Black Sabbath - *The official thread*

Quote :

Packaging question: I've seen the deluxe version packaging. Is the stand version in a jewel case or digi? What about the Best Buy version?

The Deluxe Best Buy version is a digipack with 2 cds that you slide in the cardboard like vinyl. It's crap. But you also get a nifty 3d hologram cover like the recent Megadeth album.

The Standard Best Buy edition was a jewel case.

Thanks, MG.

I may just get the standard edition. I so hate digis that it is worth it to my *not* to have the bonus tracks. Ha. Especially since I am not the keen on the bonus tunes, aside from the one BB exclusive track.

Oooh! Just when I'd decided not to bother seeing Sabbath live due to not wanting to hear Ozzy's tone deaf catawauling, stuff just got interesting!

Support for all European dates will be............Uncle Acid & the Deadbeats!!!!

From the reports that I've heard about them live, the other guys better be on their game!

ZombieHavoc wrote:

Thanks, MG.

I may just get the standard edition. I so hate digis that it is worth it to my *not* to have the bonus tracks. Ha. Especially since I am not the keen on the bonus tunes, aside from the one BB exclusive track.

I picked it up earlier today and spun the bonus disc on the ride home. I thought, for four bonus tracks, they were pretty damn good. I was thinking that if the throwaway cuts are this good, the main album had better be great.

I'll be picking up the deluxe version later this week. Reading all the positive reviews on here has me really pumped to get it.

I can't believe how crushingly heavy Geezer's bass sounds.

I wish they released an instrumental version of this album. The vocals don't quite match the intensity of the music. I have a really hard time listening to it, but I realize that's just my personal hang-up.

Picked up the best buy version a couple of days ago.  I have spun the album twice, and absolutely love it.  Way exceeded my expectations.

MetalGuy71 wrote:

Quote :

Packaging question: I've seen the deluxe version packaging. Is the stand version in a jewel case or digi? What about the Best Buy version?

The Deluxe Best Buy version is a digipack with 2 cds that you slide in the cardboard like vinyl. It's crap. But you also get a nifty 3d hologram cover like the recent Megadeth album.

The Standard Best Buy edition was a jewel case.

i liked the Best Buy Deluxe packaging. I thought it was pretty cool.

Black Sabbath just got a #1 album in Britain which is the first time they've achieved that in the last 42 years (Paranoid in 1970 was their only other #1 album).  That is the longest gap between #1 records in UK history.  

Full story:
http://www.tonedeaf.com.au/news/international-news/315887/black-sabbath-breaks-album-sale-record-1-43-years.htm

Sabbath should nab the #1 slot in the US as well.

I guess I'll post my thoughts on "13" here as well due to lack of interest elsewhere:

Post #1
I waited till I got my Best Buy edition of '13' to listen to it with the exception of 1 or 2 songs and halfway through it's slower than I thought it'd be but that's not  bad thing. It's great to hear Iommi play some Blues and Jazz again and great to see Geezer writing lyrics, he's always been a great lyricist. I knew that Brad Wilk (B.W. and four letters each like Bill Ward? Nice...) would do a good job but the drums are too low in the mix and the tone is weak for a backdrop to the heaviness of Iommi/Butler are but nevertheless I like this album...

Post #2
After a second listen I enjoyed '13' a lot more. The drumming is still low in the mix but sounds better with headphones. I just wish the snare sounded heavier. The highlight for me are the lyrics especially 'God Is Dead?' and 'Dear Father'. I like the twists at the end of both but especially on the former where the writer (Geezer) is convinced that God isn't dead because of the judgment he sees upon the earth. Great twisted twist!

You guys think it's better than The Devil You Know? Kind of silly to compare, I know, but what the hell. All I know is nothing on 13 is as fantastic as "Bible Black."

I don't know if I can compare the two. The Dio and Ozzy eras sound like two different bands to me, just an entirely different mode of music. Devil You Know is a masterpiece for that era, 13 is a masterpiece for this era (but not THE masterpiece).

That said, I've been reading what everyone here is saying about the drums and I'm surprised it didn't hit me right away. Yes, they are very...well, light I suppose. Just barely there compared to the other instruments which are cranked hard. Is this Rubin's doing?

I prefer Devil, but I mean, they are both good.

I prefer "The Devil You Know", I already have a poll up @ detuned's domain.

BLACK SABBATH's '13' Sells More Than 150K Copies In U.S., Tops BILLBOARD Chart - June 19, 2013

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=191498

"13", the first BLACK SABBATH record in 35 years to feature singerOzzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler all playing together, sold 155,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 1 on The Billboard 200 chart. The record arrived in stores on June 11 via Vertigo/Universal Republic. This marksBLACK SABBATH's return to Vertigo, their original label, and the group's first studio album together since 1978's "Never Say Die!"

I like 13 more than The Devil You Know.  Honestly the older albums, I have a hard time comparing.  But the Dehumanizer/TDYK era for Dio is similar to the style on 13.

Of course you can compare the two, in terms of quality, just like I could compare a Priest lp w/a Doors lp, not in style, but how good was each one.

thejokeriv wrote:

BLACK SABBATH's '13' Sells More Than 150K Copies In U.S., Tops BILLBOARD Chart - June 19, 2013

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=191498

"13", the first BLACK SABBATH record in 35 years to feature singerOzzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler all playing together, sold 155,000 copies in the United States in its first week of release to land at position No. 1 on The Billboard 200 chart. The record arrived in stores on June 11 via Vertigo/Universal Republic. This marksBLACK SABBATH's return to Vertigo, their original label, and the group's first studio album together since 1978's "Never Say Die!"

That is awesome news!

candlemass, in case you haven't seen it yet, Eyesore posted about the flaws in the new post editor here: http://www.heartofmetal.net/t19948-new-post-editor-for-the-forum

While I do enjoy "The Devil You Know" and a few of the songs would definitely make a Dio-Sabbath compilation album if I put one together (Bible Black, Follow The Tears, Rock And Roll Angel), overall I find "13" to be far more interesting from a musical perspective.

Good news about the #1 spot for sure.

I wonder how many digital copies it sold; I think physical and digital copies should be combined.

I love the Dio years and I like what I've heard from "born again" and the Martin era, but I'm gonna go so far as to say that it sounds really good to hear ozzy fronting sabbath again.

This album gets better the more I listen. Not a weak track on it.