Simple. You can listen to a full track streaming version of the new Black Sabbath song. Listen below.
UPDATE: The album is now available to pre-order from the US iTunes store. It’s the DELUXE edition (the one with 11 tracks, not 8 – more on that here), and if you pre-order now, you’ll get an immediate download of “God is Dead?”. Linkage: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/13-deluxe-version/id633814827
UPDATE 2: Universal Media Group (the record label) has put a copyright claim on the band’s official Youtube video, and had it removed. Gotta love nonsense like that, eh? One hand not knowing what the other is doing, indeed. I alerted people who need to be alerted but until the video returns, you can listen to it on Spotify, or with the iHeartRadio stream below. Or you can just buy the single from either Amazon.com or iTunes.
Lyrics
These lyrics have been verified by Geezer Butler late last night – they’re accurate, so check ’em out!
Lost in the darkness I fade from the light
Faith of my father, my brother, my maker and Saviour
Help me make it through the night
Blood on my conscience and murder in mind
Out of the gloom I rise up from my tomb
Into impending doom
Now my body is my shrine
The blood runs free, the rain turns red
Give me the wine you keep, the bread
The voices echo in my head
Is God alive or is God dead?
Is God dead?
Rivers of evil run through dying land
Swimming in sorrow they kill, steal and borrow
There is no tomorrow for the sinners will be damned
Ashes to ashes, you can not exhume my soul
Who do you trust when corruption and lust,
Creed of all the unjust leaves you empty and unwhole
When will this nightmare be over, tell me?
When can I empty my head?
Will someone tell me the answer
Is God really dead?
Is God really dead?
To safeguard my philosophy until my dying breath
I transfer from reality into a living death
I empathize with enemies until the time is right
With God and Satan at my side, from darkness will come light
I watch the rain as it turns red
Give me more wine I don’t need bread
These riddles that live inside my head
I don’t believe that God is dead!
God is dead
Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide
Wondering if we will meet again on the other side
Do you believe a word, what the good book says
Or is it just a holy fairytale and God is dead
God is dead
God is dead
God is dead
God is dead
Right!
But still the voices in my head are telling me that God is dead
The blood pours down, the rain turns red
I don’t believe that God is dead!
God is dead
God is dead
God is dead
Black Sabbath is back!!
They are…riffs, killer bass, life is good!! Do we have confirmation that Wilk will be the drummer on tour?
I love it. Geezer’s bass sounds immense. Tony is superb as always and Ozzy, well you either love him or hate him these days – and I love him. Roll on December 22.
PS. Thanks for the great website Joe.
First 6 minutes really drag on, I wish there was more variety within those 6 minutes. After 6:30 minute mark it feels like a whole different song and I like that part way more than other parts. Also where is Iommi’s guitar solo? I was really looking forward to a killer guitar solo. Geezer’s bass lines were awesome on the bridge part.
All in all, I’m not really satisfied with the song. I don’t see it how they will play it live, those first minutes would really drag on.
I find the 1st part of this song realy boring,its just kinda lame intro os something.What with this repeating of Gis is dead and Ihardradio ondemand thing that keeps playing on the song.Geezers bass riffs rocks,Tony`s guitars are so so nothing spectacular.The drums sound lame as hell but what did we expect its not Bill or Vinni.All in All a semi decent song but nothing overly impressive to me.Would have been better if it wasnt rubin producing and martin birch instead.
I agree with you Aaron! That iheart radio lady was quite damned annoying! I think Ozzy’s voice was too over dubbed and a little too loud. And yea, where was the solo from Tony? Very weird choice for a promo indeed. Hope the rest sounds better.?
“the hard…” is a mark …when you get the album there were no mark. In my opinion very wise the solo bass . the voice wish it can be more obscure and the first part of the song its poor. The Hole in the sky part is cool but is HOLE INTHE SKY always. the drum doing well…
The BASS part its the better of the track. I remember the single Bible Black…and even though Starway to Heaven soundlike at the beginning it was more compact heavy song than this. greetings from Chile.
I’d say your comments were dead on. Really disappointed in the lack of a guitar solo. Overall, I think it’s a weird choice for a “single.”
I think that this album is going to be great. Except the absence of a trademark-guitar solo it’s a solid song, really sabbath!
I like the song, I particularly love the bass line.
Thanx man!!! Great song!!!
Addictive !
I have listened to the song a few times now and I LOVE IT!
I knew they would put Ozzy’s vocals up too loud instead of how 1970-1978 Sabbath had them. Not a bad song though.
No Bill Ward, NO Black Sabbath.
I like the song, amazed that there was no lead on it, but this is hard to place. Maybe somewhere in the first three, but it seems to have a different feel. I get the feeling that Bill not being there did affect the sounding of the album, but Brad Wilk does do an amazing job on the song, but it is hard to describe it.
Love it!
Im so damn excited for the new album. I have been waiting to see Black Sabbath for so many years. I have seen many shows. I’ve even seen Ozzy a couple times, but nothing will compare to this show. YOu guys have always been my favorite band. The single gave me goose bumbs. You guys are absolutely amazing. See you in Toronto!!
Yes!!!! Lyrically evocative of After Forever in a couple of lines. If the rest of the songs are as good as this, then we will have a solid album. If there is anything on the album better than this, then we will have a GREAT album.
God is not dead but this. Is great new Sabbath song can’t wait for rest of album. It still need Bill Ward not really Sabbath with out bill god bless you all
Well, after listening to it, I’m not so happy anymore.
It’s just as bad as I was worried it’d be.
The same crap Iommi and Ozzy have been doing for the past 10 years….
Slow, plodding riff (that would have been just an intro, back in the day, not the entire song),
uninspired rehashed lyrics, and a half-hearted performance all around.
8+ minutes and Tony couldn’t fit in a solo?
THIS IS THE PROMO/SINGLE?
No thanks, Sharon, I’ll keep my $.
I can very well understand your opinion on the song. But what has Sharon Osbourne to do with this? I’ve been around in Sabbath forums for years, and it seems to be just impossible to have any discussion about any Sabbath-related issue without somebody mentioning Sharon as being responsible for whatever they dislike. You think Sharon wrote this song? You think the band wrote exactly the song you would like, and then Sharon came and forced them to change everything?
It’s amazing: in a world where women have less than 100% of the money, and MUCH less of the weapons, and an extremely low participation in power altogether, a woman who actually has some money and some power (like Sharon) seems to be so extraordinary for many men that they start to project the responsibility for every single bad thing in the world onto her. And even IF Sharon had a vote in the making of Sabbath songs (which is something I never have heard any evidence for), don’t you think the boys who make the music could still be held responsible for the result? Or are they just like small babies, and Sharon is their evil mother?
Sounds like ol times!! Awesome!
To Joe and everyone else it may concern…the new album is up on iTunes now and you get the single automatically with a pre-order!
a little lack luster for me…..not the kick ass song I was expecting IF this is the BEST to put out I am not sure for the album…BUT I WILL be there for the tour
It plods where it should grind, it lumbers where it should swing, it’s wheezing when it tries to up the pace.
It sounds like an unfinished and unmixed demo. Ozzy is too loud, Geezer is too thin and clanky, and Tony just sounds a little uninspired and muted.
Ozzy sounds like he’s really trying in places, interesting phrasing and dynamics, but it could be a track off of Forbidden of Cross Purposes if it wasn’t for his voice.
I didn’t expect a 70’s Sabbath sound, but I think I did get what I kind of expected. Sabbath were never metal in the 70’s, they were something else all on their own, this just sounds like rather lame metal.
I hope the album as a whole is better. Still thinking positive as I sit here typing in my Vol4 t-shirt.
Hello,
I agree with you. But this also sounds like something off of the Devil You Know, minus of course Ronnie James Dio’s RIP Great Voice and Presents and Vinnie’s drumming. In regards to the rest of the album, as you had stated, and I agree with you, hopefully it’s a lot better.
In no way shape or form, does this song hold up to Great songs for example like War Pigs, Black Sabbath, The Wizard, Farries Wear Boots, Iron Man, Paranoid, Sweet Leaf, You Won’t Change Me, Dirty Women, NIB, Snowblind, Hand Of Doom, Warning, Air Dance, Juniors Eyes, or any of the other Black Sabbath Great songs or to most of their other songs for that matter.
Also to note, Brads drumming does not sound right for the most part. It does not sound powerful nor jazzy enough. It also sounds very basic with hardly any grooving or fills, uninspiring and disappointing as is most of this song.
Although the song does have some good parts, as you had stated, the song overall does not sound right,
>It plods where it should grind, it lumbers where it should swing, it’s wheezing when it tries to up the >pace.
>It sounds like an unfinished and unmixed demo. Ozzy is too loud, Geezer is too thin and clanky, and >Tony just sounds a little uninspired and muted.
Got to run.
Take care,
Bye.
After 5 or 6 listens, the first few minutes don’t seem to drag anymore, and last few minutes are excellent as has been said. Wonderful song. Can’t wait to buy it in a few hours.
Just listened to the song 3 times. The first play I was absolutely let down. Totally underwhelmed. It felt like a typical generic Ozzy song. The fact it didn’t have a guitar solo didn’t strike me until the second listen. My attitude didn’t change for the better, so I gave it a third spin, figuring it just needs to grow on me. Nope. It just plain old sucks. The drums need more “swing”, there needs to be a guitar solo, and Ozzy’s voice needs to sound a bit less “processed”. Let the song be a bit more rough around the edges. Judging by this first single, the magic just isn’t back.
I think the song is addictive. The more you listen to it the more it grows on you. I like the fact that vocally Ozzy sings in a range that he will be able to pull off live.
For people complaining about the songs first 6 minutes need to listen the the eponymous track again. Hello that songs has the same guitar part for the first five minutes of the song. This song is trying to embody the vibe from that song.
Keeps my anticipation up for the whole record.
Impeccable sound and a mature Sabbath in your face I love it, love it, love it.
Thank you for posting this, Joe! Made my day
I am in sheer awe, this is pure Black Sabbath like we’ve never experienced before.
Geezer sounds amazing.
I don’t understand the female vocalist….doesn’t really fit the song?
You’re kidding about the female vocalist, right?
Is it me or did they just change the the songs out with one that has a solo?
I LOVE IT! It took a few listens to get used to a new song by them.. I think when you listen to the same few albums for 30 years, anything new takes a minute to get used to.
someone may have mentioned it but, you can also buy the track separately on i tunes if you, like me, had already pre ordered the album elsewhere.
the itunes copy sounds so much better than that iheartradio stream…
if you are on the fence about it, i recommend listening to it with some headphones… and just sit back and let it in, see what picture it paints in your mind when you are just listening to it instead of thinking about it or putting expectations on it.
Cant wait for the rest of the album… or the Los Angeles show! … is it september yet?
Pretty good song. But Ozzy’s voice sounds a little too over dubbed & similar to the songs: Pictures of Matchstick Men & Scary Dreams. Not putting the song down at all, just saying I think there is a similarity in Ozzy’s voice. Geezer’s bass is killer as always and Tony hasn’t lost his touch either! Brad did a pretty good job on the drumming part. He doesn’t have Bill’s touch and style 100% , but did a pretty good job. Can’t wait to hear the rest of the cd!
Looking forward to Joe’s review/thoughts on the song :)
I’m too busy enjoying it. I’m likely to wait for the whole album to come out before getting into that.
Interesting tune. Very long for a promo single, right? it gets better and better the more you listen to it. Geezer’s work is fucking fantastic throughout. Lyrics are a little uninspired but Ozzy’s performance is very good. He does a great job playing with the dynamics of the piece. I actually love that fact that Iommi doesn’t need to fret wank all over this song. Totally agree with Rick’s comment – get the good quality iTunes version and some half decent headphones. I think the reason some people are a little disappointed is because it’s been a *long* time coming and everybody is expecting perfection from Ozzy, Geezer and Tony. Also, they’re primarily making music *they* enjoy and if the fans love it then it’s a bonus. Production values will probably divide opinion, but I think we can all agree and be happy that Rick Rubin hasn’t done anything too experimental and made it a right royal fuck up.
Well that was underwhelming. Should of recorded it in analog. There are some many newer bands out there that capture the vibe of Sabbath, more than sabbath does these days. I don’t think i’ll waste my time or money on this.
mr. wilk impressed me . wow. i think most sabbath fans are not really knowledgeable about drumming for sabbath 70-78 after all is said and done down the road 10 years plus wilk’s work on this album will be considered second only to bill ward this is the best drummer for sabbath since bill ward they are fortunate to have gotten him remember bill ward was courted for the devil you know album this feels like the devil you know album improved because of wilk and osbourne i know people have different tastes but appice to me brings out the worst in iommi’s heavy thick chords . this guy improves iommi this wilk is
the real deal geezer said in a recent interview that wilk is the first jazzy heavy blues guy since ward they r just so laid back and over 60 deep inside they know this is what they always needed
After a few listens, my overall impression is “meh”.
Oz’s vocals aren’t doing it for me. The over-processed sound he’s had for the last…shit…20 years just makes me kind of not listen to his voice.
Structurally, I don’t know why this song isn’t just 4 minutes long. Or 5 at most.
The guitar is interesting. I think we’re going to disappointed if we expect the classic Iommi sound because he has evolved his playing and tone. He’s got a more condensed crunch, rather than the more loose sludge and gloom that he had in the 70s. That’s just how he’s played for a very long time. Also, the sort of plodding intro/rhythm rather reminds me of Psycho Man.
The faster riff at ~6:20 is killer. I just don’t know what they didn’t make it anchor the song rather than make a brief appearance and go away.
I hope the rest of the album is better. So far, I prefer Psycho Man and Selling My Soul, on all counts, and everyone (band included) has kind of slagged those songs off. So…
I can’t judge by a single song, obviously, but so far The Sword’s latest album is a more satisfying Sabbath album. Hoping for the best, though.
(BTW, any Sab fans who haven’t checked out The Sword should go do that…Apocryphon is a fantastic old school metal album)
I still have high hopes for the album, but it sucks BIG TIME.
Too much OO solo souding. ‘I am a crazy f*** but millions watch me do silly stuff on TV so I gotta play nice’ on Where is the rage? The anger? The spreading? The big shout of COCAINE !?
Do we have to listen for the millionth time what goes inside Ozzys brain? Now that North korea is playing silly, how about some “We will be blasted on a full scale nuclear war!” or better, “PETA kills animals!”?
If the rest of the album is like this, Brad Wilk is bound to become the worst BS drummer ever, losing even to the drum machine on “Selling My Soul”. Get me Tory Crimes!
Ok, let us be fair… Geezer is absolutely superb and the riffs are nice, but that we have to take for granted, my friends.
Even Madonna, yes, Madonna these days performs with a distorted guitar. Come on.
Rick Rubin was right, they should have called Ginger Baker. He would have nurtured him (Rick), fired Geezer, slaughtered Sharon and Ozzy and Tony’s dogs, but this single would have BALLS.
No, he would have spared the dogs.
(and no, I do not think Bill Ward would have done it, either.)
I suspect the only way out is to give Dio’s ashes for Ozzy to snort, a la keith richards.
Oh, wait a sec, he was buried. Damn. The Black Sabbath curse lives on!
OH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO PLEASE GOD HELP ME
Hey, I meant neutured! :)
Heh. It was funnier the accidental way.
I don’t find this quite as bad as you do, but it’s certainly not what I’d been imagining.
I figure, if we get one brilliant track out of this (fingers crossed), we’ll really have something new and glorious, so I’m keeping my hopes up for that. Not like hope hurts anything!
Oh, yes, I still do have high hopes for the album!
I like the new song. It was exactly what i was expecting. I liked the whole song not just half of it. I thought Geeezer, Tony and Brad all sounded great. Ozzy was Ozzy. And he was autotuned but at his age it was needed. I liked the riff. I didnt think it dragged at all. The song was pure Sabbath and they have been writng songs like this for over 40 years. My only gripe is that the guitar solo was a tad too short, other than that it was a good song.
Black Sabbath is back!!! (again)
Ok, Tony, Geezer and Ozzy are back and is excellent; but really Sabbath never was dead. Obviously the Iron Man and the Master of the insanity riffs is the reason that the band continues through of four decades; and in this track he does really well.
Geezer plays his heavy and doom signature basslines, and Ozzy sings very good.
The sound of the song likes a mix between Cross Purposes and The Devil You Know, but the drums don’t sound powerfull like does of course the greatest Bill Ward.
I think that sounds like Hole in the Sky, Shadow of the Wind (the rock stoner feeling) and the riff remembers me like a bit of Immaculate Deception.
Anyway I wait the whole album, and of course Sabath stills sounds like Sabbath.
I will reserve judgement until I hear the CD and played on a full stereo. They may have mixed this release for download and for phones, ipods etc.
Can’t wait until next Sat night when they hit Sydney. Nothing beats Sabbath (or H&H) LIVE IN CONCERT!
I listened this song over and over and then listen War Pigs to compare.
You know, time is gone. “No man ever steps in the same river twice” said Heraclitus. Same with Sabbaths.
Listen to War Pigs. A pure sound, pure Ozzy’s voice not spoiled by alco- and drugs using.
Sound of GIS totally sounds like last ‘Heaven and Hell’ albums. GIS is better singing by Dio.
Did you ever pay attention that classical Sabbaths hardly have chorus in their songs? (E.g. on first album only one song with chorus – ‘Evil woman’ – and that’s cover of ‘Crow’). Now we have a chorus in best Ozzy-solo traditions.
The riffs are very poor. Could you count how many riffs changes during ‘Fairies Wear Boots’?
Drums are pretty simple. Brad plays simply like drum-machine. I don’t feel ‘life’ in his style. Listen ‘Fairies Wear Boots’ and enjoy brilliant Bill’s play.
Only last part of the song gave hope. But there is a weak self-parody on “Hole in the Sky’.
I didn’t expect much from ‘13’. Theirs ‘reunion’ are totally commercial project. So don’t lie to yourself. Listen classical Sabbath’s albums and enjoy it!
Guess we all expect so much from this record, so how can we ever be truly satisfied? How can it possibly be another Master of reality or Vol.4? 1971 was a long time ago and these guys were in their early twenties. Albums like The devil you know and Scream show were the members are at now (or at least the last 5 years or so) agewise and musically. The devil you know showed a matured band, who ,imho, delivered a brilliant record – for their age. It’s not mob rules or dehumanizer, but a pretty damn good heavy record – for a band in their sixties!
Ok, so it wasn’t a complete reunion this time, but it’s still a pretty strong line up for Sabbath, don’t you think? ‘They’ made some pretty good albums, even when Tony was the only original member.
This track is not instant classic material, not that bad either, maybe an odd choice for a single, but there’s always a few ‘weaker/alright’ tracks on Sab albums, so I still hope for a good strong album showing Black Sabbath anno 2013.
And for god’s sake, Tony is still trying to cope the best he can with his cancer treatment, we should be glad that they still get out and do it instead of retiring, right?
And for the ‘no Bill’ – ‘Rick Rubin sucks’ people on the web, just don’t buy the album, simple as that. I’d love to see the original line up too, but they couldn’t work it out – end of story.
My impressions after first listening:
If this is the single, which has to be the most commercial song, than the album will us blow away.
This is no modern album, it is as awaited an album back to original Sabbath sound. Ok, the time until the first (and maybe too late) break is very long, but the break itself is good. But if I remember right, Sabbath sometimes does the break very late (e.g. Song “Black Sabbath” or “Heaven & Hell”). On those songs there are also only short guitar solos as on this one.
Ozzy:
He sounds different as on the 40 years old albums, but also different to the last Solo-CD’s. But this has to be, because he has live problems with the Sabbath songs and has to change his voice. I think very well done. Think on his age, he sounds sometimes a little fragile but still very powerful. But his voice is too much in front – a greeat mistake in production.
Geezer:
He plays great, as expectet. Typical Geezer style with own melody-lines. But the last years his sound is very modern and thin, which I don’t really like. It is not his playing, it is the settings of the bassguitarsound, too thin, not bluesy enough. So his sound is too much in the back, not obvious enough. The guitar should be on one channel and the bass on the other, like in ancient times… But his playing on this song is great.
Tony:
An Iommi riff. Magic, powerful, Sabbath. As it should sound. Not commercial, not too Heavy Metal. Just Sabbath. Late but good breaks. The solo? Firstly it is too short, secondly it really sounds like added after all was finished. Thirdly it does not sound like Iommi, which is think is not too bad because he shows that he can sound different. But the solo don’t really fit to the song and is too short.
Brad:
Very difficult for me, because I feel very sad, that they don’t play with Bill. It’s a decision against the fans and against real Sababth sound. This is not original Black Sabbth. BUT: I can’t blame Brad for it, because for him it is a great unique chance. And he plays very good. No, he does no sound like Bill. He misses the jazzy swing, he misses the groove of a full quarter of the band. But for this song I think he fits better than Vinny could fit, because he does not play so heavy. And his drumming is very diversified, very interseting. A very good job.
Conclusion:
The song is a good Black Sabbath song in expected way. There some mistakes in production (vocals too much in front, bass too thin, solo does not fit to the sound, sound is too clear). The break is too late, the verses too long.
But much Sabbath, and much old school, which is fine for me. I’m satisfied.
Again, if this is the most commercial song the album will be a killer.
Just for info: I don’t care about lyrics, it’s the music that matters.
I think the song will be better when you hear it more often, it’s a song that grows.
Kalle
not so impressed by this song..kinda, boring to be honest
i hope the rest of the cd has more upbeat sound…sorry
The single is OK, below expectations though.
No great inspiration or fresh ideas.
The intro reminds me of things ALREADY seen and heard . . 1 example ? ‘Just Say No To Love’.
Plus I don’t like Rick’s touch at all.
The lyrics are more interesting.
Nice song. But I expected more, after 35 years.
There aren’t only black and white.
Alessandro, Italy
Can’t wait for next Thursday in Brisbane, but more importantly for now, tomorrow night in NZ to see who the drummer is! I would have thought it would be Brad Wilk. The new track is ok, it is always hard listening to new music the first time. Sounds like Sabbath.
Another thing I forgot to mention was the drum mix. How many Sabbath albums have there been with the drums way back in the mix, compared to the guitar, bass & vocal? Too many in my opinion, excepting Headless Cross & Tyr. I remember a Tony Iommi interview back then & he said that Cozy Powell taught him how important it was to have a decent big drum sound. That went out the door on the Forbidden album & Powell was so pissed off not having any control over the drum sound, apparently he quit the band over it! Now here we are in 2013 & the drums sound way back in the mix again, unless the mix is different for the official disc! Hopefully it is!
I just bought the song, and trust me it sounds a THOUSAND times better than what was played on iheartradio yesterday.
Go buy it for a buck and see- it’s great. I never doubted them, ever, this new album will rule.
I like it and I like it a little more each time I listen to it… very interested to hear the rest of the album.
I hope theres some more upbeat tunes on the album – seven minutes of 4 notes looped before a two minute crescendo of bass and guitar isnt the best way to win people over, not that they need to. also Ozzy’s voice…? how much ProTools has that been through?
So happy here!!! My favourite band reunites with the best line up (well except Bill). But DAMN what a Great song! All 4 does a GREAT job, and i’ve been waiting for this album my whole life. Finally maybe I can put 13 alongside Master of reality as my absolute favourite album!
If the rest of the songs are as good as this one, then I’m in heaven!!
My gods are certainly not dead :-)