Ozzy Osbourne and his band Black Sabbath are about to perform their final show together, and their first in 20 years, at Villa Park in Birmingham. Their Back to the Beginning performance also features a line up of heavy metal legends who were influenced by Sabbath including Metallica, TOOL and Slayer.
The first self-titled Black Sabbath album is considered the first heavy metal album, while the first song on the track list, also called Black Sabbath, is seen as the beginning of doom metal. Released in 1970, Black Sabbath’s unique, heavy, blues-filled sound immediately set them apart from other bands at the time and their impact on the metal music that followed can not be undersold. With many bands starting out by playing some of Sabbath’s low, growling riffs, it is no wonder there are a good number of covers of Sabbath’s huge songs.
And there is one cover that fans are saying is the “best ever” with one even declaring it is better than the original.
In 1971, Black Sabbath released their third album, Master of Reality, and with it the song Into The Void which was covered by one of the first desert rock bands, Kyuss.
Kyuss was formed in California in 1987 with Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age playing lead guitar. Their history is another rock and roll story, but less than a year after Kyuss parted ways, in 1996, their cover of Into The Void was released as a non-album single.
Featuring heavier, grittier distortion on the guitars, more groove on the drum beats and the unmistakable vocals of John Garcia, the Kyuss version has a longer run time of nearly eight minutes, compared to Sabbath’s six, as they riff into the void.
Now available on YouTube, fans say it is one of their favourite versions.
YouTube user @orsboer said: ” Probably THE BEST cover of a Black Sabbath song on this slowly ruined planet! Awesome upload.”
Another, @haraldholm5517, said: “I would humbly suggest it is better than the original, no, skip humbly, it just is…”
@S_dott said: “This is superior to the original, better guitar, bass and definitely vocals. Josh puts more energy into those riffs, makes it sound way better.”
@H3LLE agreed and said: “Better than the original.”
However, while many liked the lower tuned, desert rock-inspired cover, some thought there were other bands that do great renditions and some who felt this was just not for them.
One user, @CarsonsMajorMovieFilms said: “Check out The Cardigans’ covers of Iron Man and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath- they really make them their own songs, and are so different you can’t compare.”
@father042 had another recommendation, and said: “Check [out] Type O Negative cover of Black Sabbath.”
While @ChrisWhite-pd1ej said: “My favourite song. A band I love. Too bad they f****** ruined it. Absolute s***. Plays the riff wrong on the verse.”
And if the original is your favourite, you can tune into the Black Sabbath Back to the Beginning final show via live stream. Live streams cost £25 and you can get all the information here.