Album Review: "Master of Reality"
Recently, I purchased Black Sabbath’s album “Master of Reality” on vinyl and have been listening to it on repeat ever since. First released in 1971, this album is not only one of the best albums of Black Sabbath’s Ozzy Osbourne era, but it is one of their top albums overall.
Side A:
“Sweet Leaf”
I love you sweet leaf—though you can’t hear
The album opens with Black Sabbath’s ode to Cannabis, “Sweet Leaf.” The sound matches the song’s theme perfectly, serving as an early example of the overlapping stoner and doom subgenres of metal. Although I enjoy this song, the lyrics are not as deep as most of the other songs on the album. While it is not my favorite song on the album, “Sweet Leaf” is a strong opener and remains one of the best examples of stoner metal.
“After Forever”
I think it was true it was people like you / that crucified Christ
This is one of my favorite songs on the album. The lyrics are interesting, as they come across as Christian themed despite Black Sabbath’s popular association with satanism. The rhythm guitar is upbeat and moves away from the sluggish sound of “Sweet Leaf.” As usual, Ozzy’s vocals fit in flawlessly with the rest of the band, creating the classic Black Sabbath sound fans adore.
“Embryo”
This short instrumental track forms an excellent lead-in to “Children of the Grave”. It sounds different from the rest of this side of the album, utilizing a cleaner and more melodic guitar track than the other songs on side A. I would have liked for this song to be slightly longer, as this song has an interesting tension to it.
“Children of the Grave.”
Children of tomorrow live in the tears that / fall today / Will the sunrise of tomorrow bring in / peace in any way
“Children of the Grave” is possibly my favorite song on this album. This song is intense and fast paced, with a chugging rhythm guitar forming a fast-paced beat. Lyrically, this is an amazing example of Black Sabbath’s political commentary. In “Children of the Grave,” Black Sabbath expresses the disillusionment of a generation questioning whether the war will ever give way to peace. Everything about this song is phenomenal, from the drumming to the heady guitar solos. “Children of the Grave” is one of Black Sabbath’s top songs and is an excellent way to close side A of the album.
Side B:
“Orchid”
Side B opens with another instrumental track. Unlike “Embryo,” this song sounds as though it was intended to be a separate song, rather than serving as a lengthy lead-in. However, it is still rather short compared to the rest of the album. Also, this song has a more complex and nuanced sound than “Embryo.”
“Lord of This World”
Your world was made for you by someone / above / But you choose evil ways instead of love.
Like “After Forever,” this song is surprisingly Christian themed. “Lord of This World” is sung from the viewpoint of Satan, who condemns humanity for straying from God. These lyrics are haunting and poetic, urging listeners to turn from their evil ways by taking on the voice of evil. The solos in this song are gorgeous and symphonic, blending nicely with the rest of the instruments. Again, Ozzy Osbourne’s vocals are phenomenal and demonstrate why he is my favorite Black Sabbath lead singer. Ultimately, this is my favorite song on Side B of “Master of Reality.”
“Solitude”
O, where can I go to and what can I do? / Nothing can please me only thoughts are / of you
This song is slower than the rest of the album—with the obvious exception of the instrumental tracks. This is my least favorite full-length song on the album, as it is quiet and mellow, especially when compared to the songs it is in-between. That is not to say that it is bad, however, as the instruments are beautiful and borderline ethereal in places. For listeners who are not fans of classic rock or metal, this song might actually be a good introduction to Black Sabbath, as it maintains the skillful artistry that makes their music so incredible while providing a clean and peaceful sound.
“Into the Void”
Leave the earth to all its sin and hate / Find another world where freedom waits
This song returns listeners to the sludgy sounds of doom metal the album opened with, brilliantly blending an aggressively distorted guitar with a cleaner sounding bass. Ozzy Osbourne’s unique vocals work well on this track, but the loudness of the other instruments make it a bit difficult to make out the lyrics. However, many listeners, including myself, will likely not care too much, as the song sounds so excellent. This closing track is simultaneously sluggish and high energy, ending the album on a high note.
Black Sabbath remains one of my favorite two bands of all time. I find their music to be beautiful and complex with just enough fuzz and distortion to hypnotize listeners. “Master of Reality” is no exception to this, and is solid throughout, with the low points still being exceptional and artistic songs. I would consider this album a masterpiece that should be listened to through headphones without distraction at least once, even by people who are hesitant to listen to the metal genre.
