Review Summary: I'm gooooiiiiiing through changeeeeeeeeeeeeees
Black Sabbath pioneered the metal genre single handedly with their first 3 albums. Master of Reality ended the first phase of their classic era, with the band as big as ever. With Vol. 4, it was obvious that changes had to be made. Sabbath had reached the peak of their dark, proto-doom sound with Master of Reality, and since they couldn't take that style any further the band decided to experiment on their fourth LP, while still keeping their signature sound largely intact.
The recording of Vol. 4 was a difficult time for Black Sabbath. Every member was abusing drugs (most notably, Cocaine) and it got to the point where half of the recording budget went on the substance. The song Snowblind even references the drug in its lyrics, and the album was originally intended to be titled Snowblind until the record label decided on the rather generic Vol. 4.
The only real problem with this album lies in its inconsistency. It does feature some amazing stand-out tracks. Wheels of Confusion is a fantastic opener with great guitar work and possibly the band's greatest outro in The Straightener. Supernaut has the catchiest riff on the album and also one of Iommi's best (it was even Led Zeppelin Drummer John Bonham's favorite Sabbath song). Snowblind, which is the best song on the album builds to a climactic ending with a triumphant solo, and closer Under the Sun brings with it a very doom-laden opening riff and ends the album on a high note. All four of these songs are Sabbath classics, but the remaining tracks just don't reach those heights, resulting in a slightly awkward listen.
There are definitely some weak moments to be found here. Perhaps the most controversial track on the album, Changes, is a simple piano ballad. Black Sabbath had done ballads before with Planet Caravan on Paranoid and Solitude on Master of Reality, but with Changes, Ozzy decides to use his regular singing voice as opposed to the spacey effects found on Planet Caravan and the more subdued style on Solitude. The result is a less than convincing perfomance as Ozzy's "normal" voice just isnt suited to the mellow feel of the song. The short "instrumental" FX, came about from the crucifix around Iommi's neck accidentally hitting his guitar strings and the band decided to make a track out of it... The fact that this is a transitional album, full of new ideas that Sabbath had not yet fully developed, causes an obvious lack of flow which detracts somewhat from the overall listening experience.
Aside from the four classic tracks, there are still other redeeming parts to this album. Laguna Sunrise is a nice instrumental with a very laid-back atmosphere. St. Vitus Dance has a quirky riff, unlike anything Sabbath had done before. While Tomorrow's Dream and Cornucopia are short, hard rockers, that while not amazing, do the job more than well enough.
When all is said and done, Vol. 4 is a very enjoyable record thanks mostly to the strength of its high points. It is a mixed bag but this can be forgiven since the band are in transition, and they have to be admired for experimenting and incorporating new sounds. Many see this as the weak-link among the first 6 albums but it has every right to stand among the others, and marks the start of the second phase of Sabbath's classic era. Given the circumstances at the time, Vol. 4 despite its flaws, remains a worthy part of Black Sabbath's discography, and one of their very best.
