s artistic maturity, gained over the years.
The adventurous masterpiece »Sabbath Bloody Sabbath« is the most artistically accomplished achievement of the Ozzy era. It finally crowned the legendary heavy metal forefathers from Birmingham as the most important heavy rock band of the seventies, and it’s a must-have in any decent rock collection. The following year, 1974, Black Sabbath deservedly found themselves at the very peak of their career, playing to a crowd of two hundred thousand at the California Jam festival in California, alongside other 70s rock legends such as Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Deep Purple, Eagles and Earth, Wind & Fire.
Lineup
1. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
2. A National Acrobat
3. Fluff
4. Sabbra Cadabra
5. Killing Yourself To Live
6. Who Are You
7. Looking For Today
8. Spiral Architect
Production
Black Sabbath
Track listing
Ozzy Osbourne – vocals, synthesizer
Tony Iommi – guitar, piano, synthesizer, organ, flute
Geezer Butler – bass guitar, synthesizer, mellotron
Bill Ward – drums, timpani, bongos on “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath”
GUEST MUSICIANS:
Rick Wakeman – keyboards, synthesizer and piano on “Sabbra Cadabra”
Will Malone – conductor, arranger
