Black Sabbath\u2019s final live concert last Saturday saw Birmingham\u2019s heavy metal pioneers at long last bow out of the music business. But as countless top-tier rock bands took to the stage to tribute Ozzy and co., fellow Birmingham metal icons Judas Priest upped the hype when they dedicated their very own cover of Sabbath\u2019s 1970 album-opener, \u201cWar Pigs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This unexpected cover went instantly viral when it was posted to Black Sabbath\u2019s official YouTube page, now standing at an incredible 2.5 million views within just five days of reaching the site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With rich distortions, crisp drum tones, and terror-charged air raid sirens, Judas Priest\u2019s cover cleanly ranks amongst the cream of the crop. Rob Halford, 73 years young, takes on Ozzy\u2019s lyrics in his own legendary voice, his energy as fresh as in Priest\u2019s 1980s heyday and absolutely fantastic to witness. Clad in spiked and chained black leather, Judas Priest bleed the retro and modern colors of metal into one unstoppable creation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s a pretty straight cover, but Judas Priest nevertheless twine their own sound into the crevices of Sabbath\u2019s hit, supercharging the riffs, making subtle alterations here and there which launch the tune straight into the 21st century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n