It’s our 100th episode, and what better way to celebrate our “elevation” into the realm of triple digits than to “inhale” BLACK SABBATH, Vol. III (or “MASTER OF REALITY” in case you weren’t following the bouncing balls. Or ball. Or whatever it is that’s bouncing that you definitely weren’t following because you’re “baked-not-fried”).
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Tony Iommi’s opening cough solo on BLACK SABBATH’s 3rd release (1971’s MASTER OF REALITY) signaled the “Big Bong”, (the creative “spark”, if you will) that would become the “seed”, the “budding” genesis of ALL Stoner Metal.
Released: July 21, 1971
Recorded: Feb-Apr 1971 at Island, London
Produced: Roger Bain
Vertigo / Warner Bros.
Original UK LP pressing
Side one
1. "Sweet Leaf" 5:05
2. "After Forever" 5:27
3. "Embryo" (Instrumental) 0:28
4. "Children of the Grave" 5:18
Side two
5. "Orchid" (Instrumental) 1:31
6. "Lord of This World" 5:27
7. "Solitude" 5:02
8. "Into the Void" 6:13
Total length: 34:29
Original US LP pressing
Side one
1. "Sweet Leaf" 5:02
2. "After Forever (including The Elegy)" 5:25
3. "Embryo" 0:29
4. "Children of the Grave" 4:30
5. "The Haunting" 0:45
Side two
6. "Orchid" 1:30
7. "Step Up" 0:30
8. "Lord of This World" 4:55
9. "Solitude" 5:02
10. "Deathmask" 3:08
11. "Into the Void" 3:08
Total length: 34:30
Ozzy Osbourne – lead vocals
Tony Iommi – guitar, synthesizer, flute and piano
Geezer Butler – bass guitar
Bill Ward – drums, percussion, sleigh bells
To celebrate our landmark 100th episode, Metal Nerdery invited a special guest to JOIN US at our 33rd Floor Bunkerpune Inversion Studios to commemorate the album that bolth Matt Pike and Marc Potterson “jointly” hold in the “highest” regard possible (and they’re not being “blunt”, either).
SWEET LEAF: That opening cough solo courtesy of The Almighty Iommi is the clarion call for the evolution of Black Sabbath’s sound from mostly doom metal into doom AND stoner metal! A “hybrid” blend, if you will, of the Sabbath Indica (Doom) and the Sabbath Sativa (Stoner) riffology; hence the Sabbath Hybrid. Supposably, it’s about “cigarettes”, although I think we all know exactly what kind of ”cigarettes” Ozzy was singing about.
“I love you, Sweet Leaf, though you can’t hear…”
AFTER FOREVER (including The Elegy (Noun: a poem of serious reflection, typically a lament for the dead): Certainly, an unusual intro (and one that seems very tangentionally similar to the popular theme song of a hit television series from the 90’s (the “clap” will take you back. Thanks a lot, Russell.). Read those lyrics. Actually, just listen to them; they’re crystal FUCKING clear!
“I think it is true it was people like you that crucified Christ…”
EMBRYO: Definitely sounds like an evil renaissance festival where the fairies are wearing boots and casting spells into fire while dancing with dwarves…aka: a Sunday evening at Matt’s house.
CHILDREN OF THE GRAVE: This is very clearly one of the earliest versions of thrash. If you ever listen to the live versions of this song (especially from the 1970’s), it fucking sounds like Sepultura and/or Soulfly!!! And it’s definitely a shade darker and creepier (and eviler) than a lot of what they’d done previously (which, quite frankly, is saying an awful lot! And also, quite Billy and quite Russelly as well).
”REVOLUTION in their minds, the children start to march…”
THE HAUNTING: That creepy little interlude after the song’s conclusion is certainly creepy as all fuck and sounds like the ideal sonic soundscape to a haunted house set in the woods in late October as a part of Rob Zombie’s latest bit of cinematic horror production. Or what it probably sounded like while filming for “Evil Dead” was taking place.
ORCHID: Those acoustic interludes are like magic; they soften your ears and give you a bit of a breather before slamming you into the hardness that follows. Okay, I know that probably came out “weird”, but Sabbath’s acoustic, interludey bits always seemed to come right before some of the most crushingly brutal riffs in all (ALL) of Metal. I’m just sayin… (you already KNOW what’s coming next).
(STEP UP) LORD OF THIS WORLD: If you look up “stoner metal”, you will surely get a list of results that includes this particular song (from this particular album) along with a multitude of other metal artists who have offered their own (equally fucking RAD) interpretation of this particular song. Totally an orange, shag carpeting and brown “suicide” wood paneling kinda vibe (plus relaxers. Because DUH!). The multiple solos overlaid with each other certainly adds a weird multiplying effect, making the sound seem bigger and fuller as a result. Or maybe that’s the relaxers…or maybe it’s bolth. Yeah…it’s definitely gotta be bolth.
(EDIT: If you haven’t already, you REALLY need to try Ron’s signature Emerald Triangle Jalapeno BBQ Relaxers. They’re so good, you’re actually prohibited from consuming them on the premises down at The Rib Lounge*. Available for carry-out only)
*Applies to COTLOD Boulevard location only. All other locations serve them in house with a complimentary salad wedge, Long Island Iced Tea, and the “dessert” relaxer of your choosing.
SOLITUDE: A somber dirge regarding personal loss, and a hauntingly beautiful sonic representation of the feeling of lonesome solitude. Excellent instrumental work courtesy of His Almighty Riffness (piano and flute by Tony Iommi). Those “tinkling” bells are sleigh bells, but I believe it’s actually The Wizard teleporting back to the crib to get his relaxers before departing to enlighten other dimensions.
“Memories I have remind me of you…”
(DEATHMASK) INTO THE VOID: This song sounds like the smell of Matt Pike’s jam room and has an almost purple flavored chromesthesia to it. Those first 6 Sabbath albums are quite literally transformative; this one has the feel of 1971, even though some of us weren’t around then. I don’t want to speak out of turn, but I feel like I speak for all of us when I say ALL of our dad’s balls likely felt this way in 1971.
“Man prepares to meet his destiny, yeah…”
Show Notes:
(00:00) - #czechyourballs / ***EPISODE 100!!!*** #greetings from #invertedbunkerpoonstudios #tripledigits #cheers and a #specialguest / Happy half a century #anniversary to Black Sabbath’s Master of Reality #Vol3 #fifty The landmark #stonermetal album (a blend of #bolth #Vol1 and #Vol2 of #BlackSabbath) / Released 07/21/1971 (definitely a more stonery vibe than doomy vibe on that album) #moist #stopburpingASMR #excuseme / An article from Loudwire and some feedback from Mr. Mixon #weedian #startedwithozzy #workedourwaybackwards (according to the interwebs, C# and D standard tuning; #toeasethepain the first 2 were standard tuning) / #andthereitis #ilovethehelmet / #sweetaftons and a word from #thebutler / #mastersofreality (misprint) #softintro #soloalbums / the influence of Jethro Tull and #tinklingbells and ever the #flutistical #flautist #deathmask #thehaunting (***go back and check out your comprehensive Black Sabbath episode re: #JethroTull)
(09:36) – #isolatedvocals #IntoTheVoid #yeah #nailingit #thebiggernailing #later/ It’s time for the opening #coughsolo (courtesy of The Almighty Iommi) and a quick word from Marc Potterson (SWEET LEAF: more stoner than doom, but also doom, but also definitely more stoner than doom) #inspiration / #ahamoment and the #airplay of Sweet Leaf / AFTER FOREVER (including “The Elegy”) #gongah #scatman #awwdamn #readthoselyrics #secondclap #thatruinedit #thatswherethefunis #friends
(15:45) – EMBRYO (a Paul Stanley re-creation of the Past Lives version of CotG) #eviler #renaissancefestival / #warpigsparttwo #dontdenythepowerof CHILDREN OF THE GRAVE (it’s an #enhancer…not a #ruiner #moistitude) that middle (and end) part have incredible levels of #creepiness (THE HAUNTING) #ultracreepy #creepyASMR #waitwhat #usethoseheadphones #teaserinthecreepy #idid
(22:20) – Side…2? ORCHID (a lovely little ditty; tracked differently on the #cassette versus the #vinyl version of the #album / LORD OF THIS WORLD #cantbeloudenough #bassinyourfass (check out the #plethora of cover versions of this tune) #recordscratch #ilovethecoc / Bill Ward and the swing and attitude in his playing (and a most unusual comparison, perhaps brought on by #relaxers) #iwaswrong / #atthetime #maturity #atmospheric #usethoseheadphones #stopburping #stopprojecting #blacksabbathmasterofrealitymetalnerderypodcastonehundredthepisodeASMR #therewehaveit #girth #minitunacan #relaxeranthem (Knights in White Satin…the whistle…?)
(28:22) – INTO THE VOID (#solarplexustearing #moistASMR) / #bookended #burpderp and the sound and attack of Geezer’s and Cliff Burton’s bass playing #earlydoublebass and #hammering #improvements / Performing on certain #relaxers (or #antirelaxers) Umm, after? Hmmm… #youdthink #tragic #noteven #worththetitgraze / #getoffyourassandmove #letsgo BONE-US version of EMBRYO/CHILDREN OF THE GRAVE (LIVE!!!) #ifeelapologized / album chartings in various places #impressive / #kissdoubleplatinumreference with #throngs and #pitchers / #Endless #tangentionalalities / Tracking Changes and certain #cleaners and a #mispronunciation / Time to do more #relaxers and chow down on some #delicious #smokedbutt / THANK YOU to Mr. Mixon for guesting on this #special #episode!! / #outro of #outtakes #HAPPYONEHUNDREDTHEPISODE #HAPPY100 # #metalnerderytripledigits #specialness #easteregg #softoutro #thereisnomoon ***CALL NOW 980-666-8182***THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND FOR SUPPORTING METAL!!!***CONTINUE TO SPREAD THE GLOBAL WORDERY ABOUT THE METAL NERDERY***!!!