Pioneers of Heavy Metal, Black Sabbath’s roots date back to 1968 when Guitarist Tony Iommi and Drummer Bill Ward sought a new artistic direction following the breakup of their previous band Mythology. Mythology was more of a classic Blues Rock band, and Black Sabbath would retain some of these influences. Still, Black Sabbath would be a vastly different project, with heavy guitars and a darker atmosphere taking the forefront, featuring Geezer Butler on bass and the unmistakable Ozzy Osbourne on vocals. At the forefront of a Heavy Metal revolution, Black Sabbath’s style was defined by downtuned guitar riffs, ample distortion, and a blueprint for the Doom Metal genre that took shape in the 1980s with bands like Witchfinder General and Candlemass.
With a rich history, Black Sabbath has the distinction of selling more than 70 million records worldwide, being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006, and receiving a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019. Tremendous accomplishment, above all, they have attained iconic status with a dedicated following who were with them until their final live performance on July 5, 2025. An epic final concert, they called Back to the Beginning, took place at Villa Park in Aston, Birmingham, England, near where the band was formed in 1968, and over 180 million (in American currency) was raised in ticket sales, merchandise, etc, but donated to Acorns Children’s Hospice, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Cure Parkinson’s. A lovely and noble gesture, it was a bittersweet farewell not only to Black Sabbath, but to Ozzy Osbourne, who sadly passed away weeks later on July 22nd at 76 years of age after prolonged health issues.
The end of an era, Ozzy and Black Sabbath might be gone, but are not forgotten, with fans of all ages still digging deep into their extensive discography. With nineteen studio albums to pick from, thirteen of which were with Ozzy, and the last being 2013’s 13, theirs is a career full of exciting moments together. In fact, many Black Sabbath listeners would argue some of their best work came between 1970’s Black Sabbath and Paranoid, along with 1971’s Master of Reality and 1972’s Vol. 4. A solid foundation to build up from, interestingly enough these four records would be primarly focal point for the 1976 compliation album entitled We Sold Our Soul for Rock ‘n’ Roll.
Released in January 1976, the story goes that, upon Black Sabbath signing with NEMS, the label also acquired the back catalogue of Black Sabbath’s material from their manager, Patrick Meehan. The kicker was that the band fired Meehan in 1975, but this did not stop him from authorizing NEMS to secure the rights to put together the We Sold Our Soul for Rock ‘n’ Roll release. A bit sneaky, the worst part is that the band had no clue it was happening, and only learned about it when fans brought the record to Tony Iommi after a concert to sign it. Surprise! Well, the even more insane part of it all was that Black Sabbath did not receive any residuals from the release, nor from any subsequent re-releases.
Rather unfortunate for Black Sabbath, on the flip side, this compilation was an essential release for the band, bridging the gap between their dedicated following and an ever-growing fanbase. With many key components from signature Black Sabbath tracks, the release includes 1970s “Black Sabbath,” “Paranoid,” “War Pigs,” and “Iron Man.” Additionally, there are other fantastic standouts like 1971’s “Sweet Leaf” and “Children of the Grave,” plus 1973’s “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.” Just some of the seventeen songs selected for the compilation, chances are, many new Black Sabbath fans were made in 1976 with this nice compact audio history of the band’s earlier years spinning on their record player.
Going on to attain multi-platinum status, the initial 1976 release on cassette and vinyl was followed by CD releases in 1990, 1998, and again in 2021. Subsequently, a remastered vinyl reissue was released in 2018 by Rhino/Warner Records as part of their Rocktober series. Now in 2025, there is a fresh chance to own We Sold Our Soul for Rock ‘n’ Roll on vinyl again. Released on October 17, 2025, as part of Rhino’s Rocktober 2025 edition, this new pressing is on double translucent green vinyl. Rather eye-catching, the limited 2018 edition was available in red, green, or standard black, and this latest edition is an excellent opportunity to fill the void if you missed out.
Pressed to high-quality 180-gram vinyl, it is sourced from the 2012 remaster and sounds extremely crisp and clear. So, if you are a completist or someone who wants to offer a new generation a good sample platter of the early days of Black Sabbath, this is an excellent purchase. That is why Cryptic Rock gives the 2023 vinyl reissue of We Sold Our Soul for Rock ‘n’ Roll 4.5 out of 5 stars.
){kind=link}
No comment