Vol. 4

"Like its predecessors it has moments of softness (Tony Iommi's acoustic instrumental Laguna Sunrise, the ballad Changes and the 90 seconds of sonic tomfoolery FX) but whereas the first three albums are all doom classics, Vol 4 red-lined the metal ... Happily, long days "wired" prevented them settling for any of the works-in-progress, instead knuckling down until they had absolutely nailed Vol 4's final, brilliant versions".

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"The Super Deluxe edition of Vol 4 supplements a crisp remaster of the original album with extra discs containing alternative takes and revelatory studio outtakes ("What's it called?" "Bollocks"), plus an entire set's worth of live tracks from their March 1973 UK tour, a poster and a booklet so hefty you could tether a bull to it.Those live performances are formidable and forbidding: no light permeates them, although Ozzy is adorably upbeat throughout ("We love you all!"). Tony Iommi's guitar tone could crumble the Kremlin, although the 20-minute Wicked World showcases his abilities as a closet jazzbo. He's always been a far handier player than even his most wall-eyed devotees give him credit for, over and above his standing as a monumental mason of mythic riffs".

"This mega reissue brings together just about all the Vol 4 one could ever need. As well as a remaster of the album itself, there are alternate takes of the songs lovingly remixed by Porcupine Tree genius Steven Wilson, studio outtakes, and a live album comprised of recordings from various shows on the band's 1973 UK tour. It's these extras that make this box set worth getting for Sabbath-heads".

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"It finds Sabbath beginning to experiment successfully with their trademark sound on tracks like the ambitious, psychedelic-tinged, multi-part "Wheels of Confusion," the concise, textured "Tomorrow's Dream," and the orchestrated piano ballad "Changes" (even if the latter's lyrics cross the line into triteness)".

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