The slow and heavy songs that comprise most of the album are interspersed with quiet acoustic songs written by Tony Iommi. Two of these, "Embryo" and "Orchid", are short instrumentals serving as interludes. The third, "Solitude", is much longer in comparison and features Ozzy Osbourne's soft, plaintive vocals. It is largely believed by many fans that Bill Ward sang on "Solitude", as the song's vocals greatly differ from Osbourne's "signature" vocals; however, this is a myth. Ward did not perform vocals for any Black Sabbath song until the band's seventh album, Technical Ecstasy, on the track "It's Alright".

The lyrics of the song "After Forever", written by Geezer Butler,  at the time a proclaimed Catholic,  focuses entirely on Christian themes. Although the album jacket credits Iommi alone as the composer of this song, the Black Sabbath Black Box Set refutes the album jacket credit and gives credit to this song (along with "Orchid" and "Embryo") to all four band members in keeping with their wishes to remain a democratic band. At the time, some viewed Black Sabbath as Satanists (which the band had consistently denied) due to their dark sound, image and lyrics. "After Forever" was released as a single along with "Fairies Wear Boots" in 1971.

The song "Solitude" showcases guitarist Iommi's multi-instrumental talents, featuring him playing guitar, flute, and piano.

The album opener, "Sweet Leaf", is a song allegedly about marijuana and is named after a brand of cigarettes bought in Ireland.

Vinyl: VG+. A splendid heavy vinyl that sounds marvellous all the way through. It has some wispy retraction type hairline traces on both sides but is an above average quality vinyl that would please most collectors. On side 2 there are two visible pronounced hairlines which are not feelable and do not sound. It is indeed really hard to find early Sabbath vinyl on the swirl label. Of course this is the earliest ultra heavy quality vinyl being an original first press with the very first machined matrices ending //1   //1. Not very many out there left now so late in the day ....

Box sleeve: EX.  Finding this fully laminated box type sleeve without any damage is probably impossible. This is definitely one of the better ones although not perfect. "Printed and made by Howards Printers (slough) Ltd." It is of course fully laminated with the embossed lettering to the front. There is light wear on the edges and a couple of underlaminate creases (I have never ever seen a copy without this). The spine is fully legible. The envelope flap is intact!! "VO Price Code" to the back. NO writing NO tears and NO repairs.

The original inner poly lined swirl sleeve is still there but has a few tears to the inner die cut circle on one side. I will include the sleeve but put the vinyl inside a replacement inner.