It was the 11th day of the 11th month of the 11th year and the time was exactly 11 o'clock. The venue was the legendary Whiskey a Go-Go club in Los Angeles. In attendance were four well worn, black clad blokes from Birmingham, England sitting before an assembled army of reporters. They were John 'Ozzy' Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward, readying an announcement to delight and ignite the world of heavy metal music. There was no drum roll, but had there been it would have blitzed onlookers with a jazz infused blast of frenetic power. Nor was there an ominous bass line to kick off proceedings with the perfect precision of the grim reaper's scythe come judgement day. Absent was any sign of a doom drenched guitar to bring forth the impending declaration. Not even an a capella howl inviting the assembled press cartel to “go f****n' crazy for me”. All that mattered were these simple words - Black Sabbath's original line up were to reunite for their first new album together in over 30 years, followed by a world tour that would see them headlining the Sunday night at this weekend's Download festival. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath indeed!
 Rewind 40 years and those four brummies were pioneering a devastating new musical genre – stuffing the blues into a witches cauldron with a slice of horror films, an eye of psychadelica, essence of jazz and an earful of distortion - creating the blueprint for legions of heavy metal bands and giving disaffected youths everywhere a religion to worship. The band eventually splintered, some members left, whilst others kept the name going with different musicians and varying levels of success. Attempts at reforming came and went, with tour dates at the end of the 90's and an aborted new album over a decade ago. However, this time it was apparently the real deal. Then it all went a bit Spinal Tap meets Eastenders. Drummer Bill Ward walked out, claiming his contract was an 'insult'. Dirt was flung from both sides and Ward's picture was airbrushed out of all the photos on the band's official website. What should have been a wonderful last stand has turned sour as three original members and a hired drummer prepare to play Download this weekend.
And so arrives the inevitably well timed 'best of' album, compiling the finest tracks from Ozzy era Sabbath onto one disc. From a musical perspective these songs bleed superlatives; Ground breaking, genre defining, musically pioneering, mind-bendingly innovative etc. Sabbath at their best were awe inspiring, playing pulsating prototypical heavy metal that has aged superbly and remains as fascinating and mysterious now as it was back then. Drawn from '2009's remasters a crisp clarity enriches the recordings, allowing each instrument to be individually admired. It's a primal joy to witness Iommi's cataclysmic guitar cutting a relentless gallop through 'Paranoid', dredging the deepest depths of hell on 'Black Sabbath' and executing a commanding call to metal motif on 'Iron Man'. We're instantly reminded how far his influence extends as he crams more memorable riffs into one song than most head down and pound metal bands manage in an entire career. For whilst heavy, they always have a strong melodic backbone. It isn't thrash, it grooves, you can hum it – from the simplistic back and forth of 'N.I.B' to the brooding sludge of 'Snowblind' - this is catchy as a plague-in-hell stuff.
Many classics shine and amaze, with the epic 'Sabbath Bloody Sabbath' going from an insanely catchy head banging verse into a lounge lizard, acoustic chorus and screaming dystopic outro in the space of 5 minutes. 'War Pigs' and 'Black Sabbath' encapsulate all their musical trademarks, delivering broodingly bleak sermons before switching gears, changing tempos and letting rip to hurtle the songs into unexplored realms of twisted fantasy. This spellbinding musical interplay is imbued with a freestyle jazz spirit as tightly inbred rhythms splinter in multiple directions on 'Fairies Wear Boots', as Iommi shreds his bastardised blues licks and Geezer manipulates his fretboard like a rhythmic shamen conjuring endless fiendish melodies. Moreover, Bill Ward's playing is breathtaking, full of creative fills and ingenious left field turns. Whether mirroring the guitar / harmonica refrain on 'The Wizard' or striking a rattling bone beat on 'Children of the Grave', it's understandable why his absence from the reunion has upset the fans. Finally, there's Ozzy. Long before a certain Yoko like figure sold his integrity to MTV he was a fantastic frontman and singer with a belting, idiosyncratic voice, coming on like a wickedly subversive preacher ushering in the end of days On 'Changes' he even indulges his love of the Beatles, crooning his heart out over piano and strings to full effect.
It's saddening that, music aside, this is a disappointing release compiled by Sanctuary records to cash in on the band's Download appearance. There are no new songs on this album, not a rarity in sight and zilch by way of live recordings. Furthermore, it's the EXACT same album as 2009's 'Greatest Hits' release, same songs, same running order but different cover art. Plus, there are some baffling omissions. Not one song from 1976's 'Technical Ecstasy' or the previous years 'Sabotage' is included, and whilst fans may be happy the former hasn't been represented the latter is often hailed as their greatest album. How songs like 'Symptom of the Universe' (which had a massive influence on Metallica), and 'Hole in the Sky' haven't made the cut when 'Evil Woman' has is a mystery. Basically, it's shameless fleecing of the highest order and as necessary for long term fans as a pair of pink fluffy slippers and a Justin Bieber DVD. Whilst newcomers may snap it up as an introduction to the band they'd be better off buying one of the 2009 remasters like 'Paranoid' for half the price. If they like it all the other albums will be a must. And if not, little Bieber is waiting for them to scream at him!!
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