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== Release and reception ==
== Release and reception ==
''Sabotage'' was released on July 28, 1975. For the second time, a Black Sabbath album initially saw favourable reviews, with ''Rolling Stone'' stating "''Sabotage'' is not only Black Sabbath's best record since ''[[Paranoid (album)|Paranoid]]'', it might be their best ever",<ref>{{cite web| year=1975 |month=Sept |author=Altman, Billy |title=''Sabotage'' Album Review |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/blacksabbath/albums/album/170807/review/5946986/sabotage |publisher=''[[Roling Stone]]'' Magazine #196, September 25, 1975 |accessdate=2008-02-25}}</ref> although later reviewers such as AllMusic noted that "the magical chemistry that made such albums as ''Paranoid'' and ''[[Black Sabbath Vol. 4|Volume 4]]'' so special was beginning to disintegrate".<ref>{{cite web |author=Prato, Greg |title=''Sabotage'' AMG Album Review |url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:gifpxqq5ld6e |publisher=Allmusic.com |accessdate=2008-03-20}}</ref>
''Sabotage'' was released on 28 July 1975. For the second time, a Black Sabbath album initially saw favourable reviews, with ''Rolling Stone'' stating "''Sabotage'' is not only Black Sabbath's best record since ''[[Paranoid (album)|Paranoid]]'', it might be their best ever",<ref>{{cite web| year=1975 |month=Sept |author=Altman, Billy |title=''Sabotage'' Album Review |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/blacksabbath/albums/album/170807/review/5946986/sabotage |publisher=''[[Roling Stone]]'' Magazine #196, September 25, 1975 |accessdate=2008-02-25}}</ref> although later reviewers such as AllMusic noted that "the magical chemistry that made such albums as ''Paranoid'' and ''[[Black Sabbath Vol. 4|Volume 4]]'' so special was beginning to disintegrate".<ref>{{cite web |author=Prato, Greg |title=''Sabotage'' AMG Album Review |url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:gifpxqq5ld6e |publisher=Allmusic.com |accessdate=2008-03-20}}</ref>


''Sabotage'' cracked the top 20 in the United Kingdom and peaked at number 28 in the United States.<ref>{{cite web|title=AllMusic Billboard albums|url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:gifpxqq5ld6e~T3|accessdate=2009-01-30}}</ref> It was [[Music recording sales certification|certified Silver]] in the UK by the [[British Phonographic Industry|BPI]] on December 1, 1975<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bpi.co.uk/platinum/platinumright.asp?rq=search_plat&r_id=21459|title=BPI certified awards|accessdate=February 8, 2009}}</ref> and [[Music recording sales certification|Gold]] in the US on June 16, 1997, but was the band's first release ''not'' to achieve platinum status in the US.<ref>{{cite web|title=RIAA Gold & Platinum database|url=http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=sabotage&artist=black%20sabbath&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2009&sort=Artist&perPage=25|accessdate=January 30, 2009}}</ref> Songs such as "Hole in the Sky", and "Symptom of the Universe" became fan favourites, with the latter's chugging riff even cited as an early example of [[thrash metal]]. Black Sabbath toured in support of ''Sabotage'' with openers [[Kiss (band)|Kiss]], but were forced to cut the tour short in November 1975, following a [[motorcycle]] accident in which Osbourne ruptured a muscle in his back.
''Sabotage'' cracked the top 20 in the United Kingdom and peaked at number 28 in the United States.<ref>{{cite web|title=AllMusic Billboard albums|url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:gifpxqq5ld6e~T3|accessdate=2009-01-30}}</ref> It was [[Music recording sales certification|certified Silver]] in the UK by the [[British Phonographic Industry|BPI]] on 1 December 1975<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bpi.co.uk/platinum/platinumright.asp?rq=search_plat&r_id=21459|title=BPI certified awards|accessdate=2009-02-08}}</ref> and [[Music recording sales certification|Gold]] in the US on 16 June 1997, but was the band's first release ''not'' to achieve platinum status in the US.<ref>{{cite web|title=RIAA Gold & Platinum database|url=http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=sabotage&artist=black%20sabbath&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2009&sort=Artist&perPage=25|accessdate=2009-01-30}}</ref> Songs such as "Hole in the Sky", and "Symptom of the Universe" became fan favourites, with the latter's chugging riff even cited as an early example of [[thrash metal]]. Black Sabbath toured in support of ''Sabotage'' with openers [[Kiss (band)|Kiss]], but were forced to cut the tour short in November 1975, following a [[motorcycle]] accident in which Osbourne ruptured a muscle in his back.


== Track listing ==
== Track listing ==
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Revision as of 03:46, 27 December 2009

Untitled

Sabotage is the sixth studio album by the British heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released in 1975.

Recording

Black Sabbath began work on their sixth album in February 1975, again in England at Morgan Studios in Willesden, London. They had a decisive vision to differ the sound from their previous album Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. Guitarist Tony Iommi, who produced the album, said that "We could've continued and gone on and on, getting more technical, using orchestras and everything else which we didn't particularly want to. We took a look at ourselves, and we wanted to do a rock album - Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath wasn't a rock album, really."[1]

Over the years, singer Ozzy Osbourne has often complained in interviews that this album marked the beginning of what he described as Tony Iommi's studio production obsession. Sabotage took considerably longer to record and produce than each of their preceding albums, making it the most costly Black Sabbath album to that point. In comparison, the band's first album, Black Sabbath (1970), took only twelve hours to record at a cost of a few hundred pounds.

Music and lyrics

The album is a mix of heavy, powerful songs such as "Hole in the Sky" and "Symptom of the Universe", and softer experimental songs such as "Supertzar" and "Am I Going Insane (Radio)", which are similar to their previous album. The title of the latter caused some confusion due to the "(Radio)" part, which lead people to believe the song was a radio cut or radio version. However this is the only version of the song. It should be noted that the term 'radio-rental' is rhyming slang for 'mental' [2]. The song itself is very different from the typical Ozzy Osbourne-era Black Sabbath song. It features no heavy guitar riff; instead, a keyboard riff is prominent. The song concludes with an "insane laugh" which carries into "The Writ".

Release and reception

Sabotage was released on 28 July 1975. For the second time, a Black Sabbath album initially saw favourable reviews, with Rolling Stone stating "Sabotage is not only Black Sabbath's best record since Paranoid, it might be their best ever",[3] although later reviewers such as AllMusic noted that "the magical chemistry that made such albums as Paranoid and Volume 4 so special was beginning to disintegrate".[4]

Sabotage cracked the top 20 in the United Kingdom and peaked at number 28 in the United States.[5] It was certified Silver in the UK by the BPI on 1 December 1975[6] and Gold in the US on 16 June 1997, but was the band's first release not to achieve platinum status in the US.[7] Songs such as "Hole in the Sky", and "Symptom of the Universe" became fan favourites, with the latter's chugging riff even cited as an early example of thrash metal. Black Sabbath toured in support of Sabotage with openers Kiss, but were forced to cut the tour short in November 1975, following a motorcycle accident in which Osbourne ruptured a muscle in his back.

Track listing

All songs written by Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Ozzy Osbourne and Bill Ward.

Side one

  1. "Hole in the Sky" – 3:59
  2. "Don't Start (Too Late)" – 0:49
  3. "Symptom of the Universe" – 6:29
  4. "Megalomania" – 9:46

Side two

  2. "Thrill of It All" – 5:56
  3. "Supertzar" – 3:44
  4. "Am I Going Insane (Radio)" – 4:16
  5. "The Writ" – 8:09

On some of the first vinyl/cassette releases (and all of the remastered versions of the album) there is a short, 23 second hidden track titled "Blow on a Jug" at the end of "The Writ". Recorded at very low volume, it features Ozzy Osbourne and Bill Ward goofing around in the studio.[citation needed]

Personnel

Release history

Region Date Label Notes
United Kingdom 28 July 1975 NEMS
United States ??? Warner Bros. Records
Canada ??? Warner Bros. Records
Worldwide ??? Vertigo Records
United Kingdom 1986 Castle Communications this includes a bonus track: a live version of "Sweet Leaf", taken from the Live at Last album.
United Kingdom 2004 Sanctuary Records

Notes

  1. ^ Rosen 1996, p. 80
  2. ^ Black Sabbath Online: Sabotage
  3. ^ Altman, Billy (1975). "Sabotage Album Review". Roling Stone Magazine #196, September 25, 1975. Retrieved 2008-02-25. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  4. ^ Prato, Greg. "Sabotage AMG Album Review". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2008-03-20.
  5. ^ "AllMusic Billboard albums". Retrieved 2009-01-30.
  6. ^ "BPI certified awards". Retrieved 2009-02-08.
  7. ^ "RIAA Gold & Platinum database". Retrieved 2009-01-30.

References

  • Rosen, Steven (1996), The Story of Black Sabbath: Wheels of Confusion, Castle Communications, ISBN 1-86074-149-5
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