Black Sabbath - Master of Reality
Vertigo Records
50 years of Sabbath at their most doom inspired. Sound systems around the globe haven't been the same since Sweet Leaf and it's opening cough of sweet release. God bless to anyone who had the volume up to 11. Within a period of 18 months Sabbath had already garnered one of the finest discographies in metal music. Rodger Bain steps in on the production front as was the case for the previous two albums.
What you're going to find on Master of Reality, Sabbath's third album, is an already heavy band pushing their sound to the peak of its heaviness. The beginnings of most of the heavy heavy side of music such as doom metal and its offshoots can be traced back to this release. The word 'heavy' is going to be used quite a few times in this bit of writing. It's pretty much synonymous with the record. Many bands owe their existence to this album. When you get into the 'real' heavy side of things such as Electric Wizard and Sleep you'll see a direct correlation and points of reference along the way. You'll be setback by the fact that Master of Reality was released 20 years prior and also at a time when relatively no one else was doing a similar thing, at least up to this timeless standard.
The book of riffs really cant be written without Iommi's input. There's a reason he's known as the hand of doom. No one in the heavy hemisphere can come near and he can go toe-to-toe with anyone outside of that world also. Ozzy's understated vocal performance is incredible. A lot of modern bands think that a heavy act has to have a big overbearing lead singer to bolster the sound and further the heaviness. Sabbath are a prime example of how this isn't true. No one but Ozzy could sound as good over Sabbath records. Was he the greatest singer? Far from it. But he fit the sound seamlessly and within the context of Sabbath it was only ever going to be he leading the charge.
Hearing this for the first time back in the day must have been a revelatory moment. Nothing comes close to its strength and sheer size sonically. Iommi is of course the one and only but the rhythm section of Butler and Ward are not to be overlooked. You’re going to hear quite a lot of groove and danceable rhythms buried in the mix. Gettin' down to a Sabbath record may seem like a bit of a joke but it's most definetly plausible if you let yourself feel it. The final groove to close the album out is enough to render most artists discographies futile.
Favourite Track: Lord of This World
July 21st, 1971.
