Product Description

While Black Sabbath's 1972 release VOL. 4 didn't contain a renowned heavy metal anthem as PARANOID's title track, "IronMan", or MASTER OF REALITY's "Sweet Leaf" and "Children of the Grave", for example, it was far from a lackluster effort. VOL. 4 is a consistent, complete album that contains many of Sabbath's most underrated and often-overlooked compositions. Based on the inspired performances throughout the album,you'd never know that the band has considered the writing/recording of VOL. 4 to be its most out-of-control and drug-heavy period.
A pair of long and winding epics open and close VOL. 4.: "Wheels of Confusion/The Straightener" and "Under the Sun/Everything Comes and Goes", each consisting of twoseparate sections. The reflective, love-lost ballad "Changes" remains one of Sabbath's best, while Tony Iommi's gorgeous acoustic instrumental "Laguna Sunrise" is another low-key standout. But plodding, mega-decibel heavy metal is what Sabbath is known for, and VOL. 4 delivers with such dark rockers as "Tomorrow's Dream", "Supernaut", and "Snowblind", a track warning against the dangers of cocaine. VOL. 4 is one of Black Sabbath's most underrated albums, despite its exceptional quality.

Track Listing

1. Wheels Of Confusion
2. Tomorrow's Dream
3. Changes
4. FX
5. Supernaut
6. Snowblind
7. Cornucopia
8. Laguna Sunrise
9. St Vitus Dance
10. Under The Sun

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #84916 in Music
• Released on: 1996-02-26
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered

Amazon.co.uk Review
Vol 4 both consolidated Black Sabbath's massive transatlantic success and marked the beginning of the end. Thematically, the band continued to move away from cod-Satanism towards an apocalyptic Science Fiction based on the abandonment of a world turned irrevocably bad. Relationships were now explored, in "St. Vitus Dance" and the maudlin, piano-led "Changes", and drugs, which the band were now consuming with dangerous enthusiasm, remained a concern, "Snowblind" being a celebration to match 1971's "Sweet Leaf". But the increasingly complex and varied music--the sweet instrumental "Laguna Sunrise", the pure ambient percussion of "FX", and additional keyboards--caused vicious arguments that would eventually culminate in break-up. Hard to believe, as much of it was as crushingly heavy as ever, an obvious precursor of both industrial metal and grunge. In fact, Ministry's Al Jourgensen would later cover "Supernaut", and Seattle's Screaming Trees would cover "Tomorrow's Dream". --Dominic Wills

Customer Reviews

Awesome album but ruined by the song Changes.
This album is brilliant. Ignore the negative reviews, this is a great album. The song Changes just reminds me of the awful cover by Ozzy and Kelly Osbourne so I do not like it, but the rest is brilliant. It's what you'd expect from the early Black Sabbath albums a great metal album with a bluesy feel to it. Best songs are Wheels Of Confusion/The Straightener, Under The Sun/Everyday Comes And Goes & Supernaut. Recommended to Black Sabbath fans. I like any Black Sabbath albums as I always enjoy Tony Iommi's guitar playing so no Black Sabbath album is bad. BLACK SABBATH ROCK!!!!!!!!!!

One of the best albums I own.
Ive heard a lot of bad reviews about this album being "boring" and "disapointing" simply because its a bit experimental.
I bought this album about two months ago and it is already my favorite Black Sabbath album because you can listen
to it over and over again without it losing its magic, it has instant classics such as the opening Wheels of Confusion,
the melodic Changes and the cocaine fueled Snowblind and it is extremely inventive. it does not stand out as being
different to the rest of Black Sabbaths earlier work but rates up there with those albums.
*****
Other reccomended albums:

Black Sabbath

Paranoid

Master of Reality

Changes
Plenty is said about this album already. Great tracks but for the bizarre FX. Much has been made out about the inclusion of the piano led 'Changes'. This is my fave song here - yes, it is simple in structure but after a couple of listens, it stays in your head and you find yourself humming it all day long. Shame Ozzy had to let his vocally challenged daughter destroy this song in more recent times. The rest of the album is standard high quality Sabbath.