Back to the Beginning... Ozzy Osbourne's Final Show (July 5th, 2025)

 Post #406

On July 5th, 2025, from Villa Park, Birmingham, England, Ozzy Osbourne- the proverbial "Prince of Darkness", gave a memorable and unforgettable final performance. Ozzy, struggling for years with Parkinson's disease and unable to walk, fulfilled a long-standing dream of playing one final show* with the original Black Sabbath lineup in front of a hometown stadium crowd. What's even more- the entire, day-long celebration of all things Ozzy & Black Sabbath was live-streamed so that fans around the world could watch this momentous farewell performance. I was one of those fans, and while I could not watch the entire show in a single sitting, the live-stream ticket gave me a few days to re-watch the event, and I managed to see every band's set.

Part of the theme was to have each band that performed include a cover of a song by either Black Sabbath or from Ozzy's solo career. This is the element I will focus on for this post. To review every band's set completely would take forever. Besides, they'll probably release the whole concert on DVD or Streaming platforms eventually, right? We can hope!

So then, I will review each Sabbath/Ozzy cover song, and therefor build the most memorable send-off for the ultimate heavy metal icon in a setlist-to-end-all-setlists. Here goes nothing...

As the event began, our opening band was Mastadon. Their choice of a cover song was ‘Supernaut’ from the Volume 4 album. Drummer Brann Dailor sang lead vocals.

The next band was Rival Sons. I was not surprised to see them in the lineup, as they had opened for Black Sabbath on their 2016 The End Tour. They covered ‘Electric Funeral’ from Paranoid.

Big-Four thrash titans Anthrax were next, and they delivered an awesome version of ‘Into The Void’ off of the Master of Reality album.

Halestorm kept the show rolling and delivered the first cover song from Ozzy’s solo material with ‘Perry Mason’ from the Ozzmosis album.

Then came Lamb of God. Before launching into their Sabbath cover, vocalist Randy Blythe talked about how the world is a divisive place, as it was in 1971, and said how this song was a call to love ourselves and love our brothers and neighbors. The song was ‘Children of the Grave’.

As much as the A-list bands were doing an amazing job of showing the love and respect for Ozzy and Black Sabbath, what came next would raise the bar. A rotating lineup of a Supergroup, dubbed ‘Tom Morello’s All-Stars' took the stage and their set was primarily filled with cover songs. During this first set, here are the Ozzy & Sabbath cover tunes, with lead vocals credited:

-'The Ultimate Sin' (Lizzy Hale of Halestorm)

-'Shot In The Dark' (David Draiman of Disturbed)

-'Sweet Leaf' (David Draiman of Disturbed)

-'Believer' (Whitfield Crane of Ugly Kid Joe)

-'Changes' (YUNGBLUD)

During the intermission between the Supergroup and the next band, they played a video of a pre-recorded song by Jack Black and some School of Rock musicians: ‘Mr. Crowley’.

The next band was Alice In Chains and their choice of cover song was ‘Faeries Wear Boots’ from the Paranoid album.

Gojira came next, playing a short set that concluded with a cover of ‘Under the Sun’ from Volume 4. It was good to see a European band in the lineup, because otherwise, aside from Black Sabbath & Ozzy, all the other bands were American.

The next act was really more of a jam session that featured a drum-off between several drummers. They jammed to the riff from ‘Symptom of the Universe’. The drummers featured: Travis Barker, Danny Carey and Chad Smith.

The Supergroup returned for a flurry of more Sabbath and Ozzy covers mixed into their set of several other classic rock and metal songs. They included:

-'Snowblind' (Billy Corgan from Smashing Pumpkins)

-'Flying High Again' (Sammy Hagar)

-'Bark at the Moon' (Papa V Perpetua from Ghost)

Pantera were up next. Their ‘legacy lineup’ features Phil Anselmo and Rex Brown as original members, while Charlie Benante of Anthrax and Zakk Wylde are playing drums and guitar respectively. Giving credit where credit is due, Pantera raised the bar, being the first original band to perform 2 Sabbath covers in their limited set time. They played ‘Planet Caravan’ and ‘Electric Funeral’, both from the Paranoid album, and both songs they had covered before.

Tool performed next. They covered ‘Hand of Doom’, another track from Paranoid. It was a fitting choice as it is a ‘prog-rock’ type of song that moves into different sections from beginning to end.

Another Big-4 thrash titan, Slayer, were next up. When it came time for their cover, they played ‘Wicked World’ from Black Sabbath’s eponymous debut album. I loved this choice on so many levels. One: the lyrical themes are right on par with Slayer classics like ‘World Painted Blood’. Two: it was great to see Sabbath’s first album represented it the choice of covers. I’ve often thought that album is unfairly underrated.

There was another prerecorded video played between set-changes, this time by Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit. He performed ‘Changes’ from the Volume 4 album.

Side note: I was aware by this point that more than one song was performed twice. I was slightly annoyed that the bands seemingly didn’t coordinate their song choices for the sake of avoiding repeats such as this, but under the circumstances I tried not to hold it against them. However, in this case I happened to prefer Yungblud’s version.

By this point the show was escalating towards the inevitable climax, as the performers were now clearly at the A-list level. The next band was Guns N’ Roses. GN'R raised the bar with their song selection, opening with not just one, not two, not even 3, but 4 Black Sabbath covers! Those were: 'It's Alright', 'Never Say Die', 'Junior's Eyes' and 'Sabbath Bloody Sabbath'. With their selections, GN'R went deeper into the Sabbath catalog than we had heard up to this point. They were the first band to play selections from Black Sabbath's 7th and 8th albums with Ozzy: Technical Ecstasy and Never Say Die! Three of their four covers came from these albums, and one of those tracks ('It's Alright') was originally sung by original Sabbath drummer, Bill Ward!

The final "opener" before Ozzy would take the stage was Metallica. Arguably the world's most popular heavy metal band, Metallica got the final opening slot, and were beyond honored to be able to be a part of this finale to the Black Sabbath/Ozzy Osbourne legacy. With Guns N' Roses' honorable inclusion of several deep-tracks from often-overlooked albums, could Metallica do anything to top that? Arguably, they did just as well. They opened with 'Hole in the Sky' from the Sabotage album, the only other track from this album performed on this day was the 'Symptom of the Universe' drum-off (which didn't feature any of the lyrics!). Then, before their set was finished, they also honored the Never Say Die! album with a performance of 'Johnny Blade'!

At long last it was time for the living legend himself: OZZY FUCKING OSBOURNE!

Performing his set seated in a bat-shaped throne, The Prince of Darkness rose from the stage, called for the crowd to scream, and began a set for the ages...

Giving it his all, one last time Ozzy performed his most iconic tracks:

'I Don't Know'

'Mr. Crowley'

'Suicide Solution'

'Mama, I'm Coming Home'

'Crazy Train'

Easily the most emotional moment of his set was his performance of 'Mama, I'm Coming Home'. Ringing with a symbolism never felt before, the lyrics and melody of this legendary ballad left no dry eyes in the audience, either in Villa Park, or anywhere in the world where fans were viewing it. I can vouch for this, personally. The track may be from the album No More Tears, but make no mistake, there were tears on this historic day.

One final set change-over, and before you knew it, Ozzy's original Sabbath bandmates, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward were on the stage with Ozzy Osbourne, and they delivered the most classic of Black Sabbath songs:

'War Pigs'

'N.I.B.'

'Iron Man'

and of course, 'Paranoid'!

As fireworks closed this evening of legacy, tribute, love, and respect for Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath, the original members presented Ozzy with a congratulatory cake.

24 Black Sabbath tracks spanning all 8 original albums with Ozzy.

12 Ozzy Osbourne songs from 5 of his albums.

36 total tacks performed to honor a single, iconic legend of heavy metal music...

John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne.

Enjoy this playlist of those tracks. If possible, the covers by the performing artists are included. If the cover version has not been recorded for streaming, I used the original Black Sabbath or Ozzy Osbourne recording.

Back to the Beginning: A Black Sabbath & Ozzy Osbourne Playlist.

Happy Headbanging to all!

(* Ozzy passed away just weeks after this performance. Ozzy has often sang about his love of performing music, as the lyrics of songs like 'I Don't Wanna Stop' or 'Not Going Away' have depicted. The timing of his death makes these and so many more of his songs all the more prophetic. I will have much more to write on Ozzy, Black Sabbath, and his bandmates in other upcoming posts very soon...)

Ozzy Osbourne Memorial Chat: 8/19/25 at 9:00 pm Eastern/ 8:00 pm Central

 Post #405

Looking for a place to reminisce on the Ozzy's music, albums, concerts, & legacy? Join me tomorrow, August 19th, at 8:00pm central time to share your stories and hear from other fans in this online memorial/tribute.

(Click on the image to join the meeting within 10 minutes of start time.)

Rock N' Heavy Metal - A Book Display to Honor Ozzy

 Post #404

On July 22nd, 2025, The Godfather of Heavy Metal, Ozzy Osbourne, passed away after a years-long struggle with Parkinson's Disease. A founding member of Black Sabbath, Ozzy's legacy in Heavy Metal Music is immense.

I have written reviews of Ozzy's music and concerts on this blog many times, and will continue to do so, perhaps until I've mentioned every note of music he ever sang! You can see all my reviews relating to Ozzy Osbourne here.

On Tuesday afternoon on the 22nd, the day the news of Ozzy's death broke, a coworker of mine tracked me down to let me know he'd created a book display in my Library's Nonfiction section titled "Rock N' Heavy Metal". Faced-out on the shelves of this glorious display were the memoirs of Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Black Sabbath, and other greats from Rock and Heavy Metal's history. Those books pertaining directly or tangentially to Ozzy were on the honorable top-shelf. My coworker had heard of my fandom and about this blog I write, and asked me to pose for a photo with him and other coworkers to promote this display.

You can find these books on display at the Schaumburg Township District Library until the end of this month. But wherever you live, go to you local library, find your Reference Librarian, and ask them where you can get a biography on Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath, or Heavy Metal music. Chances are, even if they don't own their own copy, they can get one for you, free of charge! Your heavy metal IQ will thank you for it.

Before I leave you, I want to take a moment to express my sympathies to Sharon Osbourne, and all of the Osbourne's children and extended family. For all the grieving we may be doing as fans, imagine the loss felt by those who were lucky enough to be truly close to him. Let us not forget that Ozzy was also a Father, a Husband, a Grandfather, a Brother, a Son, an Uncle, and perhaps a literal Godfather as well (on that last one, I'm just guessing).

I do have more things to say about Ozzy Osbourne, and will post about them on this blog (hopefully) in the near future, including a review of his memorable final concert performance: Back to the Beginning. Follow this blog so you don't miss it when I get around to it!

Rest in peace, Ozzy. We love you. We love your music. The joy it brings us... Well, that feeling is the true reason I named this blog "HappyHeadbanger.com"!

Tony Martin interview about the Anno Domini box set with Now Spinning Magazine Podcast

 Post #401

While it is a great thing that Black Sabbath finally reissued the Tony Martin albums in the Anno Domini box set, it also may leave new listeners with a few questions. I found several answers to my own questions in this fantastic interview. Enjoy!

Black Sabbath - Anno Domini 1989-1995 (2024 Box Set)

Post #400

    I became a fan of Black Sabbath for the first time in the early 1990's, largely due to the fact that I was a fan of Dio, and I heard that Ronnie James Dio had reunited with Black Sabbath for the Dehumanizer album in 1992. I added that album to my collection, and proceeded to track down most of Black Sabbath's back-catalog over the next several years. Most of the albums I tracked down featured Ozzy or Dio as vocalists, but there were a couple more-recent ones featuring some guy named Tony Martin as the lead singer.

    The Sabbath/Dio reunion did not last beyond the Dehumanizer album, and the next album they released, Cross Purposes, again featured Tony Martin on vocals. As a new fan, I was a little frustrated with the inconsistency of their lineup in this era, but at the end of the day I didn't think much of it. They had one more album with Martin, Forbidden, released in 1995. Little did anyone know this would be the final studio album from Sabbath for years and years to come...

    Fast-forward to the post-iTunes, and streaming era of music, and all these digital platforms have a huge gap in Black Sabbath's discography: all the albums released under the I.R.S Records label! Coincidentally, these albums included 4 of the 5 albums that Black Sabbath recorded with Martin as vocalist. The first album he sang on, The Eternal Idol, was the band's last release under the Warner Bros. label.

    For years, the only way to hear these 'missing' albums was if you owned them in physical format from their initial release. The I.R.S. label folded in 1996. I had collected some, but not all, of these Tony Martin Sabbath albums as CDs, but for years I was missing others. In recent years I've become a 'streaming music' listener, and frequently craft my own playlists to listen to on my daily commute. The absence of these Black Sabbath albums left gaps in my Black Sabbath playlists, and the songs from these albums faded into obscurity...

    Thankfully, Tony Iommi, Black Sabbath's founding guitarist, and only member who was in the band throughout it's entire career, has been diligently working for years, if not decades, to try to get these missing albums reissued. Now, in 2024, this has finally happened!

Anno Domini 1989-1995 is a 4-disc box set collecting these 4 albums previously unavailable since 1996. 3 of them have been remastered and the 4th (Forbidden) remixed by Iommi himself. I have this box set on CD format now, but perhaps more important is the fact that they are now available on streaming platforms for the masses to access. I have also revised several of my playlists to now include tracks from these albums. Don't worry, I'll post links to some of these playlists at the end of this post.

    Now let's look back on the I.R.S. years, and the Tony Martin era contained therein. Joining Sabbath in the late 1980's, Tony Martin brought with him a voice that was perfect for the times: melodic with plenty of range. He was able to sing with power and grit, but also hit high, falsetto notes. While his voice can be described as closer to Ronnie James Dio's than to Ozzy's, it is still a unique voice, and deserves respect and appreciation in its own right.

    Another important element of their sound during this era is the keyboardist Geoff Nichols. Nichols adds the ambiance of keyboards on each of these albums. While their prominence varies from one song to another, they are perhaps most prominent during this era than in any previous incarnation of Black Sabbath. With these musical elements in mind, I'll now share my recommended tracks for each album.

Headless Cross

-Headless Cross (for this lineup, this song is like the track 'Heaven & Hell' was for the Ronnie James Dio Lineup)

    -When Death Calls

    -Nightwing

    -Cloak & Dagger* (a bonus track, not available on original release)

Tyr

Tyr is essentially a concept album based on Norse mythology. Tyr is the son of Odin, and is known as the God of War.

    -Anno Mundi

    -The Law Maker

    -The Battle of Tyr/Odin's Court/Valhalla (the centerpiece of the album, these tracks form a medley of continuous music, best played in order!)

Cross Purposes

 -I Witness

    -Immaculate Deception

    -Evil Eye (Cowritten with Edward Van Halen)

    -What's the Use* (another bonus track, not available on the original release)

Forbidden 

Forbidden has long been my favorite album from this era, and with Tony Iommi giving it a thorough remix with a fine-tooth comb, it has only gotten better!

    -The Illusion of Power (a slow and heavy, doom-laden track, but the most unique element? Guest vocals by the hardcore rap artist Ice-T!)

    -Can't Get Close Enough (starts off with the feel of a ballad, but morphs into one of Iommi's classic, heavy riffs- one of my favorites!)

    -Rusty Angels (a faster-tempo number, this one really rocks!)

    -Loser Gets it All* (another bonus track, nicely closing out the Tony Martin era of Sabbath)

Now, as promised, here are the links and brief descriptions of my updated Sabbath playlists that feature songs from this box set:

"The Sabbath Stones" This one is directly copied from the track list of a compilation of the same name, one that was briefly available from I.R.S. Records, but now can only be found for resale in the far corners of the internet...

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/346jU680sRtuUptujFCkhY

"Best of Tony Martin" A response to a playlist challenge posted in a Facebook group devoted to the Tony Martin Era of Black Sabbath.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2xpO1pKrsAjQ9R6odoEKHk

And last but not least, "Black Sabbath - Dark Sacrament" This playlist is focused on Tony Iommi's guitar work, and I've included some tracks from every recorded album I could find. Originally this was compiled on 4 CDR's, and progressed from early-to-late releases. I've even included Iommi's contributions outside of Black Sabbath where I could find them...

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1U5FL6HPnDBI67l4WwbV10

Happy Headbanging!

Ronnie James Dio-This Is Your Life (Tribute 2014)

Post #318

When Ronnie James Dio lost his battle with cancer in 2010, the world of heavy metal mourned the loss of one if its most iconic vocalists of all time.

As far as tributes go, it is hard to top this one. The roster of artists performing on this tribute CD are all practically legends themselves. Killswitch Engage, Scorpions, Corey Taylor (of Slipknot and Stone Sour), Halestorm, Anthrax, Tenacious D, and even the mighty Metallica have all included a song on this collection. That should show you the significance of Dio's influence alone, but do yourself a favor and listen to this collection of songs, penned by one of the greatest vocalists metal has ever known.


Recommended tracks:
-Neon Knights (Anthrax)
-The Last In Line (Tenacious D)
-Rainbow In The Dark (Corey Taylor and others)
-The Temple of the King (Scorpions)
-Straight Through The Heart (Halestorm)
-Ronnie Rising Medley (a blend of 4 tracks from Ronnie's material by Rainbow-arranges and performed by Metallica)
-This is Your Life (Dio- this one is a Dio original, and one I hadn't paid close attention to before. It is from his album Angry Machines. The lyrics make it a very fitting inclusion here.)


Do not forget that 100% of the proceeds from sales of this tribute album benefit the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund

When Ronnie James Dio Joined Black Sabbath...

Post # 280 [Poll Winner-Favorite Replacement Vocalist]

Black Sabbath spent the 1970's establishing themselves as the premier heavy metal band on planet Earth. As friction mounted within the band, the time came when they eventually parted ways with original singer Ozzy Osbourne and searched for a replacement. Having toured with Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, other members were in communication with singer Ronnie James Dio.

Guitarist Tony Iommi and Ronnie got together and worked on some ideas musically. Their collaboration had a good enough vibe that Dio was offered the lead singer spot, and Heaven and Hell- their first album with this new line-up, soon followed. It has stood the test of time as a monumental album in the landscape of 80's heavy metal. The transition gave Sabbath a shot in the arm, and allowed them to get a fresh start at the dawn of a new decade.

Recommended tracks from Heaven and Hell:
-Neon Knights
-Heaven and Hell
-Children of the Sea
-Lady Evil
-Die Young
-Lonely is the Word

Black Sabbath 13 (2013)

Post #270
Exactly 2 years ago, the original line-up of Black Sabbath gathered to announce they were reuniting and would record a new album and plan a world tour. Legendary producer Rick Rubin, who had recently managed the recording of Metallica's return-to-form album Death Magnetic, was also revealed to be their producer. It was the biggest news for heavy metal music of the millennium. The press conference instantly stoked high expectations among the most loyal metal fans around the world.

Since then there have been a few set backs. First there was a contract dispute between the band's management and drummer Bill Ward, which unfortunately could not be resolved. To fill the void at the drum spot Brad Wilk (from Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave) was brought in. His previous work under Rubin's production with Audioslave was a plus. Just when things seemed to be back on track, guitarist Tony Iommi was diagnosed with lymphoma, a form of cancer affecting white blood cells. The recording process went immediately on hold as Iommi began treatment.

However, in spite of the obstacles, the band members pulled themselves up by their bootstraps and the album was completed. Black Sabbath. 13. A collection of songs that surprised me in spite of my skepticism. I had always thought the vibe of the original Black Sabbath albums would be forever lost in the '70's. The diligence and determination of the band members along with Rubin's goal-driven guiding hand on the production board have truly and thoroughly proven me wrong.

Rubin has succeeded with recapturing the band's original sound on 13 as much as he did with Metallica's Death Magnetic, if not more! The opening track, 'End of the Beginning', starts with a simple chord progression in tones that immediately recall the early-Sabbath sound. After a few measures the song transitions to a slow and haunting series of notes from Iommi's lead guitar, and can you hear the fabled diminished 3rd, or "Devil's 3rd", in that riff? I must say yes! Finally Ozzy's voice joins the mix, a long anticipated moment, and the magic of what Black Sabbath should be has been restored. It's almost as if they tried to recreate the song 'Black Sabbath' on purpose, yet there are also parts that sound similar to 'Breaking Into Heaven' (from the last Heaven and Hell album, The Devil You Know.) In any case, by this point any reservations I had held about this reunion have been dispelled.

For the next couple songs, 'God is Dead?' and 'Loner', they continue in the same vein with reestablishing the classic Sabbath sound. The guitar tones remain reminiscent of their works from their debut album through Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. With Ozzy's voice, Geezer and Iommi on bass and guitar, and Brad Wilk doing an impressive job of playing an 'old-school-Sabbath' drumming style this album is living up to expectations, if not exceeding them. Lyrics are challenging conventional religion, and tackling social and political issues left and right. Struggles between good and evil, Satan and God, heaven and hell are omnipresent throughout 13.

Another personal highlight is the track 'Zeitgeist'. It does a better job of recreating the vibe of 'Planet Caravan' than anything else. Eerie reverb effects on Ozzy's vocals, lyrics centering around the esoteric concept of space and time, the gentle strumming of an acoustic guitar, and even the soft bongo-style percussion; it is arguably better than the first 'Planet Caravan'!

The final track on the album, 'Dear Father', is another classic of Sabbath style, with the heavy, low-end guitar tonality, lyrics that beg the elusive higher-power of God for reasons of our existence, and a minor-key chord pregression to add just the right amount of doom and gloom. But then, after the music fades, there is a last little surprise for the old-school Sabbath fan in all of us: the original thunderstorm sounds effect from the intro of the very first Black Sabbath album. A bold statement to incoporate such parallells with their past, but in this case, appropriate!

Recommended tracks from 13:
-End of the Beginning (A great song to start the album. Immediately comparable with their early classics!)
-God is Dead? (Perhaps the most modern-sounding song on the album, but still indisputably classic Sabbath!)
-Loner
-Zeitgeist (Amazing as many of the previous songs have been with recapturing the original Black Sabbath sound, this one takes the cake, as it recreates the mood, vibe, and effect of the classic Sabbath song, 'Planet Caravan')
-Damaged Soul (This song incorporates a little harmonica, bringing back memories of 'The Wizard'...)
-Dear Father (Another great song with the throw-back Sabbath sound, but the finishing touch is when the song closes you're left with a sound effect of a thunderstorm and a tolling bell in the background... Sound familiar, perhaps?)

Black Sabbath: The 70's

Post #244
[Poll Winner: Favorite Metal Band from the '70s]
When it comes to the origins of modern heavy metal music, there are some bands that are always in the conversation. Black Sabbath is one such band. Trying to imagine how metal would have evolved if Tony Iommi had never suggested to his band-mates, "You know, we should write music that's scary" is a hypothetical statement that may cause many fans of metal to worry. Thankfully, he did, and Black Sabbath became the cornerstone for countless other bands to be inspired by. Their focus on the darker side of things set them apart from any of their contemporaries. Many of their early albums from the 1970's remain essential influences for the majority of heavy metal bands starting out today.

Black Sabbath ('70)

A debut album like no other in the history of heavy metal music. Many even go so far as to say that this is where real metal music began! Distinguishing themselves from any other blues-rock band or psychedelic-hippie band with their dark, demonic, heavy tones and ominously haunting lyrics of doom and destruction, Black Sabbath became an instant novelty in the world of heavy rock music. This first album sold way beyond the record company's expectations, and set the stage for a new era of music...

Essential tracks:
-Black Sabbath
-The Wizard
-N.I.B.
-Wicked World

Paranoid ('70)

Black Sabbath's second album, Paranoid, has remained a true classic among classics. You would be hard pressed to find a more influential album in heavy metal music. Every track is exceptional, and over half the album is included in almost every Sabbath concert set-list or compilation album. Most Black Sabbath songs retained on hard rock radio play-lists are from this album. This is Black Sabbath's best. From a time in their career where they had confidence from the success of their debut, many songs in their repertoire from constant gigging, and as clear a state of mind as they ever had, this album is where the planets aligned for Black Sabbath. Even when they needed one more song because the record was too short, they improvised the title track 'Paranoid' in a matter of minutes- and it has proven to be their best known hit to this day.

Every track on Paranoid is worth listening to. Here they are:
-War Pigs/Luke's Wall
-Paranoid
-Planet Caravan (An atypically soft and mellow song, but still loved by many Sabbath fans)
-Iron Man
-Electric Funeral
-Hand of Doom
-Rat Salad (A drum solo by Bill Ward is the prominent segment of this song.)
-Jack the Stripper/Fairies Wear Boots

Master of Reality ('71)

While Paranoid may be the 'best' Black Sabbath album when consulting the majority of fans, Master of Reality has always been my personal favorite. In many ways it is very similar to Paranoid. It has the same amount of low-end heavy tones, lyrics full of cautionary tales of near-future catastrophes, and some of Tony Iommi's most classic metal riffs.

This album, together with the previous two, represents the end of Sabbath's initial phase of creativity. As their career would progress from here, the band quickly got more and more heavily into drug and alcohol abuse. Simultaneously they would begin to experiment with their sound and style, both in terms of composition and recording techniques. For many fans, these first 3 albums are an era of Black Sabbath that is priceless in its originality, and can perhaps never be equaled again.

Check out my top picks from Master of Reality:
-Sweet Leaf
-After Forever
-Children of the Grave (Perhaps my all-time favorite Sabbath song!)
-Into the Void (A post-apocalyptic cautionary tale of life after a nuclear holocaust, when mankind must venture into outer space to find a new habitable planet.)

Volume 4 ('72)

By the time Sabbath got to Vol.4 they had been introduced to the drug culture and international touring. Although some of these experiences led to some high-energy music, they also began to add stress to the cohesiveness of the band. If signs of the band's eventual break up could have been seen early, they probably began to manifest shortly after this album.

Musically, they began experimenting with different sounds and recording techniques with Vol.4. They would take this experimental approach to music much further in the years ahead, with varying degrees of success. In some cases it became another point of tension between band members. However, at this early stage on Vol.4, they were still simply having fun and making music.

Recommended tracks:
-Changes (A very different kind of ballad from Black Sabbath, and a title apropos to their direction at this stage of their career.)
-Supernaut
-Snowblind
-Under the Sun/ Every Day Comes and Goes

Sabbath Bloody Sabbath ('73)

The last 'great' album from the original Sabbath? It may very well be Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. It contains many concert set-list staples, including the title track and 'Spiral Architect'. Metallica included a cover of 'Sabra Cadabra' on their '98 album of cover tunes: Garage Inc. This album shows Black Sabbath balancing their elements of doom and gloom with their more psychedelic elements in better harmony than on any other album. In the years to come, they would drift a bit further away from their trademark sound, and both their album sales and popularity would fade as a consequence.

Selections from Sabbath Bloody Sabbath:
-Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
-A National Acrobat
-Sabra Cadabra
-Killing Yourself to Live
-Spiral Architect

Sabotage ('75)

This album may not be as good as Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, but it is very similar to it. Aside from the first 3 albums, Sabotage slips in to make my personal 'top-5' list of albums from the original Black Sabbath. Like its predecessor, it contains a balance of some expected heaviness mixed with some of Sabbath's experimental elements.

My recommended tracks from Sabotage:
-Hole in the Sky
-Symptom of the Universe
-Meglomania (This song is a 9-minute-plus epic that starts with a head-trippy, psychedelic verse. Shortly after, it transitions to an intense and heavy tune, powered by a riff that once again shows why Iommi is always in the conversation when it comes to the best writers of metal riffs.)
-Am I Going Insane? (Radio) (More of a mainstream feel for this song. It was successful for Sabbath at the time, but it has not remained a favorite of long-time Sabbath fans.)

Technical Ecstasy ('76)

Although this album is generally accepted to be the 'worst' album by the original Black Sabbath, I would like to take a minute to point out some songs from it that may still be worth listening to. I might also say that an open-minded music fan would still appreciate this album a great deal. Some of the aspects that some would call 'bad', are simply instances where Sabbath were brave enough to try something new: the essential struggle of any professional musician.

Recommended songs:
-Back Street Kids (For what it's worth, this does does have a nice, high-tempo riff, coming close to Sabbath's glory days...)
-You Won't Change Me (A little doomy, a little trippy, this song almost sounds like Black Sabbath trying to be Deep Purple, but it's not bad.)
-Dirty Women (This song was resurrected back in '98 for their double-live Reunion album. Hearing it performed live, you can tell that it really is a pretty good song, built upon another classic Iommi riff)

Never Say Die! ('78)

This album was Ozzy's swan-song  with Black Sabbath (at least until the 1998 reunion, then later in 2011 until present.) The band's cohesion had been deteriorating slowly over the previous years, and things came to a head at some point between Technical Ecstasy and Never Say Die! In fact, the album was almost recorded with a different lead singer, but for better or for worse, they recorded and released it shortly prior to the band's official dismissal of Ozzy as their vocalist. In hindsight, the split proved beneficial to both Ozzy's career and Sabbath's.

A couple good tunes from this final recording of the original Black Sabbath:
-Never Say Die!
-Johnny Blade (Synthesizer intro, but then it becomes a heavy tune with lyrics that provide social commentary on violent crime and life on the streets.)
-Shock Wave
-Swinging the Chain (Features lead vocals by drummer Bill Ward.)

Tribute Night at Reggies: Lights Out, Judas Beast, Heaven & Hell-Chicago (3-15-13)

Post #240
Tribute bands are everywhere. They are essentially cover-bands, but choose to focus on covering and paying tribute to specific artists. Often they will name themselves after a well known song, lyric, album or other theme easily associated with the bands they cover. I have heard of many of these kinds of bands over the years, but this was the first time I made it to an actual show since I began this blog. It was a great night of familiar tunes from some classic heavy metal artists. The tribute bands on this night: Lights Out, Judas Beast and Heaven and Hell-Chicago. The bands they were paying tribute to: UFO, Iron Maiden, and Black Sabbath/Heaven and Hell/Dio.

Lights Out were the opening act, and they hit us with some killer rock and roll riffs from UFO's back-catalog, as well as a couple Michael Schenker tunes! Their guitarist even played the Gibson Flying V (Schenker's signature style of guitar!) They opened up with 'Hot N' Ready' from UFO's '78 Obsession album. They kept the show rolling from that point on, squeezing 13 songs into their set as the opening act.

They changed things up from one track to the next, covering some power ballads along with the hard-rockers. About half-way through the set they switched to the Michael Schenker Group, covering 'Armed and Ready' and 'Victim of Illusion', among others. My favorite part of their set was the closing number 'Rock Bottom', which featured an extended guitar solo and instrumental jam! Lead guitarist Joe Mazzuca kept the audience captivated for several minutes during this closing number.

I've always felt that Michael Schenker is an underrated guitarist. For some reason he remains largely in obscurity from the mainstream perspective, as most of his following is relegated to 'cult' status. I feel he deserves more respect for his contributions to metal than he seems to get. Lights Out were paying some of that overdue respect, and did justice for these songs from UFO and MSG.

Next up was Judas Beast, prepared as always to deliver "The ultimate Iron Maiden experience!"

This show started with the spoken intro, "Seven deadly sins, seven ways to win..." and they kicked off the show with 'Moonchild' from the Seventh Son album. True to their word, they really nailed the Maiden sound! They even had a 6-man line-up, with 3 lead guitarists (just like the real Maiden). Added to this was singer Dane McCartney sporting an 'Eddie' stocking cap (similar in style to the ones Bruce Dickinson is known to wear during live sets). Immediately following that they jumped into 'The Evil That Men Do', and it was evident that we were in for a wild ride!

It could not go without notice that Dane had an uncanny knack to imitate the sound of Bruce Dickinson's voice to such a convincing degree it would fool many die-hard Iron Maiden fans. In fact, for much of their show I would forget that I was not listening to the REAL Iron Maiden, they sounded that good! I needed to remind myself that this was only a tribute band. However, they performed each song with such enthusiasm and power, I would be tempted to call them a world-class Maiden tribute band.

If you need proof, you can see and hear for yourself in this youtube clip of 'Infinite Dreams'.

My favorite song they performed on this night was 'Still Life', from the Piece of Mind album. More of an obscure song, it has long been one of my favorites. I find the mood and melodies so haunting in this song, it captivates my imagination. I had always hoped to hear Iron Maiden play it whenever I've seen them in concert, but I've been unlucky so far. I must thank Judas Beast for including it in their set. As they did with so many songs on this night, they nailed it!

The band themselves seemed to be enjoying the crowd almost as much as we were enjoying them. They drew the audience into several moments of crowd-participation at every appropriate moment. The set-list itself was even a treat for the fans, as with each successive song it became apparent they were paying tribute to the Maiden England DVD, essentially re-creating that concert for the fans who knew of it. In the end only a couple songs were cut for time constraints. After all, there was still one tribute act left to perform...

...And then it was time for the headlining act: Heaven and Hell-Chicago!

With a large, white cross gracing the stage, and stage-smoke wafting into the room, the signature instrumental  track 'E5150' was played as the intro, while the band members took their places on-stage. Then, almost without warning, they instantly electrified the room with a killer, break-neck riff, we were all pumping our fists to 'Neon Knights'! Through the ages, every incarnation of Black Sabbath has been known to always deliver on one element in their music: heavy! This band had their instruments perfectly tuned and mixed to deliver that aspect with authority.

Since Ronnie James Dio passed away from cancer in 2010, I have been listening to almost every era of his music with near-religious regularity. Now, I was hearing a band with that same level of admiration for one of metal's biggest icons, performing those songs with a dedicated passion that was apparent in every move they made, every note they played. When they played 'Holy Diver', and did the proverbial 'horns' salute, the crowd responded in turn. This cultural phenomenon, \m/, has taken on a new significance when bands perform the works of Dio. This crowd knew that significance, and showed the deepest respect.

Although their singer wasn't quite on the same level of imitating Ronnie James Dio's voice as Dane McCartney was for Bruce Dickinson, he did have the range to sing the songs very well, including several Ozzy-era Sabbath songs! Although Judas Beast were hard to top in terms of the imitation factor, where Heaven and Hell-Chicago really impressed me was their choice of set-list. Not only did they cover songs from both the Ozzy- and Dio-fronted Black Sabbath, but they also did a number of songs from Dio's solo material and songs from his stint with Rainbow! Myself being a huge fan of both sides of Sabbath, this was a set list I had dreamed of hearing. I've seen Ozzy in concert, and I've seen the real Heaven and Hell. Always, I had hoped against the odds to hear one artist go back to the forgotten eras and perform a song or two. I wish I could have heard Ronnie sing 'War Pigs', or Ozzy sing 'Heaven and Hell'. With Heaven and Hell-Chicago spreading their song choices across the whole Sabbath/Dio career, this was the next best thing! The only thing that could have topped that might have been if they played Ozzy's 'Crazy Train', but perhaps that's an idea for another day...

I've never heard a few bands deliver as many timeless classics of heavy metal music as I did on this night. From the often overlooked classics from UFO, to a page from the touring history of Iron Maiden, to the nearly complete retrospective of Dio, Black Sabbath, Rainbow, and Heaven and Hell, it would be hard to ask for a better combo of tribute bands in one night! Lights Out, Judas Beast, and Heaven & Hell-Chicago are all on facebook, and they play frequently in the Chicago area. Check out any of their upcoming shows, and you will be thanking me for the suggestion in no time.

For now, see what the show was like for us on the evening of March 15th...
Set lists were:

LIGHTS OUT
-Hot N' Ready
-This Kid's
-Only You Can Rock Me
-Mother Mary
-A Self Made Man
-Armed and Ready (MSG)
-Victim of Illusion (MSG)
-On and On (MSG)
-Too Hot to Handle
-Let it Roll
-Love to Love
-Lights Out
-Rock Bottom

JUDAS BEAST
-Moonchild
-The Evil That Men Do
-The Prisoner
-Still Life
-Die With Your Boots On
-Infinite Dreams
-Killers
-Can I Play With Madness
-Heaven Can Wait
-Wasted Years
-Iron Maiden
-Number Of The Beast
-Run To The Hills
-Hallowed be Thy Name

HEAVEN AND HELL-CHICAGO
-E5150 (intro)
-Neon Knights
-Children of the Sea
-Faeries Wear Boots
-Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
-Holy Diver
-Don't Talk to Strangers
-Heaven and Hell
-Iron Man
-Bass Solo/Basically/N.I.B.
-The Man on the Silver Mountain
-Stargazer
-War Pigs
-The Last in Line
-The Mob Rules

Slide show of extra pix from the show:

Heavy Metal Madness: Elite Eight Summary, Part 2

Post #221
On November 19th, the second half of the Elite Eight of Heavy Metal Madness 2012 came to a close, and the FINAL FOUR of this tournament have been determined.

The Classic Rock bracket had predictably come down to Black Sabbath (#1 seed) and Led Zeppelin (#2 seed). It was a very close race throughout the month, and the 2 bands swapped the lead several times. The final vote was 21-19 in favor of Led Zeppelin; a decision truly decided by a single voter's opinion, since Sabbath held the tie-breaker. If one person had changed their mind in favor of Black Sabbath, then they would have advanced instead.

In the Alternative/Grunge/Punk bracket, it was a more surprising Elite Eight showdown: Alice In Chains (#5 seed) vs Soundgarden (#7 seed). However this match was far less of a contest, as AIC dominated their fellow Seattle-ites 28-7. Alice In Chains ties System of a Down for the lowest-seeded band to reach the Final Four.

Once again, your FINAL FOUR are as follows:
METALLICA (#1 seed)
LED ZEPPELIN (#2 seed)
SYSTEM OF A DOWN (#5 seed)
ALICE IN CHAINS (#5 seed)

Will top seeds dominate? Will chance favor the underdogs?!? We will find out by New Year's Eve! Vote for your top 2 of the Final Four. Voting is open until midnight, December 31st. So, cast your votes, share this site with your friends, and campaign one last time for YOUR favorite bands!

Now, the recommended songs for the bands now eliminated:

Black Sabbath-Black Sabbath

Soundgarden-Been Away Too Long

Heavy Metal Madness: Sweet Sixteen Summary, Part 2

Post #214
Last month's set of readers polls saw the elimination of 4 more bands in this year's one-of-a-kind tournament. And 4 other bands got ever closer to the coveted title of 'Best Band of All Time' (at least for this blog). Without you making your opinions known with your votes, this blog would just be me picking my favorites all the time, so THANK YOU!

Before I break down all the details, let me say that last month's results were not without controversy! For the first time in this tournament, I had to invoke the tie-breaker rules I laid out in post #166 last October. In that post I stated that in the event of a tie, if the contest has not reached the Final Four, the band with the higher seed within their bracket advances. For the first time, one of the polls last month ended in a tie: Soundgarden and Foo Fighters both gathered 20 votes. Therefor Soundgarden (#7 seed) advanced over Foo Fighters (#11 seed). My apologies to all the Foo Fighters Fans out there who voted, but rules are rules. Next time, remember to get more of your friends to vote, and maybe we can avoid ties in the future? The last thing I'll say on this issue: Voting in the polls is pretty. Voting in the polls is good. All that the Foos needed was one more vote. This is a call to all my past blog-poll voters- come back, vote again, and spread the word!

Now, for the rest of last month's results:
In the Classic Rock bracket, Black Sabbath beat Kiss 33-8. Led Zeppelin beat AC/DC 28-13.
While in the Alternative/Grunge bracket, Alice In Chains upset Nirvana 22-19, and Soundgarden... well, I already told you how they got past Foo Fighters.

Lastly, my recommended songs for those bands now eliminated:
Kiss-War Machine

AC/DC-Hells Bells

Nirvana-All Apologies

Foo Fighters-This Is a Call

...Until the next tournament update, keep voting, and happy headbanging!

Heavy Metal Madness-Second Round Summary: Part 1

Post #204
With the second round of Heavy Metal Madness, the choices got tougher, the votes got closer, and all-in-all the excitement multiplied as more bands were ultimately eliminated from this competition. As the polls closed, 8 more bands got one step closer to the championship of heavy metal.

Here's how the first half of the 'Sweet Sixteen' was decided...
In the Thrash/Classic Metal bracket:
METALLICA beat ANTHRAX 39-7
and IRON MAIDEN beat PANTERA 30-15
This sets up next month's match between Maiden and Metallica, one that I think might just determine the eventual champion, but the only way to know for sure is to keep voting...

In the Alternative/Grunge bracket:
FOO FIGHTERS beat RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE 23-18
and SOUNDGARDEN upset PEARL JAM 23-20
...Two very tight matches right up to the end!

In the Classic Rock bracket:
BLACK SABBATH dominated RUSH 35-9
and KISS (#5 seed) beat MOTLEY CRUE (#4 seed) 30-12, a close match in seeding, but an upset nonetheless.

And finally, in the Hardcore/ Death Metal bracket:
DISTURBED beat NIGHTWISH 26-12
and AVENGED SEVENFOLD beat KILLSWITCH ENGAGE 25-13


The second half of this round is underway now! Keep the votes coming, and check back later to see who has advanced.
The first half of the Sweet Sixteen round begins on July 20th!

My suggested songs for those bands eliminated this past month:
Anthrax-I'm Alive
Pantera-Mouth For War
Rage Against The Machine-Bulls on Parade
Pearl Jam-Spin the Black Circle
Rush-Working Man
Motley Crue-Dr. Feelgood
Nightwish-Nemo
Killswitch Engage-The End Of Heartache

Happy Headbanging...

Heavy Metal Madness-First Round Summary (Part 2)

Post #191
As February passed, and Winter gave way to an early spring, voting here at www.happyheadbanger.com continued for the bands in Heavy Metal Madness 2012... We saw more decisive victories, upsets and close contests in the second month of voting. Many favorites are one step closer to the coveted title of 'Best Heavy Metal Band' for this blog. Here's a break-down of the voting results for Round 1, Part 2!

Black Sabbath dominated The Who 36-10
Rush upset Aerosmith 30-17
Kiss beat Alice Cooper 29-16
Motley Crue bested Def Leppard 34-11
Nightwish had the biggest upset this month, knocking off Slipknot 29-23
Disturbed beat DragonForce 28-17
Killswitch Engage narrowly escaped Children of Bodom 25-18
and Avenged Sevenfold topped Trivium by the comfortable margin of 32-11...


Now for my recommended tracks for those bands that are now eliminated from this contest:
The Who-'Won't Get Fooled Again'
Aerosmith-'No Surprise'
Alice Cooper-'Poison'
Def Leppard-'Armageddon It'
Slipknot-'Snuff'
DragonForce-'Through the Fire and Flames'
Children of Bodom-'Needle 24/7'
Trivium-'A Gunshot to the Head of Trepidation'

Keep checking in at this blog, and voting for your favorite bands! Tell your friends and fellow metal-heads to check out this competition too! The more votes we get, the more validity is attributed to the results!

HEAVY METAL MADNESS 2012- Now Sponsored by ROCK AMERICA!

Post #170
Here's a little update for those of you participating in (or interested in participating in) the Heavy Metal Madness 2012 competition. I have already mentioned that I will have prizes to give away to the top-scoring brackets that I receive by the January 5th deadline. However, I have recently confirmed that Rock America will be providing a $20 GIFT CARD that will be included in the Grand Prize Package!

If you want to be a part of this unique contest and opinion poll of rock bands, please email me at happyheadbanger@gmail.com, or stop by the Vernon Hills, IL location for Rock America where brackets are available to fill out on the spot!

The Happy Headbanger is very grateful for this sponsorship, and as thanks I will be sharing various products available at Rock America throughout this competition. Today, I will start by sharing some items that are on my personal wish list, featuring the four #1 seeds from the Heavy Metal Madness 2012 bracket. Simply click the image if you are interested in purchasing these items:

Metallica (#1 seed in the Classic Metal/Thrash bracket)

Black Sabbath (#1 seed in the Classic Rock/Hard Rock/Hair Metal bracket)

Tool (#1 seed in the Metalcore/Death/Power Metal bracket)

Nirvana (#1 seed in the Alternative/Grunge/Punk Rock bracket)

Simply click to order!
Enjoy shopping online at http://www.shoprockamerica.com/
Again, thank you for participating in HEAVY METAL MADNESS!!!

Books That Rock: "I Am OZZY"

Post #92
Ozzy Osbourne's autobiography is the long awaited story of Ozzy's roller-coaster career as seen through his own eyes. Raised in poverty in Aston, Birmingham, England, and being a social outcast since his early childhood school days, Ozzy's highly unlikely rise to success in Rock N' Roll music is a fascinating story from page 1. Even more amazing and unlikely is the fact that he survived all the self-abuse he caused himself through his numerous harmful addictions and erratic, appalling behavior.

At this point in his life he has the perspective to look back on his life objectively, and he does so with humble & often brutal honesty. Reluctant to take credit for many of his successes, he never passes up an opportunity to thank those who have helped him out at the various stages of his life when he otherwise would have failed, or gone to prison, or been harmed, or may have died. He is not one to carry grudges, and has something good to say about almost everyone he's crossed paths with.

From a fan's perspective, I'm thankful to him for sharing his life-story with us. The context it brings to the music makes the songs more memorable. Some songs that I had almost ignored before, I now consider favorites. Others that I enjoyed for years are given more dimension by the events that gave rise to them. From his years with Black Sabbath, to his remarkable solo-career, the Osbournes & Ozzfests, my fanaticism has been fully rekindled.

Ozzy also mentions several musicians that have inspired him throughout his career. First and foremost are The Beatles. Led Zeppelin & Jethro Tull were other popular bands in the early days of Sabbath. One of my favorite passages was where Ozzy asked Tony Iommi if he'd heard the new Led Zeppelin album, and if he could believe how heavy it sounded. Tony casually replied, "We'll be heavier."

Ozzy also recalls the turbulent 80's with every appropriate emotion. The tragic death of Randy Rhoads, the 'Suicide Solution' lawsuit, the chaotic tour with Motley Crue, the biting-off of heads of bats or doves, the substance abuse and rehab.... Everything you've ever heard about Ozzy is put in perspective by the man who lived it. Check out this book & read it. Your heavy metal IQ will thank you for it!

Some songs that Ozzy specifically mentions (and are favorites of mine as well!)
From The Beatles: Roll Over Beethoven
-It Won't Be Long
-A Hard Day's Night

From Black Sabbath:
-Black Sabbath
-War Pigs
-Paranoid
-Children of the Grave
-Snowblind
-Changes (Later recorded as a duet with his daughter Kelly)
-Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
-Who Are You?

From Ozzy's solo years:
-Crazy Train
-Suicide Solution
-Goodbye to Romance
-Diary of a Madman
-Bloodbath In Paradise
-I Don't Want to Change the World
-Mama, I'm Coming Home
-My Little Man ( A tribute to his son Jack)
-I Don't Wanna Stop

Black Sabbath-Paranoid

Post #88-Poll winner: Favorite Ozzy-Era Sabbath Album
Black Sabbath are often credited as being the first true heavy metal band. Regardless of when and where 'heavy metal' began, Black Sabbath were certainly the heaviest band of their era. And they were certainly the first band to write songs as dark and demonic as 'Black Sabbath' or 'War Pigs'.

Rising from seemingly nowhere, their sound, tone, and doom-themed lyrics caught on surprisingly quickly. Shortly after they were signed to a record label they began to crank out albums year after year, following the simplest of formulas: heavy riff, dark or psychadelic lyrics, drums, bass, and a catchy vocal melody. It may not sound like much, but they mastered it quickly.

So adept they became at their new-found style of heavy-blues rock that their 2nd album, Paranoid, has become know as their Masterpiece, and a cornerstone in the foundation of the roots of the entire heavy metal genre. The title track/single was almost an accidental success. After they recorded their track-list for their second album, the producer barged in and said the album was too short on minutes. They needed one more song...

Brainstorming, and improvising on the spot, the four guys went to work. Starting with Tony Iommi's catchy guitar riff and flowing from there, they had the track cut less than 12 hours later. They called it 'Paranoid', and the record company liked it so much they changed the name of the album to match! Today it's often called their best song, and always used as a concert encore, whether you're seeing Black Sabbath or Ozzy.

Other highlights from this classic album:

-War Pigs

-Planet Caravan

-Iron Man

-Hand of Doom

-Fairies Wear Boots

Heaven & Hell-The Devil You Know

Post #70
After Ozzy Osbourne left Black Sabbath in the late 70's the band has more or less had a revolving door of lead vocalists. While some lead singers lasted for only an album or two, others enjoyed stints of several years. The revolving door even let Ozzy back in briefly in '97-'98 when Black Sabbath headlined Ozzfest.

In 2006 Sabbath got back together with the singer who first replaced Ozzy back in 1980- Ronnie James Dio. Dio's first stint with Sabbath produced 2 solid studio albums (Heaven and Hell & Mob Rules) and the band's first double-live album (Live Evil). Thereafter Dio left Black Sabbath and started his namesake band, Dio, which was very successful in the 80's & early 90's. Ronnie again joined Black Sabbath for another album in 1992, Dehumanizer, only to go back to his solo project a couple years later.

With the '06 reunion, the intent appeared to be to record a couple new songs for the compilation album, Black Sabbath-The Dio Years. However since then, this version of the band has toured several times, and recorded a new full-length album, The Devil You Know.

The Devil You Know is both heavy and melodic, dark and ominous. In the same instant it captures the essence of classic Black Sabbath as well as the lyrical and thematic elements from Ronnie James Dio's previous work. The atmosphere of this album is as full of doom and gloom as any Black Sabbath album. It seems at this point that these veteran musicians have found a formula they are all comfortable with. Although the new music generally follows the same formula they developed in their previous periods of collaboration, The Devil You Know sounds like a more polished and refined effort.

Whether the songs are built around a slow, grinding heavy riff; a softer interplay between clean guitar and vocal melody; or a fast-tempo chord progression infused with blues-rock roots, they always seem like classic Black Sabbath (Dio-era). This time around however, they are calling themselves Heaven and Hell. Look for them when they come to your town.

In the meantime, check out these songs:
-Atom and Evil
-Fear
-Bible Black
-Eating the Cannibals
-Follow the Tears

(Cover art from heavenandhelllive.com)

The Metal Masters Tour

Post #67
[This is a concert review of the perfomance in Tinley Park, IL on August 19th 2008]

In recent years I've taken up the tradition of attending at least one concert a year, usually in the summer, and often it is one of the multiple-band festival tours I manage to see. Since I'm also very budget conscious, I usually get Lawn Admission and save a few bucks, unless one of bands on the bill includes complimentary tickets with their new album (as many artists have done in recent years). Either way, these summer "fest" tours are a great deal; you get to see a dozen or so bands for about the same price you would pay to see 2 or 3 bands on a regular tour.

In the summer of 2008, I was lucky enough to see 2 shows. The first one (which I reviewed in a previous post), was Poison on their Live, Raw, & Uncut Tour. However, the one I looked forward to the most was The Metal Masters Tour. This show was on the smaller side for a "fest" format, only featuring 4 bands, but it was a powerful quartet: Testament, Motorhead, Heaven & Hell, and Judas Priest! Judas Priest included a code for a free ticket in their Nostradamus album, and I bought 2 copies so I'd have a pair of tickets to the show.

As with the Poison show, I attended this concert with my brother. He was familiar enough with some of the music of Motorhead & Judas Priest that he didn't mind going, although he didn't consider himself a huge fan of any of the bands. Hopefully the concert experience has swayed his opinion a bit, but that remains to be seen...

Upon our arrival, an interesting scenario developed. It seemed that the concert was undersold, and the venue staff were keeping the gates to the lawn area closed. A little aggravated, I asked one of them what was up. They replied that since the pavilion seating was severely undersold that anyone with lawn tickets could trade their ticket in for a free upgrade to pavilion seating!

So my brother & I got our upgraded tickets and got a bit of a closer view of the show. I was a little disappointed that the turnout wasn't better, but to see this show for the cost of Judas Priest's new album was well worth it. Before we even found our way to the upgraded seats, Testament came on-stage...

The 80's bay-area thrash movement went much deeper than some of today's new heavy metal fans realize. Sure almost everyone knows about Metallica, Megadeth, and Slayer, but there were plenty more bands where those came from. Testament was one of those lesser-know, but just as heavy, old-school thrashers. I couldn't tell what a few of their songs were (mostly because I hadn't yet heard their newest CD- The Formation of Damnation), but it was easy to jump right into the frenzied headbangin' madness that had ensued! After a couple songs, I finally recognized "Practice What You Preach", and the crowd got totally into it at that point. Clumps of fans could be seen shaking their long manes of headbangers' hair like it was still 1989!

Being the opening band, they had the shortest set. They focused on playing material from their new album, and were finished all too soon if you ask me. But the songs they played were great, and they got the crowd pumped for the next act... Motorhead!

Truthfully, neither of us had heard much of Motorhead's music. I knew some of their better known songs like Ace of Spades, and Damaged Case (thanks to Metallica covering it on Garage Inc.). My brother said he'd heard a couple songs on Monday Night Raw, since one wrestler always had a Motorhead song played for a theme song. However for the most part the majority of their set was a totally new experience for us.

Not being familiar with most of the lyrics, I found most songs difficult to follow. Lemmy Killmister's thick English accent didn't help much either, and his interludes between numbers wasn't any easier. However the one thing I have to give Motorhead credit for is their attitude and delivery. They really played with a 'go-for-the-kill' attitude. The vibe of their live set was like metal-meets-punk brawl. My personal favorite part of their show had to be the drum solo. That dude can drum fast!

Next up was Heaven And Hell, the Black Sabbath line-up that features Ronnie James Dio on vocals with Vinnie Appice on drums. This time around they are calling themselves Heaven And Hell and their set list was composed entirely from material on the Dio-recorded Black Sabbath albums. I knew this was their approach ahead of time, so I was hyped to hear such an era-focused collection of songs. Some may have been disappointed by the absence of any "classic" Black Sabbath songs, but beggars can't be choosers.

Their stage set up was pretty elaborate; hulking gargoyles flanked both sides of the stage with eyes that glowed red, and wrought-iron fencing lined parts of the stage. The show began with the instrumental "E5150" as an intro, slow buzzing notes from distorted guitar with a bit of volume-swell effect... When Tony Iommi's scheaching guitar burst forth with heavy riffs, we were off and rocking with Heaven & Hell!

"Mob Rules" was the first song and it got the crowd rolling. The rest of the set was no disappointment either, as they mainly played numbers from their 1st album together, Heaven & Hell, balanced by selections from Mob Rules & Dehumanizer plus one of their new songs from the Black Sabbath: The Dio Years collection. Most memorable moment had to be when the gargoyles' heads pivoted and spewed smoke during the song "Heaven and Hell".

As great as that set was, the best was yet to come, for Judas Priest was about come on stage...

With stage lights swirling about the darkened stage, "Dawn of Creation", the intro to Judas Priest's Nostradamus album, set the tone for the show while the band took their positions on-stage among the shadows. When the lights came on the band jumped straight into "Prophecy", also from the Nostradamus album. I was transfixed.
Here I was, finally seeing the legendary Judas Priest unleashing the best of their heavy metal glory! Only one thing had me perplexed.... Where the hell was Rob-Frickin'-Halford!?!? Glen Tipton, KK Downing, & Ian Hill were all on stage, chugging out their heavy riffs, and Scott Travis behind the drum kit (obviously), and I was hearing the Metal God's unmistakable voice narrating the essence of Nostradamus.... but where was he?!? For the first entire verse of the song I couldn't have told you where he was singing from. But then the Nostradamus 'statue' (which I thought was part of the stage-set), high on a platform stage-left, moved its staff about one foot to the left!

Draped in a golden cloak, Rob Halford continued singing as he slowly descended from the platform to the main level of the stage. Once there, he removed his hood as he continued belting out the lyrics of the song. What a master of stage-presence!!! Halford's voice has always been one of my favorites in metal music. Now I can truly consider him as one of the greatest front-men of all time. As the band delivered an awe-inspiring performance of Priest classic after classic I was banging my head and pumping my fists as never before! Tipton & Downing exhibited some of the best guitar soloing I'd ever seen live in concert, especially during 'Painkiller'-one of my all-time favorite Priest songs. Judas Priest are ever-deserving of their nick-name; The Metal Gods. Even on this night of The Metal Masters, they shone the brightest of them all!

Here are the set lists from this show. For the most part they are from my own memory and/or jotted notes during the show. I could be mistaken on some of the songs from the Testament & Motorhead segments, but these should be pretty close...

Testament

-Over The Wall
-Electric Crown
-Practice What You Preach
-More Than Meets The Eye
-Henchmen Ride
-Formation of Damnation
-Dog-Faced Gods

Motorhead
-Dr. Rock
-Stay Clean
-Be My Baby
-Killers
-Metropolis
-Over the Top
-In The Name of Tragedy
(drum solo)
-Just Cos' You Got the Power
-Killed by Death
-Ace of Spades
-Overkill

Heaven & Hell
-E5150
-Mob Rules
-Children of the Sea
-I
-Sign of the Southern Cross
(drum solo)
-Time Machine
-Falling Off the Edge of the World
-Ear in the Wall
-Die Young
-Heaven and Hell
-Neon Knights

JUDAS PRIEST
-Dawn of Creation
-Prophecy
-Metal Gods
-Eat Me Alive
-Between the Hammer and the Anvil
-Devil's Child
-Breaking the Law
-Hell Patrol
-Dissident Aggressor
-Angel
-The Hellion
-Electric Eye
-Rock Hard, Ride Free
-Painkiller
(encores)
-Hell Bent for Leather
-The Green Manalishi (With Two-Pronged Crown)
-You've Got Another Thing Coming

(image references: Testament from www.cloomisfotos.com; Motorhead from www.rollingstone.com; Heaven & Hell from musicaenprogreso.blogspot.com; Judas Priest from juniors-eyes.blogspot.com)