Zior - Every Inch A Man (Reissue) (1972/2003)

A distressed woman’s scream followed by a man’s sinister laughter sets the tone for Zior’s 1972 sophomore album as squealing guitar feedback bleeds in, opening the dark tones of “Entrance of the Evil,” a hard-grooving little intro that ushers in “The Chicago Spine” — which sounds somewhat like Black Sabbath covering Steppenwolf. Zior formed out of the ‘60s R&B scene from England’s Southend before glomming onto Sabbath’s fascination with the occult and black-magic mysticism as well as their penchant for blasting sludgy proto-metal through towering vacuum tube-driven amplifiers. They even hired the same album artists who worked on the sleeve for Sabbath’s 1970 eponymous debut. But just when you think them predictable, the acoustic-based “Time Is the Reason” displays a finesse in musicianship with Spanish-inspired guitar flourishes and a vocal performance that sounds influenced by Robert Plant. Zior’s blues-rock past resurfaces on “Dudi Judy” with a rudimentary 1-4-5 progression and some grizzled singing that brings to mind unkempt beards and denim vests.