Black Sabbath : Vol 4 1st Press 1Y1 / 2Y1

This first pressing on the Vertigo label plays to a FINAL UPGRADE standard with barely any intrusion on the audio.  The clarity, depth and power of the audio on both sides is stunning and even 'Changes' and 'FX' play with great quality.  The vinyl is easily one of the finest examples I have seen and is visually stunning to say the least.

The cover is also in superb condition and has none of the fading/mottling around the edges that you so often see.  It has only very minimal wear and the inner booklet is still fully attached.  A superbly preserved cover!  Rarely this includes an original Swirl inner which is also in excellent order.

As this is a first pressing there is no 'Made in England' on the Side B label and no track times on the inner gatefold.  The cover is matt textured with the VO Price Code on the back.  You can also see the 'great COKE-Cola' credit on the inside.  Porky and Pecko are etched on the run out grooves which of course relates to the famous cutting/mastering engineer George Peckham - another reason why this issue is so collectable.

6360071 1Y // 1   1 2 1 8   PORKY

6360071 2Y // 1   1 1 2   PECKO

The audio on S1 is Mint(-) (T3 Near Mint- / T4 Near Mint)

The audio S2 is Mint(-)

The gatefold is Ex+

The labels are Near Mint-

The original Swirl inner is Ex-

Visual grading

The vinyl is in superb condition and still has an immaculate jet-black glossy sheen.  There are no scratches and it is difficult to find fault it is so clean.  There are only a small number of light sleeve removal hairlines on each side - there is also a very faint hairline 'band' on each side with the one on Side B being a little more obvious.  Still faint though and I'm sure many would not even mention it!  Needless to say they have no affect on the stunning audio.  Side A has only very minimal spindle wear and Side B just a little more.  Aside from that the labels are very clean with no marking or writing.  A superb example!

Play grading

The intro on 'Wheels Of Confusion' has no 'background' at all and the opening vocal then plays with stunning clarity also.  It then plays with a quality you only find on the first/early Vertigo pressings.  The audio is so deep and strong and the mid section instrumental is a prime example of that.  It is just Mint in every way with a sonic quality that is second to none.  As Ozzy bursts back in there is no distortion and the classic end section has never sounded better!  The clarity of each note is 'as new' and the depth and warmth of the music is outstanding - there is just nothing that intrudes on the audio, no 'background' at all.  The long fade is so clean with only a couple of dust ticks right at the end.  I truly believe this is a Mint start to the side.

The intro on 'Tomorrow's Dream' is perfect and it continues in the same precise way with no interference.  There is no 'muddiness' to the sound and this record has clearly not been played very often.  The clarity and depth of the audio is again off the scale.  No static distortion, no 'background' at all just pure Mint audio from the first note to the last.

'Changes' is of course a track that is often affected by static or worse and yet this version is easily one of the 'cleanest' I have ever heard.  If I am being super critical there is just the odd hint of mega quiet static here and there plus one light tick after the first chorus.  However, this 'background' is so minor and non-intrusive in my opinion.  There are no clicks or pops and even on Ozzy's higher register there is no static distortion.  There is perhaps just a little more static just before the final verse but again it is quiet and the very gentle piano that ends the track plays beautifully.  I think a Near Mint- grade is a fair assessment of the audio.  A very impressive version.

There is then complete silence in the dead wax and 'FX' then plays with genuine quality.  How rare is that?!  It is of course so quiet and yet the clarity is exceptional!  There is barely any static and only a couple of minor static ticks.  A fantastic Near Mint version for sure.

The percussive intro on 'Supernaut' is faultless and Iommi's introduction is just as good.  Osbourne's first vocal has no 'background' which in itself is quiet rare as it often plays with some static distortion I find.  It continues to play with tremendous quality and there are just no negatives.  The lack of distortion here is perhaps the most impressive factor - the playback is so 'clean'.  The mid instrumental section is sublime and Ward's long percussive section sounds like it was only pressed yesterday!  The remainder is of the same 'high end' standard and the long fade out has no 'background' at all.  It's not often I can grade this track as Mint- but I can here!

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'Snowblind' plays with stunning quality from the get go and again the clarity is on another level.  You only get this level of quality on a vinyl that has been so well preserved down the years and not over-played.  There is just one mega light tick and from beginning to end there are no clicks or pops and no static either.  The playback is sensational and once more there is no static distortion.  Iommi's closing section could not play any better and Mint- is easily deserved although I'm not sure the minus should be there!

The deep foreboding intro on 'Cornucopia' is flawless and it continues to play with sublime quality as you progress into the track.  Again it's the clarity that really stands out.  I use the term 'as new' a fair amount but that is the best way to describe the audio on offer here.  This track is Mint and then some...

'Laguna Sunrise' plays beautifully with a clarity that cannot be faulted.  There is no intrusion on the audio and each note is just so clean and precise.  A truly stunning version that more than deserves a Mint grade.

'St. Vitus Dance' is of the same standard and there is no need to elaborate here.  How many ways can you describe a track that plays perfectly after all?!  Mint

The classic 'Under The Sun' impresses on many levels.  For a final track the playback is very impressive and there is only the bare minimum of inner groove distortion.  It is so minor and does not impact on the 'listening' experience.  If anything this minimal distortion decreases the more you get into the track which is a little bizarre.  It plays with great power and definition and again there is no interference.  The classic end section is STUNNING and Mint- is fully deserved here.

In summary this first pressing plays to 'high end' standard that you rarely find today.  To say it plays well is an understatement!  I would go so far as to say that this is a FINAL UPGRADE version as the sonic quality and sheer clarity on offer here could not really be improved upon.  It has not been over-played and visually the vinyl is absolutely stunning.  So often the quieter tracks 'Changes' and 'FX' can be affected by interference but there is barely any here.  The lack of inner groove distortion on the final tracks is also very impressive - what an album!

The Gatefold & Inner Sleeve

The cover is one of the finest examples I have seen in a long time.  Due to it being matt textured you often find the front and back cover have a fair amount of fading/marking around the edges but there is none of that here.  The edges have only very minimal rubbing and just a little more towards the lower right corner on the front cover.  The spine is in excellent order with only light rubbing near the top and is still 100% legible.  All corners are very clean with very little wear and the opening edge is more or less perfect.  As stated the front cover is so clean with only a couple of very faint and insignificant marks and the back cover is also in fantastic shape with only minor crease top right and the inside of the gatefold is immaculate with the inner booklet remaining firmly attached.

The first pressings were either issued with a swirl inner or a 'Plastic Bags...' inner and I am pleased to say this one has a swirl!  That is actually quite rare these days I find.  This one is very clean and still poly-lined and only has one small side split.  There is very little creasing and only minimal age related fading around the edges.

Play tested on my Pro-Ject Essential III Turntable / B&W 684 Speakers

This record has been cleaned on a Pro-Ject VC-S machine

6360071 1Y // 1   1 2 1 8   PORKY

6360071 2Y // 1   1 1 2   PECKO

I grade according to "Record Collector" guidelines.

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