It seems that everything is being rehashed, remade, or reissued these days, from Hollywood remaking films that were made in recent years, or the countless 'Anniversary' or 'Deluxe' editions of albums flying into record stores. With Heaven and Hell (Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler's other band) recently emerging with a critically acclaimed new album, it seems logical that the label behind Black Sabbath would try to cash in on their recent exposure.

And so here they are, yet more Deluxe Editions, this time of Black Sabbath's classic albums, Black Sabbath and Master Of Reality, and they really do ooze with the scent of money being made from fans who are maybe too dedicated to the legacy of their heroes. By no means is this review levelling any criticism at the band or the original music served up here; after all, anybody that would try to deny Sabbath's influence on the world of metal, or in fact music in general, would be simply ignorant. Whenever the riff of 'Sweet Leaf' or the haunting atmospherics of 'Black Sabbath' are heard, it's easy to pin point exactly who has been influenced by these metal giants; everyone from Slayer through to Opeth or Slipknot have been graced by Sabbath being in their personal collections. 'Children Of The Grave' and 'N.I.B' still sound huge, and the guitar and bass interplay of 'Into The Void' still makes for one of the heaviest things committed to record.

But to claim that this collection is at all needed really isn't fair to the fans who have supported the band, and consequently their label, for near to forty years. As ludicrous 'rarities' 'Orchid' (with Tony Iommi's cough and count in) and 'Beyond The Wall Of Sleep' (with 'dry' vocal) illustrate, the bonus discs don't feel like a prize possession recently rediscovered and shown off to the world, but more a fat cat with dollar bill signs in his eyes, raiding the vaults for something to pay for a holiday to the Maldives.

There can be no reservation that somewhere in all of Black Sabbath's history there is an exceptional b sides and rarities collection to be had, but it could also be true that over the course of those thirty to forty years, there has been so much released on this band that there really is no need to release anymore. After all, the records that originally came out, no matter on what format or which mix, redefined a generation and the face of music, and surely they deserve all the credit on their own? As Mike Patton once said, why mess with perfection? So for the original albums, it would be 5/5 - but for these deluxe editions...

Rating: 1/5 by John Webber

Tracklisting

Black Sabbath – Disc 1

1. Black Sabbath
2. The Wizard
3. Behind The Wall Of Sleep
4. N.I.B
5. Evil Woman, Don't Play Your Games With Me
6. Sleeping Village
7. Warning
   
   Disc 2
   
   
8. Wicked World
9. Black Sabbath (Minus Rain & with alternative lyrics)
10. Black Sabbath (instrumental)
11. The Wizard (With Jocular Banter)
12. Beyond The Wall (with 'Dry' vocal)
13. N.I.B (Alternative mix)
14. Evil Woman, Don't Play... (with Horns & Flute)
15. Sleeping Village (Alternative Mix)
16. The Warning (Part One)

    Master Of Reality – Disc 1

17. Sweet Leaf
18. After Forever
19. Embryo
20. Children Of The Grave
21. Orchid
22. Lord Of This World
23. Solitude
24. Into The Void
    
    Disc 2
    
    
25. Weevil Woman
26. Sweet Leaf (Demo)
27. After Forever (Instrumental)
28. Children Of The Grave (Alt Lyrics)
29. Children Of The Grave (Instrumental)
30. Orchid (With Tony Iommi's cough and count in)
31. Lord Of This World (With piano and slide guitar)
32. Solitude (Alternative version with no flute)
33. Spanish Sid (Early version of Into The Void)

Further links

Black Sabbath.com

Website for the Heavy Metal originators Black Sabbath