Black Sabbath released their sophomore album, Paranoid, fifty years ago, on September 18, 1970. To commemorate this milestone, drummer Bill Ward posted the message below on social media. 

Widely regarded as innovators of the musical genre which came to be known as heavy metal, legendary Birmingham-bred Black Sabbath celebrate the 50th anniversary of Paranoid with a 5LP/4CD edition, was released on October 9, featuring the vinyl debut of two 1970 concerts.

Paranoid: Super Deluxe Edition includes the original album, in addition to a rare 1974 Quad Mix of the album folded down to stereo, plus two concerts from 1970, from Montreux and Brussels, that are pressed on vinyl for the first time. The five-LP set comes with a hardbound book with extensive liner notes featuring interviews with all four band members, rare photos, and memorabilia, a poster, as well as a replica of the tour book sold during the Paranoid tour.

After the success of the band's self-titled debut in early 1970, Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward returned that fall with Paranoid. The record became the band's first album to top the UK charts and has sold more than 4 million copies in the US alone. Today, songs like "War Pigs," "Planet Caravan," "Iron Man," and of course, "Paranoid," continue to inspire a new generation of musicians around the world.

Paranoid: Super Deluxe Edition first two LPs feature the original album plus a Quadraphonic Mix of the album. Originally released on vinyl and 8-track cartridge in 1974, but subsequently long out of print, the Quad Mix has now been made available as a fold-down to stereo mix on vinyl for this set.

The collection's final three LPs mark the official vinyl debut of two 1970 live performances. The first was recorded on August 31 in Montreux, Switzerland shortly before the release of Paranoid. It captures the band, already a tight musical unit, thundering through new songs like "Hand Of Doom" and "Iron Man" while mixing in "N.I.B." and "Behind The Wall Of Sleep" from their debut album. The second concert was recorded a few months later in Brussels during the band's performance for Belgian television. Unofficial versions of this classic show have circulated in the past, but they've never sounded this good.

Order the Paranoid: Super Deluxe Edition here.

Paranoid Super Deluxe 5LP Boxed Set tracklisting:

LP1: Original Album

Side A
“War Pigs / Luke’s Wall”
“Paranoid”
“Planet Caravan”
“Iron Man”

Side B
“Electric Funeral”
“Hand Of Doom”
“Rat Salad”
“Jack The Stripper / Fairies Wear Boots”

LP2: Quadradisc Mix in Stereo (WS4 1887) 1974

Side C
“War Pigs / Luke’s Wall”
“Paranoid”
“Planet Caravan”
“Iron Man”

Side D
“Electric Funeral”
“Hand Of Doom”
“Rat Salad”
“Jack The Stripper / Fairies Wear Boots”

LP3: Live in Montreux 1970 (Part One)

Side E
“Intro”
“Paranoid”
“N.I.B.”
“Behind The Wall Of Sleep”

Side F
“Iron Man”
“War Pigs”

LP4: Live in Montreux 1970 (Part Two)/Live in Brussels 1970 (Part One)

Side G
“Fairies Wear Boots”
“Hand Of Doom”

Side H
“Paranoid”
“Hand Of Doom”
“Rat Salad”
“Iron Man”

LP5: Live in Brussels 1970 (Part Two)

Side J
“Black Sabbath”
“N.I.B.”

Side K
“Behind The Wall Of Sleep”
“War Pigs”
“Fairies Wear Boots”