In a recent interview with Rolling Stone Brazil, Slayer’s Kerry King discussed the band’s upcoming performance at Ozzy Osbourne’s final show. The band’s delayed decision in choosing their Black Sabbath cover song resulted in limited track options.
“I drug my feet and picked our song really late, when there weren’t as many obvious choices,” King explained. “But the one I picked is gonna work out really cool.”
“I worked it out with my [solo] band, so me and Paul [Bostaph] could rehearse it,” he continued. “So we’ve already got it. We’ve just gotta get Tom [Araya] and Gary [Holt] on board whenever – probably in June we will rehearse for that. It’s gonna be killer. What we’re doing is cool.”
The performance will be a significant moment at Ozzy Osbourne’s farewell show. Several notable acts will join Slayer in performing Black Sabbath classics.
The upcoming performance represents another milestone in the enduring connection between Slayer and Black Sabbath. Both bands have played crucial roles in shaping heavy metal music.
The Final Show Details
American Songwriter revealed that the event, titled ‘Back To The Beginning,’ will take place on July 5, 2025, in Birmingham, England. The show will serve as Ozzy’s farewell with an all-star lineup of performers.
Slayer has previously paid tribute to Black Sabbath. The band recorded a cover of ‘Hand Of Doom’ for the 2000 tribute album ‘Nativity In Black II: A Tribute To Black Sabbath.’
Historical Band Connections
Overground Scene documented Black Sabbath and Judas Priest’s significant influence on Slayer’s musical direction. Their impact particularly shaped Jeff Hanneman’s distinctive riff-writing style.
Tony Iommi’s innovative heavy riffing pioneered a sound that became fundamental to metal music. This style would later shape bands like Slayer.
Legacy And Impact
Give Me Metal highlighted Black Sabbath’s foundational role in heavy metal. Their influence extends beyond Slayer, having established the doom metal genre and various other metal subgenres.
Black Sabbath’s impact continues to resonate through generations of metal bands. This upcoming performance at Ozzy’s final show stands as a fitting tribute to these pioneers of the genre.
