Album of the Day

Despite its title, NEVER SAY DIE! proved to be the final album from the original lineup of Black Sabbath until the group's reunion some 20 years later. The 1978 collection was recorded in the bitter cold of Toronto under difficult circumstances; frontman Ozzy Osbourne had briefly quit the band before sessions began, and left again shortly after the set's release. As beleaguered as the quartet may have felt in the studio, many Sabbath fans (including Soundgarden's Kim Thayil) have a soft spot for the underrated album, and such highlights as the experimental “Air Dance,” “Hard Road” and the storming title track show why. If you're looking for a Black Sabbath record to play on Halloween, ignore the obvious choices and give another listen to the gold-certified NEVER SAY DIE!