While 2020 has been completely bonkers for so many people, it must also be remembered that it marks the 50th birthday of heavy metal itself. With their first two LPs, Birmingham doom crew Black Sabbath unleashed a new era of darkness and power onto the world of rock and roll. Now, to honor the 50th anniversary of the release of their second album Paranoid, Sabbath have announced that they’ll be putting out a super deluxe vinyl box set of the album…and man, does it look delicious.
The Paranoid Super Deluxe edition comes in as either a 5LP or 4CD version, and includes the original album, a rare 1974 quadrophonic mix of the album, and two concerts from 1970 recorded in Brussels and Montreux. The vinyl version also includes a hardbound book featuring interviews with all four original members of Black Sabbath, as well as rare photos, a poster, a replica Paranoid tour book, and other cool goodies.
This is basically a dream gift for any heavy metal fan, and with it currently priced at only about $110, it’s kind of a steal. If you’re not sure whether or not you should purchase it, burn one down and then see how you feel.
The Paranoid Super Deluxe box set will come out October 9th, and is available for pre-order.
READ THIS: Mandatory Metal – 5 Essential Black Sabbath Songs
For many, Paranoid is Black Sabbath’s defining album. Released on September 18th, 1970, the record included both the band’s downer-rock blues and the speedy, manic heavy metal that plenty of fans would come to love them for. Included in the album are some of the band’s most groundbreaking hits, including “Iron Man,” “War Pigs,” “Hand of Doom,” and the powerhouse title track.
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Words by Chris Krovatin
