Vol. 4 Black Sabbath

This is a strong Black Sabbath album, although it shows the slow decline from the career peak of "Paranoid". This was their earliest which I did not hear until I started buying CDs instead of records and tapes.
The songs on "Vol. 4" are all over the place in quality. On the debut, there were multi-part song suites. On "Paranoid", a couple songs were given unnecessary double titles, like they were 2 distinct songs each. On this album there are some tracks which really are 2 songs jammed together. "Wheels of Confusion/The Straightener" is a good, heavy opener, the latter part a fast, driving instrumental. The excellent "Tomorrow's Dream" is a more radio-friendly tune, the heaviness alternating with a mellower, melodic sound. I've tried for years to like "Changes". I did, briefly, after hearing my brother's "We Sold Our Soul for Rock 'n' Roll", because of the novelty of a ballad from Sabbath. What's wrong with this song? It's not that it's a ballad, the band has done others which worked, including "Solitude" just the album before. Other metal groups have had good mellow tunes, they aren't poison to the genre. It's not Ozzy Osbourne's fault, he has sung ballads well. It's not the song itself. Check out Charles Bradley, "The Screaming Eagle of Soul" for what can be done with it. It's that annoying, indolent, insolent piano. Those notes seem to say, "Yes, as a matter of fact, this IS all that I am going to play!" Then comes "FX". I looked up the definition of "album filler" and it read, "'FX' by Black Sabbath." If all it takes is making strange noises, I would be a good guitarist. Things are going downhill; we need a superhero to save this album. How about a "Supernaut"? This awesome, heavy tune is a great deep track that casual fans might miss, like "Into the Void" from "Master of Reality". Then comes "Snowblind". This crushing, relentless song is among the band's 5 best. Guitarist Tony Iommi and drummer Bill Ward really shine on this track. This is no "Sweet Leaf Part 2". Yes, the band was using a lot of cocaine, even thanking "The COKE-Cola Company of Los Angeles" in the liner notes. This is no party song, but an acknowledgement of what the drug was doing to the user. "The sun no longer sets me free/I feel the snowflakes freezing me." "Cornucopia" is a heavy tune, running faster at times. Then comes "Laguna Sunrise", a beautiful instrumental. If only Tony had played acoustic guitar like this on "Changes". "St. Vitus Dance" is faster and not as heavy as most Sabbath songs. The lyrics are different for the band, being romance advice to a friend. "Under the Sun/Every Day Comes and Goes" is a good closer. The first is heavy, then speeding up for the "Every Day..." part, before returning to "Under the Sun".
Tony dominates this album. You have to listen to detect Geezer Butler's bass.
This has a lame title and crappy cover. It should be "Snowblind", with a glazed-goggled skier sprawled in a chaise lounge. But "Vol. 10" would be great for metal!

As I said for master of reality, this is prime top shelf sabbath! You can’t get much better than this masterpiece. Wheels of confusion; supernaut; snowblind, st vitus… here Sabbath started their psychedelic years… heavy… bold… and fresh! All time classic!

An album of it's time. There will never be anything like it again. They will all be gone soon. Best listened to when stoned.

A solid early Black Sabbath album, let down by some subpar tunes, in particular "Changes" -- it's ham-fisted, maudlin and makes me cringe every time. "Wheels of Confusion" is a strong opener, with a little Indian raga flavor. It shows Sabbath stretching out a bit toward Prog, at around the 2:30 mark. "Tomorrow's Dream" also has a more proggy flavor and some stellar Iommi soloing. "Supernaut" is a stone cold classic with one of Iommi's iconic riffs, this time with extra whammy bar! It's followed by "Snowblind" -- whisper it together: "Cocaaiinnne." "Cornucopia" has one of the most heavily downtuned Iommi riffs and some far-out Butler lyrics. The album runs out of steam after that -- "Laguna Sunrise" is another of Iommi's "look, I can do more than riff" tracks but doesn't add much. "St. Vitus" and "Under the Sun" are ultimately unmemorable. So, you've got two classics (Supernaut and Snowblind) and three solid tracks (Wheels of Confusion, Tomorrow's Dream, Cornucopia), and then a couple of duds. So, 3.5 stars. It's probably my 5th favorite Sabbath album, after Master of Reality, Paranoid, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath and Sabotage. Although a lot of people rank it higher, the low points are, in my opinion, pretty low.

If Black Sabbath had already laid the foundation for heavy metal on the previous three records, with Vol. 4 they laid the groundwork for the long-lasting subgenre known as stoner metal. With it's fuzzy tones, the production on Ozzy's voice, the repetitive riffage, and the drug-influenced lyrical content, this is essentially the blueprint for every stoner metal record since.

This is also where Sabbath seems to have gotten more ambitious. Ozzy's singing has improved from the chanting and barking of the band's debut to a sustained howl which only served to make the music more haunting. Tony Iommi's compositions are more complex, including some interesting acoustic passages, even if his guitar solos seem less inspired than on prior records. This one may not have the amount of classic rock radio staples featured on Paranoid or Master of Reality, but it might be the band's most consistently interesting listen.

Best of all, this record includes my favorite Sabbath song, the frantic, ferocious, psychotic "Supernaut," with its galloping riff and those badass lyrics, "Don't try to reach me, 'cause I'll tear up your mind / I've seen the future and I've left it behind."

Despite its bloated sound, it is still great, their experimentation is extended, and there are bangers like Snowblind, and Changes.

A personal fave and one of the greatest and most influential albums "Vol. 4" laid the foundation of Rock in the future and highlighted its compelling eclecticism when placed in talented hands. Recorded in Los Angeles and fuelled by the desire for change and mounds of cocaine the band succeeded musically in every step of the way. Featuring the spectral vocals, propulsive drums and those monumental and iconic riffs which are an institution in themselves the Brummie legends add a singular swing and groove to the mix setting the album apart and elevating the music to new heights. Not only the dark and heavy trademark sound of the group are in impressive form here a stirring ballad, a lovely instrumental and listenable filler are included too. The heavy-handed and somewhat monotonous tone of some of the tracks may make the set a bit tedious and wearying but even those are good and the strengths of the album are too strong that any snags in the proceedings are immediately obliterated. A landmark in Rock and Metal this classic is an essential that any Rock fan should have in his collection. And what a great album cover to complement an outstanding recording!

Could Black Sabbath have made a better album around this time period. This is nearly a master piece of hard rock/70’s heavy metal. The decision to keep rocking,producing dark songs, steering away from pop and hooky songs has created one of my favorite Black Sabbath albums. Also the drums may seem over dubbed but they sound so thick on this record.

My first introduction to Sabbath was a greatest hits collection. Then it was time to get there first album. Then came Masters of Reality and Never Say Die. Those two and Vol. 4 are now my favorites.

Volume 4 brings a real rawness. It’s stays away from being overly progressive while sending sharp heavy riffs that turn in and out of powerful leads and thick/non complex solos. Of course the drums are complex and there is even a drum solo on Supernaut, which I love.

The inclusion of Changes baffles some but not me. It may be the least interesting song on the album but it by no means takes away from it. Funny how Sabbath and Priest got away w/ ballads but if metal and hard rock bands did it past the 70’s it was a huge mark against them.

This album does what I would have liked to see from Sabbath around this era, well unless they were willing to take on prog rock. It’s very even. It’s heavy when it needs to be. It’s riffs when it needs to be. The solos are good but maybe a little short. It’s slightly progressive when it needs to be. No complaints here. It’s a continuation of what they had been doing.

If I had to pick my highlights from this album it would be the solo at the end of The Straightener and the drum solo on Supernaut. I don’t pay attention to these lyrics either. I really only like lyrics that have applicable message I agree w. Oh and that reminds me, Ozzy has a nice voice. It’s never annoying like some leaders.

Absolutely their best work. From the intro to Supernaut and Snowblind this album is a diverse yet classic Sabbath album showcasing their creativity. Who doesn't get creative after ingesting a kilo of Columbian blow?

O álbum que define o som do Black Sabbath: pesado, orquestrações, melodias infinitas, riffs, solos, e um peso que faz roqueiro chorar desde Changes até Wheels of Confusion e seu solo ao final que te leva ao cosmos infinito...como toda obra do quarteto original é um verdadeiro tesouro