With it being Ozzy and Sabbath week for every metalhead out there, I really had a hard time thinking about what album I wanted to talk about here. I mean what hasn't been said about the first six albums? Even Technical Ecstasy has its fans including me. However, what about Never Say Die? The last album of the original line up and essentially the one that broke the band. I have not listened to this one in YEARS and the last few years I have been obsessed with the 80s sabbath, learning about every single member that came through, all the demos and bootlegs and things like that. But with this final swansong for the Ozzman and the original Sabbath one last time(we'll see..), I figure that lets give this one a shot after so long and see what I may have missed years ago!
Starting out with the extremely upbeat title track, we see the band come out of the gates swinging. This is definitely one of the most up tempo Sabbath tunes out there and one of the most upbeat sounding ones as well. Its quite ironic as the band was clinging to life at this point but honestly you would never think it. Next is my favorite song on the album "Johnny Blade". This song is extremely underrated as I always thought it fit the bands sound. It starts off almost with a bit of a proggy structure and some great keys supplied by the great Don Airey, but delves into a deluge of heavy riffing and ends with a spectacular jam. This song seemlessly transitions into another very underrated tune "Juniors Eyes". It opens extremely loosely with Bill and Geezer doing a mellow jam with Tonys guitars having a bit of psychadelic feel with the wah wah effect. Once it hits the chorus it really hits its full potential. Overall, a very different song for the band but I think its a great hidden track that shows a bit more of a loose side. Then we get into "A Hard Road". This song almost reminds me of the band Sweet in its structure. The backing vocals over Ozzy I think give that effect. While the main riff sounds great it is a little muddy in the production. Unfortunately it also sound a little tired in the composition with not a lot going from the main riff. "Shock Wave" opens side two and its another one with a great riff at the center and really carries the song. Its another one with a very simple composition but the band makes its way through with good energy. Its honestly got a great chorus to it. I do like how it gets loose around the solo section with Tony really going for it on his playing. Very underrated tune. "Air Dance" is a softer tune with the keys honestly being a huge highlight. Its some very nice texture but overall the song feels a bu
it lost. It almost sounds like Sabbath Santana at times and gets a little disjointed yet still has some highlights. "Over To You" sounds like it was made to be played on FM radio with how it handles a very simple driving rhythm. However. It still has little dips and dives that keep you interested with the keys popping in and out. The chorus is almost a bit psychadelic in nature as well. "Breakout" is an instrumental that honestly sounds like a filler with a plodding beat and then a deluge of horns which, hey I love horns but it sounds like Sabbath doing Chicago and it doesnt really go anywhere besides some horn soloing. If it was expanded I think it could be something really special but here it feels like just space filler. Finally, we have "Swinging The Chain" which is a slower tune with a rarity of Bill Ward singing. Personally, it feels like a weird song to end on. Mainly because its not featuring the lead vocals and because its more of a bluesy laid back rocker. Bills voice I wont lie sounds great and is heavy as hell. It does pick up into a nice jam toward the end but it doesnt sound like an album ender.
Overall, Sabbath even in their darkest days still could release an album half as good as most of anyone out there. While it does get a little stale on side two with some songs feeling a little lost, the band still has some gems here and Never Say Die is worth the listen for those alone. Black Sabbath is forever!
Rating: 6.5 out of 10