Metallica took the stage with purpose on Saturday (July 5th) in Birmingham, England, serving as the final act before Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath closed out their legendary careers at the “Back to the Beginning” concert—a historic night marking the end of an era for heavy metal.

James Hetfield and the band kicked off their set with a fiery rendition of Black Sabbath’s “Hole in the Sky,” a fitting tribute to the pioneers who made the night possible. From there, they tore through their own classics “Creeping Death” and “For Whom the Bell Tolls” before circling back to Sabbath with a rare live cover of “Johnny Blade.” Metallica kept the energy surging with “Battery” and closed with the fan-favorite anthem “Master of Puppets.”

Their performance followed a stacked lineup that included Guns N’ Roses, Slayer, Tool, Pantera, Gojira, and more, along with superjam appearances from members of Rage Against the Machine, The Smashing Pumpkins, Ghost, Aerosmith, and other rock heavyweights, making it a true celebration of metal’s past, present, and future.

Before the show, Metallica’s Lars Ulrich and Robert Trujillo shared their reflections with Heavy Consequence on what it meant to stand alongside Black Sabbath on such a monumental night, emphasizing the honor of being part of Sabbath’s final chapter.