Master Of Reality [SHM-SACD] [Limited Release] [SACD]

I am quite critical of many of these SHM-SACD's. There are a few that sound really stellar, some others which sound good and quite many which I think are only average sounding at best and have better digital versions out there. This "Master of Reality" SHM-SACD clearly belongs to the handful of really really great SHM-SACD's. It handily beats the already very nice 2009 remastering on CD done by Andy Pearce, which was much better than any previous incarnation on CD. This SHM-SACD has a similar tonality to that 2009 remastered CD but sounds even smoother and a less harsh (not that the 2009 remaster was harsh sounding - maybe in direct comparison with this SHM-SACD at loud volumes). I can only hope that they do some other titles by Black Sabbath in the same quality. I did not like the "Paranoid" SHM-SACD and thought that the first Japanese CD pressing was much much better. Would love to see "Volume 4" and the self-titled first album. "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" and "Sabotage" would also be nice to own in a great mastering. Even "Technical Ecstasy" and "Never Say Die!" would be appreciated, if they're done right. Maybe a high number of sales for this "Master of Reality" title will encourage Universal to do more Black Sabbath albums.

A fantastic sounding SACD. I only wish the Paranoid SHM-SACD was treated this well. In Japan, I don't think that there has been a CD version of this album (or any other Sabs album) sourced from tape since the Vertigo/Nippon Phonogram release in 1987, so any reviews discussing other versions from Japan, SHMs, etc. are somewhat pointless, in my view. Those were taken from overseas masterings that had already been issued. Some were tweaked, some were not. The Castle/Sanctuary remasters (1996/2004) have been issued in Japan what seems like countless times. JVC and then Universal Japan milked those for all they were worth and then some. There was finally the Japan SHM 2CD release of Master Of Reality with the bonus tracks a couple of years ago, but again; this was simply the much praised Andy Pearce mastering used for the 2009 Deluxe Edition in the UK. Nice, but the same thing was available for cheaper, unless one wanted snazzier packaging or believes that SHM can really have much impact on an identical digital mastering. Here we are dealing with a fresh transfer done in the UK, but specifically for this release. I think this is probably the definitive digital release of this album. Richard Whittaker (FX Mastering, England) should be commended for his work here, in what I highly suspect was a "less is more" approach. You really get the sense that while the remaster by Andy Pearce was great, you are peaking into the sound of the master tapes here. And it is glorious! I was never a fan of the drum production on this album compared to Vol. 4. I felt they went for that dry, in your face sound here, as opposed to the more open and large room approach, but there is a certain sonic attack that this album features where I suppose that it does work. The restraint on this album is epic. I suppose when musicians of this calibre realize what they have at hand, they are able to hear the music as a whole. It is simply uncanny how disciplined it all is and how there is almost no "overplaying" of any kind. I enjoy the Sabs when they stretch out as musicians, too, but here it seems to have been about one, glorious sound of dirt. And to say this album was ahead of its time would be an understatement of epic proportion. Way to go Universal Japan, now bring on the rest of the Sabbath catalog. Landmark recordings like these deserve this type of treatment! Sabotage on SACD must happen!

an artist who chills me to the bone. this recording is from the original analogue tapes and it is (DSD). 2011 remaster, just cleaning up for the way it was on lp back in 71. better than the shm-cd format. which was probably done by a 2nd or 3rd generation tape.