Black Sabbath's 13 provides a fresh new start for the band

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 13^th 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 ****