Black Sabbath - Vol. 4

The album features the famous piano-driven ballad "Changes," which was a major departure from the band's usual heavy metal sound. It features Tony Iommi playing piano and Mellotron, alongside Geezer Butler on bass and Ozzy Osbourne's emotional vocals. The song became one of their most recognizable tracks and was later covered by many artists.

The album was released in September 1972 by Vertigo Records in the UK and Warner Bros. Records in the US. It was the band's fourth studio album, officially titled Vol. 4 but originally going to be called Snowblind. The record reached number 13 on the US Billboard 200 chart.

Yes, the album includes the acoustic instrumental track "Laguna Sunrise," which showcases Tony Iommi's softer, melodic side. There is also an experimental, psychedelic interlude called "FX," which features heavily processed sounds and echo. These tracks highlight the band's expanding studio experimentation beyond standard heavy guitar riffs.

"Snowblind" explicitly addresses the band's heavy cocaine use during the recording of the album, with Ozzy Osbourne notably whispering "cocaine" at various points in the track. It is one of the heaviest and most celebrated songs on the record. The record label actually convinced them to title the album Snowblind, but the band changed it to Vol. 4 at the last minute.