Symptom of the Universe: The Original Black Sabbath (1970-1978) (CD - 2002)

Additional personnel: Rick Wakeman (piano, synthesizer).

Producers: Roger Bain, Patrick Meehan, Black Sabbath, Mike Butcher.

Compilation producers: Black Sabbath, David McLees.

Recorded between 1970 & 1978. Includes liner notes by Mick Wall.

All tracks have been digitally remastered.

Personnel: Ozzy Osbourne (vocals, harmonica); Tony Iommi (guitar, piano, harpsichord); Rick Wakeman (piano, synthesizer); Gerald Woodruffe (keyboards); Bill Ward (drums, percussion).

Audio Mixers: Robin Black ; Tony Iommi.

Audio Remasterers: Dan Hersch; Bill Inglot.

Liner Note Author: Mick Wall.

Recording information: Criteria Studios, Miami, FL; Island Studios, London, England; Morgan Studios, London & Brussels; Regent Sound; Sound Interchange, Toronto, Canada; The Record Plant, Los Angeles, CA.

Editor: Dave "DW" Harris .

Photographers: Robert Ellis ; Shepard Sherbell; Richard Upper; Michael Putland; Ross Halfin; Emerson Loew; Fin Costello; Barry Plummer; Paul Canty; Andy Kent.

Arranger: Gerald Woodruffe.

Even after Ozzy Osbourne became a beloved figure, embraced even by conservative politicians, it's amazing that the leader of a band as anti-social and malevolent as Black Sabbath has ever become a household name. Even more amazing, the music made by the first lineup of Black Sabbath -- or "the Original Black Sabbath," as they are billed here on this double-disc collection on Rhino -- still sounds threatening, menacing, and ugly, surely not ready for wide acceptance. Which just goes to show, it can occasionally be easier to embrace the artist than the art, since surely those that now hug Ozzy haven't heard his Tony Iommi-fueled sludge, which is expertly chronicled on this Rhino collection. Yes, those who are hardcore metalheads will want the original albums, but for those who just want the highlights -- those riffs that have entered your subconscious through osmosis -- this is the way to go, since it cherry picks the best hits and album tracks to fill out two discs, enough to offer proof that even if Zeppelin were more versatile, Sabbath were the definitive heavy metal band, especially if you were only looking for power, volume, and strength. Nothing is missing here, at least nothing that the casual observer would know (and that's all that matters), and it all proves that not only did Sabbath define heavy, they still are the heaviest metal band ever -- nothing else sounds as oppressive as this. Yes, Paranoid and Vol. 4 and Master of Reality are cornerstones of the genre, but this captures the essence of the band, which may make it preferable to many listeners. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

More than 25 years after the release of WE SOLD OUR SOUL FOR ROCK 'N' ROLL, that excellent Black Sabbath collection is finally eclipsed by SYMPTOM OF THE UNIVERSE, a two-disc compilation that literally doubles the classic metal dosage. Along with every song on WE SOLD OUR SOUL, this remastered set includes 15 more tunes by the original lineup of Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward. The finest of these additions include the previously U.K.-only track "Evil Woman," the epic stomps "Into the Void" and "Lord of This World," the thunderous "Supernaut," and the driving title track.

SYMPTOM also features "Warning" and the string-laden instrumental "Laguna Sunrise" from the initial two-LP version of WE SOLD OUR SOUL, as well as four tracks from Sabbath's oft-maligned late-1970s albums. The result is an outstanding overview of Ozzy's years with Sabbath, showcasing how his distinctive vocals meshed with Iommi's formidable riffs, Butler's rumbling bass, and Ward's spot-on drums to create music that is unendingly influential. minimize