Black Sabbath Album Musings Last updated: 20JUN00 _________________________________________________________________ _Reunion_ - 1999 - Sony While Ozzy's _Speak of the Devil_ still gets my vote as the best-sounding collection of Sab songs done live, this newly recorded reunion album-- the first-ever with the original line-up, not counting bootlegs-- has gotta be the definitive Sab _concert_ chronicle. The live tracks number 16 and include such less-familiar tracks as "Dirty Women." Lots and lots of stage patter and singing along and Ozzy trying again and again to incite a riot. His voice is tremendous with the never-tiring singer missing only the occasional note. (The exception is a reworked melody for "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" which kinda sucks.) Iommi sounds great, Butler's bass is a bit buried, and Ward's drumming is surprisingly fierce. (He's all _over_ that kit, man.) The two new studio tracks are the lyrically dull (though musically OK) "Psycho Man" and the excellent (if old-style sounding) "Selling My Soul." _Under_ _Wheels_ _of_ _Confusion_ _(1970-1987)_ - 1996 - Castle Fab Sab compilation from a few years back, imported, remastered, with extensive linear notes, an intro. from Ozzy, and one of those hand-drawn "Rock Family Trees" by What's His Name. Four discs, spanning '69 through '87. Lots of Ozzy-era, plus cuts with Dio, Gillan, Hughes, and Martin. Fewer live tracks, maybe a half-dozen total. Sounds great. Dirty. Raw. _Forbidden_ - 1995 - EMI Tony Martin sings? No review. _Cross_ _Purposes_ - 1994 - IRS Tony Martin sings? No review. _Ozzy Meets the Priest _- 1992 - Bootleg Essential Birmingham-era, Brit-metal boot with ex-Priest powerhouse Rob Halford subbing for R.J. Dio. If I recall correctly, the backstory went something like this: at the end of their "Dehumanizer" reunion tour, Sab was scheduled to hook up with Oz for a few songs. Dio left in a huff and Halford finished their final shows in L.A. On this not-bad-by-any-means-sounding boot, Rob sings nine songs, split roughly half-and-half between Ozzy- and Dio-era. The set list: "Children the Grave," "Children of the Sea," "Symptom of the Universe," "N.I.B.," "Die Young," "Into the Void," "Heaven and Hell," "Sweet Leaf," and "Neon Knights." The Ozzman finishes the set, singing four faves: "Black Sabbath," "Fairies Wear Boots," "Iron Man," and "Paranoid." Very good sound quality, marred only by a distracting second or so of presumably inserted silence between each track. The periodic whoops and yelps from the audience only add to the amusement. With the exception of one or two missed cues-- including a false start on "Children of the Grave"-- Halford is great. You were expecting any less? _Dehumanizer_ - 1992 - Warner Brother Dio returns for one album and accompanying tour. No review. Tracks: Computer God, After All (The Dead), TV Crimes, Letters From Earth, Master of Insanity, Time Machine, Sins of the Father, Too Late, I, Buried Alive _TYR_ - 1990 - IRS Tony Martin sings? No review. _Headless_ _Cross_ - 1989 - IRS Tony Martin sings? No review. _The_ _Eternal_ _Idol_ - 1987 Tony Martin sings? No review. _Seventh_ _Star_ - 1986 Glenn Hughes sings. No review. _Born_ _Again_ - 1983 Deep Purple's Ian Gillan steps into Dio's shoes! Tracks: Trashed, Stonehenge, Disturbing the Priest, The Dark, Zero the Hero, Digital Bitch, Born Again, Hot Line, Keep it Warm _Live_ _Evil_ - 1982 Solid set of Dio-sung Sab classics, both Ozzy-era and the "new" stuff. Tracks: E5150, Neon Knights, N.I.B., Children of the Sea, Voodoo, Black Sabbath, War Pigs, Iron Man, The Mob Rules, Heaven & Hell, The Sign of the Southern Cross/Heaven & Hell (Continued), Paranoid, Children of the Grave, Fluff _The Mob Rules_ - 1981 Still Dio. No review. Tracks: Turn Up The Night, Voodoo, The Sign of the Southern Cross, E5150, The Mob Rules, Country Girl, Slipping Away, Falling off the Edge of the World, Over & Over _Heaven & Hell_ - 1980 Ozzy leaves, Dio joins. No review. Tracks: Neon Knights, Children of the Sea, Lady Evil, Heaven & Hell, Wishing Well, Die Young, Walk Away, Lonely is the Word _Never Say Die! _- 1978 No review. Tracks: Never Say Die, Johnny Blade, Junior's Eyes, A Hard Road, Shock Wave, Air Dance, Over To You, Breakout, Swinging the Chain _Technical Ecstasy_ - 1976 No review. Tracks: Back Street Kids, You Won't Change Me, It's Alright, Gypsy, All Moving Parts (Stand Still), Rock 'N' Roll Doctor, She's Gone, Dirty Women _Sabotage_ - 1975 No review. Tracks: Hole in the Sky, Don't Start (Too Late), Symptom of the Universe, Megalomania, The Thrill of it All, Supertzar, Am I Going Insane (Radio), The Writ, Blow on a Jug _Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath - _1973 No review. Tracks: Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath, A National Acrobat, Fluff, Sabbra Cadabra, Killing Yourself to Live, Who are You?, Looking for Today, Spiral Architect _Black Sabbath, Vol. 4_ - 1971 No review. Tracks: Wheels of Confusion/The Straightener, Tomorrow's Dream, Changes, FX, Supernaut, Snowblind, Cornucopia, Laguna Sunrise, St. Vitus' Dance, Under the Sun/Every Day Comes & Goes _Master of Reality_ - 1971 No review. Tracks: Sweet Leaf, After Forever, Embryo, Children of the Grave, Orchid, Lord of this World, Solitude, Into the Void _Paranoid_ - 1971 No review. Tracks: Luke's Wall/War Pigs, Paranoid, Planet Caravan, Iron Man, Electric Funeral, Hand of Doom, Rat Salad, Fairies Wear Boots/Jack the Stripper _Black Sabbath_ - 1970 No review. Tracks: Black Sabbath, The Wizard, Behind the Wall of Sleep, N.I.B., Wicked World, Sleeping Village, Warning. Copyright 2000 by Michael J. Legeros _________________________________________________________________