Paranoid / The Wizard

Written and recorded in roughly twenty minutes merely to fulfill an album time requirement, 'Paranoid' ironically became Black Sabbath's biggest commercial hit and a foundational blueprint for heavy metal. Tony Iommi's driving, chugging guitar riff, played in a rapid downward stroke, provided a furious backdrop for Geezer Butler's lyrics concerning mental illness and depression. Its aggressive tempo laid early groundwork for punk and speed metal.