Epic Win: Black Sabbath
Submitted by Ken L, who is rumored to have bitten off the head of a bat
Black Sabbath was responsible for many heavy metal staples: “Iron Man,” “Crazy Train,” and “Paranoid” (shown above). MTV recognized Ozzy’s outfit as the Greatest Metal Band of All Time. Sabbath is pretty good, but I think VH1 was probably a bit more accurate ranking them at second, behind Led Zeppelin.

OZZY!!!
Ozzy did “Crazy Train” while solo, and Black Sabbath could hardly be described as Ozzy’s outfit, since he was fired from the group and replaced by Ronnie James Dio. Ozzy is great, mind you, but Sabbath wasn’t his outfit.
Exactly! & BTW Zep is not metal and neither is AC/DC so they are definitely #1!
Crazy Train wasn’t a Black Sabbath song, Ozzy did that after Sabbath kicked him out. Sabbath sucked without Ozzy.
I understand why Led Zep might not be on the list of Greatest Metal Bands, as it’s a matter of debate whether they are true “metal” or not. They, like Deep Purple, influenced metal heavily (pun not intended) but predated it as a genre, so trying to categorize them as part of it can be sticky.
But indeed, Black Sabbath is awesome. Though I’m an Iron Maiden person myself. MAAAIIIDEEEEENNN!!!
Um? Zeppelin isnt and never was Metal… They have always been hard rock, a la van halen. So MTV for once was correct, Sabbath is the greatest metal band of all time. Get your facts straight herb.
Yeah, Zeppelin was a BLUES BAND. They were never anything but a BLUES BAND. Nobody who sings floofy mandolin ballads based on Tolkien books is “metal.”
Forge, allow me to introduce you to a group known as Blind Guardian. They were a popular band belonging to the genre known as Power Metal, and they were only one of the many bands that favored Tolkien, Dungeons and Dragons, and other fantasy themes as material for their songs.
In other news, I fail at linking.
Don’t forget about Manowar, Cirith Ungol, and a bit of Iron Maiden to name a few!
Bal Sagoth, Falconer, Hammerfall…
Sure, sure!! But those are actually metal bands. Zeppelin was a blues band. Not metal. Not ever. No. Although!! Without “Communication Breakdown,” there would be no speedmetal. = )
Your point was that “Nobody who sings floofy mandolin ballads based on Tolkien books is “metal.”” And then they listed several metal bands that do just that. In fact the Tolkien themes of some Zeppelin songs was perhaps the most metal aspect of the band.
I have to agree, you CAN like Zep better (I sure don’t though) but they were not a metal band at all. I can’t even believe people still think there’s a debate between Sabbath or Led Zeppelin.
And while I’m on the subject… Bill Ward > John Bonham. IMO.
As for whether Sabbath sucked after Ozzy… I’m more of a fan of the Ozzy stuff, but I listen to the Dio albums and even their 80’s and 90’s stuff with the half dozen or so forgettable vocalists they had.
Honestly, give me one example (song, youtube vid…anything) where Bill Ward did anything anywhere CLOSE to better than John Bonham.
It’s ok to like one band better than the other, because most everyone likes one of these bands far more than the other, but Bill Ward couldn’t hold John Bonham’s drumsticks, sorry man.
“I think that [Black] Sabbath are directly responsible for all metal, hardcore, thrash and goth music. They are THE premier goth band.”- Peter Steele, Type O Negative
“Black Sabbath: more addictive than heroin or pussy.”- Al Jourgensen, Ministry
“Everybody knows that Black Sabbath started everything and almost every single thing that people are playing today has already been done by Black Sabbath. They wrote every single good riff… ever.”- Rob Zombie
Well, let’s get it straight. The term “Heavy Metal” was started by the press to decribe a heavier sounding form of Rock evolving in the mid 70’s, Numerous bands were asked by Circus, Rolling Stone and the like if they considered themselves Heavy Metal. All basically said either no or we are rock and roll. The list of bands who replied in this manner included Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Deep Purple and Black Sabbath. The only band that said “Yes, we are Heavy Metal” is Judas Priest.
So, give credit where credit is due. Heavy Metal as a genere is the result of Judas Priest. However, Sabbath’s influence is undeniable!
Heavy metal started in the late 60s with bands like… well, Black Sabbath.
Well there was Arthur Brown.
But I guess he was more dark psychedelic rock.
Yeeeeeah!
What a discography..
although “Technical Ecstasy” blew chunks, and “Never Say Die” only had a couple good tracks on it.
“Born Again” with Ian Gillian on vocals licked balls, too.
But to have only three clinker albums in a span of 40 years..
pretty good track record
Sabbath didn’t do crazy train- it was on ozzys bizard of oz record adter he quit sabbath,
Sabbath/Ozzy = original influential hard rock/heavy metal.
Led Zeppelin = Most. Overrated. Band. Ever. Most of their “hits” weren’t even their own songs, but ripoffs of old (in some cases REALLY old) blues songs.
BLACK SABBATH!!!
GAAHHhhhhhhhHHHH!!!
Zeppelin was the daddy of the glam of the 80’s, looking all pretty with their lightweight love songs, while Sabbath was tearing up eardrums with epic heaviness.
Zeppelin was in the 70’s dude. Not the 80’s.
Per wikipedia:
Years active 1968–1980
(Reunions: 1985, 1988, 1995, 2007)
Zeppelin was late 60’s and 70’s, but their influence was most prominent in the glam of the 80’s. While Sabbath’s influence was( and is) most prominent in every other sub-genre of metal to this day.
I mean let’s be serious here – Led Zeppelin was originally known as “The New Yardbirds.” No. Not metal. No. Just, no.
Black Sabbath was, originally, a blues band, too. But Iommi cut the tips of his playing fingers off so he had to string his guitar low and play with plastic fingertips he made himself (out of melted ballpoint pen caps). In addition, the band decided to try gothic and horror theme in their music because that hadn’t been done before.
In a very real sense, Black Sabbath invented Heavy Metal.
Fail post.
Comparing Sabbath and Zeppelin is like comparing apples and oranges.
Also, as earlier mentioned, Crazy Train was recorded on Blizzard of Oz, 1980. His first solo album, not with Sabbath.
because the video is not my type of music by genre but ps singers are a little sympathetic but they need a haircut ….
Anecdote:
Qualification: I quit the smoky weedy freaky drug scene about 20 years ago. I got nothing against anyone who wants to toke up, but I just lost interest in it. Now,
Anecdote: The other night I was driving home from the office and “War Pigs” came on the Classic Radio station… and I smelled POT. Heavy bong-smoke pot. I haven’t even been *near* a potsmoker since the mid-80s. Talk about a flashback!
fail…crazy train wasnt black sabbath
I LOVE BLACK SABBATH YAAAAY! Im not even old enough to even know Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin exist, if not for my parents! YAAAAY!
Sabbath is way better than Zeppelin, and Ozzy will always be the man.
there’s nothing all that nostalgic about black sabbath. ozzy’s still running about, doing his thing. i saw them but 2 or 3 years ago, don’t believe it was the full band, but you’d get the idea.