Black Sabbath - 13 (2013)

Forty five years, that's how long Black Sabbath being existed on this planet, if we count from year 1968. With this number, listener to their first album supposedly age 20, is now around 65+. So, what's the music Black Sabbath going to offer to the late adult listeners? They were not going into Deep Purple transformation with all new sounds, but instead just do the same music Black Sabbath did forty years ago. In the plan to not let old fans disappoint but try to experiment with newer music as well. Yes, Black Sabbath new 2013 album, "13" will easy to place among their '70 catalog. The music still menacing doom-ish, riffs are still upfront as leading accompaniment, then Ozzy is back. 13 answered old fans' called for new album and also cleverly put in modern sounds to it.

End of the Beginning is the opening song, slow tempo, doom metal feel with Ozzy topping the music with his characteristic voices. A long building up verses leads to section 2 riff and headbanging can start at this point. A strong opening for such a long waiting time of new Black Sabbath song. The single, God Is Dead? is a good hit, melodic doom ballad if we need to describe the song. Running at almost nine minutes the song sure repeated enough to get the choruses sink in our head. Loner is catchy riff with '70s with opening line, "He just a loner....", that describe rebellion, leather jeans and pubescent spirits. Interesting is a ballad Zeitgeist, with acoustic guitar, basses and percussion, hypnotizing us with Ozzy higher pitch singing. Come next to Age of Reason which is again Black Sabbatian tone back to our nostalgic '70 times. Helping drummer Brad Wilk, comes with valuable composition as this is a very drum orientated piece. Live Forever back to straight forward style, Iommi's guitar tone are in comfortable hi technology distortion, now if you imagine this song's riff done in Iommi's '70 tones.... Damaged Soul is a prove this album gone a good time of song writing, as this song no.8 still offer interesting song writing, without the feel of just a filler to completed a comeback album. Damaged Soul has a nice groove and singing line that also memorable, completed with bluesy solos. We are closed with one more heavy doom song in Dear Father.

There is no reason not to like this album. '13', not only offer a strong memorable moments in almost every song, Black Sabbath also capture back their trademark very easily. With Black Sabbath's alternate universe with Ronnie James Dio now came to the end, we only can hope the legacy continue with Ozzy. This is what exactly happening in '13'. The production under Rick Rubin is a good job. The quartet's sounds engineered in clear way, we can listen Geezer Butler moving finger under the layer of guitar distortion. Of course it's impossible to beat their old catalog by this released, but for a long waited album, 13 can do more than just acceptable.

Metal Harem class: ********* nine stars out of ten

Black Sabbath - 13 (2013)
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1. End of the Beginning (8:07)
2. God Is Dead? (8:54)
3. Loner (5:06)
4. Zeitgeist (4:28)
5. Age of Reason (7:02)
6. Live Forever (4:49)
8. Damaged Soul (7:43)
9. Dear Father (7:06)
bonus:
Methademic 5:57
Peace of Mind 3:40
Pariah  5:34
Naïveté in Black 3:50

Tony Iommi – guitar
Ozzy Osbourne – lead vocals, harmonica on "Damaged Soul"
Geezer Butler – bass guitar
Session members
Brad Wilk – drums
Production
Rick Rubin – production

Black Sabbath newest 2013 album, 13 Review