PureGrainAudio’s THROWBACK THURSDAY: Thanksgiving Edition Featuring BLACK SABBATH, PANTERA and BLACK FLAG

Happy Thanksgiving to our brothers from the south! This week we shall give thanks to the prince of darkness, Ozzy Osborne, and Black Sabbath, not to mention the Americanos Pantera and Black Flag. Bands like these were staple influences for the groups you all like today. We really hope you guys like this little series, we often forget about the great bands with all this overplayed crap on the radio. Have no fear, though, we’ll add some lesser known tracks too.

01. Black Sabbath – “Paranoid”
– Back in 1970, this bad boy made its debut off the album of the same name. This is the second studio recording from the group and even topped the charts in their homeland. The track (and lead single) comes off an album cited countless times as being one of the most influential in heavy metal music, ever. This song is kind of nostalgic for me, my brother rocked this bad boy out at our high school concert. Ah! To be young again. As for the video, I think it will make a little more sense if y’all were passing the dutch. The editing isn’t so bad for the ‘70s. Nevertheless, it’s a sick track.

02. Pantera – “I’m Broken”
– If these guys were still around, Dimebag and all, they would still be mopping the floor out of these terrible kids. Released in 1994, off the Far Beyond Driven, “Broken” is the first single off this 7th album. This is personally one of my favourites, so when Kerry King was quoted saying it’s his favourite guitar riff, probably because it all started by them farting around during sound check. I don’t want to age myself but back in the ‘90s bands weren’t actors, they didn’t have fancy shmancy videos, they just rocked the fuck out.

Anyway, back to the track, the lyrics were inspired but vocalist/lyricist Phil Anselmo and his ongoing back problems. After all, this was their 7th albums, so you can imagine the touring that happened prior to the release. Betcha didn’t know this was nominated for a Grammy in 1995, did ya?

03. Black Flag – “Rats Eyes” Live 1984
– This is a treat for the kids that are into live videos. Recorded in Leeds, UK, Black Flag’s “Rats Eyes” is of their fourth studio album Slip It In. This beauty of an album was recorded at the bands peak hype during a brief break. In the same year, they pumped out another 2 albums. The album’s length is only a whopping 38:37 and encompasses a diverse sound from the following albums combining jazz and sludge grunge punk rock.

2 sides of an album, 8 tracks, and “Rats Eyes” live video is one for your viewing pleasure. Rocking out on a small stage, in a tiny venue to fans overseas. The internet wasn’t huge then so finding out about bands happened the conventional way.