Born Again
| Black Sabbath
Born Again
Born Again is the eleventh studio album by English heavy metal band Black Sabbath. Released in August of 1983, it is the first and only album the group recorded with lead vocalist Ian Gillan, best known for his work with Deep Purple. It was also the last Black Sabbath album for nine years to feature original bassist Geezer Butler and the last to feature original drummer Bill Ward, though Ward did record a studio track with the band fifteen years later on their 1998 live album Reunion. The album has received mixed reviews from critics, but was a commercial success upon its 1983 release, reaching No. 4 in the UK charts. The album also hit the top 40 in the United States.-"Wikipedia"
Critic Reviews
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Metal Archives
Born Again may not be a “classic” Sabbath album, but it surely deserves to be compared to the best works of the group. Every album sounded better than the last, and Born Again broke this “chain” of evolution.
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All Music
The idea sure looked good on paper, but when former Deep Purple frontman Ian Gillan joined Black Sabbath for 1983's dreadful Born Again album, the grim reality was that Gillan's bluesy vocal style and oftentimes humorous lyrics were completely incompatible with the lords of doom and gloom.
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Metal Storm
it's definitely the most underrated album in the 80's. It's a great addition for every single one of the fans through the years. Black Sabbath would definitely have a "more empty" discography without this album.
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Green and Black
Not only does the record capture a creative peak; the assorted tales that have crept up around the album lend an aura of mystique. While much of Born Again takes on an upbeat feel at odds with their doom-laden sound, the title track conjures dark vibes. Mournful guitar tones combined with soulful vocals get to the heart of what made a Gillan fronted Sabbath so perfect.
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Sputnik Music
Overall, its not a disappointment but could have been improved a lot. Gillans short stay proved that they were getting a bit lack-luster and needed some more variation. Iommi soloed a bit too much which got tedious as did the lyrics. It could have been a lot better but it wasn’t too bad.
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Sleaze Roxx
Heaved on to the world in August 1983 with an album cover perhaps more suited for a Halloween coming out party, Born Again was the result of the possibilities of a supergroup mixed with the possibility of sabotage (no pun intended) and to this day the “devil baby” cover remains a topic of displeasure amongst those who participated in the album and fans alike.
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Sea of Tranquility
Born Again kicks off with the speed metal burst of "Trashed" that is littered with Gillan's maniacal shrieking and screaming and frenzied lyrics and makes for a promising start. The result of their endeavours in the studio was an album high in dark and devilish atmospherics and imagery but also a stodgy, lifeless mix.
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Pop Matters
The album was a weird, eclectic mix, comprised of seven songs – not counting two time-filling instrumentals – that ranged from fun rock ‘n’ rollers, to blues-drenched ballads, to strange excursions in atonality, to arguably the heaviest song Black Sabbath has ever recorded. While many Sabbath fans regard the Martin-era output as strong, none of those albums have withstood the test of time as well as Born Again has. Sure, sonically it's awfully tough to penetrate, but it is one resilient record, and is absolutely worth buying.
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Alternative Nation
All and all Born Again is not a good album nor is it a terrible one. There is one solid track and two okay tracks keeping the album from being completely bad. Many good ideas can be found on this record though are ruined by the poor production, unfitting vocals and in the case of the last three tracks, lazy songwriting.
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