SABOTAGE

A poll here on progarchives has made me think to this album that I hadn't listened to for many years. It was my first Sabbath album and I clearly remember listening to it when I was a schoolboy, in particular on a portable cassette recorder while going back home from school. The walkman had not been actually invented, yet.

I can recall the guitar intro of Symptom of the Universe, which is the track that I like the most from this album, but let's start from the beginning: As a Sci-Fi fan, the title "Hole In The Sky" was enough to switch my curiosity on. The song has a regular strucure, so it's easy to follow, but the guitar riff and the high pitch vocals of Ozzy make it special. I've always thought that Ozzy's voice was perfect for the band., especially on slow songs, where it sounds really weird. But the album proceeds with the two guitars of Toni Iommi for an acoustic piece which introduces the metal guitar of "Symptom Of The Universe". Guitar then bass and drums. Bill Ward shows a lot of drumming skill on this song, and Ozzy performs greatly. Really a great (hard) rock song. I have to add that when I write a review I usually relisten to parts of the songs I'm writing about. I can't skip on this one, it's too good.

Megalomenia starts bluesy and slow. It's another great song which I was almost forgotten. The chorus on major chords sounds similar to some Led Zeppelin, but call me crazy, I've always preferred the Sabbath to the Zeps. "why don't yoy just get out of my life...". Then in the second half it turns into a full rock and roll song. Gorgeous.

"Thrill Of It All" opens the B side (I had it on tape, remember?) It's another rock and roll song, highly enjoyable. Strangely it reminds me to a Pink Floyd song from Obscured By Clouds: "Childhood's End".

Supertzar is symphonic. It features the English Chamber Choir, the same of Rick Wakeman's Journey To The Centre Of The Earth, and the choir arrangement style is recognizable. I must say that this album doesn't have any weakness. Every track has its merits and there's enough for every taste. Also "Am I Ging Insane". It's probably me, as I was enjoying this album in the same period in which I was discovering the early Pink Floyd, but this song has for me a similar feeling as Pink Floyd's "Flaming", probably is that sort of Tic-Toc rhythm. The crazy laughs and screams which close it introduce the last track.

The Writ starts with the bass, then suddenly Ozzy screams together with guitar and drums. Again, it may seem strange, but I still hear a relation with Obscured By Clouds. Apart of that, I think this album is superior to that Floyd one. I can't say if it's absolutely the best Sabbath album. I like also its predecessor Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. I can't skip any second and I've already finished writing while the album is still playing in my headphones.

Is it a masterpiece? Considering that Sabbath have been fundamental for the birth of a musical genre and this is possibly their best album I'm not ashamed of rating it with the maximum.