Customer Reviews

Master of Reality

5 star:		(180)
4 star:		(33)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

That is how Master of Reality begins, with the famous repetitive cough of "Sweet Leaf". On this 1971 release, Sabbath's third album, the band has become "masters" of their own sound. Calling Black Sabbath influential is an understatement. Listen to any of their first 4 albums and you can hear where several "metal" bands got their riffs, style, and "dark" image. Actually, the silliest idea about Black Sabbath is that they are all satan worshippers obsessed with death and think that everyone should commit suicide. Anyone who ever thought these things about this group should try reading the words that Ozzy Osbourne is singing. Their not evil words and a prime example is on Master of Reality. For example, in "After Forever" is clearly about finding God - "They should realize that God is the only way to love." and "Children of the Grave" (No it's not about little kids rising from their graves and killing people) is about a generation of young people who are tired of the hate filled world they live in and want to change it at any cost - "They'll fight the world until they've won and love comes flowing through." Tony Iommi has stated that much of the dark and demonic image associated with Sabbath can be chalked up to record company ploys to make money by making the band seem "evil" (For example, the inner sleeve of the debut LP, Black Sabbath (1970), contains an upside down cross which was not the band's idea at all). If you look at all 8 of the original line up's album covers, there is not an evil or disturbing image in the bunch, with the minor exception of the hooded figure on the debut cover which could be considered creepy by some. I grew up thinking negative things about Black Sabbath but I'm so glad I grew up and gave this pioneering band a chance because they created some very important music and if anything was ever called "heavy metal" it should be Black Sabbath even though they were creating these sounds before that term existed. Master of Reality is perhaps the statement that solidified the Black Sabbath sound, it is essential. One last question to those who think Ozzy Osbourne is "evil" - What hand gesture does he always give, particularly on the cover of Black Sabbath, Vol. 4? - The peace sign. Yes, maybe he is pure evil.

Its clear listening to bands like Cathedral or Electric Wizard that they were heavily influenced by Black Sabbath.From beginning to end Master Of Reality has a heaviness that's missing from any other Sabbath album ever recorded.The low distortion,the trudging,plodding pace,all that's missing is the depressing lyrical content and we'd have a Candlemass album.All of the songs truly shine with a life of their own.From the opener Sweet Leaf to the closing and heaviest Sabbath song ever written Into the Void,this is a stellar album that in my opinion is arguably one of the best and most underrated heavy metal albums in existence.My personal favorites here are Children of the Grave,Into the Void and the perfectly melancholy Solitude which one could view as the precursor to Volume 4's ballad Changes.Also check the album's second song for further proof that the members of Sabbath weren't satanists.This is by far my favorite Sabbath album and after a few dozen listens,it'll be yours too.

This is probably Sabbath's best regular issue album and it is sometimes very surprising. Sweet Leaf is well known to most and deserves the attention it has gotten. Lord Of This World is maybe a little less known but is very heavy and powerful. Children Of The Grave is great but most already know that. Into the void rocks hard, but still most know that. My point here is to tell you something you may not know. The highlight of this album is a song that is probably not that well known to the most casual Sabbath fan. That song is After Forever. This is a song that I have never seen on any Sabbath live albums or greatest hits compilations. It is a song about God and to some extent the afterlife. The lyrics are something you might normally hear from a Christian Rock band. It has some very beautiful lyrics in it and it does dispell the myth that they were evil and not God fearing. I am not saying these guys are or were saints, but check this album out and you will be amazed by this song. The version I just bought has the lyrics which is somewhat odd for a Sabbath cd. Most people give Sabbath a bad rap because of their lyrics but upon further look you will discover that they have belief in God and show it in many ways. Many of their songs mention satan or are about satan so people think they must worship him. Well, I have studied up on this and not found any of that to be true. Singing about satan is not worshipping him. Now if they spoke of satan the way they speak of God in this song then I would say the same. Ozzy routinely throughout the years always tells the crowd "God bless you all". My point here is to have you look at Sabbath in a little different light. Wearing crosses around your neck is a symbol of Jesus' crucifiction not devil worship. A few years later after leaving Sabbath, Ozzy sang these lyrics in a song,"They say I worship the devil, why don't they open their eyes?, I'm just a rock n roll rebel". This is not just a quality song lyrically but also musicall. It flows nicely and is definetly one of Ozzy's masterpeices vocally.

The Sabs third album is no doubt their sludgiest and heaviest. It's supersonic and powerful, thick, almost leaden riffs display a terrific raw energy. More complete than the band's second recording, Paranoid, which seems to have significant holes in composition; Master is a masterful collection of songs made only more incredibly by Tony Iommi's superb guitar and Ozzy's fantastic, almost demonlike voice. Real hard rock classics like the kickin' opener "Sweet Leaf" and the anthemesque "Children of the Grave" are followed all the way through the album with "Lord of this World" and "Into the Void". The hard rock sonic bliss doesn't stop, you get your fix all the way through. Together with these songs, you get "Embryo",a strange 30 second instrumental which I have always seen as an intro to "Children.." another instrumental,the acoustic "Orchid", which balances, but does seem a bit shallow, placed just to fill. You also get a slow, doomy song in "Solitude" and a bit christianity bias on "After Forever". The writing is superb, the songs are hard driving and they sure don't get old. All in all, one of the Sab's best and most interesting, not to mention consistent collections of songs. BUY IT!

"Master of Reality" is the epitome of Black Sabbath's monolithic riff-fuelled rock. If you want music with heavy, bluesy and infectious riffs, melodic vocals and breath-taking guitar solos, then look no further than "Master of Reality".

This is one of those special albums where every track has become a classic over the years. It all starts with the fantastic "Sweet Leaf", which was initially my favourite song on the album. The song kicks the album off in style and lays down the foundations perfectly. The opening cough/splutter sample gives meaning to the title (and sets up one of the most prominent themes and influences for the band - marijuana). This was truly the start of stoner rock. Please don't come to the conclusion that this stupefies the music in any way - an accusation I have heard many a time. Yes, this album is a great experience when ripped, as are the best of the modern day stoner albums, but don't be put off thinking a sober state will forge no rewards. Bong or no bong, this is one of the best rock albums ever made.

The riffs. Let me talk about some of the timeless riffs on this album. Riffs that over the years have become massively influential and classic in every sense of the word. It is through no chance or overreaction that people nowadays refer to some guitar riffs and leads as "Sabbath-esque" or "Sabbathy". The grand onslaught of these riffs starts with the simplistic and contagious lead to "Sweet Leaf", one of my favourite riffs ever conceived. The glory to this riff, and with the majority of Tony Iommi's genius craft, is the simplicity - sacrificing complex timings, extra ghost notes and fancy finger work for simple motifs. The emphasis is put firmly on execution and groove. Take for example the riff changeups in the fine closer "Into The Void", going from the fine rolling and laid-back intro riff to some ferocious muted riffing, all complemented perfectly by Ozzy's high and melodic vocals. All of this combines to make one of the album's finest moments. Then there's "Children of the Grave" which stretches the simplicity to a basic rolling note, repeated in a galloping time signature, augmented by the occasional menacing chord progression. This song was really ahead of its time, paving the way for the galloping marches of the finest Iron Maiden. What makes these riffs even better is the structure of the songs, which are intelligent and keep the various riffs fresh. For example, the changeups in "After Forever" evolve around a repetitive lead riff which gives way to various themes and new riffs, but always returns to retain the original flow and groove. Call them stoners, but this is intelligent song writing, and something ensued throughout the album.

So the song writing is clever. It keeps the riffs fresh and interesting and manages to hold the fantastic groove. However, it is the overall writing and structuring of the album as a whole that I find most impressive. The balance of "Master of Reality" is perfect and superior to any of their other albums. There are no overly long songs, as all are between 5 and 7 minutes. The effect of this gives the album a special kind of flow that is often lacking in their other releases. "Embryo" and "Orchid" are short little pieces that act as introductions rather than fillers, and again retain the sense of flow as they are not too long or boring.

Mention should of course go to Ozzy Osbourne. In my opinion Sabbath simply isn't Sabbath without Ozzy on the vocals. His voice has become one of the most distinctive and acclaimed in rock history, and rightly so. He has what all the best rock singers have - the ability to hit the right notes, often quite high ones, and an idiosyncratic style that is instantly recognisable. The Black Sabbath sound is rounded off perfectly by this master vocalist, best highlighted by his inspired deliveries on "Children of the Grave" and "Into The Void".

Any fan of rock music should enjoy this album. It has every ingredient that makes rock so enjoyable - powerful and inspired vocals, stunning guitar solos and riffs, solid bass playing and some stellar drumming. Black Sabbath at the pinnacle of their career.

Having achieved their commercial peak with their second album, "Paranoid" (which is not to suggest they had "sold out"; it just happens to contain their three biggest radio hits ever in Iron Man, War Pigs and the title track), Black Sabbath showed the strength of their musical convictions by resisting any temptation to try and recreate some kind of formula. Instead, "Master Of Reality" displayed an even sludgier, darker sound than the band had yet delivered. No hit single, perhaps, but an abundance of riffs place this album at the top of the heavy metal mountain.

Sweet Leaf - sure it's infamous as one of the most adoring anthems to marijuana, but it also features an absolute killer of a riff, and the bridge demonstrates Tony and Geezer's chops and versatility.

After Forever - Geezer's bass soars above the sinewy guitar figure laid down by Tony. This song really highlights the way tuning the guitars down a whole step altered (and improved, IMO) the band's heavy sound. And the lyrics - well, every time I ever heard someone suggest that Sabbath were devil-worshippers, I'd simply quote this one: "God is the only way to love"? There's no irony here; this song is a straight-ahead cautionary tale about the dangers of turning away from God.

Embryo - a cute little guitar ditty with strong Spanish influence. Not really one of Tony's best pieces, however.

Children of the Grave - Another monster riff, and while some may take issue with Bill Ward overdubbing extra drums, there's no denying the groove. Great lyrics again; the same basic themes of loving and caring for each other and our planet that Ozzy would revisit on solo tracks like Revelation: Mother Earth and Crazy Train.

Lord of this World: probably the most stereotypical Sabbath track on here; a great riff, and lyrics depicting the downfall of some poor sap who made the mistake of following the devil.

Embryo - a very nice acoustic piece by Tony with some tasteful string backing.

Solitude - A pretty enough ballad, although like "Planet Caravan" it does tend to drag a bit. This one I'll occasionally skip, but Black Sabbath always incorporated a bit of slow, un-distorted music into their work, so it is a valid part of this album.

Into The Void - they saved the coolest riff for last. Tony and Geezer play off of and against each other to perfection, although Ozzy's vocal is a tad repetitive.

The funny thing about "Master of Reality" is that, as dark and doom-laden as the music is, lyrically this is definitely Sabbath's most positive album. The lyrics read like a hippie enivronmentalist peace rally.

Okay you practically pushed heavy metal light-years forward with Paranoid, and now you have to follow it up. Well the boys did just that, and they did it well. In my opinion, this album is darker and heavier than the two before it. For 1971, this was pretty much untouchable.

Sweet Leaf starts with a hacking cough, and then BAM you're hit with a slow metallic groove. Other heavy moments include Lord of this World, Into the Void, and Children of the Grave. Children of the Grave is simply HEAVY, i mean tell me you can't headbang to that! Embryo and Orchid are instrumentals. Embryo is haunting while Orchid is more emotional, probably the most comfortable moment on the album. Solitude is a sad ballad type of song that can bring a tear to the eye. After Forever is another heavy number. "Would you like to see the pope on the end of a rope, do you think he's a fool?" I think everyone remembers this line.

So....this is a heavy metal milestone. WAY ahead of it's time blah blah blah, just buy the album and enjoy it!

this is tyed whith volume 4 as sabbaths heavyest album. i can't say enough about how awesome this album is, even though its only 34 minutes long, it preaches messages about god in varius songs. you could listen to this album instead of going to church every sunday morning becaues geezer butlers lyracsim about god and religon are in the songs of this album. anyone who tells you that sabbath were devil worshippers are retards! they have never listened to "after forever" or "lord of this world", they just decided to be ignorant. this brainwashed christian once said to me that all sabbath did was worship satan,you retard! "just realize before you critizes that god is the only way to love" does that sound satanic? hmmmm

Yes, their first, self-titled album introduced the world to Sabbath's dark themes. And yes, "Paranoid" gave them even more depth by diplaying more of a political voice. But "Master of Reality" was somewhat of a synopsis of them both. Lyrics will never again be as vivid, nor animated. Doom, destruction, isolation, pollution... an album that screams about the common fears in the early 70s. And like any great horror movie, Sabbath wraps those themes in music that is telltale of the albums contents. Every band member shows great strength throughout the album. Geezer Butler is a clinic with trademark basslines in every song, particulary worth noting during Iommi's solo in "Sweet Leaf". Iommi demonstrates what a classic metal guitar riff should be from start to finish. And Ozzy has never sounded more sinister. Metal was meant to be about the themes found in "Master of Reality". It's a shame that so many Sabbath influenced bands in the 80s didn't have such a background to grow into. Only Iron Maiden would come close, and only for a short, short spell. But if one wants to know how metal's evolved and wants to learn the most successful recipe in the genre's history, then "Master of Reality" is a must. Laced with so many crunching, powerful guitar riffs, ala "After Forever" (my favorite Sabbath tune), "Into the Void", and "Children of the Grave" and headturning lyrics (especially for their time) like "would you like to see the Pope on the end of a rope, do you think he's a fool?" from "After Forever" and Sweet Leaf's "you introduced me to my mind, and left me wanting you and your kind" in reference to one man's experience with marijuana. One has to believe that Nixon had the feds following these fellas around when touring the USA. If he considered Mc Govern a threat to the country, what do you think the privacy invading Nixon felt about the likes of theses Brits? Master of Reality is what rock and roll was meant to be. Controversial, crude but with direction, and alarming to the adults at the time. I can still see the faces on many a parent when hearing the opening of "Sweet Leaf". A little knowledge about the early 70s might help one understand the album a little better, though it's not necessary to appreciate the richness of the this band's musical onslaught. But it took such an era to launch a band with the voice and anger of Black Sabbath. Future metal bands will show the Sabbath ifluence, with better production providing more polished sounds. But a lack of similar environment will be missing, depriving them of the most necessary ingredient to harbor such authentic pain.

If their first two albums, "Black Sabbath" and "Paranoid," weren't so darn good, the third time would definitely be the charm for this band. "Masters of Reality" is one of Black Sabbath's best albums ever recorded, and probably one of the best heavy metal albums of all time.

This album, which is Sabbath's heaviest recording, is also considered by some to be their most influential. I, personally, think their first two albums were more influential. But with "Masters of Reality," Black Sabbath gave birth to doom/gloom/sludge metal. With its sludgy guitar riffs and dark, controversial lyrics (about such things as drug use) paved the way for early `90's bands, like Helmet and Smashing Pumpkins, but also other, super-heavy bands, like Crowbar, Eyehategod, and My Dying Bride.

But, even though this was Black Sabbath's heaviest album, it also is their first album to have some acoustic guitar work. And track seven, "Solitude," even has a flute solo!

"Sweet Leaf" has a repetitive but catchy and groovey riff, some good bass lines, and heavy drums. Meanwhile, Ozzy sings lines like "I love you" and "my life was empty" about his favorite leaf (the "sweet leaf," which is what he calls marijuana).
"After Forever" opens with some more catchy, beeping bass notes and an almost surging guitar riff. This riff bobs in places, and a guitar solo also crops up.
"Embryo" is a 25 second instrument solo (by an instrument which sounds like a violin).
"Children Of the Grave" has a very famous and catchy, almost running, guitar lead. There's a nice, classical sounding guitar solo, here, too.
"Orchid" is where an acoustic guitar makes an entrance. It plays a twinkling, dwindling solo over (what sounds like) a piano (or a really low bass).
"Lord Of This World" begins with a lurching, stop-start riff that you'll be dying to hum along to. Two more guitar solos are included here, as well.
"Solitude" is a power ballad, of sorts. It has some chimes, light guitar strums, a gluey, humming bass line, the aforementioned flute (which is played by Tony Iommi and almost sounds like it's Native American), depressing lyrics, and some super slow vocals by Ozzy.
"Into The Void" has another grooving, temporarily chugging riff. And I enjoy how the guitars and rhythm speed up around the middle of the song.

This is definitely essential listening for all metalheads, because, as previously mentioned, this is one of Sabbath's best albums (thus making it also one of the best metal albums of all-time.) With "Masters of Reality," Black Sabbath proved they were the Masters of Heavy Metal.