Help / Hurt Game: Sabbath Versus Sabbath

[Zzzptm]

I bet stuff like this happens every time a committee for some magazine has to vote on a top 100 or whatever list.

One reason I kept the eras separate was because I wanted to be able to allow for a few side shows to what I expected the real battle to be, the first six albums against each other. I also didn't want it to be where the other eras, and even Dio's albums to some extent, would basically be drained for power to fuel up the first six.

What we have is something we could hand over to a new fan, someone looking to get into the band, and say, "Hey, a bunch of fans with brains got together and ranked the albums. Start with the ones at the top and that will guide your journey."

I mean, if you listen to Mob Rules and think, "Nope," then chances are you do not want to waste your time on TDYK. If you listen to Sabotage and you ain't love-love-lovin' it, maybe also try SBS on for size, but you're probably not gonna dig MoR or Vol. 4 if SBS also doesn't click.

The other eras, though, it's a mixed bag, and I think we can agree that Ian Gillan does not equal Tony Martin. BA is worth a listen if you dig the Ozzy stuff, for sure. If you really enjoyed listening to Glenn Hughes do coke screams on DP Mk3 live recordings, you're gonna find something to enjoy in SS. Not love it, but find some good stuff. Some people *do* love it, but that's another story...

Tony Martin's albums are the least like the others. One could even argue that they're not even true Black Sabbath albums...

[discman69]

Damn! I wish I was over here sooner. I love to take part on these type of games.

The Ozzy and Dio Era albums are almost impossible to rank. They can change on a daily basis. The other stuff won't be so hard. So for me I would say:

Ozzy:
1) Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
2) Paranoid
3) Master Of Reality
4) Vol 4
5) Never Say Die
6) Sabotage
7) Black Sabbath
13
9) Technical Ecstasy

Dio:
1) Heaven And Hell
2) Mob Rules
3) Dehumanizer
4) The Devil you know

Other:
1) Born Again
2) Eternal Idol
3) Cross Purposes
4) Tyr
5) Headless Cross
6) Forbidden
7) Seventh Star

Combined list:
1) Heaven And Hell
2) The Mob Rules
3) Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
4) Paranoid
5) Born Again
6) Master of Reality
7) Vol. 4
Dehumanizer
9) Never Say Die
10) Sabotage
11) Black Sabbath
12) The Devil You Know
13) 13
14) Eternal Idol
15) Cross Purposes
16) Technical Ecstasy
17) Tyr
18) Headless Cross
19) Forbidden
20) Seventh Star

[Zzzptm]

^ Looks like you've got main seats for Ozzy, Dio, and Gillan... then places waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay in the back for Martin and Hughes.

[discman69]

LOL. Yeah I have to admit I was not that into Sabbath during the Martin/Hughes time. By the time they were around I was living on my own, paying bills and trying to hook up with as many women as I could, so I had little money to spend on CDs. What CDs I was buying were pop/hard/classic type rock.  I since have gone back and listened to that era and while it isn't bad, it's just never going to be like the rest.

[Charger]

Combined list:
1) Heaven And Hell
2) The Mob Rules
3) Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
4) Paranoid
5) Born Again
6) Master of Reality
7) Vol. 4
Dehumanizer
9) Never Say Die
10) Sabotage
11) Black Sabbath
12) The Devil You Know
13) 13
14) Eternal Idol
15) Cross Purposes
16) Technical Ecstasy
17) Tyr
18) Headless Cross
19) Forbidden
20) Seventh Star

That's a very interesting ranking indeed...I would swap the first two and raise the s/t quite a bit as well as Cross Purposes..

It is unfortunate you didn't get into the Martin stuff but I do agree it's not quite the same than the Ozzy or Ronnie eras were.

[Zzzptm]

Well, that's why I kept the voting separate. There really is a distinction in quality and I wanted us to look hard at each era, not just slag Martin because he's not Ozzy or Dio.