Track Listing

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

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4433 in Music
• Released on: 2008-02-26
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .22 pounds
• Running time: 87 minutes

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

CD 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.

Customer Reviews

Pure Classic Heavy Rock!
Black Sabbath's Volume 4 is an outstanding collection of mature songwriting and superb musicianship.The album doesn't have one weak track and stands beside Led Zeppelin's fourth album Deep Purple's Made in Japan and AC/Dc's Back in Black as an essential to any rock collection.Wheels of Confusion has an addictive infectious groove with a superb Ozzy vocal that leaves you singing "Long ago I wandered through my mind" long after the cd has finished.Supernaut with awesome Bill Ward drumming (check out the bass drum patterns) and Snowblind are killer tracks and Under the Sun and Cornucopia are noisy walks through the graveyard.Of course Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler are also on form too.It's a pure classic and you must have it.In my opinion it's Sabbath's finest moment.

Predecessor to a masterpiece.
It's fair to say that the first six Sabbath albums were defining classics of the heavy rock genre. With Vol 4 (or should I say Snowblind, its working , drug orientated original title) Sabbath began to put a bit of finesse into their music. From the epic eight minute "Wheels of Confusion", a true Sabs fan can see that whilst the band had not lost any of its pummelling brutallity, the band had actually began to write some rock classics, the best of which would probably be "Snowblind" and "Supernaut". However if your like me and pure heavy Iommi riffs and Banshee screams, check the downtuned "Cornucopia" and "Under the Sun" to see just where the Soundgardens andf Metallicas of this world came from. Add to these the beautifully subtle, Morriconesque "Laguna Sunrise" and I suppose you have the perfect album and a wonderful predecessor to "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath".

Still 100% Sabbath...
To say that Vol 4 was the beginning of the end for Sabbath, the start of the long downward spiral into break ups and infighting, as some have commented is a bit of an overstatement.
The year was 1972. The band had only been going as a professional unit, with albums under it belt for 2 years ! If anything, Vol 4 consolidated everything that the band had put into previous efforts, tweaked the problems and brought the good stuff to the fore.
If you want to hear it start to go wrong, or at least go awry, buy `Sabotage'.
Vol 4 is in my opinion a monster of a record. From the opening distraught guitars of Wheels of Confusion, to the last notes of Under the Sun, this album shows Sabbath doing what they do best, experimenting with sound and pulling it off.
Sure the inclusion of tracks like `FX' and `Changes', are all a bit unnecessary, the former track being regarded by Tommy Iommi now as a complete waste of time.
Vol 4 has after all some of Sabbath's greatest live songs on it. Supernaught, not only a distinctly "Sabbath track" but one of rocks all time best tunes. Snowblind, again, shows off Sabbath's knack of going from pretty mid paced, melancholic ramblings, to all out vehement aggressive rock. And that's what makes them great.
Iommi's crushing guitar riffs, Butler's bass punching the music out of the speakers, bill Wards drumming, strangely furious in places, in others almost stoned. And of course Ozzy's strangled, some times sorrowful, sometimes violent vocals.
The riffs on tracks like Supernaught and St Vitus Dance just reaffirm why Sabbath are the true granddaddies of modern metal. With songs like the ones mentioned above, and Tommorows Dream as another great example, its very hard not to want to tap your foot or nod your head to the infectious "groove" and thick slab riffs.
Not Sabbath's heaviest album featuring Ozzy, that accolade goes to `Master of Reality', and maybe not their most dynamic or spontaneous effort, (Their debut and Paranoid both pip it) but certainly an amazing collection of songs, certainly 100% Sabbath.