The second Black Sabbath record has its accessibility on the front side, and its true colors with deeper writing on the back side, and when push comes to shove, I’m thankful for it. ![]() Is thinking “Iron Man” is boring a bold statement? Yeah, probably, but at least it fits well with everything beside it. Though I like it less than the other five of the first six records in this era, it has something for everyone. Trying to deny this of its legendary status would basically be criminal. ![]() Not to mention, some of the greatest lyrics they wrote on the entire album are here. Closer “Fairies Wear Boots” is where we bring on the fun, looser element that kinda sports the biggest blues rock backing that made up the bands’ roots. That song gives off endless feelings of a melting atmosphere around you, and if Ozzy’s terror-laced vocal delivery paired with the Iommi’s burning thickness does nothing for you, then I’m not sure what to tell you. Paranoid also knows how to run that way with a more basic idea, and that’s where “Electric Funeral” enters, likely my personal favorite on the disc. I’d also say Alice Cooper’s “Black Juju,” co-opted this, except that one adds the synths and even darker elements. “Hand Of Doom” (it’s in the fucking title) lays the groundwork for our favorite slow-crawl style that erupts in a similar manner to “Black Sabbath,” though I think the writing here is superior. I actually think this is also where the doom metal sound took greater fruition, giving way to the perfection achievement of this style on the next record. Side-B has some serious treasure while the seasoned listener knows this, the surface level listener tends to let these be overlooked. I won't spend time being too grumpy about that.īut really, if that were all there was to it, I’d probably throw this in the “heavy metal starter pack” bin and have little else to talk about. But I’ll also say this I think “Iron Man'' is has one of the most boring rhythm sections ever, and I hate that it became one of the biggest things the band ever did. "Paranoid" is such an impressive pop/metal banger for being pulled out of nowhere, and "War Pigs" has some of the most advanced construction for its time. Two of the radio hits I think are deserving of legendary credit. ![]() Need I really touch on Side-A outside of the intro paragraph? By now Paranoid has basically become the staple go-to first metal album.
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