Label: Teichiku Records (Japan), TECW-20148
Style: Hard Rock, Heavy Metal
Country: Birmingham, England
Time: 40:39
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 307 Mb
Charts: UK #13, CAN #38, GER #27, SWE #33, SWI #81, US #51. UK: Silver; US: Gold.
For
some, Black Sabbath’s seventh opus, Technical Ecstasy, was the
beginning of the end. Others see the platter in a different light,
appreciating it for what it is; a fantastic album that merely couldn’t
match the six that had gone before it. It wasn’t that Sabbath was
running out of ideas but merely that they had written so much amazing
material before that there was always going to be a writer’s block of
sorts.
Even so, this eight-track opus, recorded in Miami, is still
consistent enough to suggest that the mighty Sabs were in no hurry to
vacate their lofty perch. Of course, nobody realised that within a few
years Ozzy Osbourne would have flown the nest, leaving Sabbath in dire
straits – albeit for a short while.
And so, Technical Ecstasy doesn’t
quite live up to its name, and the album cover leaves me cold, Sabbath
never truly consistent in their imagery but proving that the music
mattered. The opus opens with ‘Back Street Kids’, a dense sounding
rocker that suggests this album is going to be travelling on a more
direct route to the ears instead of spending much of its time frolicking
in those strange voids. ‘Back Street Kids’ is a rather basic tune – if
one compares it to so much that has gone before – and it seems to have
more in common with The Who than anything remotely metal; Bill Ward’s
drums cartwheel throughout and Tony Iommi’s guitar sound has a more
classic, progressive feel.
‘You Won’t Change Me’ begins life as a
sorrowful dirge, harking back to the days of Black Sabbath’s inception.
The riff has quicksand qualities as the keyboards moan and groan behind
it – again I’m reminded of The Who at their most pensive. It’s still a
solid rock track, but lacks the spark to truly ignite the album, and the
fact it weighs in at almost seven minutes makes it a rather unpleasant
journey as it lumbers.
The injection of the piano during ‘You Won’t
Change Me’ is interesting, but if you’re looking for full on tinkering
then Bill Ward’s Ringo Starr moment comes in the form of ‘It’s Alright’.
Yep, it’s a Beatles-esque ditty that drifts by without any real effect,
leaving me to question as to why such a track was even included. Here,
Sabbath seem out of their depth, carving out a rather cringeworthy few
minutes that sound more suited to a television programme. Thankfully,
‘Gypsy’ ends side one of the record in a blaze of glory, building on a
platform of robust rolling drums and churning riff.
Geezer Butler
comes to the fore on the bluesy ‘All Moving Parts (Stand Still)’ – his
dominant bass eases through this number like a snake in the woods –
while ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll Doctor’ comes crashing through the speakers on a
swirling guitar and pounding drum. This is Black Sabbath opting for a
piece of honky tonk rock ’n’ roll, although many years later this has
all the buffoonery of a Status Quo track, so simple is its structure.
Meanwhile,
the sweeping ‘She’s Gone’ is another reflective ballad – proof that
Sabbath can write ballads just as good as anyone else. The strings and
acoustics seem to caress Ozzy Osbourne’s voice, as once again he muses
over another lost love. But just when we thought all hope had
diminished, the epic ‘Dirty Women’ comes creeping from under a boulder.
It’s the sort of track that evokes images of Sabotage (1975) as Ozzy
yearns for a streetwalking femme fatale. Without a doubt it’s the
album’s most atmospheric rocker, and my favourite track on the album.
And
there we have it. Not quite the ecstasy we had hoped for, but still
another masterful record by heavy metal’s greatest ever band.
(metalforcesmagazine.com/site/album-review-black-sabbath-technical-ecstasy/)
01. Back Street Kids (03:49)
02. You Won't Change Me (06:44)
03. It's Alright (04:06)
04. Gypsy (05:11)
05. All Moving Parts (Stand Still) (05:06)
06. Rock 'N' Roll Doctor (03:34)
07. She's Gone (04:57)
08. Dirty Women (07:09)
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