Technical Ecstasy
Updated: 12/11/2025, 10:48:22 AM Wikipedia source
Technical Ecstasy is the seventh studio album by the English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, produced by guitarist Tony Iommi and released in October 1976 by Warner Bros. Records in the United States and Canada and Vertigo Records elsewhere. The album received mixed reviews from critics but was a commercial success, peaking at number 13 on the UK Albums Chart and number 51 on the US Billboard 200 Album chart, later being certified Gold by the RIAA in 1997. An attempt by the band to experiment and explore other musical territory, Technical Ecstasy features more varied and complex songs than earlier records, with prominent keyboard parts and effects. One song, the pop ballad "It's Alright", is sung by drummer Bill Ward, becoming the band's first song not sung by frontman Ozzy Osbourne.
Infobox
Released
22 October 1976
Recorded
June 1976
Studio
Criteria, Miami
Genre
Heavy metal hard rock
Length
40:35
Label
Vertigo
Producer
Black Sabbath
Tables
Professional ratings · Critical reception
Source
Source
Review scores
Source
Review scores
Rating
AllMusic
AllMusic
Review scores
AllMusic
Review scores
Encyclopedia of Popular Music
Encyclopedia of Popular Music
Review scores
Encyclopedia of Popular Music
Review scores
The Great Rock Discography
The Great Rock Discography
Review scores
The Great Rock Discography
Review scores
5/10
The Rolling Stone Album Guide
The Rolling Stone Album Guide
Review scores
The Rolling Stone Album Guide
Review scores
Spin Alternative Record Guide
Spin Alternative Record Guide
Review scores
Spin Alternative Record Guide
Review scores
2/10
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic | |
| Encyclopedia of Popular Music | |
| The Great Rock Discography | 5/10 |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | |
| Spin Alternative Record Guide | 2/10 |
· Charts
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)
Chart (1976)
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)
Peakposition
38
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)
Chart (1976)
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)
Peakposition
33
UK Albums (OCC)
UK Albums (OCC)
Chart (1976)
UK Albums (OCC)
Peakposition
13
US Billboard 200
US Billboard 200
Chart (1976)
US Billboard 200
Peakposition
51
| Chart (1976) | Peakposition |
| Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM) | 38 |
| Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan) | 33 |
| UK Albums (OCC) | 13 |
| US Billboard 200 | 51 |
· Charts
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)
Chart (2021)
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)
Peakposition
123
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)
Chart (2021)
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)
Peakposition
27
Scottish Albums (OCC)
Scottish Albums (OCC)
Chart (2021)
Scottish Albums (OCC)
Peakposition
46
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)
Chart (2021)
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)
Peakposition
81
UK Independent Albums (OCC)
UK Independent Albums (OCC)
Chart (2021)
UK Independent Albums (OCC)
Peakposition
14
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)
Chart (2021)
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)
Peakposition
9
| Chart (2021) | Peakposition |
| Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) | 123 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) | 27 |
| Scottish Albums (OCC) | 46 |
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) | 81 |
| UK Independent Albums (OCC) | 14 |
| UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC) | 9 |
· Certifications
United Kingdom (BPI)
United Kingdom (BPI)
Region
United Kingdom (BPI)
Certification
Silver
Certified units/sales
60,000^
United States (RIAA)
United States (RIAA)
Region
United States (RIAA)
Certification
Gold
Certified units/sales
500,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
Region
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
| United Kingdom (BPI) | Silver | 60,000^ |
| United States (RIAA) | Gold | 500,000^ |
| ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
· Release history
United States
United States
Region
United States
Date
1976
Label
Warner Bros. Records
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Region
United Kingdom
Date
October 1976
Label
Vertigo Records
Canada
Canada
Region
Canada
Date
1976
Label
Warner Bros. Records
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Region
United Kingdom
Date
1996
Label
Castle Communications
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Region
United Kingdom
Date
2004
Label
Sanctuary Records
| Region | Date | Label |
| United States | 1976 | Warner Bros. Records |
| United Kingdom | October 1976 | Vertigo Records |
| Canada | 1976 | Warner Bros. Records |
| United Kingdom | 1996 | Castle Communications |
| United Kingdom | 2004 | Sanctuary Records |
References
- "Record Mirror review"https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Record-Mirror/70s/76/Record-Mirror-1976-10-15.pdf
- Billboard
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- Official Chartshttps://www.officialcharts.com/artist/_/Black%20Sabbath/
- "Technical Ecstasy: Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums" at AllMusic. Retrieved 30 January 2009.https://www.allmusic.com/album/r2004/charts-awards
- "American album certifications – Black Sabbath – Technical Ecstasy"https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=Black+Sabbath&ti=Technical+Ecstasy&format=Album&type=#search_section
- Circus
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- Ultimate Classic Rockhttps://ultimateclassicrock.com/black-sabbath-album-ranked/
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- Classic Rockhttps://www.loudersound.com/features/black-sabbath-albums-ranked-from-worst-to-best
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- Thehttps://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/jan/31/every-black-sabbath-album-ranked-ozzy-osbourne
- Ultimate Classic Rockhttps://ultimateclassicrock.com/black-sabbbath-punk-prog/
- Uncut Ultimate Music Guide Series
- Black Sabbath FAQhttp://www.black-sabbath.com/faq/faq.html#faq44
- "All About Hipgnosis", Zoom, the International Magazine, no. 6, New York, 1979
- How Black Was Our Sabbath
- Prato, Greg. "Black Sabbath: Technical Ecstasy" at AllMusic. Retrieved 13 September 2011.https://www.allmusic.com/album/r2004
- Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music
- The Great Rock Discography
- Rolling Stonehttps://web.archive.org/web/20120427215415/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/black-sabbath/albumguide
- Spin Alternative Record Guide
- Kerrang!https://www.kerrang.com/black-sabbath-every-album-ranked-from-worst-to-best
- "Top RPM Albums: Issue 3844". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 30, 2023.https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.3844&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.3844.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.3844
- "Swedishcharts.com – Black Sabbath – {{{album}}}". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 30, 2023.https://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Black+Sabbath&titel={{{album}}}&cat=a
- "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 30, 2023.https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-chart/19761031/7502/
- "Black Sabbath Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 30, 2023.https://www.billboard.com/artist/Black-Sabbath/chart-history/TLP
- "Ultratop.be – Black Sabbath – Technical Ecstasy" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 30, 2023.https://www.ultratop.be/fr/showitem.asp?interpret=Black+Sabbath&titel=Technical+Ecstasy&cat=a
- "Offiziellecharts.de – Black Sabbath – Technical Ecstasy" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved October 30,https://www.offiziellecharts.de/album-details-12150
- "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 30, 2023.https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/scottish-albums-chart/20211008/40/
- "Swisscharts.com – Black Sabbath – Technical Ecstasy". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 30, 2023.http://swisscharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Black+Sabbath&titel=Technical+Ecstasy&cat=a
- "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 30, 2023.https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/independent-albums-chart/20211008/131/
- "Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 30, 2023.https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/rock-and-metal-albums-chart/20211008/112/
- "Heavy Metal group Black Sabbath pictured with the silver discs they received for the album " Technical Ecstasy""https://www.mediastorehouse.co.uk/memory-lane-prints/mirror/0300to0399-00329/heavy-metal-group-black-sabbath-pictured-silver-21613362.html
- Great Rock discographyhttps://archive.org/details/greatrockdiscogr00stro/page/68/mode/1up?view=theater