Strong album. Great guitar work and great lyrics, all I need to be happy.

Best tracks: Paranoid, Iron Man

Can't help but feel a bit underwhelmed by this album. I know I didn't "grow up" with this type of sound and the genre definitely evolved from there, but this album was just good but not great in my book. I mean there's definitely some hard-hitters on here, but as a whole I wouldn't call this a classic.

A heavy metal classic and not only is it the best of its genre, it is one of the greatest albums of all time.

Heavy metal classic. Even after 40 years, this record sounds awesome.

Creepy

This was the beginning of hard hard and metal. The right stuff at the right time.

This is usually considered to be Sabbath's best work. I'm not sure I agree with that statement but it has some of their catchiest and heaviest riffs. Some of the more notable tracks have become a bit overplayed but that doesn't take away the credit they earned for making this the Heavy Metal Bible.

What can be said? Do I mention tales of the after apocalypse (you know, the waiting for the dentist part after the fireworks), talk about whispery night train where the guitars are down for the starry sky, talk about the fact this blew peoples worlds apart when it first arrived. No, I won't go there. Much more to say about the music itself when it is this blistering and full of spirit. Clay demons. Wet clay demons parade through this album as roars are heard up ahead. 'War Pigs' is more of a performance than a mere "track" on an album. 'Electric Funeral' proves you don't need some ancient tome to conjure a nightmare. Guitar licks in that one more volatile that a tightrope of liquid neon. Not all fantasy, album does come down to the ground at times. 'Paranoid' is the foot stomper, guitar thrasher that Queen would have felt envious not to have in their set and 'Hand of Doom' gives a big message (go ask Alice) with heartbeat drums and handfuls of... well... doom. You also get some strange interludes, 'Planet Caravan' and 'Rat Salad' to prove this band has their chops and the clattering finale of 'Fairies Wear Boots' which is about being down the pub or something. When you packed a great enough box as this, people were inevitably putting it in the classic pile. Literally wrote this without forgetting a single song... alright let me go check a moment... ... nope, no one was forgotten. Put this album on the bucket list. I'm done.

2nd best Sabbath album behind Master of reality the only track i skip over and over again in my car is Planet Caravan.
to soft, I cant hear ozzys voice.