Sabotage
“You are Number 6…”
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There’s a t-shirt somewhere that perfectly sums up the philosophy of life, which is as follows:
“You can only trust yourself and the first six Black Sabbath albums.”
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After 4 brutally brilliant albums of heavy metal doom & gloom, and one with a greater focus on more progressive music and experimental soundscapes, BLACK SABBATH finally managed to blend every facet of their sonic sorcery together into a single work that perfectly represents the epitome of their signature sound on their 6th studio record, SABOTAGE.
Released 28 July 1975
Recorded February – March 1975
Studio Morgan, London
Producer
Black Sabbath Mike Butcher
Tracks
Side A
1 - Hole in the Sky
2 - Don't Start (Too Late)
3 - Symptom of the Universe
4 - Megalomania
Side B
5 - Thrill of It All
6 - Supertzar
7 - Am I Going Insane (Radio)
8 - The Writ
It’s time to “forthcomingly” break out “the good gummies” and find out which creamy condiment is even worse than mayonnaise (“That’s different!”). Prepare to go “Junt Huntin’” for the gals with the “Junt Jorts” and discover what it means “When the Levee Breaks” on a date after embracing your bucket list “a little bit” and JOIN US as we dive into the culmination of every good thing about BLACK SABBATH captured in one place with their 6th record, SABOTAGE.
HOLE IN THE SKY:
Definitely has a modern-day stoner metal sound, and certainly a heavier way to open the album relative to the way their previous album (Sabbath Bloody Sabbath) finished.
Everything production-wise is much thicker and fuller sounding. Geezer’s bass almost doubles as an additional rhythm guitar AND bass. The tempo is pretty consistent all the way through, just like with modern day stoner metal.
But that abrupt ending tho…
“The food of love became the greed of our time,
But now I’m living on the profits of crime.”
DON’T START (TOO LATE):
A brief, lovely, acoustic instrumental infused with the perfect blend of anxiety and dread.
SYMPTOM OF THE UNIVERSE:
That’s the beginning of thrash metal right there! This is certainly the thrashiest song Sabbath ever did over the course of their first six albums, chock full of massive djunts, a killer rhythm section and the wail of Ozzy’s soul …even at ½ way in, there’s still a lot of ground to cover.
At 3:35, there are moments of early victory metal riffage before the guitar solo, until…
wait for it…exhale and begin…
At 4:24, the musical landscape completely changes, contrasting the thrashy heaviness that preceded it. This might just be the perfect Sabbath song because it includes ALL of the necessary Sabbath elements: thought provoking lyrics, brilliant displays of musicianship and song craft, brutally heavy riffs, and majestic acoustic jams.
“Seventh Advent unicorn is waiting in the skies,
A symptom of the universe, a love that never dies…”
MEGALOMANIA:
(n) – Obsession with the exercise of power, especially in the domination of others. The delusional belief that one is important, powerful, or famous, as a form or symptom of mental disorder.
*See also “Delusions of Grandeur
Definitely getting back to the core of that which defined early Black Sabbath: equal parts darkness, heaviness, and creepiness. And at almost 10 minutes long, it’s certainly one of their most progressive songs for sure.
There’s a lot of atmosphere to this song. The live version is much more raw, bare bones and heavier, but the piano and the additional instrumental accompaniment definitely add a heavy dose of atmosphere (and don’t forget about the COWBELL!).
“Sting Me…”
This almost has elements of Vol. 4, like a variation on “The Straightener” if it were made into a full song. Definitely dark and doomy.
“Suck Me…”
As the phaser intensifies, so do the feelings of breathless anxiety and mania reflected in the music and lyrics. That last chorus riff and buildup to the end shows just how manic, anxious, and chaotic the mind of a megalomaniac must be. The music builds to an almost fever pitch before finally crashing back down into the riff to finish off this fleeting episode of heavy metal psychosis.
“Well, I feel something’s taken me I don’t know where, it’s like a trip inside a separate mind,
The ghost of tomorrow from my favorite dream is telling me to leave it all behind…”
THE THRILL OF IT ALL:
Has a very sluggish, druggy beginning that would have fit perfectly on Vol. 4.
A good way to start side 2 (if you’re following along on either vinyl or cassette). This one is a nice blend of the heaviness from the first four albums with the additional, progressive influence and themes of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. Artistically, this album may be the true culmination of the first five albums into one whole, complete work representing the epitome of Black Sabbath.
“Won’t you help me, Mr. Jesus?
Won’t you tell me if you can,
When you see this world we live in,
Do you still believe in man?”
SUPERTZAR (Instrumental):
Creepy & spooky and yet also uplifting and magical…before becoming all creepy and spooky again, like a weirdly satanic version of Disney.
Those chants and weird choral movements create a fuck ton of weird, creepy atmosphere that continues to escalate and become even more strange and creepy as the song progresses.
AM I GOING INSANE (RADIO):
Probably one of the least favorite tracks on the album (although looking at it with the Pink Floyd lenses definitely gives it a whole different vibe that we didn’t catch before). One might think they were going for a “Radio” hit with the inclusion of “Radio” in the song title, but in this case, “Radio” actually stands for “bat shit crazy”, which is validated by the insane, maniacal laughter at the end of the song.
“Every day I sit and wonder
How my life it used to be
Now I feel I’m going under
Now my life is hard to see…”
THE WRIT:
Just the beginning with the insane cackling laughter and the agonizing screams in the background, along with Geezer’s bass lurching nearby sets a very dark and ominous tone leading up to when they all come in, hard in the paint.
RATS!
Definitely a weirdly shaped riff with an equally weird backbeat to it that perfectly mimics getting fucked, or as it applies in this particular instance, getting fucked over by their lying, thieving, fuckbag of a “manager”, Patrick Meehan.
Still has some of the instrumentation and progressive nature of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, but on an almost grander scale than that; its like they figured out how to dial everything in and put it all together perfectly.
Listen to the tail end of the outro…WTF is THAT!?
“I beg you please don’t let it get any worse,
The anger I once had has turned to a curse on you,
Yeah, curse you…”
Show Notes:
(00:01): “We were talking about #shavingballs…” #echo / #synchedup (“If you do that downstairs…you are screwed!”) / #showerscene #psycho #carrieattheprom #heavyflowday / “It’s a bad day…” #elevatorscene #TheShining (“Don’t tell her that…”) / “That’s like a hotdog with ketchup down a hallway…” / “I’ve got no problem…but I’m NOT gonna go downstairs…” / ***WARNING: #listenerdiscretionisadvised *** / ***WELCOME BACK TO THE METAL NERDERY PODCAST WITH ABSOLUTELY NO ANESTHESIA!!!*** #thisepisodesclinkyoftheepisode (“You could just pour that over ice and sip it…”) / #TheKrackenBlackRoast #KrakenRum / #perfectsegue (and the delayed introduction) #forthcomingly / “Dude you never hold my hand, man…” / #markallthetimes / #thisepisodesbeeroftheepisode #nationalchampionship #sportswords #footballdawgs #TerrapinBeerCompany #WakeAndBake #Imperial (“We had a late night last night…”) / #CoffeeOatmealImperialStout / #AndTheVerdict #ninepointeightpercentABV (“You got any #flatmaxies handy?”) / “So here’s a question…” / #cultured / “I don’t mean that in a bad way…” / #properdecorum (“Yeah, I was right over there…”) / #overallthongs #buttcheeksqueezer
Terrapin Beer Company
Wake-n-Bake
Beer of the Episode
(07:51): “Maybe we’re reaching people…” / “Maybe they’re just big #FastTimes fans…” / “Does it bring you back to THIS show?” / “I think it was Rat’s mistake…” / “Code for when a women gets REALLY…down there.” / #stripclubmetal / Still reeling from the #2023KlashOfTheTitans concert at #TheMasquerade in #AtlantaGeorgia / #recordscratch / “On par with…2016…” / #thefirstshowsince #toptierawesomeness #ItsNormal (“Nobody talks like that in Georgia, dude…”) / #GetToTheChopper #Exactly / “That’s some athletic shit!” / “Next time I’m probably gonna look for the #VIPPackage” / ***THEY’RE STILL ON TOUR: SPIRIT WORLD, DEATH ANGEL, SEPULTURA, AND KREATOR*** / “There’s no WAY!!!” / #bucketlistASMR #alittlebit
(15:51): “We know a guy…” / #localwrastlin #smalltown #musicvideoideas #frayedends / #RussellsReflections #Strychnine (the poison) / “Kinda like cuttin’ a fart…” / “I heard a bartender call it #soapoperaformen (regarding #professionalwrestling)” / “I want #MeanGene…” / “Maybe he spells it weird…” / #dangole / the intersection of & relationship with Wrestling & Metal / “A little lady…”/ “You could be the taller man…” / “I didn’t know that was a thing…” #JohnCenaASMR / “The time is now” #entrancetheme #JohnCena / “So he’s Donald Trump?” #patriotism / #thelethaldose
(25:24): #TheDocket / “In life, you can only trust yourself and the first six #BlackSabbath albums…” / #TheDocket METAL NERDERY PODCAST PRESENTS: BLACK SABBATH – SABOTAGE (1975) / “It’s a little less Nazi…” / The old 70’s Sabbath #albumcovers and #artwork (“Projecting their image into the void…”) / Freaky album artwork / “No nudes…as far as I know…” / #foundation / #futureepisodeideas #fuckedupalbumcovers / “C’mon dude, #Thundercat with a thong on?” / Ozzy as Mrs. Roper / “All he’s missing…is the hat.” / #boom / “A little disappointing…” / ***Go read the #TonyIommi and #OzzyOsboure #Autobiographies*** / #DickTaintlerAudiobookASMR / The unspoken etiquette regarding a #bookontape or #audiobook for an #autobiograpies / “A typical opening act…” #makesmesad / #specialguest #KISS / “Can you imagine having to go up AFTER #thehottestbandintheworld every night?” / “I wonder if that later became the Omni…” / #myhonk / “That would be a rad show!” / “Adjusted for inflation…” / #InAmerica / #conveniencecharges #addoncharges #whatarewepayingfor
(36:38): “You can tell it’s gonna be loud…” HOLE IN THE SKY / “This is the beginning of #stonermetal” / DON’T START (TOO LATE) / This transition is the best… / SYMPTOM OF THE UNIVERSE (“Still gives me bone…”) / “This part…” / “What did you think about the last transition…?” / #smoothjazzsounds (“That’s 1975, that’s what you do…”) / “Say what you wanna say about #TheDoobieBrothers…” / “One of the creepiest and heaviest on this album…” MEGALOMANIA (How many vocal tracks are on that?) #killercloser #sideone / #stingme (Kinda…wait, this was before…) / Ever increasing phaser… / #suckme #creepyphaser / July 28, 1975 / “For me, that’s a fall album…”
(49:51): “The first six of Sabbath and #LedZeppelin is the fall…” / The fall aesthetic / #killeropener #sidetwo THE THRILL OF IT ALL / “C#? That’s low, man…” / A frickin’ eviler Disney… / SUPERTZAR (“They might have ‘touched’ on it…”) / #waitwait / “It keeps edging the creepy up, little by little…” / #Disnacula / “The worst Black Sabbath song ever…a little bit?” / AM I GOING INSANE (RADIO) #PinkFloydVibes #Psychedelic #LateSixtiesASMR / Radio is like…mental? / “that’s what insanity sounds like…” / THE WRIT (“I love the way this builds up…it’s super creepy.”) / “Just for you…” / “You’ve changed a lot since you began…” / #pullitbackASMR #bassphaserASMR #backshadowingASMR #chroniclesparttwoASMR (You hear the cymbals…backwards?) / “How do you do that live?” / #recordscratch / “There were no flans or junts…”
(1:03:03): “Those are kinda synonymous with the junts…” / ***GIVE US A CALL AND LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL AND LET US KNOW AT 980-666-8182!!!*** / #burritoASMR #foodbone (“Has it got #mayonaise in it?”) / “Let me live in denial…” / “That’s different…” / “It was your ‘Reborn’…” / #blongs / In a weird way… / “It sounds fucking creepy…” / “Here’s a question…” / “You can’t help but be influenced…” / Definitely the #mostprogressivealbum / “Early early #progressivemetal?” / “We’ve gotta do The 70’s, Vol. II” / “I’ll bring the banana pudding in…” #markthetime #andgoodnight / Hope everyone had a wonderful #MemorialDay (“Get your #junts in”) / #junthuntin for gals with #juntjorts / ***PLEASE PROCEED TO CHECKOUT AT THE BUNKERPOON GIFT SHOPPE FOR ALL YOUR METAL NERDERY PODCAST APPARELL AND MERCH NEEDS AT www.metalnerdery.com/merch *** / #untilthenext #outroreel #bolthbuttreprise