SABBATH BLOODY SABBATH

One of the two albums where Black Sabbath peaked imo. This was a sublime release from the band and I could write a book about it and how it influenced me musically and in life. Here Sabbath enter progressive territory fully and they even incorporate keyboard wizzard, Rick Wakeman, into one of the tracks as a guest instrumentalist (Sabbra Cadabra). A major step up from the previous 4 releases in sophistication. I asked myself at the time when the band would stop improving as each album was an improvent on the last up to that point and my love affair with the band's music had long since started. Ozzie's voice here on this album was better than it ever had been on previous efforts and in fact better than it would ever be in the future barring for one more album to come. Again, on this album, Sabbath show a much softer side being "Fluff". Again, on this album, another reference to weed where on "Killing yourself to live" just after the half way mark you hear the spoken words "Smoke it". The title track of the album has always held me entranced when I hear it - it's a monster of a track including different nuances and becoming as heavy as anything they had ever done toward the three quarter of the track mark. Rick Wakeman has been credited with the keyboard spot on "Sabbra Cadabra" but then I wonder who ran with the keyboards on "Who are you". A solid five star album for me - an album that I respect for what it is, a band at the peak of their form - and the beginning of prog metal for me.