«Paranoid» is the second album by Black Sabbath and it was released on 18 September 1970 by Vertigo in Britain, while in the US it arrived through Warner Bros. on 7 January 1971. The band went into the studio only four months after their debut and finished the recordings in just two days, on 16-18 June 1970 in London, with Rodger Bain producing.
“`Country: United Kingdom
Genre: Heavy Metal
For fans of: Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple
Where the first album had built their heavy and menacing sound, «Paranoid» made it more compact and more direct, and in doing so laid the foundations for heavy metal as we have known it ever since. Tony Iommi’s guitars set the tone with riffs that stay with you from the very first listen, while Ozzy Osbourne’s voice, Geezer Butler’s bass and Bill Ward’s drums lock into a group that sounds like a single body.
The record moves between heavy, dark numbers and quieter moments. «War Pigs» opens with one of the most recognisable riffs of its era and turns around the warmongers, «Iron Man» builds a marching theme on a nightmarish fairytale, while «Planet Caravan» lowers the volume with a dreamy, psychedelic passage. Beside them stand the furious title track «Paranoid», «Electric Funeral», «Hand of Doom» and «Fairies Wear Boots».
The title song was the band’s biggest hit, reaching number 4 on the British charts, and the album became their first to climb to the top of the UK listings. It is regarded today as one of the most influential records of the genre, with songs that are still played more than half a century after its release. In Rolling Stone’s list of the hundred greatest metal albums of all time, «Paranoid» took the top spot.
See also
More on Black Sabbath: Black Sabbath – Heaven and Hell: The Album That Rebuilt the Band and Black Sabbath’s «Lost» 1970 Dutch TV Appearance Surfaces On Unofficial Vinyl.
