Album Review: Black Sabbath - 13

Black Sabbath fans must be pinching themselves - the original line-up back together for the first time since their 1998 reunion with a new album to boot. But the question remains: can the ageing rockers still produce the goods? Can the inexplicably-still-alive Ozzy Osbourne still pack a punch? The answer is thankfully yes. Sabbath return to their roots on 13 and have crafted an album with both heavy riffs and stunning musicianship.

The album contains only eight tracks and they are behemoths – the record's shortest song clocks in at over four and a half minutes. In the meantime the quartet leads the listener through a dense and dark tracklist. The album is bookended by classic Sabbath songs in End Of The Beginning and Damaged Soul. The latter song proves the band can hit a homerun in long-form songwriting as the almost eight-minute track contains insane riffs and a tempo change to keep you guessing. Osbourne owns the album as his voice continues to soar through the years. Meanwhile, it's a joy to hear the group jamming out over the longer songs. The rockers do stumble with certain tracks overstaying their welcome and an extra track or two would have been warranted. The album however is a fine return to form. 13 is a must-have for any Sabbath fan or heavy metal lover.