Black Sabbath-13(Bonus Tracks)-Review

   
    Besides the eight tracks included on the standard edition of the album, there are four bonus tracks distributed across various versions of the album. I will be reviewing the tracks individually, and I will assign a score to each song, as I feel they don't represent the album as a whole.

First up is "Methademic". I really don't understand why this song was excluded from the album, but suspect is has to do with the running time. After a beautiful acoustic introduction, the kicks into a drilling Tony riff, very hypnotic. Ozzy sounds great on the track, one of the best vocals on 13. Also, the band has certainly had its share of songs about drugs, it seems natural to included another one on the album, as it ties-together their long discography.

Score-8/10

Next is "Peace of Mind". I cannot fathom why this song was excluded from the standard version of 13, and is actually my favorite song from these sessions. Is is a great song, and features one of the best riffs on the album. The song instantly reminds of Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, and perhaps that is why it was excluded. Being a super-fan of Geezer Butler, I was very excited to hear his bass work on this track, his strongest on the album in my opinion. So with great bass, vocals, drums, and of course a killer riff, why was the song left off the standard version? Maybe we will never know.

Score-10/10

Third is "Pariah". A great title for a metal song, and a great f-ing song. Tony delivers a very groovy riff, almost like funk metal, but obviously darker and sludgier.   I absolutely love the riff, amazing stuff from Tony, the heaviest song on the album. Ozzy's voice does show signs of not being able to hit the chorus notes, but he just manages. And really, what do you want from someone who is approaching their senior years. The song feels a bit rushed, it could have used a few more production techniques, but still kicks ass.

Score-9/10

   Finally, "Naivete in Black" was included on the "Best Buy" deluxe editions and the Japanese editions of the album. The riff instantly reminds of Tony's 1990s output, and I am willing to bet that the song is more than few years old. While this doesn't make the song bad, it just feels somewhat out of place with the rest of the album. The song is easily the worst bonus track, and feels very demo-like.

Score-7/10