BLACK SABBATH - VOL 4 1st UK Press 1972 EX VERTIGO SWIRL PORKY PECKO

	£		77
	$		102

BLACK SABBATH -

VOL 4

VERTIGO  6360 071

1st UK press 1972 

machined matrices 1Y//1 2Y//1

"PORKY" and "PECKO" etched into the run outs

NO "Made in England" on the label, which would be a second press.

BLACK SABBATH ''BLACK SABBATH VOL 4''  RAREST EVER TO FIND, VERTIGO SWIRL! IT IS BELIEVED THAT JUST A COUPLE OF THOUSAND WERE PRESSED ON THIS LABEL WITH THE PORKY AND PECKO MASTER ETCHINGS! AND TO TOP THIS OFF ONE OF THE BEST THAT I HAVE HEARD!!!! AWESOME (RAREST EVER) BLACK SABBATH 1st UK PRESS GATEFOLD COVER!!!! TOP! TOP! AUDIO THROUGHOUT!!! THE ORIGINAL SWIRL INNER SLEEVE IS ALSO STILL THERE WITH THE POLY INNER LINER ATTACHED .

Vol. 4 is the point in Black Sabbath's career where the band's legendary drug consumption really starts to make itself felt. And it isn't just in the lyrics, most of which are about the blurry line between reality and illusion. Vol. 4 has all the messiness of a heavy metal Exile on Main St., and if it lacks that album's overall diversity, it does find Sabbath at their most musically varied, pushing to experiment amidst the drug-addled murk. As a result, there are some puzzling choices made here (not least of which is the inclusion of "FX"), and the album often contradicts itself. Ozzy Osbourne's wail is becoming more powerful here, taking greater independence from Tony Iommi's guitar riffs, yet his vocals are processed into a nearly textural element on much of side two. Parts of Vol. 4 are as ultra-heavy as Master of Reality, yet the band also takes its most blatant shots at accessibility to date -- and then undercuts that very intent. 

The effectively concise "Tomorrow's Dream" has a chorus that could almost be called radio-ready, were it not for the fact that it only appears once in the entire song. "St. Vitus Dance" is surprisingly upbeat, yet the distant-sounding vocals don't really register. The notorious piano-and-Mellotron ballad "Changes" ultimately fails not because of its change-of-pace mood, but more for a raft of the most horrendously clichéd rhymes this side of "moon-June." Even the crushing "Supernaut" -- perhaps the heaviest single track in the Sabbath catalog -- sticks a funky, almost danceable acoustic breakdown smack in the middle. Besides "Supernaut," the core of Vol. 4 lies in the midtempo cocaine ode "Snowblind," which was originally slated to be the album's title track until the record company got cold feet, and the multi-sectioned prog-leaning opener, "Wheels of Confusion." The latter is one of Iommi's most complex and impressive compositions, varying not only riffs but textures throughout its eight minutes.

 Many doom and stoner metal aficionados prize the second side of the album, where Osbourne's vocals gradually fade further and further away into the murk, and Iommi's guitar assumes center stage. The underrated "Cornucopia" strikes a better balance of those elements, but by the time "Under the Sun" closes the album, the lyrics are mostly lost under a mountain of memorable, contrasting riffery. Add all of this up, and Vol. 4 is a less cohesive effort than its two immediate predecessors, but is all the more fascinating for it. Die-hard fans sick of the standards come here next, and some end up counting this as their favorite Sabbath record for its eccentricities and for its embodiment of the band's excesses. (From: Allmusic.com)

 Another from my personal collection!!! Purchased from new and has been kept in a case with the vinyl separated from the cover to prevent ring wear! This is very very sought after original AND IN MY OPINION RAREST EVER UK press! Very rarely seen with the "PORKY and PECKO" etchings in the run-out groove .These were only put on a very limited amount of issues of this pressing!  Please note! I have all of the original UK Black Sabbath albums in my collection and I have played many copies of this album always striving to find the best and top quality available to me over the years! This vinyl is up there with the best that I have ever heard of this pressing! It is rare enough to find this label variation but to find with very near perfect audio will be very hard to surpass and it has got to be a must for any avid Sabbath audiophiles or collectors out there!! 

Vinyl: EX . Stunning deep glossy and heavy vinyl. This has not been played much. A beautiful glossy vinyl without any marks or major hairlines. Under a strong light just some wispy retraction paper traces/lines can be seen. These are mostly invisible in normal daylight. It has a few needle lines but just on the run out where the "PORKY" and "PECKO" marks are, not in the grooves at all. I subjected the record to a detailed listen on my high end system and it sounded stunning. Lovely channel separation without any distortion or crackle. This vinyl is a beautiful upgrade. The very first label variation without "Made in England". Within the spindle hole we still find vinyl debris attached which indicates few plays only. Definitely in the top 10% for this album which is usually only found in well worn conditions.

Gatefold sleeve: EX.  Without doubt one of the hardest gatefolds to still find intact!! A great matt sleeve with only the very lightest storage wear near the corner edge. In most cases the black coloured fields have worn badly. NOT THIS ONE!! It still looks incredible. The spine is still 100% legible. The opening is super crisp. This still has the inner photo booklet intact and attached. These pages are in supreme condition. Just a light yellowing mark in "Vol. 4" front. There are no creases and there is no writing or foxing anywhere. The opening is super crisp. this has to be seen in the flesh to be properly appreciated. A superb well looked after and stored album. NO writing, NO marks, NO stains, NO creases.  An upgrade for most collectors.

This is a unique investment opportunity!!! The next prog album to go completely through the roof. Finding this album in any condition at all is nearly impossible so late in the day. Get this while you still can. This value of the album is only going to go one way ... up and up ... until it will be totally unavailable at all for a reasonable price.

Important : International postage will be registered and insured if over GBP 30.00.  In the UK, if over £100.00 this will be sent special delivery. Please wait for an amended invoice before paying. Postage will be according to Royal Mail rates. Postage is NOT a money spinning exercise for me.

Though there are rarely ever any problems with my items, I always try my very best to describe everything exactly!  PLEASE REMEMBER to contact me FIRST,  if you have any problems at all, before you leave feedback and star ratings, so I get a chance to turn any negative experience into a positive one!  I can always happily sort anything out for you, if you let me know you have a problem!  This way no one has to leave Negative/Neutral feedback - and we both walk away happy! Similarly with the amount of stars, anything less than a full 5 * rating is effectively detrimental to a seller's rating as lower ratings will incur higher Final Value Fees  and lower priority in the bidlists eventually making it unattractive to list items on Ebay at all. I know of at least one major previous Ebay seller who has decided not to list via Ebay again. Please do NOT bid if you cannot give me at least 1 chance to sort everything out to your FULL satisfaction in the unlikely event of a problem.  Thanks again!!

This an excellent investment opportunity!!! Any questions please ask me and I will try to answer soon.

This an excellent investment opportunity!!! Any questions please ask me and I will try to answer soon.

Though there are rarely ever any problems with my items, I always try my very best to describe everything exactly!  PLEASE REMEMBER to contact me FIRST,  if you have any problems at all, before you leave feedback and star ratings, so I get a chance to turn any negative experience into a positive one!  I can always happily sort anything out for you, if you let me know you have a problem!  This way no one has to leave Negative/Neutral feedback - and we both walk away happy! Similarly with the amount of stars, anything less than a full 5 * rating is effectively detrimental to a seller's rating as lower ratings will incur higher Final Value Fees  and lower priority in the bidlists eventually making it unattractive to list items on Ebay at all. I know of at least one major previous Ebay seller who has decided not to list via Ebay again. Please do NOT bid if you cannot give me at least 1 chance to sort everything out to your FULL satisfaction in the unlikely event of a problem.  Thanks again!!

This an excellent investment opportunity!!! Any questions please ask me and I will try to answer soon.