Nativity in Black: A Tribute to Black Sabbath

Carson gave this album on2010-10-12.

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Normally, my opinion of tribute albums is low. Either the new renditions sound so much like the originals that there is no incentive to listen to the cover. Or, they covering artist has taken the song in a direction so far away from the original that it is barely recognizable. Nativity in Black displays neither of these limitations.

For the most part Nativity in Black retains the Blues influenced sound of Black Sabbath while remaining true to the genres of the covering groups; this melding creates a fusion of Blues Metal and Goth Metal, Thrash, Speed Metal, and Industrial Metal. It is truly amazing to hear the wide variety of styles that Black Sabbath's music can be reworked into.

I find it odd to hear Ozzy singing "Iron Man" on a tribute album, but the music is definitely being played by Therapy? so the track does have a markedly different feel than the original. Speaking of members of Black Sabbath, between Geezer Butler and Bill Ward on "The Wizard" and Ozzy on "Iron Man", almost all of the original lineup appears on the album, only Tony Iommi is absent. This could be viewed as an endorsement by the group for the covers, as I doubt they would appear on the album if they didn't think it was being true to their work; or at least if it was not offering something of artistic value.

Bruce Dickinson's singing style and voice seem an unusual pairing with Black Sabbath's music, but he actually manages to pull it off well in "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath". As to be expected, Faith No More has a good time with "War Pigs" and shows that you do not have to take things too seriously to pay tribute to your fore-runners.

Overall, this is an excepional compilation featuring many styles of metal and presents an excellent homage to one of the style's founding groups.

Track	Name		Carson	Katherine		Track	Name		Carson	Katherine
1	After Forever					7	Symptom of the Universe
2	Children of the Grave					8	The Wizard
3	Paranoid					9	Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
4	Supernaut					10	N.I.B.
5	Iron Man					11	War Pigs
6	Lord of This World					12	Black Sabbath