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Black Sabbath
"Never Say Die! (Remastered)"
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Author: Palmer Eldritch.
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I don’t know what was going on with this release, the final one before the resurgence provided by Mr.
R. J. Dio
. The band appears to be continuing their ‘new direction’ suggested in the previous release,
Technical Ecstasy
. Unfortunately, to continue the
Spinal Tap references, it’s ‘Jazz Odyssey’ - check out
Air Dance
, or
Breakout
with its sax solo. Yes, sax solo. The jazz overtones which made the early albums so vital (see
Hand of Doom
from
Paranoid
, for example) now sound over-indulgent and nonsensical, like they’d made friends with
Kenny G
. As with the last album, the heaviness of old has all but gone.
Over To You
has echoes of it but that’s all they are - echoes. And pretty tinny ones, at that. A sorry end to the glory days with
Ozzy
but nothing lasts forever. He doesn’t even sing on the last track.
Bill Ward
does. Ah well.
Listen:
www.black-sabbath.com
Tracklist:
1. Never Say Die
2. Johnny Blade
3. Junior’s Eyes
4. A Hard Road
5. Shock Wave
6. Air Dance
7. Over to You
8. Breakout
9. Swinging the Chain