With two albums a year, 1972 and 1973 saw a release each from Black Sabbath and Budgie.
1972
Vol 4 - Black Sabbath
25 September 1972
Black Sabbath's fourth album.
Number 1 for 1972 metal.
My Rating: 8/10
RYM Rating (As of this post): 3.94
Primary Genres: Heavy Metal, Hard Rock
Secondary Genre: Doom Metal
Vol 4 is a great time, but a bit derivative of what's come before. As always, the first track is amazing (Black Sabbath really know how to open an album, don't they?) and the other songs are great too. Vol 4 falters a bit in that it overall just has slightly weaker average song quality. Supernaut and Cornucopia are both great, but not too special. Snowblind is the exception here, a fantastic traditional Black Sabbath effort with a contagiously catchy main riff. Laguna Sunrise is similar to Solitude from Masters of Reality, a slow, calming song, serving as a break from the heavy metal of the rest of the album. It's great. Vol 4 is still worth checking out for sure.
Squawk - Budgie
1972
Budgie's second album.
My Rating: 7/10
RYM Rating (As of this post): 3.61
Primary Genres: Hard Rock, Heavy Metal
Secondary Genre: Progressive Rock
Squawk's second album is much like their first, it's overall very solid but nothing too exceptional. However Rocking Man has a really great riff and Hot As A Doctor's Armpit's solo is absolutely incredible, just wow. Check these two songs out at least.
1973
Never Turn Your Back on a Friend - Budgie
June 1973
Budgie's third album.
Budgie's highest rated album.
My Rating: 9/10
RYM Rating (As of this post): 3.82
Primary Genres: Hard Rock, Heavy Metal
Secondary Genre: Progressive Rock
Never Turn Your Back on a Friend opens with Breadfan, their most well-known song. This riff is so brilliant. Metallica covered this song and said that Budgie were one of their many inspirations! They have great taste! Baby Please Don't Go is an often covered rip-roaring masterpiece with a fantastic guitar tone in use. Nice crunchy guitars throughout. You Are The Biggest Thing Since Powdered Milk has a very cool drum opening and Parents is a really amazing progressive rock masterpiece. The two acoustic songs on this album let it down a bit but they are pretty short and so this is still a fantastic album worth checking out, it should be up there with the greats.
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath - Black Sabbath
28 December 1973
Black Sabbath's fifth album.
Number 1 for 1973 metal.
My Rating: 9/10
RYM Rating (As of this post): 4.00
Primary Genres: Heavy Metal, Hard Rock
Secondary Genre: Progressive Rock
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath marks a definite change in style. I don't know exactly what it is but this album just feels different. It's slightly weirder (Fluff and Who Are You? fit this bill for sure) and perhaps more introspective/thoughtful, with songs like Killing Yourself to Live and Who Are You?
In typical Sabbath form, it's filled to the brim with excellent riffs, A National Acrobat's one in particular is a personal favourite. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath's doomy riff starting at 3:20 is also fantastic. It's super heavy too. It's a step up from the slightly less interesting Vol 4 too, more on par with Paranoid.
Thanks for reading!
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