Il 1970 fu un anno incredibile per i Black Sabbath. Il sontuoso tour che fece seguito alla pubblicazione di “Paranoid” aveva consentito ai Sabs di affacciarsi con successo su entrambe le coste dell’Atlantico, donando loro una visibilità tanto meritata quanto pericolosa.
I Quattro si trovavano alle soglie di una terza release con la necessità di confermare le indiscutibili doti espresse fino ad allora. Un'ulteriore complicazione era rappresentata dal malcontento che la pubblicazione del nuovo lavoro dei Led Zeppelin (III) aveva generato nelle fila dei numerosi heavy rock fans dell’epoca. Fu così che Tony Iommi in persona si premurò di rassicurare il pubblico, dichiarando che l’imminente pubblicazione dei Sabbath avrebbe portato alla ribalta un suono ed un modello compositivo ulteriormente appesantito. La promessa fu mantenuta. Nessun singolo venne rilasciato, come del resto la tendenza dell’epoca indicava, se si fa eccezione per un demo su 7 ” a scopo promozionale sui cui solchi trovava spazio una certa “Children Of The Grave”…
“Master Of Reality” si apre con una perla del repertorio targato Black Sabbath, “Sweet Leaf”. Più che il testo, che chiaramente fa riferimento allo stato emozionale generato dall’assunzione di eroina, a colpire è la struttura musicale della composizione, la quale richiama in maniera evidente numerosi stilemi caratteristici della futura scena Grunge. La successiva “After Forever”, attribuita al solo Iommi, si pone in netta antitesi riguardo alle accuse di satanismo fioccate numerosissime sulle spalle della band, proponendo una serrata quanto coerente critica all’imperante bigottismo e riduzionismo in campo religioso ed etico. Alla strumentale “Embryo”, anch’essa scaturita dalla magica mano del chitarrista dei Sabs, è affidata l’introduzione della già citata “Children Of The Grave”. Basti affermare che questo capolavoro è uno dei pochissimi brani che saranno riproposti da tutte le future formazioni assunte dal combo inglese. Manifesto di una nuova epoca, di una nuova gioventù che andava letteralmente divorando e spazzando via la cultura Hippy in favore di una più profonda e consapevole presa di coscienza della decadenza e corruzione della realtà contemporanea. Orchid, secondo strumentale e terza composizione accreditata al solito Tony, mostra in pieno la duttilità dei Black Sabbath: sussurrante ed onirica. Si ritorna su binari più canonici e forse meno entusiasmanti con “Lord Of This World” per poi farci condurre al limite della disperazione e della desolazione umana dalla splendida “Solitude”, traccia piuttosto anomala, che ripercorre, sviluppandolo, il mood caratteristico di “Planet Caravan”. Un vero abisso di melanconia che non può venire dissolto nemmeno dagli imponenti riffs della conclusiva "Into The Void".
Indubbiamente “Master Of Reality” esalta il lato più profondo e pesante della band di Ozzy Osbourne ma nel contempo propone una grand’abilità nel tessere trame più delicate ed intimiste tanto a livello testuale quanto in ambito compositivo.
Masterpiece assoluto.
Elenco tracce testi samples e video
01 Sweet Leaf (05:06)
Alright now!
Won't you listen?
When I first met you, didn't realize,
I can't forget you or your surprise
You introduced me to my mind
And left me wanting you and your kind.
Oh yeah
I love you. Oh, you know it.
My life was empty, forever on a down,
Until you took me, showed me around
My life is free now, my life is clear
I love you sweet leaf though you can't hear
Oh yeah!
Come on now - Try it out!
Straight people don't know what you're about,
They put you down and shut you out
You gave to me a new belief,
And soon the world will love you sweet leaf
Oh yeah baby!
Come on now! Oh yeah!
Try me out baby!
Alright! Oh yeah-ah!
I want you part of this sweet leaf!
Oh yeah!
Alright, yeah, yeah, yeah, oh try me out
I love you sweet leaf, oh
02 After Forever (05:29)
Have you ever thought about your soul - can it be saved?
Or perhaps you think that when you're dead
you just stay in your grave
Is God just a thought within your head
or is he a part of you?
Is Christ just a name that you read in a book
when you were at school?
When you think about death do you lose your breath
or do you keep your cool?
Would you like to see the Pope on the end of a rope
do you think he's a fool?
Well I have seen the truth, yes I've seen the light
and I've changed my ways
And I'll be prepared when you're lonely and scared
at the end of our days
Could it be you're afraid of what your friends might say
If they knew you believe in God above?
They should realize before they criticize
that God is the only way to love
Is your mind so small that you have to fall
In with the pack wherever they run
Will you still sneer when death is near
And say they may as well worship the sun?
I think it was true it was people like you that crucified Christ
I think it is sad the opinion you had was the only one voiced
Will you be so sure when your day is near, say you don't believe?
You had the chance but you turned it down, now you can't retrieve
Perhaps you'll think before you say that God is dead and gone
Open your eyes,
just realize that he's the one
The only one who can save you now from all this sin and hate
Or will you still jeer at all you hear?
Yes!
I think it's too late.
04 Children of the Grave (05:19)
Revolution in their minds
The children start to march
Against the world in which they have to live
And the hate that's in their hearts
They're tired of being pushed around and told just what to do
They'll fight the world until they've won and love comes flowing through
Children of tomorrow live in the tears that fall today
Will the sun rise up tomorrow bringing peace in any way?
Must they live in the shadow of atomic fear?
Can they win the fight for peace or will they disappear? Yeah!
So you children of the world listen to what I say
If you want a better place to live in spread the word today
Show the world that love is still alive you must be brave
Or you children of today are children of the grave yeah!
07 Into the Void (06:16)
Rocket engines burning fuel so fast
Up into the night sky they blast
Through the universe the engines whine
Could it be the end of man and time
Back on earth the flame of life burns low
Everywhere is misery and woe
Pollution kills the air, the land and sea
Man prepares to meet his destiny
Rocket engines burning fuel so fast
Up into the black sky so vast
Burning metal through the atmosphere
Earth remains in worry, hate and fear
With the hateful battles raging on
Rockets flying to the glowing sun
Through the empires of eternal void
Freedom from the final suicide
Freedom fighters sent out to the sun
Escape from brainwashed minds and pollution
Leave the earth to all its sin and hate
Find another world where freedom waits
Past the stars in fields of ancient void
Through the shields of darkness where they find
Love upon a land a world unknown
Where the sons of freedom make their home
Leave the earth to Satan and his slaves
Leave them to their future in the grave
Make a home where love is there to stay
Peace and happiness in everyday
08 Solitude (05:05)
My name it means nothing
My fortune means less
My future is shrouded in dark wilderness
Sunshine is far away, clouds linger on
Everything I posessed
Now they are gone
They are gone
They are gone
Oh where can I go to and what can I do?
Nothing can please me only thoughts are of you
You just laughed when I begged you to stay
I've not stopped crying since you went away
You went away
You went away
The world is a lonely place - you're on your own
Guess I will go home - sit down and moan.
Crying and thinking is all that I do
Memories I have remind me of you
Of you
Of you
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Altre recensioni
Di Sket
La prima canzone è Sweet Leaf, canzone con un giro di guitar che ti entra in testa, senza scordarlo mai... quasi peggio delle canzoni dell'estate...
Children of the Grave... è stupenda, cioè mica si può recensire tutto...
Di Nesci
"Sweet Leaf è un inno di lode alla marijuana, con uno strumentale ignorante di gusto quasi grunge."
"'Children Of The Grave' è un’immensa, potentissima cavalcata che impone agli adulti la pace nel mondo."