Unboxing the Paranoid Super Deluxe Edition

If you read my article ranking all of original Black Sabbath's songs in December, then you'll know that I'm a pretty big Black Sabbath fan. (And if you didn't read it, then the preceding sentence has more than likely tipped you off.) They're one of my favourite rock/heavy metal bands ever and their groundbreaking second album, Paranoid (1970), is one of my favourite albums ever. So as you can imagine, my eyes popped out of my head when I learned that Paranoid was coming out as a 4-disc Super Deluxe Edition. I waited until after Christmas to order it from Amazon for $44 (Canadian) and it arrived just as I was shovelling snow in the windswept subarctic desert that I call my neighbourhood. So let's open this bad boy, shall we?

It's a decent weight. Feels solid enough. I've taken the shrink wrap off, but I almost feel bad for throwing it away since it has a sticker that lists everything included in the package – the only place on the whole thing where such a list exists. Oh well. At least the back of the box gives us a complete track list. The original artwork looks fabulous (and just as quirky as ever). And the header text is in glorious pink and purple. Nice.

Like I said, the box feels solid. It's got a wide, front-side lid which makes the box spread open just a bit when stood up. I would've preferred a thin box with a jacket-style lid – you know, the kind that DVD box sets often come in.

The first thing the set gives us is the 60 page hardcover booklet. This thing looks cool, good quality, in colour. I haven't finished reading it yet, but it goes over the band's early history and the album's recording process and includes lots of interviews, pictures, concert advertisements, and period newspaper clippings. Neat! Next up is the 16 page replica tour program pamphlet by the Chrysalis Group. Kind of cool. I don't think it's especially interesting but it does spotlight a couple other bands of the era: Freedom and Curved Air.

After that we have the one-sided poster, approximately 55x54 cm. It sure looks cool, what with the signature Paranoid font and colours, though in my opinion there are better photos of the band they could've used for this.

And now on to the discs. Each one comes in a plastic sleeve inside a folding cardboard sleeve, a lot like a vinyl record. Unfortunately the plastic sleeve – which I'm not sure is even necessary, by the way – is really flimsy and it folds and scrunches whenever I try putting the disc back in the cardboard case. The cases all look great and the two live albums have very stylish and psychedelic designs. Excellent job there.

Lastly, there's the music itself. Disc 1 is the 2009 remaster of Paranoid. It sounds good, more cleaned up than the 1990 Warner Bros. Music edition that I bought previously. For example, “War Pigs” no longer has that noticeable volume increase during the second half of the second verse. And maybe it's just me but it seems like the bass has been turned up. I especially find this the case with “Electric Funeral”.

Disc 2 is the same album, just the quadraphonic mix of it originally released in 1974, now on CD for the first time. I don't have a home stereo to properly support this mix, but I promise that if and when I eventually get one this is going to be the first album I play on it! Of course you could just try playing it in your car, but it'll only sound right if you sit in the exact centre of your vehicle. (DISCLAIMER'S NOTE: do not attempt to drive around while sitting in the centre of your vehicle's interior!) TONY'S NOTE: do it!

Disc 3 is the previously unreleased live recording at Montreux in August 1970, before Paranoid even came out. It sounds great – Ozzy's voice sounds clear and crisp when compared to the songs' studio recordings – though the intro and the encore applause parts do drag on a bit. For some reason, the track list doesn't include the closer “Rat Salad”. Still, this album is an interesting piece of heavy metal history.

But if you ask me, Disc 4 is the much better live recording included here. It's a Black Sabbath concert from Brussels in October 1970 which can be found on video on YouTube (though the video titles erroneously list it as “Live in Paris”). This recording sounds moodier and Ozzy interacts with the crowd a bit more here, such as when he yells at the crowd to clap to the opening of “Iron Man”. This recording also includes Tony Iommi playing “Black Sabbath” with a sinister opening guitar solo which sounds awesome. The only downside is that in both of these live albums, the bass is hard to hear. This kind of blemishes the renditions of “Hand of Doom”. Otherwise, the Brussels concert is a great, historic recording that I'd listen to any time. What's interesting is that each of these live recordings sometimes have alternate lyrics like in “Hand of Doom” and “Iron Man”. The Montreux concert recording has Ozzy singing “War Pigs's” original “Walpurgis” lyrics.

Overall, this Paranoid Super Deluxe Edition box set is sweet. Even though one of its discs is functionally useless to me (right now, at least), it has enough extras and a professional presentation that handily earns the set's price tag. If you're a big fan of classic Sabbath then consider checking this one out. You'll like it.