What: Music Review (Black Sabbath’s 13)
Everyone’s
first guide to Black Sabbath & Ozzy Osbourne should have been no doubt
“Iron Man”. Forty three years later (and 13 albums) from when the metal titans
released that famous tune, Black Sabbath is still producing new music in the
form of newly released album Thirteen. Recently debuted at number one on the
billboard charts, Thirteen proves Black Sabbath still has a dedicated following
fan base, with perhaps a new few faces of the next generation thrown in the
mix.
It
took Sabbath fifteen years to produce Thirteen, so, by the time of its final
release, the music world was buzzing with excitement. The album came off of a long time break from the band, who
hadn’t done a full fledged tour in over half a decade, and who’s popularity
seemed to have faded off into one of those classic rock bands played on your
station who’s had their day and now are washed up hippies.
But
who are we kidding here, this ain’t no washed up hippie Backman Turner Overdrive
reunion, this is Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne, the king of metal. And if
anyone knows how to rock, it’s the prince of darkness himself. Despite
Sabbath’s departure from the music world in the past decade, Ozzy has made the
world clear from his many appearances on television that the Osbournes are not
fading away anytime soon. And now, he’s back together with his band, Black
Sabbath, to prove to us that those who fathered an entire genre of music
(metal), are back and ready once again to melt faces.
After
reuniting at Lollapalooza, Black Sabbath announced it had plans for an entire
new album. A year later, 13 has been released, just nine tracks long and a bit
under an hour in length. While first listening to the album, it put a smile on
my face. The amazing guitar riffs, Ozzy’s familiar voice, the drums and bass
lines all point to two words: this is BLACK SABBATH. Each tune is a powerhouse,
and the album, while maybe the restart to the band’s career, pulls us back to
1970 when Sabbath released it’s very first albums: Black Sabbath &
Paranoid. Unlike what many bands are doing this year, Black Sabbath has
returned to true form, and that, in any metal fan’s ears should be a blessing.
Almost
every song on the item is worth a listen too, and the album is surprisingly an
easy listen to from front to back. More than half the time you can hear ozzy’s
voice, and actually pretty well. The albums first single, ‘God is Dead’
supplies a well balanced rhythm of guitar, bass and vocals that in itself is
difficult to find on some of the band’s mid career albums. Every song on the
album also has a defining metal to it that must not be ignored in today’s music
market. The trio of Black Sabbath has captured what it does the most on this
album, and the outcome is magical.
40
Years is a long time to be a band, especially a metal band. But the years
hardly reflect at all on 13. The freshness of each tune pours out, and your
once again welcomed to the early years of the Sabbath. So in a sense, 13 is
completely a fresh start for the band as it’s done something that their fans
all should want. A new album that delivers the classic, that raw sound of the
beginning of metal. The lyrics are spot on, and Ozzy’s voice is surprisingly
crispy clear in just one but every song on the album, and this is why the album
will most likely grow on you and hopefully you’ll listen to it at least once
and enjoy it every time.
In
short and summary, 13, the 13th studio album from Sabbath, is a huge
success. You have to give the band credit for coming back after fifteen years
and finally putting out a new album. In the music world, fifteen years is a
hell of a long time, and for Ozzy, Tony Iommi, and Geezer Butler (The original
members no doubt) to come back and decide to produce an album is astonishing
alone. Another surprise of 2013, 13 is well worth listening to. On this
particular record, Ozzy does not disappoint.
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars ****
Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars ****
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