ALBUM
PUMP UP THE VOLUME!
THIS MONTH SEES THE REISSUE OF THE CONNOISSEURS’ SABBATH ALBUM, VOL. 4. TG ANALYSES HOW IOMMI CREATED THE ALBUM’S HEAV Y SOUND
MONSTER DOWN-TUNING
After losing his fingertips to an industrial accident, Tony Iommi had a battle to keep playing guitar. On the Paranoid tour, Sabbath began playing in Eb to reduce string tension. Vol. 4 became the first Sabbath album recorded entirely in C# standard. A lucky by-product was the monstrous down-tuned effect. They didn’t wear it out by simply chugging on the low C#, though. Most of the riffs are played higher on the neck, with really low notes dropped in occasionally for flavour.