Plug away for as long as Black Sabbath did, and success is bound to follow. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath is a chance for the band to make good on the brilliance of Black Sabbath Vol. 4. They do just that with considered instrumental stylings and a vocal strength Ozzy Osbourne brings through. The latter is the core of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, a unique terror in the studio which is pushed further by Black Sabbath’s desire to break from the hard metal stylings. They may be categorised as such but the moving sway of an acoustic, title track, is quite the surprise. Those surprises are what Black Sabbath details best, as was the case for Black Sabbath Vol. 4. The band comes through loudest of all on their quietest songs, and that continuation is a welcome one on Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. Acoustic strokes are just a part of the sound, rather than the focus Black Sabbath brings here, a familiar sound to their previous efforts but still striking through with a welcome freshness.
Keeping that variety alive, that embrace of new ideas, is what makes Sabbath Bloody Sabbath such an exciting listen. Not as heavy as Black Sabbath could be or would be on future releases, but the playful style of a song like A National Acrobat goes a long way in showcasing what the band could do outside their usual genre expectations. Progressive rock stylings are what overwhelm the band here, who do well to keep their heavy rock fundamentals in place but are shifting themselves closer to a widely palatable sound. That’s not to say heavy rock isn’t palatable, but for audiences of the time, Black Sabbath were trying to pull more people on board, and softening their sound in all the right spots is part of that. Fluff is quite the ironic name for what becomes an instrumentally beautiful moment, a sudden and touching moment from a band who had spent the first two songs outlining a progressive hard rock showcase.
A necessary break before Sabbra Cadabra, which pales when compared to the songs either side of it. Fluff is a surprise piece of beauty while B-side starter, Killing Yourself to Live, is a marvellous read on the darker times of the 1970s. Like many songs holding out for hopes of a better future, the horrors and solidarity found are still uncomfortably relevant. Backed by some outstanding instrumentals, it’s the standout moment of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, both for its social relevancy and Tony Iommi’s magnificent guitar playing. A masterstroke of a song which successfully ties the old class of Black Sabbath’s work with the experimental touch found across Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. Outstanding work like that is how the band kept themselves relevant. Crash back down to earth with Who Are You, a half-hearted space-age song which never feels comfortable delivering those sci-fi tones.
Starting strong and ending strong are all Black Sabbath really has to do here, and apart from a brief lull in the mid-section, the ideas presented by the band here are outstanding. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath deals with the exhaustion the group faced after an extensive tour of their previous album. What the album brings about is an understanding of your limits, even those who were seemingly limitless in their penchant for substances and finding the edge of human limit. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath has that sensation to it, too, and the intensity found in the studio bleeds over onto the record. The beginning of the end, as Osbourne called it, because not even the all-time greats can be protected from label demands and the extensive touring cycle. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath isn’t a rejection of that life but an acceptance of it.
