Black Sabbath: Metal or Not?

What the Hell? I didn't even know this was argued about.
Black Sabbath are a metal band. Anyone who doesn't think so ought to put their head in a vice.
Alternatively, stop pretending that you listen to metal.

Black Sabbath is metal, but early metal so it is not as heavy as what we have today

There's nothing heavier than Electric Funeral.

Originally Posted by Jada

There's nothing heavier than Electric Funeral.

Uhm.... I think this qualifies as heavier than Electric Funeral:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQNy5KAENWI

Originally Posted by p0wnn00b

Uhm.... I think this qualifies as heavier than Electric Funeral:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQNy5KAENWI

So does this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGACfUD0M-Q

and this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtK2v3PY-dk

and this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGS8LBWBGus&NR=1

Although some would argue none of that is heavy. The definition of "heavy" varies from person to person, some think the low, crushing doomy guitar is the heaviest, some think the blazing fast technical death metal riffing is heavy and some thing a crushing force to the song is heavy, it's all subjective and no one should pretend it's objective.

Originally Posted by Antropomorphia

So does this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGACfUD0M-Q

and this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtK2v3PY-dk

and this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGS8LBWBGus&NR=1

Although some would argue none of that is heavy. The definition of "heavy" varies from person to person, some think the low, crushing doomy guitar is the heaviest, some think the blazing fast technical death metal riffing is heavy and some thing a crushing force to the song is heavy, it's all subjective and no one should pretend it's objective.

But, I think most people agree that Death metal is heavier than Black Sabbath.

Originally Posted by p0wnn00b

But, I think most people agree that Death metal is heavier than Black Sabbath.

I honestly think a lot of doom metal is heavier than death metal, but death metal is heavier than Black Sabbath, well, a lot of stuff is heavier than Black Sabbath, they're not that heavy.

Why do you keep calling everything heavy? Is there some kind of gravity problem in the 80s?

Originally Posted by CookieConjurer

Why do you keep calling everything heavy? Is there some kind of gravity problem in the 80s?

EPIC reference. Good job.

Originally Posted by Antropomorphia

EPIC reference. Good job.

I 2nd this

sabbath is just as "heavy" as death metal. death metal is just more screaming, rediculus amounts of double bass pedal and 16th noted guitar riffs. Don't even tell me that lord of this world isn't "heavy".

sabbath is metal, anyone who disagrees is wrong, it's a fact.

That's not a good description of death metal at all. 16th notes change duration depending on what tempo (BPM) you're playing in. At 80 bpm 16 notes are obviously slower than if they were played at say 200 bpm. Secondly, the bass pedal is usually used to follow the guitar line, used to add a little kick to the palm mutes, and without the intensity of the drums the music wouldn't feel as fast or chaotic, which is kind of what most death metal bands are going for. Although I do agree on your Sabbath comment, I don't know who would try and argue they aren't metal.

Originally Posted by Gatsby

Led Zeppelin, isn't any kind of metal at all.

Dazed & Confused disagrees.

Originally Posted by p0wnn00b

Uhm.... I think this qualifies as heavier than Electric Funeral:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQNy5KAENWI

Great song, but still not as heavy as Electric Funeral.

heavy = low tones with nones being played for a more than short while
fast: multiple notes played quickly after eachother.
technical: something that takes skill to play
brutality: a good death metal band from the us