Technical Ecstasy

Technical Ecstasy is an ambitious work on which Black Sabbath, while firmly basing itself on its former overwhelming weight, boldly stepped into keyboards, more complex song construction and the rich sway of melody. A record on which, amid the changing times, the band tried to greatly update its own style. Tony Iommi’s guitar is still powerfully placed at the songs’ center, and Ozzy Osbourne’s voice, while firmly keeping the uneasy air, moves powerfully through new colors. From the powerful opener “Back Street Kids” and the shading of “You Won’t Change Me” to the sentimental “It’s Alright,” every song is engaging, while cuts like “Rock ’n’ Roll Doctor” and the long-grooving “Dirty Women” convey the work’s fullness. Content on which broader musicality strongly appears. A record on which the momentum of “Back Street Kids,” the deep shading of “You Won’t Change Me” and the long, sticky groove of “Dirty Women” powerfully show that this album aims not at mere change but at an expansion of its expression. An engaging record on which Black Sabbath, while greatly shaking its own style, by no means let go of its heavy character — a record where the band’s challenge shines.