Even the godfathers of metal sometimes look back and go… “What on earth were we thinking, mun?” 🤘
Heavy metal has given us iconic album covers. Timeless imagery. The kind of art that ends up on battle jackets, bedroom walls, and questionable tattoos.
And then… there’s that one.
Now, in a moment of brutally honest metal reflection, Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler has looked back through the band’s legendary catalogue and crowned one release as the absolute low point in visual terms.
His verdict?
“The worst cover ever.”
No hedging. No nostalgia goggles. Just Geezer telling it exactly how it is.
🍼🔥 ENTER: BORN AGAIN – THE BABY THAT WILL NOT LEAVE US ALONE
The album in question is Born Again, released in 1983 during Sabbath’s famously chaotic Ian Gillan era. Musically? Heavy, grimy, and massively underrated. Sonically it’s full of riffs that hit like a dropped anvil.
Visually?
A glowing red baby.
With glowing red eyes.
Staring at you like it’s about to repossess your soul and your record player.
And here’s the best bit: Geezer has openly admitted that even now, decades later, he still doesn’t know what the cover is meant to represent.
The man responsible for some of the most iconic lyrics in metal history has absolutely no clue what that baby was about.
Incredible scenes. 😈
🎸 A SABBATH ERA POWERED BY CHAOS AND ZERO ADULT SUPERVISION
The Born Again era was Sabbath at their most unhinged. Ozzy was out. Ian Gillan was in. The 80s were in full swing. Everything was louder, shinier, and slightly out of control.
That madness seeps into the album:
- “Trashed” – inspired by Gillan actually crashing Bill Ward’s car
- “Zero the Hero” – a riff so nasty it still rattles speakers today
- “Disturbing the Priest” – pure panic-induced metal insanity
It’s an album that sounds like a band barely holding it together — and somehow making it work. Unfortunately, the artwork looks like it escaped from a cursed VHS rental shop in 1986.
💬 GEEZER’S HONESTY IS PEAK METAL
What makes this whole thing brilliant is that Geezer isn’t trying to dress it up as misunderstood art or “ahead of its time.” He’s not defending it. He’s not recontextualising it.
He’s basically saying:
- We made it
- It exists
- It’s awful
- I still don’t get it
That level of honesty is rare, refreshing, and very metal. No revisionist nonsense. Just a legend admitting a swing and a miss.
📀 A CULT CLASSIC HIDING BEHIND A CURSED SLEEVE
Despite the infamous artwork, Born Again has slowly become a cult favourite among Sabbath fans. Plenty reckon it’s one of the band’s heaviest albums, let down by muddy production choices and a cover that probably scared off half the record-buying public.
It’s one of those albums where you have to say:
“Ignore the cover, mun — the riffs are massive.”
Which might be the most metal advice ever given.
🖤 RIFF REPORT VERDICT
Worst Black Sabbath album cover?
✔️ Even Geezer says so
Worst Black Sabbath album?
❌ Not a chance
Most unforgettable demonic baby in metal history?
✔️ Sadly, yes
There’s something beautifully on-brand about the fact that one of the most important bands of all time has an album cover so baffling that even its own bassist is still confused by it over 40 years later.
Heavy metal isn’t meant to be neat.
It’s loud, strange, and occasionally an absolute visual car crash.
And Born Again?
That baby’s never letting us forget it 🤘😈
Michael is the founder, editor, and chief riff wrangler behind The Riff Report, an independent Welsh rock and metal publication built by fans, for fans. With a lifelong passion for loud guitars, unforgettable live shows, and the incredible community that surrounds rock and metal, he created The Riff Report to celebrate everything that makes the scene special—from legendary headline acts and grassroots venues to rising bands that deserve to be heard.
A familiar face at festivals across the UK, Michael spends much of the year covering events including Download Festival, Bloodstock Open Air, Steelhouse Festival, Firevolt, Plumpton Revival, and many more. Whether he’s battling the Welsh weather on a mountainside, surviving a weekend in a muddy campsite, or squeezed against the front barrier with thousands of fellow fans, he’s always searching for the next great story to share.
As editor of The Riff Report, Michael writes festival guides, breaking news, album reviews, gig reviews, interviews, opinion pieces, nostalgia features, and behind-the-scenes stories from across the rock and metal world. His writing combines honest opinions, humour, and a genuine love for live music, bringing readers closer to the bands, festivals, venues, and people that keep the scene alive.
Michael is particularly passionate about supporting independent artists, local venues, charities, and the wider UK rock and metal community. He believes every band deserves a chance to be discovered and every festival has a story worth telling. Through The Riff Report, he aims to shine a spotlight on both the biggest names in rock and the future stars waiting to break through.
When he’s not writing or interviewing artists, you’ll probably find him exploring festival campsites, photographing live shows, chatting with fellow fans over a pint, or planning the next road trip in search of more riffs, bigger crowds, and unforgettable moments.
Above all, Michael believes rock and metal are about more than music—they’re about community, friendship, and creating memories that last a lifetime. That’s exactly what The Riff Report exists to celebrate.
Proudly Welsh. Proudly Loud. Always chasing the next great riff. 🤘
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