Symptom of the Universe: The Original Black Sabbath 1970-1978

Black Sabbath - Symptom of the Universe: The Original Black Sabbath 1970-1978

Symptom of the Universe: The Original Black Sabbath 1970-1978
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Music CD Cover

Artist: Black Sabbath
Brand: BLACK SABBATH
Edition: Music CD
Format: Original recording remastered
CD Release Date: 2002-10-22
Music Label: Rhino
Soundtracks:
Music CD 1
  1. Black Sabbath
  2. N.I.B.
  3. The Wizard
  4. Warning
  5. Evil Woman
  6. Paranoid
  7. Iron Man
  8. War Pigs
  9. Fairies Wear Boots
  10. Sweet Leaf
  11. Children Of The Grave
  12. Into The Void
  13. Lord Of This World
Music CD 2
  1. After Forever
  2. Snowblind
  3. Laguna Sunrise
  4. Changes
  5. Tomorrow's Dream
  6. Supernaut
  7. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
  8. Fluff
  9. Sabbra Cadabra
  10. Am I Going Insane (Radio)
  11. Symptom Of The Universe
  12. Hole In The Sky
  13. Rock 'N' Roll Doctor
  14. Dirty Women
  15. Never Say Die
  16. A Hard Road

Free Music Notes for Symptom of the Universe: The Original Black Sabbath 1970-1978

Free Music Review: Classic...
Hit: 5 Stars

...However, this album is a different kind of classic, considering it came out only last October. It is the band that makes it classic, and the band is Black Sabbath. They're probably the band that started the most extreme form of music, heavy metal as we know it, today. It's a shame that many friends of mine that are into classic rock don't own a single Sabbath disc, but the band's reputation precedes it. The critics of the early 70's made their peace with Deep Purple, The Who, and Led Zeppelin, finding their brand of unique noise to be a true form of artistic expression after a long time of bashing and criticizing. They never did with Sabbath. It was always a dark, dirge-like, sludge-fest, rife with Satanic references and promotion of drugs. Not to mention the insane antics of singer John "Ozzy" Osbourne, now famous due to a longstanding solo career and reality TV show. Back then, he was the posterchild for everything wrong with rock and roll, and the rest of the band was blasted along with him. Regardless, almost all of their albums were platinum hits in the U.S. and Britain, and the influence they had on music is immeasurable.

This album, Symptom Of The Universe: The Original Black Sabbath 1970-1978, I consider a classic for many reasons. It is the definitive hit collection for the band, spanning their early career with Ozzy at the helm(8 albums), and containing many of their hits. Several can probably be recognized as radio mainstays, and the undeniable catchiness of songs like "Iron Man," "Paranoid," "Children Of The Grave," "N.I.B." and "Changes" is a testament to the band's ability of writing amazing hooks and even more amazing songs. Several hits compilations have been released, but I call this the ultimate because it contains 29 songs over 2 discs, one previously unreleased, and all of them completely 24-bit remastered, giving the sludgy sound of the original albums a much-needed `spring cleaning'. This is a big deal! Every one of guitarist Tony Iommi's amazing guitar licks and solos is accentuated clearly, as is the technical powerhouse that is drummer Bill Ward. Bassist Terry "Geezer" Butler, unlike most metal bassists, is heard clearly in the mix, his amazing bass guitarwork sometimes even taking center stage. Many background effects and noises are removed, and other things, such as the coughing before "Sweet Leaf," are cleared up and better presented. An additional note is, S.O.T.U. is "authorized," unlike many of the other compilations. The band actually sponsored and supported its release, and that much is comforting.

Even the packaging deserves special notice. It consists of two individual sleeves for each CD, and also includes a 40-page booklet with photos abound and a band history more comprehensive than any I've ever read, filled with Ozzy's random vulgarities and comments from the other members of the band. Many of the photos are unreleased, and are amazing shots showing the band performing as they looked and acted then. My, were those the days. Bill Ward had hair! Both disc sleeves and the booklet come encased in an outer covering made of special paper that has an interesting texture. It's not an ordinary jewel case by any means.

Die-hard fans can moan and groan about what's missing, but I'm quite satisfied. For a casual fan or listener, there is more than enough material, spanning over 150 minutes of music. Not too much, so getting the original albums in their muddy un-produced state is still a good idea for the completist. S.O.T.U. just provides a retrospective for the fan and a worthwhile purchase for the casual fan. It has become a necessary classic Sabbath album in 6 months, and that should say something about it. Or maybe it says even more about the amazing, influential band that is Black Sabbath.

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Symptom of the Universe: The Original Black Sabbath 1970-1978 Poster

Full Title - Symptom Of The Universe - The Original Black Sabbath 1970-1978. 2 CDs presenting 29 tracks form the bands earliest days and most popular era with Ozzy Osbourne as co-founder and front man. Includes the rare 'Evil Woman' non-LP single, available on CD for the first time in the US. Digitally Remastered from the original tapes, 2 individual digipaks with separate booklets all in a slipcase with special embossed artwork. Warner/Rhino. 2002.
Completely besting the once-classic and classically named best-of, We Sold Our Souls for Rock 'n' Roll, Symptom of the Universe captures one of rock's heaviest tidal forces in all their glory--and in some more compromising moments. Ranging from the eponymous dirge that opens the set to the boogie-laden energy of more minor Sabbath gems like "Evil Woman" and "After Forever," this two-disc overview doesn't skimp on stone-cold gems like "Paranoid," "War Pigs," "Iron Man," and "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath." The second CD serves up the solo acoustic "Snowblind," a piano-and-Ozzy interlude, "Laguna Sunrise" (from the album Black Sabbath, Vol. 4), and the silly, aptly named "Fluff." Here the quartet reaches beyond their grasp, eschewing the grinding, hefty sound that fit Ozzy's flat vocal delivery like a glove; this stuff isn't great, but it's revealing. Decades after their debut, Sabbath's dystrophic rejoinder to '60s and '70s rock still energize nearly all hard rock. So this is rock history, and a blast at that. --Andrew Bartlett

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