arts
Black Sabbath- Sabotage
Originally released in 1975, Sabotage was regarded as the last good album that Black Sabbath made.
The album has now been re-released as a 'super deluxe box' set that includes a remastered version of the original album along with 3 other LPs that were recorded on their 1975 American tour. There is also a 7” single which features
Am I Going Insane and
Hole In The Sky.
If you are not familiar with Sabbath around this period you will discover here that the band started to experiment with some tracks, notably
Megalomania and
The Writ going on for over eight minutes in length.
Perhaps because of the relentless touring the band did, especially in America, along with the ongoing legal battle with a former manager, they get really heavy on
Hole In The Sky.
The Writ feature a lyric written by Ozzy Osbourne who seldom wrote Sabbath’s lyrics. Here he vents his mistrust against Patrick Meehan - the band’s former manager.
The most commercial track here is the single
Am I Going Insane which even hints to Glam Rock, which was beginning to fade as 1975 wore on.
The original album had a dark veneer running through it. The remastered version, by contrast, has a clean and modern sheen layered on top of the tracks.
The live cuts include most of the songs on
Sabotage but there is an unexpected surprise with the inclusion of War Pigs, one of Sabbath’s biggest tracks.
Along with a 1975 Madison Square Garden replica concert book, colour poster and a 40 page book with artwork and liner notes this really is an essential package for any metal fan.
I rate the album 4 out of 5.