Vol. IV
For an album that was originally going to be called “Cocaine” (yes, you read that correctly, but the suits chopped that idea.
The band even tried for “Snowblind”, until the suits bumped that idea as well), BLACK SABBATH VOL. 4 is a landmark album and (somewhat ironically) a stoner metal masterpiece built on the stony, doomy, metal foundations crafted by the band over the course of their 3 previous “volumes”, resulting in one of the finest offerings from the legendary period known as “The First Six”.
Listen on iTunes, Spotify, Podbean, Google Podcasts or wherever you get your Podcasts.
Leave us a Voicemail to be played on a future episode: 980-666-8182
Follow us on the Socials:
Facebook - Instagram - Twitter
Can’t be LOUD Enough Playlist on Spotify
Metal Nerdery Munchies on YouTube
Some links may be affiliate links. This means that we may receive a small commission (at no cost to you) if you purchase something through the links provided. Metal Nerdery is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com
Check out Sabbath on the Interwebs
Check out some of our other Sabbath Episodes:
Black Sabbath Vol. IV
Released September 25 1972
Recorded May 1972
Studio Record Plant (Los Angeles)
Label Vertigo
Producers
Black Sabbath & Patrick Meehan
Side A
1. "Wheels of Confusion"
2. "Tomorrow's Dream"
3. "Changes"
4. "FX"
5. "Supernaut"
Side B
6. "Snowblind"
7. "Cornucopia"
8. "Laguna Sunrise"
9. "St. Vitus Dance"
10. "Under the Sun"
Personnel
Ozzy Osbourne – vocals
Tony Iommi – guitars, piano, mellotron
Geezer Butler – bass, mellotron
Bill Ward – drums, percussion
It’s “time to hear what cocaine sounds like”.
Find out what sort of sonic gloriousness you can create when “the budget for blow is larger than the recording budget”, discover “the magic of marinara”, listen to “the most important riff of 1972” and pay heed to our “public service announcements” regarding “ride share rules” & “driver’s license requirements” before you break out your straw and
JOIN US for a look back at 50 years of stoner metal excellence as we talk outside the lines and dive snout first into BLACK SABBATH, VOL. 4.
WHEELS OF CONFUSION:
The opening has a certain “creepy,” unsettling edge with that nervous Iommi vibrato and doomy aesthetic. The riffs that follow are some of the heaviest in existence (especially that part right before the “chorus”). Read those lyrics as there’s some serious life reflections going on there. The biggest irony about this album, especially relative to its predecessor (1971’s “Master of Reality”) is that it definitely has a stoner feel to it. And the reason that’s ironic is because, duh: COCAINE!!!
“The Straightener” begins just after the final verse; there’s a definitive shift in the vibe of the music from slow, brutal heaviness to a more up-tempo progression. That light Hammond organ sound in the background, combined with Iommi’s ghostly twin guitar solos, infuses the album with the perfect amount of creepy one expects while enjoying Black Sabbath.
“So, I found that life is just a game, but you know there’s never been a winner. Try your hardest, you’ll still be a loser. The world will still be turning when you’re gone…”
TOMORROW’S DREAM:
Most definitely a stoner anthem if there ever was one. Heavy riffs married up with heavy grooves and “heavy” lyrics. Just an all-around heavy tune. And also, the big “hit single” for Snowblind.
“When sadness fills my days its time to turn away and let tomorrow’s dreams become reality to me.”
CHANGES:
A beautifully poignant ballad and while a huge left turn (relative to the first two crushing tracks) it’s still brutally “heavy”, both lyrically & sonically, in terms of the emotional heaviness felt in the heart when love ends, and we move on. If you’ve ever lost love in your life and you can listen to this song without shedding a single tear, then congratulations: you’re either a cyborg or a psychopath.
“Now all my days are filled with tears. Wish I could go back and change these years…”
FX:
Normally, this one would go in the “filler” bucket or be a soft intro for another song. It’s really just the boys in the band being “super relaxed” in the studio and recording goofy sounds while being “relaxed”. Again, definitely more of a “vibe” than a “song”, but it still helped add a dash of creepy to the mix. (Think of hearing random, strange noises in a house that’s rumored to be haunted. You’re welcome.)
SUPERNAUT:
And now, back to the riffs!!! What a fantastic way to finish out side one of the album. A good grooving tune. Definitely heavy, but also groovy, especially that middle part with the plethora of percussion. Definitely a soundtrack to get “relaxed” to.
“Don’t try to reach me ‘cause I’ll tear up your mind, I’ve seen the future and I’ve left it behind…”
SNOWBLIND:
The killer opener for side 2, and also what the band wanted to call the album before the suits intervened. Actually, the original album title that was originally planned was, in fact, “Cocaine”!!
(Take that, Eric Clapton! Not just a single song, but a whole fucking album called Cocaine!!!).
“Don’t you think I know what I’m doing, don’t tell me that it’s doing me wrong. You’re the one that’s really the loser, this is where I feel I belong…”
CORNUCOPIA:
Perhaps one of the heaviest riffs in Black Sabbath’s history, if not in the ENTIRE history of metal!!! This might be the favorite on this record. A fantastic song dedicated to “relaxers.”
“Let them have their little toys, Matchbox cars and mortgaged joys. Exciting in their plastic ways, frozen food in a concrete maze…”
LAGUNA SUNRISE:
A beautiful acoustic piece conveying the mystical beauty of the sunrise from Laguna Beach in California, near where the band recorded Vol. 4. I’m sure it’s far more breathtaking to behold in person than from a picture on the internet, but thanks to Mr. Iommi’s imagination and creativity, one can get an idea as to the sublime and mystical beauty and splendor of this particular part of the world.
ST. VITUS’ DANCE:
Always dug this tune. Structure wise, this (and actually many of the other songs on Vol. 4) were quite unorthodox relative to traditional song structures (or even prior Black Sabbath song structures). Kind of a short one, regarding the eternal question of: “Does she love me for me, or for my money?”
“If I were you I’d try again and try to make amends, she only thinks of you, you know I’m talking as a friend.”
UNDER THE SUN:
Definitely the heaviest tune on the album, and what a killer way to close it out. The riff the song goes into that becomes “Every Day Comes and Goes” is much faster than the main part of the song. This goes on through the guitar solo before going back into the crushing heaviness of the main riff and the last verse. The last riff of the song provides more great, dual Iommi shredding.
“Don’t let those empty people try to interfere with your mind, just live your life and leave them all behind.”
Show Notes:
(00:00): #awhitechristmas #thebestchristmasever #colecovision #beerbone #thisepisodesclinkyoftheepisode #splashing ***WELCOME BACK TO THE METAL NERDERY PODCAST!!!*** #cinnamonamonamon #fireball #sometal / #segue into #thisepisodesbeerofthepisode #episode150 #CherryStreetBrewing #chitty #IPA #JustAnotherIPAVol5 #9percentabv #sorry #giveitacrack #dontspillit #dryhoppeddoubleindiapaleale #lotsoffancyfancywords #anoteofsticky #flowers and #theverdict #verygreen (Perfect for “Quenching your inner Hetfield.”) #yeah / #weedbeer #thenextwave #thepowerofthisvolume / #cuttingtothechase #shavingofftime #segmentskips #nojinglesthisweek #nojingles #mrnojingles ***HIT US UP ON THE SOCIALS: THE #FACEBOOK AND #INSTAGRAM AND EMAIL US AT metalnerdery@gmail.com and LEAVE US A VOICEMAIL AT 980-666-8182!!!*** And also feel free to check us out on #YouTube via #MetalNerderyMunchies
(06:20): This docket’s clinky of the docket (Prepare for #popcornASMR) / #turkey #loafbread #assteeth #turdshapes / ***No fucking in public (to be confirmed) *** / #triggeralert #notreally #butforsomeofyouthough #justsayin and an #onslaught of #RussellsReflections***) #imminentsuckdom “Just enjoy the disappointment that you paid for.” / #whydiditsuck / #markthetime #heyoh #lovelycommerce and some #honestfeedback / #shoutout to #TheVortex (and #TheLaughingSkull) #foodbone #delicioushamburgers #getaloadofthis #listen #scorcher (NOW with an EXTRA side of #waterbutt!!!) / #waitwhat *Our new Stoner Metal band name!!! #AtomicWaterButt*) #RussellsReflectionsASMR #evenlonger / #digitalsalsa #wtfisthat / #overlytwanglified / #whatsthedill (Remember Judgement Night?) #andthen / #ilovethehelmet / #blastingMastodon #HailMastodon and #burgers / #tourupdates for #ATL / #djentrification vs. #twanglification / #grindhouse sounds delicious! / Old #Helmet #concertmemories #TheOldMasquerade ***#Meantime is thirty this year!!!*** / “Where the fireworks sound like gunshots…” / #thatsbig / #hereswhatithoughtabout #dontrecordscratchme #fairenough / “Make the MOST of your #rideshareexperience!!!” #Frontload at the house with some #relaxers and #enjoy the art of #pregaming
(21:56): #anyfling (***go check out our #MasterOfReality #albumdive; #episode100***) #episode150 (Planned, but unplanned…like #parenthood) / “Not #cocaine and not #snowblind…” / #yeahbutno / #thecurseoffuckbaggery / #hugeonmicburp (but NOT as huge as the #cocainebudget for #Vol4) / #1972Prices (Pay attention to your #hyperinflation #stagflation #nation) / #popcornloafbreadASMR / “Budget carefully…someone consult the #drugtracker” / #inflationcalculator / #1972 #wrongmath / “I was going for something and I blew it…” / “That’s a LOT…” / #ifimbeingreal / Strange #backstory regarding the #JohnDuPontMansion where the album was recorded / “Speaker boxes FILLED with…” / #TheWarOnDrugs #psycho / #MatthewsMayhem #AngryMatt #MasturbatoryMayhem / ***Did they follow suit with Master Of Reality, having speaker boxes of #marijuana brought into the studio via a #secrettimeportal operated by #MattPike and the #TimeDruids ?***
(32:00): “I wanna HEAR what #cocaine sounds like” / Volume 4 is most definitely one of the #finesthours of #thefirstsixalbums from #BlackSabbath (or #thesixfirstalbums) / WHEELS OF CONFUSION #cantbeloudenough #gimmethatvolume #readthoselyrics #waitforit #thebestpartiscomingup (*The Straightener is later…first, listen to this ridiculously #heavyriff!!!*) / #insertcreepinesshere #tambourine #preindustrialsabbathcore / ***“Reflecting back on purchasing Vol. 4 as a #FirstBlackSabbathPurchase” and then going back through the #backcatalog*** / NOTE: I apologize for using a terrible #StarWarsAnalogy that didn’t work. Thanks to Bill for making it make sense. / ***Reflecting back on old Black Sabbath albums and various “first purchases” back in the day.*** / #BlackAlbumReference / #eighttrackclick / Looking back on Black Sabbath during a time of being #immersedinThrash / “Don’t move it around, just open it back up…” / #animated and #twanglified / More #lookingback with #RussellsReflections and the “record buying experience” back in the day…and having that Sabbath ‘ah-ha!” moment…
(47:45): #thehitsingle TOMORROW’S DREAM #morecowbell and #moretambourine #readthoselyrics #stonermetalgenius / “A little bit personal, but here goes…” / #itsneverasgood #vulnerablemoment / #iknowwhatyouregonnasaydont / Is that sacrilege, or no? It’s a “reasonable” analogy… / Apologies for being #exhausting and #alsooffputting / CHANGES #aheartbreakingballad ***How many different versions of “Changes” have you heard? ***/ “The best song on the album…” FX #wtf #smellmybox #atotaljoke / #killercloser for #sideone SUPERNAUT #recordscratch #stfu (NOTE: We are NOT a #RollingStones #podcast!)
(58:20): The #killeropener for side 2 / SNOWBLIND (That middle section though…) / Imagine Black Sabbath with #JasonBonham on the kit / #PublicServiceAnnouncement #driverslicenses and #vasectomies / “Stairs are still out there…” CORNUCOPIA #heavyasballs #relaxeranthem #readthoselyrics #alright #peoplesayimheavy / #backandforth / A #softintro #instrumental (#justrelax) ***Has anyone ever seen the LAGUNA SUNRISE at #LagunaBeach ?*** / “Chemo #Fabio” / “Have you ever seen #Snatch ? Because it’s got a lotta #cockney in it” / The magic of #marinarasauce and #ItalianJobs
(1:10:13): ST. VITUS’ DANCE #thesummeroffun #frisbeefest (“It’s an intense two and a half minutes…”) / #youngdumbandfullofcome #yourenotsheltered / #killercloser #heavyasballs UNDER THE SUN #NeonRuss (NOTE: “Max” meaning the cover of this that #Sepultura did on the #NativityInBlack #compilation) / #skycock / “Every Day Comes and Goes” / #backwardsguitarsolo / “I kept it inside” / Tracking changes needed for future versions of Vol. 4 / “We’re like #Tower7…” / THANK YOU FOR JOINING US!!! #futureepisodeideas #backshadowingASMR #untilthenext #frisbeetime #rightround / #flossyouranus #ThankYou #waitforit #hehahuh