Review #139: Paranoid, Black Sabbath
#139: Paranoid, Black Sabbath
Every so often this experiment offers me a very weird listening experience. For example, switching from Madonna right into Black Sabbath.
Anyway, every Black Sabbath album sounds like the soundtrack to a really crappy horror movie, and I live for it. It’s funny because Tommy Iommi, one of the greatest guitarists ever, is in this band, but so is Ozzy Osbourne. It’s like if Eddie Van Halen and Tim Burton were in the same band.
My favorite Ozzy Osbourne fact is the ate-the-head-off-a-bat-onstage thing, obviously. Lot of conflicting stories about it; the kid who threw it says that the bat was dead, but Ozzy says that the bat was alive and BIT him. It doesn’t matter, I still want to buy that little plush headless bat toy.
FAVORITE SONGS:
“War Pigs/Luke’s Wall” — This was another song that used to rule classic rock radio. All great metal songs reference Lord of the Rings.
“Paranoid” — Chugga-chugga guitars mixed with Ozzy’s hilariously candy-ass lyrics. Love it.
“Planet Caravan” — I like this one. It’s not heavy metal but it sounds like being lost in the desert.
“Iron Man” — Is this the best guitar song of all time? Yes, it is.
“Hand of Doom” — I was “Eh” about this until Tony Iommi kicked in, then I was “Whoa!”
“Rat Salad” — What a disgusting name, but what a delicious guitar solo.
“Jack the Stripper/Fairies Wear Boots” — An insane song title. I’m just a sucker for the story format in metal songs.
LEAST FAVORITE SONGS:
“Electric Funeral” — Only because it’s the silliest, but the truth is I loved it.
IS RS FULL OF IT?
I think the success of the Iron Man movies points to a clear “No.”
