Black Sabbath [13] 2013 - Album Review

It’s been 35 years since the last full length released with the gilded original line-up…& sadly, that will continue. Damn, so close. Some bollocks with an unpaid contract or Ward just wasn’t up to the task or whatever.

The replacement: the guy from Rage Against The Machine

Ah what the fuck is the bollocking?!?!

What kind of logical choice is that? Dio & Ian Gillan were good choices for filling in the void for Ozzy. The guy from RATM to replace Bill-fucking-Ward, what kind of malarkey is this? Well, I guess we cannot let a little poor drumming get in the way of the return of the forefathers of metal! (Okay, most of them)

…& this better be a damn good return since the last album they gave to us was that mess of Forbidden, 18 years ago. Good name though; Forbidden for human consumption, a Forbidden evil unleashed from Pandora’s Box, Forbidden from any display case of a proud metalhead.

One place it’s not Forbidden? The stack of beer coasters in my house.

So, onto 13. Upon glancing at the song list, one could mistake that they were all pulled out from an existentialist’s philosophy book, ‘End Of The Beginning’, ‘God Is Dead?’,  ‘Age Of Reason’, ‘Damaged Soul’, so on… I was really excited at this point - Butler’s iconic lyrics were back & as existentialist as they were on Black Sabbath, Paranoid, & Master Of Reality.  Ahhh, everything is back in place (minus Ward).

1. End Of The Beginning

It took me a few tries before I started liking this song. But even now, as I write, I find it okay. It’s fine. Alright. At par. It’s what I expected - a Sabbath song. Nothing to ‘wow’ you here. It enters with the Sabbath-doom feel with a heavy riff from Iommi. That drags on until Ozzy supplies his vocals…but they are definitely worse for wear. They lack that signature Ozzy-sound. Tired sounding is probably the right description. Eventually it picks up to a faster riff, sounding similar to their mid-years stuff. Ozzy’s singing gets better here (maybe it was a warm-up before) & we break into a pretty nice solo that lets out into a much better riff, circa not-from-their-mid-years. But riff-wise, that’s it…three main riffs. As the song finishes, I can’t recall the first two very well; so, little value to remember here & play it again.

2. God Is Dead?

This one opens up with a slow, melancholic riff. But unlike its predecessor, I immediately took to this track. I also noticed that unlike the first, I was headbanging; something I completely missed on the first song. The lyrics are pretty damn solid.  Heralding back to  Black Sabbath - brilliantly existentialist. It sounds as if Butler resurrected Nietzsche to write these. The song hops back & forth between the brooding, heavy chorus with “…Is God dead?” & the sad, slow verses & does this quite well. Even the drumming is half-decent (although, it’s probably that the rest of the song is so good that I can overlook the simplistic style).  After two-thirds of the song, it completely changes to this wicked palm-muted, off-beat riff that leads up to a short, simple, yet hauntingly good solo. Again, headbang-inducing. The strongest song on the album.

3. Loner

There are three aspects that set this song out from the rest on the album - the first appearance Ozzy’s iconic vocals, the first riff is very classic Sabbath, & the simple drumming suits the riff. But somehow the song missing hooking one completely in. It’s still a really good song, but it missed the perfect mark. Some more really solid existentialist-esque lyrics.  The solo is pretty ear-catching & longer than the previous two songs’ solos. Overall, a good song but something felt missing from it.

4. Zeitgeist

A calm, acoustic song complete with bongos. Wait, I’ve heard this before…this is like Planet Caravan off of Paranoid…no, it IS Planet Caravan. I loved Planet Caravan, it’s one of the greatest Sabbath songs in fact…this one not only misses the mark, it's gone off in the complete opposite direction. I get the feeling that they were going for trying to relive the glory days with this one. I was bored halfway through the song. I’m not going to go in-depth with this; it’s Planet Caravan, only duller.

5. Age Of Reason

The drums just don’t seem to fit the intro riff very well. Iommi is playing a Sabbath riff, & then there’s a RATM drum beat. It all feels poorly stitched together. But once past that, it gets a little better. The riff drones on with Ozzy singing about a dystopian world that draws its atmosphere from Paranoid (they really went with that on the album). The remainder of the song has a plodding-feel, with the heavy riffs & uninspired drumming. At least Iommi & Butler save this one from mediocrity. Ozzy & the drummer just seem tired with this one. The solo in the last minute & a half definitely helps to swing in favor of enjoy-ability.

6. Live Forever

The intro riff just seems to plod around, until it figures out where it’s supposed to be going & enters into a decent riff. It’s a good song, I guess. Nothing draws me to it, yet nothing repulses either. Lacklustre seems like a good descriptive word. The lyrics take a rest from existentialism & turn to a topic of dismal fate. It’s one of the shortest songs on the album, but seems to be quite long due to the repetitiveness of it. The solo is much better; almost too good for the song. I want to praise or crucify this one, but no matter how many times I re-re-re-re-play it…each time I find myself right on the fence with this one.

7. Damaged Soul

A heavy, depressing intro riff that really strikes the mood quit well. This fades into a softer, similar riff as the vocals enter. The lyrical base is of a dismal theme again, but it comes off a lot better. All of the early elements hint at a very enjoyable & cathartic song. Definitely for when one is in a bad mood & needs an appropriate song to enjoy (one could also listen in a great mood & still enjoy).  Then after the second verse the solo star- oh, nope nevermind, that’s a harmonica. Suits the mood very well. After the third verse, NOW the solo starts. A grim feel despite being mid-paced. Iommi’s guitar wails some painful notes that rend at the listener’s soul. This breaks for a verse, & then jumps right back in with a less-melancholic solo…kind of up-beat actually. This would be the break in the catharsis…ah, very well done. A heavy song that sticks with you after listening to it.

8. Dear Father

A rather interesting riff that I can’t help being reminded of early Black Label Society when listening to it introduces the song. The lyrics are a perspective of a victim of child molestation from the church - a touchy subject. But it’s pulled off well. The chorus has a lost, desolate feel that mirrors the lyrics effectively.  It’s quite a powerful song when examining it. Ozzy does quite a bang-up job at delivering the lyrics that leave a lasting impression upon the listener. The song continues in the vanilla format, verse, chorus, verse, chorus, etc. until it changes up the mix with a verse that speeds things up & sets the mood into a frenzy-feel as the lyrics take a confrontational role against the perpetrator. It falls back into the verse, chorus routine - lasting to the end of the song signalled by a familiar thunder storm & a church bell. Oh, I see what you guys did…

In conclusion:

I enjoyed the album for the most part. Some good, classic Sabbath riffs. But, in calling this one, I would say it’s mostly dry. A fine, but bland sandwich. It lacked the qualities that made early Sabbath great & well-known. If the purpose of the album was to end on a better note than Forbidden, then mission accomplished. Eternal Shredder gives this album a 7/10.

Cheers!

Highlights:

God Is Dead?

Damaged Soul

Loner