Innovation and provocation, in the right hands, will get a musician far. Black Sabbath walked a very fine line between the two. Master of Reality did little to quell rumours of their links with devilry, but then the band were never going to say where they stood, not during those formative years where anyone listening is a crucial member of the audience. Ozzy Osbourne and the band would make the distinction clear with works to follow Master of Reality, but that doesn’t detract from the quality of their metal influence here, the hard rock and thrilling tone taken by the band on their third studio album is another evolution of an excellent sound. It’s impossible to hear how the band went from Master of Reality to Black Sabbath Vol. 4, there are changes on the latter which are never even considered or mentioned on this third album, but we can be glad Black Sabbath did change. Master of Reality is excellent, but the straightforward, heavy rock sound can only carry them so far.
Far enough to be a thoroughly enjoyable album, at least. Opener Sweet Leaf quite literally coughs and splutters into life, Osbourne calling for attention and deeming themselves “alright now”. No further coughing to be reported, and thus it’s onto spills of heavy rock charm. Follow-up song After Forever is far lighter than Sweet Leaf but has that unmistakable early Black Sabbath sound, brought on by that ever-thrilling guitar work from Tony Iommi. It sounds a little reserved here, though, not as keen to stun as he would be on songs from the album before or after this. Even if it doesn’t stand out, what does come through is a brief break from the heavier rock sound for a tone that sounds decades ahead of anything the genre would provide. After Forever has an instrumental part, when Osbourne stops singing, that could’ve been ripped from the 1990s boom of rock and roll as a mainstay of the charts. It’s a magnificent piece of work, and one of many highlights from Master of Reality.
Embryo is a bit of a dud but the transition to Children of the Grave, a song which highlights the instrumental thrills once more, is nice enough. A chilling, gothic occasion with plenty of percussion focus and that richly layered sound Black Sabbath mastered from their very first songs, that’s what comes through here. Master of Reality is far from poor, it stands as an excellent album with a clearer direction for where the band would head, but those moments of new interest, the acoustic Orchid, for instance, are a little light on meaning beyond it being a break from audience expectations. Reason enough here, but heading back and listening in so soon after Black Sabbath Vol. 4 or Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, and it’s hard to contend with the vastly improved sound just a few years after Master of Reality.
Lord of this World and Solitude are nice enough, though nothing essential. The latter has a slower tempo to it, a softer study of the instrumental work Iommi would bring the band and a nice observance of Osbourne as a singer, rather than a shouter. He works both well, but it’s the latter that prevails, for the sake of maintaining the heavy rock pretence which saw Black Sabbath soar. Geezer Butler’s bass work is utterly crucial throughout this album, but nowhere is it better utilised than on Solitude. Album closer Into the Void is another moment from Master of Reality that can’t quite shake the inevitable instrumental feeling. It’s all solid work, but some of it feels a bit behind what Black Sabbath had proven they could do at this point.
