Black Sabbath

dCastillo

Nobody seems to argue when it comes to these dudes.S/T vs Paranoid?I'm siding with the S/T because it has phat breakz and Warning, and Iron Man is played out to me (though when they go into flanger vocal mode + play mad reversed flutes and organ shit and hand drumming which is kinda un-paralelled)I don't know. Maybe they're equal and I have some kind of subconscious sophmoric effort bias?What's up?

hammertime

That's tough...sentimentally S/T is my pick because it's the first Sabbath album I heard/owned, and "Wicked World" is probably still my favorite Sabbath song.


But on musical merit alone, you can't fuck with Paranoid. I know a lot of the a side is played out and it's the cliche pick, but "Electric Funeral", "Hand of Doom", and "Fairies Wear Boots"? That's probably the greatest b-side of an LP ever.

kala

tuff call but i gotta go with s/t
i know that whole lp on guitar and that was my primer a a young 14 year old little burn out

TheeeCasualMale

For a while I was all about "Paranoid," just based on the same kind of sentimentality hammertime brought up. "War Pigs" and "Iron Man" were the cuts that got me into Sabbath back in the 7th grade or whenever. But more recently, s/t has been doin' it for me. Way more raw and dark. The ringing bells and "OH NO PLEASE GOD HELP ME!" screams are fucking spine-tingling. Song for song, "Hand of Doom" is way better than "NIB," but as a whole album, I say the first album could be the winner.

iron_monkey

Tough choice....

On the one hand, you have the self-titled joint. The embryonic stage of heavy metal. SO HEAVY... great playing all around. Jammy but it doesn't dilute or give the music a hippie vibe.

Then, you have Paranoid. Classic album chock full of timeless tracks. Sure, they've grown tired over the years from endless playback. However, "Planet Caravan" remains (IMO) to be one of the greatest songs of all time. Simple, spaced out, punctuated by achingly beautiful flute and guitar solos. And the haunting piano chords toward the end just kill it.

If pressed, I'd have to choose the S/T.

But PLANET CARAVAN IS MY SHIT!!!!

cpeetz

I don't think I could pick a favorite , from S/T all the way through to Sabbath Bloody Sabbath,
THEY ALL RULE!

hcrink

Master of Reality

Burns

I love this album. It always seems to come on the platter when I start drinking. I always wanted my own sabbath cover band.

autez

"Hand of Doom"

i think this is my favorite track by black sabbath

i agree as a whole i think i like the s/t album better than paranoid though

dCastillo

upon further reflection, I don't know if I can really choose. The S/T has the magic of a first album. The production seems to have an added element to it. It opens with some bells and that's my shit. I get heavy ground-breaking vibes when listening while still hearing their roots. Nothing is completely catchy, and the album sort of just seeps in and makes your skin crawl.

But then Paranoid has the strongest songs, and there are moments of grace on here that like stated earlier, are unlike anything else I've heard. It has more kick my face value than the S/T. But still, I think the S/T hits all my senses at once throughout its entirety a lot better.

So tough. Sabbath rules.

fountain16

S/T - the harmonica on the Wizard is all-time-classic.

also Behind the Wall of Sleep is great too.

pacman

S/T definitely.

loudwizard

Master of Reality

yes.

Big_Stacks

Hey,

I must got with the "S/T", but damn that's a hell of a hard choice. I pumped the hell out of "Paranoid" just a week ago. I'm still moved immensely by both LPs. Classic material, indeed!!!!

Peace,

Big Stacks from Kakalak

Big_Stacks

Master of Reality

Peace,

Big Stacks from Kakalak

dCastillo

hell yes

loudwizard

I love this album. It always seems to come on the platter when I start drinking. I always wanted my own sabbath cover band

i could just never get into Vol. 4, for some reason.
maybe the songs just weren't there.

most slept-on Sabbath album?

SABOTAGE.

"Thrill Of It All" is such the jam.

dCastillo

most slept-on Sabbath album?
THE MOB RULES.

OK I'm just kidding.

Tuff_Gong

most slept-on Sabbath album?

SABOTAGE.

"Thrill Of It All" is such the jam.

Definitely one of my favorite Sabbath albums, and like you I think "Thrill Of It All" kills. The whole album hits hard and is heavy as can be. I mean, can you front on songs like "Hole In The Sky", "Symptom Of The Universe", or "Am I Going Insane (Radio)"? It's certainly the last great Ozzy-era Sabbath album.

pkny

Master of Reality

HEAVIEST. ALBUM. EVER.

Dubious

Master of Reality!

INTO THE VOID!!!!!!!!!!

PrimeCutsLtd

fairies wear boots...puts paranoid over the top...s/t is better than masters of reality...

GenePontecorvo

So much "co-signage" on the above. I've almost given "S/T" the short-shrift because I always rock "paranoid" and MoR. "Hand of Doom" is probably my favorite Sabbath song as well and MoR should be in the discussion.

Honestly though, what is fucking with those first four albums? VERY LITTLE.

On Vol. 4 "Snowblind" =

Swayze

PLANET CARAVAN IS MY SHIT

GenePontecorvo

Hammertime, what are those other two besides "Sleep's Holy Mountain"? Never seen 'em.

hammertime

the Volume 1 LP, their first album before Holy Mountain, and the Volume 2 7" with a cover of "Lord of This World".

crossings

PARANOID!!!

right from the start WAR PIGS... you got classics like PARANOID and [yes outplayed, but still] IRON MAN... you got the ultimate stoner jam recorded on the moon PLANET CARAVAN... ELECTRIC FUNERAL and Ozzy talking about heroin for almost an entire album.

i bought this album when i was SIX YEARS OLD and i still jam to it.

S/T and MASTER OF REALITY are both dope as well... but this is THE ALBUM for me at least... outplayed, yes... but for a damn good reason.

Mjukis

I'll always ride for the Paranoid album, and I think it's their best. Black Sabbath on orginal speed vs -8? The latter. Gotta put it on screw.

JRoot

upon further reflection, I don't know if I can really choose. The S/T has the magic of a first album. The production seems to have an added element to it. It opens with some bells and that's my shit. I get heavy ground-breaking vibes when listening while still hearing their roots. Nothing is completely catchy, and the album sort of just seeps in and makes your skin crawl.

But then Paranoid has the strongest songs, and there are moments of grace on here that like stated earlier, are unlike anything else I've heard. It has more kick my face value than the S/T. But still, I think the S/T hits all my senses at once throughout its entirety a lot better.

So tough. Sabbath rules.

Well said dCastillo.

I'm going with Paranoid. Even though Iron Man is overplayed, when ozzy goes through the distorted mic at the beginning (I know nothing about production so I have no idea how that gets made) it's like WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON HERE? OH SHIT HERE IT COMES.

I love that moment.

Kick my face,
JRoot

vajdaij

Black Sabbath on orginal speed vs -8? The latter. Gotta put it on screw.

Sorry friend, beg to differ. Paranoid sounds best on a shitty walkman that plays at about +2 w/ fresh batteries. Best cassette purchase ever.

counterpoint

I love that moment.

--------S/T did inspire mee weeble heart as a youth remastering reality in my sucker gothic rock band. Black Sabbath is well rounded magic and that's good.