Customer Reviews

Nativity in Black 2: A Tribute to Black Sabbath

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(18)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This CD is good overall. Here's my review

1. SweetLeaf - Godsmack. Great guitar tone, but the song sounds too much like the original.

2. Hole in the Sky - Machine Head. I was very dissapointed in this song, because Machine Head rules. It sounds like its mixed up.

3. Behind the wall of Sleep - Static X. Good remake, its got a disco feel to it.

4. Never Say Die - Megadeth. Good cover also, but its Megadeth, and megadeth sounds the same no matter how they do a song.

5. Snowblind - System of a Down. If there is a reason to buy this album, this is it. Great remake. They put their own spin on it.

6. Electric Funeral - Pantera. I love Pantera, but I couldn't tell if it was Phil or Ozzy singing the vocals, too much like the origial.

7. N.I.B - OZZY/Primus, Just like the original

8. Hand of Doom - Slayer. This is a stand out track. It is raging start to finish.

9. Under the Sun - Soulfly. This is a great remake of this song.

10. Sabbra Cadabra - Hedpe. Good remake, to hip hop for me.

11. Into the Void - Monster Magnet. Good overall cover, but it clocks in at 12 min, too long

12. Iron Man - Buster Rhymes. This should be deleted from the disk.

Overall, if you like Sabbath give it a try. Soulfly, Slayer and System of a down are the 3 best covers.

VARIOUS ARTISIS - Nativity in Black Vol. II
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This album may be a few years old now but after listening again to this the other day I had to leave my 2 cents.
First off cover albums are very difficult to review so I will do a song by song review and average the total score.

1. "Sweet Leaf" - Godsmack - 4.5/5
-A great opener - Godsmack really nailed this track on the head... They gave it a bit of their own edge but still kept the premise of the song.

2. "Hole in the Sky" - Machine Head - 4/5
-Machine Head seems to do either really good, or really, really bad... Luckily this falls within the first.

3. "Behind the Wall of Sleep" - Static-X - 2/5
-Just not feeling the vibe - too `electric' and just too much like Static X...

4. "Never Say Die" - Megadeth - 4/5
-Mustaine does a good rendition but I feel like something is just missing on this cover that stops it from being great... Then again maybe it's just Mustaine.

5. "Snowblind" - System of a Down - 4.5/5
-My favorite song on the CD that sounds little like the original but brings an entirely new element an already classic song.

6. "Electric Funeral" - Pantera - 5/5
-Probably the best cover on the album... Phil and crew do an amazing version of this tune.

7. "N.I.B." - Primus (featuring Ozzy) - 5/5
-I feel bad for Geezer Butler.... Les Claypool schools the old school master on this version... and having Ozzy sing the Vocals only makes this track better.

8. "Hand of Doom" - Slayer - 5/5
-This actually sounds little like what you'd expect Slayer doing a cover to sound like... A very mature sound and probably tied with Pantera for the best cover on this album.

9. "Under the Sun" - Soulfly - 4/5
-Though significantly heavier than the original this is still very well done... Love the breakdown!

10. "Sabbra Cadabra" - Hed (pe) - 2/5
-Yeah it's just weird... Not in the good way like the S.O.A.D. Cover... This is just odd.

11. "Into the Void" - Monster Magnet - 3/5
-Just not feeling this track... Not bad, just not great...

12. "Iron Man" - Busta Rhymes - 1/5
-Yeah umm... ok. "I work hard to take care of everyone of my N!&&#+$..."
I like Busta for rap but please don't EVER!!! Cover Sabbath Again!

TOTAL: 44/60 = 3.66 Stars (rounded up to a generous 4 Stars)

Truth is if you are a Sabbath fan and you like some of the bands on here it is easily worth your time and money... However, if you're a 70's Purist I probably wouldn't bother....

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I've had the first N.I.B. disc floating around for years. I loved it, so naturally, I had to buy this one. N.I.B. II is a better version of the original. Better covers, and dare I say...better bands? (Soulfly sure beats Ugly Kid Joe)

The best track on here is definetly System of a Down's take on "Snowblind." It is one of the few tracks on here that sounds nothing like the original and is awesome non-the-less. S.O.A.D. have taken "Snowblind" and twisted into a song of their own which is nothing but pure raw energy. "N.I.B." by Primus W/ Ozzy is another standout, it is really fun to crank this one up loud. Ozzy's voice mixed with Les Claypool's bass is the perfect mix. (Hed) P.E.'s "Sabbra Cadabra" is another great song, again, not copying the original, but still staying true to the Sabbath vibe. I really like this song cuz they didn't feel the need to be heavy just for the hell of it. Pantera covering "Electric Funeral" sounds more like an updated version of the original, with Phil's voice sounding a lot like Ozzy's. The only disappointments on here is Monster Magnet's drudging "Into the Void" and of course, Busta Rhymes defecation of "Iron Man."

If you are a fan of any of the bands on here, do not skip this CD. It is well worth the money. As for the old time Black Sabbath fan, you might not find what you're looking for on here, BUT Pantera, Primus, and Slayer's tracks will most likely please you.

If a cd were able to turn grey due to heavy use like old records do, then my Nativity in Black I would be white by now. Needless to say, this follow-up was a MUST HAVE.

This CD opens like it should, going for the jugular with a killer version of "Sweet Leaf" by Godsmack. Having heard these guys getting good airplay lately, I must admit that their album is next on my list.. the bud is lit! And we go right up to heaven with "Hole in the Sky" by Machine Head ... they have been one of my favorite bands in the past several years, and they sure do an excellent job on this album ... the mellow middle part of the track pleasantly surprised me. I had never heard of Static-X before, but their version of "Behind The Wall Of Sleep" sure puts them on the map .. Onto MegaDeth and "Never Say Die," where Dave Mustaine breaks out the finger-licking good riffs like never before... System Of A Down is another unknown band to me, but thumbs up to their powerful version of "SnowBlind" .. Pantera and their "Electric Funeral" hardly need any additional comments ... Anselmo is a Sabbath fan, that much is for sure .. excellent performance! To find Primus on this Tribute album was quite a surprise, and the vocals are even from the man himself, Ozzy Osbourne. Primus' cover of "N.I.B." reminded me of Les Claypool's status as the cream of the bass players' crop... Slayer gives a brilliant sound to a very suitable "Hand of Doom," and Tom Araya actually sounds like he could turn into a singer someday ... Ex-Sepultura outfit Soulfly makes the sun shine bright in "Under The Sun," making you wish Max had never left Sepultura to begin with ...

The best part of the album concluded with those nine songs because the Hed(pe) version of "Sabbra Cadabra" sounds like a rapper who got stuck in a Led Zeppelin album, and you suddenly have flashbacks of listening to early Mr.Bungle songs ... Monster Magnet's "Into The Void" is a step in the right direction again, but since it's the longest track on the album, it takes a while to shift into the right gear and go full speed ahead.. To finish up this Ode To Sabbath, we get another rap attempt (and WAY more successful) by Busta Rhymes doing "Iron Man" with some help from Ozzy again ...

Simply said, this album is worth every single dime for Sabbath fans and any hard-rock fan out there .. 30 years have gone by, and their music is STILL unmatched .. Black is their color .. And Sabbath is their name! Hail to the Kings Of Doom!

This is overall a great CD until you get to its final track which for me ruins the entire CD. Busta Rhymes destroys one of musics greatest songs. Why the producer didnt cut the track I don't know. But there is nothing we can do about that now. All the other tracks are good. I usually don't like Static-X but I loved the amazing job they did on Behind the Wall of Sleep. System of a Down did a great job on Snowblind, and Primus with Ozzy on NIB was amazing, the bass solo intro the music it was all great especially when it is topped off with Ozzy's amazing vocals. I would recommned you buy this CD if you like Black Sabbath...or even if you like one of the bands on the CD. This is truely a great CD except for Busta Rhymes...

I have been waiting about a year for the release of this album and now that it's here, I must say it's been worth it. Since there are 12 different bands on the album I'll review each track individually on a scale of 1-5. 1). Sweet Leaf -Godsmack. 5/5. This is a geat rendition of the song and a perfect opener for the CD. These guys have a bright future. 2). Hole In The Sky - Machine Head. 4/5. Great job on the song, definitely rocks but pales a little in comparison to the sound that MH has on "The Burning Red". 3). Behind The Wall of Sleep - Static-X. 3.5/5. Good song, but lacks some intensity and the vocals could be better. This band's original stuff is pretty damn good though. 4). Never Say Die - Megadeth. 3/5. This song rocks but Mustaine's vocals sound mousy and I've never been a big Megadeth fan anyway. 5). Snowblind - System Of A Down. 5/5. This song is a great original sounding version of the Sabbath classic. I normally hate SOAD, but I must say they've turned in a great tune with this. 6). Electric Funeral - Pantera. 4.5/5. Great version, sounds very close to the original, but they could have thrown in a few more of their own twists. It's Pantera though, so you know it's got to be good. 7). N.I.B. - Ozzy with Primus. 4/5. This also sounds pretty close to the original and Les Claypool's bass intro is great. 8). Hand of Doom - Slayer. 4.5/5. Great job on this one with Slayer adding their own sound to a tightly knit version of the original. 9). Under The Sun - Soulfly. 4/5. Really heavy and rocking, this sounds more like a Soulfly original than the lesser-known Sabbath cover that it is with Max Cavalera's growling vocals. 10. Sabbra Cadabra - Hed(pe). 1/5. This song sounds so stupid I can't really put it into words. There should not be any reggae/funk sounding stuff on this record and the singer sounds like he's constipated. For a great version of this, check out Metallica's take on it. 11). Into The Void - Monster Magnet. 3/5. This song really sounds awesome - when it finally starts. I'de give it a higher score, but the 2 minute intro, 30 second pause, and 1 minute long outro really annoy and fill up time on the cd for no apparent reason. 12). Iron Man (This Means War) - Busta Rhymes. 1.5/5. Once again, I'm not sure how this song got on here. It's terrible and no one should have to hear this song disgraced by a rapper going on and on about his "ni**as" over and over again. I gave an extra half a point for Ozzy's new chorus which is pretty cool. Overall, this cd is great. Buy it now, and forget about the last couple of tracks.

Oh my, where to start? Well, let's go with Godsmack covering "Sweet Leaf". This was an unbelievable cover. Godsmack is a great band and kicked this tune amazingly. Definately 5/5. Ok, Machine Head doing "Hole in the Sky". Wow, what to say. This is a great cover! The drum solo in the middle of the song really is wicked. It may not sound like the orginal, but these guys took it to the next level. Again, 5/5. Next, Static-X covering "Wall of Sleep". This was good, very good. I love Wayne Static's voice and it meshed perfectly with the song, but it lacked something. So, therefore only 4/5. Next, Megadeath doing "Never Say Die". Not being a huge Megadeath fan I was skeptical. Once again However, Dave and the boys prove to be a force and cranked this Live version out big time. 5/5. Ok, now we get to the good ones. System of a Down does an incredible version of "snowblind". They change to tempo and just turned this into one of thier own. I actually like this more than the original. 5/5. Pantera and "Electric Funeral". Its Pantera. 'Nuff said. 5/5. Primus and Ozzy with "N.I.B.". ths one is so good that it gets radio time! a great one. 5/5. Slayer and "Hand of Doom". Another awesome tune, done to perfection by an awesome band. 5/5. Ok, Soulfly and "Under the Sun". Meh, not much to say. It was good, but not great. 3/5. Sabbra Cadabra and (hed) P.E. This got a lot of dissing. I'm gonna set the record straight. This was a great cover. They did thier own thing and it came out beautifully. Another awesome tune. 5/5. The next two are not my favorites. Monster Magnet - "Into the void". They went into a void on this one. a mere 2/5, and that's being generous. And finally, Busta doing "Iron Man". A great tune disgraced by sheer ignorance. The less said about this the better. 0/5, not even worth the disc space it was put on. So there you have my fellow Metal-Heads. I highly suggest this as a purchase, you won't be dissapointed!

NIB2 is an excellent addition for anyone who enjoys ozzy (or any of the bands on this disk). The Godsmack, Primus and Pantera tracks are some of the best renditions I have ever heard. An excellent tribute to Black Sabbath; their influence on today's rock/metal bonds is enourmous. Only downside of this disk is track 12. I was unaware that Black Sabbath had much influence on today's rappers. Track 12 is a very obvious mistake, I had to re-burn the disk and remove it.

Anyone looking for a good tribute CD, then definately pick up Nativity in Black II. The CD is a great follow up to Nativity in Black. Two big questions are why is Ozzy Osbourne on the CD and why did they have Busta Rhymes' This Means War on it. To answer the first question, this is a Black Sabbath tribute album. Not an Ozzy Osbourne tribute album. And since Ozzy wasn't always a member of Black Sabbath, it makes sense to allow him on the album. And for This Means War(Iron Man), it's a great song that just happens to sample Iron Man. That in itself is a tribute to the song. Plus it could have been worse. It could have been the Cardigans version of Iron Man from First Band on the Moon.

First of all, I'd like to point out that this is a tribute album. That is, other bands interpreting Black Sabbath's music, making it their own to some degree. Seemingly banal, I feel that it is important to stress this since so many reviewers say to listen to Black Sabbath instead. The reason to listen to this disc is to see what other bands (perhaps some you like and some you dislike) do with the music. People who like System of a Down, for example, may like the cover of Snowblind whereas someone who thinks SOAD stinks may seriously dislike their cover since it has their signature all over it.

That being said, how do I think these tracks stack up?

1) Godsmack "Sweet Leaf" - One of my favorite Sabbath tunes, and I like Godsmack. I think it is a good cover, but agree that this is slightly before Godsmack really got it together.

2) Machine Head "Hole in the Sky" - Wasn't really familiar with these guys, but they seem to be in the post-industrial, techno-inspired nu-metal crowd, which I'm somewhat ambivelant toward. Not a bad cover, but they seem to fall apart at the end.

3) Static-X "Behind the Wall of Sleep" - Another favorite Sabbath tune, but I'm not particularly fond of Static-X. If I liked their music, then I'd probably think this was a great cover.

4) Megadeth "Never Say Die" - I like Megadeth. I don't like this cover. Just seems like Dave Mustaine has lost his edge over the past decade.

5) System of a Down "Snowblind" - I like the Sabbath original, though it isn't my favorite. If you like SOAD, then you will probably like this cover (I qualify on both counts). And like me, you'll probably need to look at the song listing to figure out which Sabbath tune this used to be.

6) Pantera "Electric Funeral" - Great Sabbath song, great band, good cover.

7) Primus "N.I.B." - One of my favorite Sabbath songs covered by a favorite quirky band. I like this version.

8) Slayer "Hand of Doom" - this one is really good. Really good.

9) Soulfly "Under the Sun" - not bad. The first part of this is a bit weak, but the transition is great.

10) Hed(pe) "Sabbra Cadabra" - People pick on this one, but I like it. Something different.

11) Monster Magnet "Into the Void" - I like Monster Magnet and I like the Sabbath original. This is an ok cover, but really not the strongest Monster Magnet. Some high points in the song, though.

12) Busta Rhymes "Iron Man" - If you like Busta Rhymes, you'll probably like this song. Iron Man was never my favorite Sabbath song, so this cover really didn't sway my opinion one way or the other.

Overall, there are some tracks that make this a worthwhile listen. Unfortunately, some of the bands just never fully engage with the song, at times keeping the cover from being stellar rather than good (Godsmack) and at others leaving me disappointed (Megadeth). The real deciding point for most buyers will likely be whether you enjoy the bands covering the songs.