Technical Ecstasy is the seventh studio album by English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, produced by guitarist Tony Iommi and released on October 22, 1976 through Vertigo Records. The album was a commercial success, peaking at number 13 on the UK Albums Chart and number 51 on the US Billboard 200 Album chart, later being certified Gold by the RIAA in 1997.
After frustrating legal battles that accompanied the recording of 1975’s Sabotage, Sabbath chose Miami’s Criteria Studios for the making of Technical Ecstasy, which continued the band’s separation from the doom and darkness that had been a trademark of their earlier albums.
“Some people may have heard the band in 1970”, noted Iommi, “and be thinking, ‘Oh no, not them again!’ But if they heard us now, they probably might like us.”
An attempt by the band to experiment and explore other musical territory, Technical Ecstasy features more varied and complex songs than earlier records, with prominent keyboard parts and effects.
One song, the pop ballad “It’s Alright”, is sung by drummer Bill Ward, becoming the band’s first song not sung by frontman Ozzy Osbourne. The album has also been described as a response to punk rock, though this has been disputed. The cover art was designed by Hipgnosis. Osbourne once described it as “two robots screwing on an escalator”.
Tracklist:
Side A:
1.- Back Street Kids
2.- You Won’t Change Me
3.- It’s Alright
4.- Gypsy
Side B:
1.- All Moving Parts (Stand Still)
2.- Rock ‘N’ Roll Doctor
3.- She’s Gone
4.- Dirty Women
Black Sabbath:
Ozzy Osbourne: lead vocals
Tony Iommi: guitars
Geezer Butler: bass
Bill Ward: drums, lead vocals on It’s Alright
Additional:
Gerald “Jezz” Woodroffe: keyboards (credited as Gerald Woodruffe)
