Black Sabbath is often credited as the forefather of doom metal and several other off springs of the genre that all started with rock & roll evolving into heavy metal which in turn evolved into the harsher kinds of metal that were to come fifteen years after Sabbath's most dominating era.
Paranoid came out in 71, the same year as Sabbath also released Master Of Reality, two of their most well received records of their careers. These two records were, even if only slightly, a departure from the sound of their self-titled debut which mainly followed in the tracks of rock & roll contemporaries of the era, heavily reminiscent of bands like Led Zeppelin. On Paranoid it gets even more apparent of where the doom metal influences and ideas started. While a track like the opener War Pigs still does feature heavy uses of guitar solo's, less repetitiveness than modern doom aswell as vocals that are more in line with straightforward rock music of the 70's, it does have a slower pace to it than Sabbath's contemporaries aswell as a much thicker and repetitive sound to it than what was common at the time. Metal would come a long way in the forty years that have passed since 1970 but you have to give credit where credit is due and Sabbath's Paranoid were one of the big founders of the sound and ideas that were to come.
If we're to leave the influence that the album has had on heavy metal and move onto the more obvious qualities of the record, you have to talk about how consistent and varied the record is. While it doesn't differentiate itself too much from bands like Led Zeppelin, staying true to rock & roll's blues roots while offering a heavier vibe it does venture into some unique ideas such as the low-key, percussion driven Planet Caravan, where Osbourne's voice hides behind several filters, giving of an alien vibe and a shorter break from the album.
Planet Caravan is a daring addition that unfortunately doesn't contribute a whole lot to the album but still stands as a well done track that doesn't detract too much from the flow or cohesiveness of the album. It also doesn't hurt that it sits between two of Black Sabbath's most well known and well liked tracks of their career, the first one being the energetic Paranoid and the second one being "baby's first guitar intro"-also known as Iron Man.
It's an album full of quality songs, several being Sabbath's most well known in mainstream media and popular culture, with tracks like Funeral Doom and Fairies Wear Boots often being referenced in different kinds of media.
Black Sabbath's Paranoid is an enjoyable album that fans of 70's rock music will find just as enjoyable as bands like Led Zeppelin or The Rolling Stones despite heaving the tag of heavy metal on them which most likely only lies on them for their influence of the genre and metal as a whole. It's an album packed with great songs that all can be enjoyed outisde of the album's context which most likely is why it's become such a popular record throughout the years. It's one of the few heavy metal records that I personally find has aged quite well, whereas bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, two of the other big names when it comes to mainstream heavy metal, often times can sound cheesy and almost too glam-influenced to listeners that come across them today. Sabbath however still holds up and as far as I know, still puts on a great show when you put them on stage, despite having gotten quite worn out during the years that have been since 1970.
Black Sabbath
Paranoid [1970]
7/10
Anton Öberg Sysojev
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