Master of Reality: The Black Sabbath Album, Records to Listen to Before you Die

Master of Reality (Black Sabbath): History, Songs, and Legacy of the Fundamental Record

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Published in 04-08-2025

Master of Reality: The Black Sabbath Album

By: Aarón Salazar
5. Black Sabbath. Master of Reality (1971). With this third studio album, this legendary English band established authority and dominance over the heavy music of the era, laying the foundations for the development of modern heavy metal. The album opens with a cough (perhaps Ozzy Osbourne's, tuning his voice before a concert) caused by smoking a "Sweet Leaf" (a song associated with marijuana and an Irish cigarette brand).
Then comes "After Forever" and leaves us ready for the instrumental "Embryo", which serves as a prelude to the classic "Children of the Grave", where the sound of Mr. Geezer Butler's bass and Bill Ward's drums mark authority. The sonic intensity decreases with the acoustic "Orchid", and later the dense riffs return with "Lord of This World", whose lyrics are intricately woven into religious themes, making us reflect on the tireless struggle between good and evil. The relaxed "Solitude" then follows, closing in style with "Into the Void." Simply a perfect album from start to finish. An interesting aspect of "Master of Reality" is the influence it had on the birth of new subgenres of heavy metal, such as doom metal and stoner rock.

Discover Master of Reality: The Album That Revolutionized Heavy Rock

In a special way, this album holds great significance, offering us a lesson in Tony Iommi's masterful guitar work. This legendary musician overcame adversity and practically created heavy metal riffs, as can be seen in this excellent short film, "Fingers Bloody Fingers," shared here. We can see the power of Black Sabbath with this live video from California. More than 50 years after this moment, many current rock and roll bands would love to have the energy and mystique of Birmingham's Fantastic Four.

A reunion of the original Black Sabbath lineup has recently been announced, scheduled for July 5, 2025, at Aston Villa's Villa Park stadium, where the great Ozzy Osbourne will give his final concert in Birmingham, England, the city where this great band was born. Let's enjoy "Master of Reality," which is undoubtedly an album worth listening to before we die.