Black Sabbath was embroiled in a protracted legal battle with its former manager in 1975 when the band started recording its sixth studio album, Sabotage. The group felt sabotaged at every turn – hence the album’s title – but that feeling helped fuel the intensity of the new music they were making. In spite of the distractions, the band created one of the most dynamic – and underappreciated – albums of its legendary career.
BMG pays tribute to the patron saints of heavy metal with a collection that includes a newly remastered version of the original album along with a complete live show recorded during the band’s 1975 tour. SABOTAGE: SUPER DELUXE EDITION will be available on June 11 as a 4-CD set and a 4-LP set that includes the same music on 180-gram vinyl plus a bonus 7-inch with the single edit for “Am I Going Insane (Radio)” and “Hole In The Sky” on the flip side, with artwork replicating the very rare Japanese release of the single. Both the 4-CD and 4-LP versions are available for pre-order now:
I always face a quandary with these releases as I never know whether to go with the cd or vinyl edition. Unfortunately, I currently have no turntable, so although the vinyl editions do appear significantly more appealing, I cannot actually listen to them. So in order for a die-hard Sabbath fan to actually hear (and actually review) the new material once again, I have gone with the cd version of this album.
SABOTAGE: SUPER DELUXE EDITION introduces 16 live tracks (13 of which are previously unreleased) that were recorded in 1975 during the quartet’s U.S. tour for the album. The performances include songs that span the group’s career, from the title track to its 1970 debut Black Sabbath to “Spiral Architect” and “Sabbra Cadabra” from its previous album, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973). Sabotage is represented as well with live takes of “Hole In The Sky” and “Megalomania.”
The music is accompanied by in-depth liner notes that tell the story of the album through quotes from band members and the music media along with rare photos and press clippings from the era. Also included in the package is a 1975 Madison Square Garden replica concert book and Sabotage 1975 Tour colour poster.
The album’s original track listing should be overly familiar to all metal fans so I will instead highlight and focus on the new /unreleased material that features on this box set. Once again the Sabbath vaults have been trawled deeply to serve up more gems of audio brilliance. This time the archives have offered thirteen previously unreleased live tracks. This itself highlights some tracks that have been rarely heard from this particular Sabbath era.
Like the previous releases in the series Vol 4 and Black Sabbath, this release is definitely worth investing in and has been carefully curated and put together purely for the fans. I love the cd versions but have actually now considered a further investment for those vinyl editions also -now to first pick up a quality turntable…
SABOTAGE: SUPER DELUXE EDITION
CD Track Listing
Disc One: Original Album Remastered
- “Hole In The Sky”
- “Don’t Start (Too Late)”
- “Symptom Of The Universe”
- “Megalomania”
- “Thrill Of It All”
- “Supertzar”
- “Am I Going Insane (Radio)”
- “The Writ”
Disc Two: North American Tour Live ’75
- “Supertzar”/“Killing Yourself To Live” *
- “Hole In The Sky”
- “Snowblind” *
- “Symptom Of The Universe”
- “War Pigs” *
- “Megalomania”
- “Sabbra Cadabra” *
- Jam 1 including guitar solo *
- Jam 2 including drum solo *
- “Supernaut” *
- “Iron Man” *
Disc Three: North American Tour Live ’75
- Guitar Solo including excerpts of “Orchid” and “Rock ’n’ Roll Doctor” *
- “Black Sabbath” *
- “Spiral Architect” *
- “Embryo”/“Children Of The Grave” *
- “Paranoid” *
Disc Four
- “Am I Going Insane (Radio)” – Single Edit
- “Hole In The Sky”
LP One: Original Album Remastered
Side One
- “Hole In The Sky”
- “Don’t Start (Too Late)”
- “Symptom Of The Universe”
- “Megalomania”
Side Two
- “Thrill Of It All”
- “Supertzar”
- “Am I Going Insane (Radio)”
- “The Writ”
LP Two: North American Tour Live ’75
Side Three
- “Supertzar”/“Killing Yourself To Live” *
- “Hole In The Sky”
- “Snowblind” *
Side Four
- “Symptom Of The Universe”
- “War Pigs” *
LP Three: North American Tour Live ’75
Side Five
- “Megalomania” *
- “Sabbra Cadabra” *
Side Six
- Jam 1 including guitar solo *
- Jam 2 including drum solo *
- “Supernaut”
LP Four: North American Tour Live ’75
Side Seven
- “Iron Man” *
- Guitar Solo including excerpts of “Orchid” and “Rock ’n’ Roll Doctor” *
- “Black Sabbath” *
Side Eight
- “Spiral Architect” *
- “Embryo”/“Children Of The Grave” *
- “Paranoid” *
7” Single
- “Am I Going Insane (Radio)” – Single Edit
- “Hole In The Sky”
* previously unreleased
Both the 4-CD and 4-LP versions are available for pre-order now: https://blacksabbathband.lnk.to/sabotagedlxPR
