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Black Sabbath

Live in Chicago, IL, June 8th, 2001

Review by Gary Hill

Having seen Sabbath the last couple times around, I was expecting another similar show - a band of living legends performing as legends, going through the motions of repeating the performances from their glory days. Not that that would not have been enjoyable, I signed on for two days of Ozzfest just for that experience two more times. However, what I got was far more than that.

Sabbath came out to a much more elaborate stage set than the last couple tours. There were ornate borders around the video screens and a giant cross that occasionally took to flame. The band seemed to be a much more vibrant and living unit than in recent days. When they did the old numbers, many of the same ones as the last couple times, they did them with a new energy and vitality. The arrangements took on a fresh texture at times, changing up from the tried and true. They even performed a new song, "Scary Dreams", that is slated to be featured on a new Sab studio album to be recorded this fall. That song seemed to have the bluesy dark texture that the band focused so well upon on their early albums, but seemed to abandon later. As to the older material, of course there was "Iron Man" and "Paranoid", "Black Sabbath" and "War Pigs" (that last one seemingly being sung by every person in the place). However, the group also included "Into the Void", which really seemed to be a rather uncommon and pleasant treat.



Black Sabbath has seemed on this tour to be reborn. Let's hope they live out the promise that they seem to have in store.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2001 Year Book Volume 4 at  garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2001-and-2002.
 
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