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After Bowie and Purple, here come the Sabbath time?My first two opinions were rather average, and I was not really aware of what I was going to discover with this Sabbath album.

The return of the giant Ozzy?

I Was this a joke or could this be something worth? Let's have a listen? From the VERY first notes of "End Of The Beginning", I knew that something special was going to take place. Their incredible and doomy sound, the fantastic Iommi on the guitar and the so special Ozzy voice. I felt like I was brought back in the early seventies (you know, the good old times)!

Just to remind you that my first concert ever was Sabbath in March 1973. At the time they were considered as hard (heavy) rock band?

The same feeling prevails during the fantastic "God Is Dead". It is a long, dark, doomy, heavy and slow paced song. What a great song! What a great come back for this band. From virtually nowhere actually. These two songs only are just a great kick! Second highlight for sure. But there are sooooo many more here!

There are really no weak track on this album (well the long heavy and bluesy "Damaged Soul" is not extraordinary to be honest). Even if "Loner" cannot stand the comparison with the two openers (which is very difficult), it is still a solid heavy song. One can even get an acoustic break in the midst of all this excellent heaviness ("Zeitgeist").

The third long number is another great song: "Age Of Reason" contains each Sabbath's vintage ingredient. I guess that all of their fans were submerged with happiness while listening to this great track (although not my fave). Who knows what the band could have achieved if their line-up would have remained stable (meaning basically with Ozzy)?

I am totally in line with "Vibrationbaby" when he asserts that this could have been "Sabbath 5". The music here is really incredible and so close to the one of their greatest days. "Live Forever" is another fabulous example! And what can I say I say about the closing number "Dear Father"?

This is just FABULOUS my friends.

If I can give you a tip: if I were you, I would get the special edition of this CD because the three bonus tracks are really worth (which is not often the case). "Methademic" is a solid hard rock anthem full of dynamics and heaviness and totally in line with the album. This has nothing to do with filler. By no means! Even more: it is another highlight as far as I am concerned. "Pariah" is just another great song of this excellent and surprising album!

I hope to be able to witness another Black Sabbath concert before they end their career (or before I end my life). This is a great heavy metal album. Four solid stars is my rating.

I wish to witness them once more in my (their) life. They cancelled a concert in 1999 close to my place as well as last year in Rotterdam due to Tony's health problems. See you guys???

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