Paranoid

1. War Pigs 100/10 How people could consider the title track a classic over this monster boggles my mind (even though the title track is great). From the slow, vast intro, to the hi-hat tapping and Ozzy's opening operatic vocals, to the ass-kicking riffage and soloing, to the mindblowing outro, you can wait and wait for this song to get boring and it never will, and I'm not even a hardcore metal fan. Speaking of the outro, as if the rest of the song isn't amazing, the outro is incredibly powerful, and gives me goosebumps every time I hear it, beginning with a simple arpeggiated chord progression, coming to four climatic riffs, and a crushingly beatiful haunting, dark, but faintly hopeful riff to finish it off, topped by what has to be Iommi's best solo. I'm not sure if it will stay this way, but for now this is definately my vote for the best rock song EVER

2. Paranoid 7/10 A good song, but I think it's a bit overrated, especially after the religious experience of the previous track. But its lyrics I can definiately relate to when I'm frustrated and bored and just out of it.

3. Planet Caravan 10/10 Many people don't like this track, but it's dark, vast, slow, and haunting (i like stuff like that). Iommi also has a phenomenal jazzy solo for an outro, coupled with piano chords. All I can say is this must sound amazing stoned....

4. Iron Man 8/10 When I first heard this track, I was an Ozzy novice. Seeing him all out of it on MTV and hearing the computerized "I am IRON MAN!", I just thought it was kind of corny, but listening to it it's one awesome track, but not as good as WP. The speeding up for the solo was a great twist, something which Sab does often and makes them great. The outro soloing is amazing as well.

5. Electric Funeral 8/10 Wowwowwowewohhhhhh! The deep rumble of the opening notes definately sounds like the thunder of Armaggedon, which is basically what this song is about. I personally think it sounds scarier live, the song gets scarier as it progress to an almost jig-like beat with Ozzy's Cold-War era nuclear war lyrics slamming you in the face.

6. Hand of Doom 10/10 Sabbath epic #3 on this album, dealing with the mad drug addiction of a crazed Vietnam veteran, starts with a slow bass riff, which progresses into the album's first actual chorus, before kinda randomly going into a totally new jam with Ozzy's anti-drug rants, "But you, you know you must be blind...", it keeps progressing and surpising you, until the fantastic solo, and finishing out with slow dark lyrics of the painful death of the addict. Best song on the album except for War Pigs.

7. Rat Salad 5/10 I don't really like instrumentals, but if I do listen to them, I'll listen to Metallica's, and not this. It does feature an awesome drum solo that just goes to show you what a phenomenal drummer Bill Ward is, as if you couldn't pick that up with his primal pounding on the previous tracks. It also features what sounds like a jazzier improvization on Hand of Doom's solo.

8. Fairies Wear Boots 9/10 What a weird song. I don't like the lyrics because they really are CORNY, but I guess if you're doing drugs, you will write crazy stuff like that. The power of the track is in the awesome riffage and soloing on the part of Iommi, and bassist Geezer Butler and Bill Ward continue to pound out awesome rhythms. It kind of ends with an anticlimax which is dissappointing: they should of finished with something epic and powerful like the way Metallica's "Creeping Death" finished, something that stays with you a long time, but its still great.

All in all, I'm not a nut about this album like metalheads are, but this is awesome, and even if you hate tracks 2 through 8, buy it for War Pigs, you won't be disappointed.

1) War Pigs - This is Black Sabbath's best song, bar none. Absolutely breathtaking. 11/10

2) Paranoid - One of the rare moments when a filler becomes a band's most popular song ever. Short and sweet, this song never gets old. 10/10

3) Planet Caravan - I used to hate this song, but now i listen to it just as much as the others. A very underrated tune, this bizarre smoothe rocker displays some of Geezer's best work. Try the Pantera cover as well. 8/10

4) Iron Man - One of the heaviest, doomiest, and catchy of any Sabbath tune. Awesome distorted guitar, fast bass playing, clever drumming, vocals, everything on this track is sure to please any metalhead. 10/10

5) Electric Funeral - Starts off as a slow, sludgy, doomsday song, then slowly transitions into a quick and powerful blues/jazz tune. Good stuff. 9/10

6) Hand of Doom - Probably my second favorite Sabbath song. One of the few songs ever in which the bass does a good job at carrying the song, especially for 7 minutes. An incredibly underrated track, this, like many other Black Sabbath songs, is overlooked for either its meaning, length, or some other excuse. Listen closely, this song holds an important message. 11/10

7) Rat Salad - A 2 and a half minute instrumental, 45 seconds being a talented drum solo. Sort of a tribute to John Bonham's Moby Dick on Led Zeppelin II. 8/10

8) Fairies Wear Boots - The album closes with a big bang with the jazz-inspired 'Fairies Wear Boots'. Kind of a funny song about the perils of drug addiction. Awesome song. 9/10

Average - Exactly 9.5/10 (5 stars)

If you do not own this album, you should be ashamed for calling yourself a Black Sabbath fan. This album proves that all good music will stand the test of time. Buy this album. It's that simple. You won't regret it, I promise.

Peace, everyone, and keep rockin'.