New Black Sabbath album '13'

[Lew]

I imagine it'll be typical Ozzy talk singing and over produced everything but I will still get it and enjoy it for Tony and Geezers playing. There was a rumor that the financial thing with Ward was done to save him face as he just couldn't keep up anymore, who knows? who cares haha?

[Elliot]

I might have believed the thing about Bill Ward - except it comes from the Osbournes:

http://news.iheart.com/articles/rock-news-104648/ozzy-shedding-new-light-on-black-11264916/

Still, to me at least, the key component to the Black Sabbath sound is Geezer and Tony.

[Lew]

Well, like I thought it's just ok. The drums stick out like a sore thumb to me and push the songs too much. Despite what they say about stripping back to basics I think they tried to hard to be current and modern. Ah, well it's got a few cool riffs and solos  8)

[Philly Q]

The more I listen to it, I'm finding it's the opposite of a "grower" (a "shrinker"?  :? )

Everything sounds pretty good, but there are very few memorable melodies or truly notable riffs.  It's probably an inappropriate thing to say, but I can't help thinking if Dio had been around to add his contribution to the same raw material, it would've turned out a whole lot better.

[Lew]

Agree. But if Dio was around today chances are it wouldn't have happened at all. More likely HnH would be following up The Devil You Know (which is a $%&#ing stellar album imo). I'd bet that Dio would've clipped Tony and Geezer round the ears if they put forward some of 13's stuff  :lol:

[MrBump]

Agree. But if Dio was around today chances are it wouldn't have happened at all. More likely HnH would be following up The Devil You Know (which is a $%&#ing stellar album imo). I'd bet that Dio would've clipped Tony and Geezer round the ears if they put forward some of 13's stuff  :lol:

Agree - it would have been the second H & H album.

Having said that - I still like it.  It's definitely harking back to old Sabbath, in a modern age.  There are nods to loads of the classics, which I like.  Ozzy's voice is ok, not messed around with too much, and I think he sounds better than he has in a long time.  And the Iommi/Butler sound is immense, as ever.

The speculation about Bill Ward being deliberately belligerent to save face - I believe that.  In fact, when the whole thing started, I thought that initially.  He's struggled to play live for years, and I think it's perfectly plausible that he couldn't cut it in a studio.  It sad, and I love his playing, but they're all so old and drug addled, I'm just pleased to have something out of them!!!

[Philly Q]

And it's straight in at Number One in the album chart, apparently!  Crikey.

[Lew]

Very shrewd to have it released so close to fathers day  :lol:

[Philly Q]

Very shrewd to have it released so close to fathers day  :lol:

 :lol:  I never would've thought of that in a million years, but you could be right!