Heavy metal fans know the significance of the band Black Sabbath. These self-proclaimed pioneers of heavy metal rocked fans with heavy and fast guitar riffs, sullen voices, and supernatural-infused lyrics that conjured up images of occult figures. Read on to learn more about Black Sabbath, their evolution through musical styles, and what makes them one of the most influential bands in heavy metal history.
About Black Sabbath
began in the gritty, industrial city of Aston, England, near Birmingham. The four founding members, Ozzy Osbourne, Terry “Geezer” Butler, Tony Iommi, and Bill Ward, came from working-class parents. Guitar player Tony Iommi lost the tips of two of his fingers while working in a factory and was so despondent that he considered giving up guitar playing altogether. However, his shift supervisor gave him a record of the famous jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt, who’d also lost the use of his fingers yet went on to become a renowned and successful musical artist.
Black Sabbath’s music captivated audiences with the power and connection the band members had, especially in the early years. Ozzy Osbourne’s vocals were real, urgent, sullen, and emotional. Tony Iommi was the master of riff guitar, Geezer Butler used the wah pedal on his bass, and Bill Ward’s drumming style was powerful. Osbourne, Butler, and Ward left the band for various reasons, and new players replaced them, with Tony Iommi being the only founding member to remain. With each new member, especially vocalists James Dio and Tony Martin, the roots of Black Sabbath’s music remained, despite the stylistic changes.
The Birth of Heavy Metal: Black Sabbath
In 1970, the band released their first album, Black Sabbath. Rock ‘n’ roll hadn’t heard this type of groundbreaking sound that used the tritone music process. This style of music is known as the devil’s interval or, in Latin, diabolus in musica. It’s called tritone because of the three-step process.
Professor of Music at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, “The reason it’s unsettling is that it’s ambiguous, unresolved,” says Moshell. “It wants to go somewhere. It wants to settle either here or [there]. You don’t know where it’ll go, but it can’t stop where it is.” From classical to jazz to rock, the tritone conveys feelings ranging from forbidden love and longing to fear and defiance.
While the dark and heavy sound of Black Sabbath didn’t initially capture record labels or radio stations, by the time the band began to tour and had songs such as “Paranoid,” “War Pigs,” and “Iron Man,” Black Sabbath soon became a commercial success.
Refining the Sound: Paranoid
After the occult-laden, dark sounds and vibe of the album Black Sabbath, Paranoid brought a refreshing style to the band. While still heavy metal with lyrics related to depression, drugs, and despair, there’s a bit of pop energy to “Paranoid” that helped bring their sound into mainstream heavy metal rock. This album was recorded only months after the release of their debut album, Black Sabbath. Today, “Paranoid” has become a mainstay of heavy metal’s history and is considered one of the industry’s most important songs.
Experimentation and Growth: Vol. 4 and Sabotage
As the band progressed with commercial success, their style of music evolved and became more technical and experimental. Vol. 4 was the fourth studio album recorded and was one of the top albums of the Ozzy Osbourne era. The band introduced the sounds of strings, but instead of using a real orchestra, they used the Mellotron to create the sounds. Vol. 4 was a progressive rock album that still retained the dark elements that defined Black Sabbath’s sound. The main songs from Vol. 4 included “Wheels of Confusion” and “Changes.”
In 1975, Black Sabbath released their sixth studio album, Sabotage, which remains one of the most influential heavy metal albums of all time. The guitar riffs are intense, and the raw energy is infectious and defiant. This album peaked at No. 28 on the Billboard 200. Key songs from Sabotage included “Hole in the Sky” and “Megalomania.”
The Dio Era: Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules
In 1979, frontman Ozzy Osbourne exited Black Sabbath due to personal issues and drug dependency, beginning the Ronnie James Dio era. Dio was the vocalist for the band Rainbow, and after Osbourne departed Black Sabbath, Tony Iommi contacted Dio with the hope of resurrecting Black Sabbath as the influential heavy metal band it once was. While Dio’s voice was quite different from Osbourne’s, his input and style helped launch a new direction for the band, with the albums Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules.
Key songs from Heaven and Hell included “Children of the Sea” and “Lady Evil.” Songs from Mob Rules included “Slipping Away” and “Turn Up the Night.”
The Tony Martin Years: From The Eternal Idol to Forbidden
In 1987, Tony Martin joined Black Sabbath and recorded The Eternal Idol, Headless Cross, Tyr, and Forbidden. By this time, all the founding members of Black Sabbath, except for guitarist Tony Iommi, had left the band. A new era began when Tony Martin signed with the band. Unfortunately, he became part of the band during its most tumultuous era. Despite the challenges the band faced, Martin was with Black Sabbath for over 10 years, bringing his deep, heavy vocals to the band’s evolving sound.
The Final Chapter: 13
In 2013, after decades of changes and challenges, Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler, and Tony Iommi reunited to create the album 13. Fans were ecstatic about the new album, and the band toured to sold-out venues. Key songs from their final album included “End of the Beginning” and “Live Forever,” and the song “God Is Dead?” won a GRAMMY Award. Black Sabbath had a final tour in 2015 and made a documentary, The End: Live in Birmingham, and in 2019, Black Sabbath received a GRAMMY Award for lifetime achievement.
Black Sabbath’s Enduring Legacy in Heavy Metal
Black Sabbath is foundational to the history and development of heavy metal. Today, major commercially successful heavy metal bands style their music based on the influence of Black Sabbath. Metallica and Judas Priest were heavily influenced by Black Sabbath, and heavy metal lives on today with bands such as Linkin Park, Avenged Sevenfold, Children of Bodom, and Electric Wizard.
