Reason # 4

Sabbath Bloody Mendel.

Reason # 3

It's undeniable, the iconic image from the cover of Black Sabbath's sixth record "Sabotage" is THE image that pops in my head the second someone mentions the band. It's hard to explain, but, this image seems like an old friend to me.

"Symptom of the Universe" is pummeling. The riff just lays you to waste, begging for mercy. Yet, what I find most appealing about this record is "Hole in the Sky". It's one of those songs that make me feel like this band is accessible to everyone. It has that classic 70's rock feel and it doesn't sound as dark and doomy as their earlier material. This is Sabbath that you can listen to with your Dad once he's middle aged and found God. This is Sabbath you can listen to with your girlfriend. This....is simply bad ass rock n roll.

Reason # 2

When I listen to Sabbath's third album "Master of Reality", I instantly recall the smell of clove cigarettes and exhaust from my best friend's 1971 Chevelle. Sitting shotgun, roaming aimlessly through the streets of Indianapolis with the sole intention of driving fast, head banging to "Sweet Leaf" and doing our best Danzig impressions.

We were 16 years old. And not only were we discovering THE band that created Heavy Metal as we know it today, we were discovering a way of life. Nearly 15 years later, Black Sabbath still stands at the top of my mountain of influence and we remain "Children of the Grave".

"My trust is in whiskey and weed and Black Sabbath..........it's GOD DAMN ELECTRIC" - Phil Anselmo

Reason # 1

The harmonizing guitars on 'A National Acrobat'
Man I loose my mind when the second guitar starts harmonizing. Until AaronMaiden pointed out how crucial this tune was, I severely underestimated the power of it.