Black Sabbath Collection

Black Sabbath is a metal institution that pioneered the genre. From the late 60s to the entire 70s, the band earned legendary status thanks to Ozzy Osbourne’s primal vocals, Bill Ward’s powerful drumming, Tony Iommi’s seismic riffing, and Geezer Butler’s ear-splitting basslines.

The otherworldly original lineup gave metal fans Paranoid, one of the masterpieces of the 70s. In 1979, the band splintered and Black Sabbath carried on with different vocalists. Ozzy Osbourne used his prince of darkness persona to launch a successful solo career that lasted decades.

Through the years, the band had re-formations and various reunions. They later tried to recapture the early evil energy that endeared them to fans through their album 13. Ward and Iommi formed the band in 1968 under the name the Polka Tulk Blues Band. They later enlisted Osbourne and Butler and changed the band name to Earth.

Their transition to Black Sabbath occurred the following year after Butler and Osbourne wrote a song inspired by a 1963 horror film of the same name. Also known as the devil’s interval, the song served as the opening of their explosive 1970 debut. The album, produced by Rodger Bain, was recorded in a single day.

In 1971, they released Master of Reality, which was certified double platinum. The departure of Ozzy Osbourne and his successful solo career marked the end of an era for the band. However, with Ronnie James Dio taking on the singing duties, Black Sabbath garnered commercial and critical success.

In 2015, the band announced that the upcoming world tour, aptly titled The End Tour, would be their last. The tour concluded in Birmingham and saw the band close the lid on a successful career that lasted five decades. To this day, they are regarded as the unheralded forerunners of sludge, stoner, and doom metal.