Posted Saturday, Octo| Review this album | Report (Review #144331)Īs the album title "Never Say Die" it implies that this album represents the band's struggle for their existence in heavy I had already this feeling during the "Sabotage" sessions (but to a much less extent ofĬourse) and the descent is seriously amplified here. This album is rather insipid, transparent. The poorest being achieved with "Break out". If you except the title track, I guess that only "Johnny Blade" stands out. NotĪny worse than lots of bands who have chosen this direction ("Yes", Kansas", "Heep" etc.) but not any better of course. This album shows another orientation, not prog of course (this will be for the fourth millenium) but more in the FM-radio style. And probably therefore been praised so much. They have always globally been truthful to their great and straight But actually, theīand has released very few poor songs in such a long time. One of the dullest one in their career so far. This album will even show a tendancy to produce more poppish songs (like "Junior's Eyes"). Some heavy ones but not many (the closing "Swinging The Chain" for It is my fave of the album and fully hard-rock orientedīut the he sound of this album is more rock-oriented. The title track "Never Say Die" is maybe notĪn extremely good song but it is rocking like hell borrowing a lot to "Purple". It is a sad affair because he IS "Sabbath" voice (even if he is not a greatĭear old "Sabbath" shows again that in terms of openers they quite know how to do it. He is definitely too muchĭrug addicted and he will be sacked after this release. It will also be the last appearence of Ozzy on vocals on any "Sabbath" studio release. But boy am I glad that he gave it one more shot, because Never Say Die! is a cracking little record that all Black Sabbath fans should own.After Rick Wakeman who was responsible for the keys on "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath", it is the turn of Don Airey ("Rainbow", "Purple") Even at their reputedly creative low, Black Sabbath find remarkable structures, original to the end with those hypnotic arrangements.Īlbum closer is the doomy ‘Swinging The Chain’ with its boozy vocal, bringing Ozzy’s Sabbath career to an abrupt end. ‘Air Dance’ may lack the creative flow of previous efforts, but it’s a jazzy blues fusion with smooth passages that lead us toward the plodding ‘Over To You’ and the jazz fusion of instrumental ‘Breakout’, which comes complete with ascending horns and soaring sax. This is classic grunge-styled rock ’n’ roll that boasts an anthem or two. ‘A Hard Road’ is a stripped down rocker with crashing drums, while ‘Shock Wave’ features another iconic riff by the great man, proving there’s still life in these war-torn dogs yet as Ozzy barks “Black moon rising in a blood red sky, this time to realise that you’re gonna die”. There’s something particularly raw in Iommi’s guitar sound, while Geezer Butler’s tumbling bass and Ward’s drums seem sewn together – albeit hastily – with Ozzy’s worn-out yawn… and yet I’m intrigued by it all. Never Say Die!, for all of its faults, is an incredibly underrated record that has a real basement quality to it. The same can also be said for the shuffling ‘Junior’s Eyes’ – a lighter, fragmented number that jogs in on Ward’s scuffling drums and Iommi’s sneering guitar. Upbeat, brisk, and fiery it’s a song that intrudes upon the ears and never lets go – becoming a firm favourite with fans and even appearing in some of Ozzy’s solo shows.īill Ward’s drums are hasty and Tony Iommi’s guitar work impressive as ever, but in general the whole album has a loose feel, meaning I prefer it over Technical Ecstasy (1976), finding myself rocking along to the driving, buzzing ‘Johnny Blade’ with its high-pitched wail of a chorus and strange synth injections. Strangely, although Ozzy, when speaking later, was rumoured to have found the last two Sabbath albums depressing, Never Say Die! comes up trumps with the title track. Quite literally dried up and doped up to the eyeballs, Sabbath entered a studio in Canada knowing full well that all was not well within its ranks Ozzy had already quit the band the previous year, but with record company pressure they wheeled out their last batch of Ozzy Osbourne-fronted songs. Ozzy Osbourne’s last word in Black Sabbath comes in the form of Never Say Die!, a fitting title for a band that would sack its vocalist a year later.
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