Black Sabbath "13" (2013)

Okay, many of you know that a couple of days ago some sleazebags leaked the new Black Sabbath album on Youtube. I doubt that you'll still find it, but I was quick to react and got to hear it in its supposed epicness. First off, my feeling for this record BEFORE I listened to it could not have been more mixed, Black Sabbath being my favourite band it the world, but Ozzy being a stuck-up bitch and the departing of Bill Ward have made me doubt the greatness of this "35 years in the making" record. I wasn't far off thinking of it that way, but let's get more deep into it, starting with the couple of gripes I have for this.

1. The Name - From the first moment I heard the name of the new BS album (huhuhuh BS) I hated it. Not only for the fact that it's been done to death (Blur, The Artze, The Doors, Six Feet Under, Suicidal Tendencies and many more also have albums named "13"), but Black Sabbath have ALWAYS had awesome album names. Yes, even "Technical Ecstasy".

2. The Drums - Bill Ward flipping this album off should've been the end of it. Ward has always been a key component of Black Sabbath, and his replacement with fucking Rage Against The Machine's drummer is a huge minus for the album, and it even shows on the songs themselves.

3. The Lyrics - Not every verse on "13" blows, but the ones written for the single off of it, namingly "God Is Dead", are, to be sincere, bland, dumb, and repetitive, and the single's cover featuring Friedrich Nietzsche eating purple pasta certainly doesn't help too much.

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4. The Slow Parts - Black Sabbath are masters of slow doomy music, but the slower bits here really sound more like alternative rock instead of powerful echoed riffs, as we've been accustomed to since their first albums, who also happen to be the best metal albums ever.

For the better part of "13", I'm gonna say it loud and clear: Tony Iommi saves this album. His amazing guitarwork and heavy riffage that kicks off after the boring slow bits are golden. A man who had his fingers cut off in a factory accident and managed to still play guitar (and invent heavy metal, mind you) has still got it after almost five decades in the bussiness. He is the heaviest man on Earth. Geezer Butles is also good here, kudos to them both.

7.5/10 - could have been better.

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Man, I hate being mad at music.