52. Black Sabbath - S/T

My older cousin schooled me in metal with this album when I was just eight years old. I liked it, but didn't come to fully appreciate it until a few years later when I snuck into my cousin's room to steal his cigarettes and spare change. All I got was the stale butt of a Kool and three dimes, but I found this album on the floor and took it home with me.

This time, I really got into it. The songs were long and murky in a sludge-rock sort of way and the music was somewhat trippy. Even all these years later, listening to this album is like walking through an acid trip while wearing boots made of cement. Sounds weird and maybe off putting, but there is no denying that as a whole, it works.

While The Wizard (and last night at a hockey game, Todd thought that would make a cool intro song for the team to come out to) is what stands out for me as most defining the Sabbath I knew and loved (read: the first three albums), it's N.I.B. that really takes me back to those days of looking for loose change and choking on Kools. It's a testament to the timelesness of this album that I can put this on in the car and not feel silly singing "My name is Lucifer, please take my hand" because it's followed by such an awesome guitar riff.

Favorite song: N.I.B.
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