Best Black Sabbath covers

[NAD]

If you've ever been in a band, chances are you've covered at least one Black Sabbath song. What are the best Sabbath covers you've heard?

System of a Down - Snowblind
This is such a weird version of this song, it's fast and sounds Middle-eastern (or would that be Oriental? ). Bizare vocals and a surf-inspired guitar line makes it their own yet keeps the spirit of the original. Sounds more like cocaine than the original since it's so frantic.

Type O Negative - Black Sabbath
I know this will sound like complete blasphemy, but this version is so much better than the original. Includes Killing Yourself to Live main riff to end the song, which is so perfect you'd think they were meant to be as one. Note: Peter Steele also did a version of this with his own lyrics (From the Satanic Perspective I believe it's called), but that one kinda sucks.

 

[J.]

Biohazard - After Forever
This is hands down my favorite Sabbath cover tune. Incidentally, it's my favorite Sabbath song covered by one of the bands that paved the way for my metal maturation. The instruments are flawless, and the vocal interplay between Seinfeld and Grazeiadei (sp?) works wonders. Found on Nativity in Black I

Type O Negative - Paranoid
Paranoid drawn out into an 8 minute affair. Fucking great song with Steele's depressed vocals, and a haunting chorus. Plus, the Iron Man riff is thrown in for some extra fun. Found on TON's Origin of the Feces.

I used to own 4 different Sabbath tributes: NIB I & II, Masters of Misery, and Eternal Masters. NIB I is a classic disc, and the one which all other Sabbath tributes is held up against. NIB II was a nu-metal shitfest. Masters of Misery is one I need to hear again since tons of bands I like nowadays are on it: Iron Monkey, Brutal Truth, Godflesh, Cathedral, etc. I didn't really know of these bands when I first got the comp. Eternal Masters is shit.

 

[NAD]

That Paranoid cover cracks me up.

NIB II had a few decent ones, but the majority were garbage. NIB I, frickin' classic album that actually got me into Black Sabbath in the first place.

 

[JayKeeley]

Man, that System of a Down cover of "Snowblind" is freaked up! (Which explains why NAD of courses love it in the gay way). The interludes where it slows down is good though, "My eyes are blind but I can see...", reminding me of why I love Serj Tankian's voice so much.

Megadeth's version of "Never Say Die" was better than their own version of "Paranoid" I thought. At times, Mustaine even got the intonations right just like Ozzy. A bit tinny on the production front though.

I thought White Zombie did a good job with "Children of the Grave", Bruce Dickinson & Godspeed did a spectacular job with "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath", and Andreas Kisser ruled in his guitar solo in the Seps cover of "Symptom of the Universe" - it was like a leftover solo from Beneath the Remains. Their acoustic jam outro is excellent as well. Damn, Sepultura are a good band!

I admit I like the harmonica intro on Bullring Brummies, "The Wizard", and for once, Rob Halford doesn't go into his infamous falsetto. He keeps it low and grungey, and it sounds brilliant. Everyone knows what 'Brummies' are, right?

Mike Patton sings brilliantly on "War Pigs" - both live and on The Real Thing. Jim Martin is a forgotten hero too. Where is he these days?

The WORST covers are Therapy's version of "Iron Man", even with Ozzy singing on it, it lacks all emotion. To add, that Busta Rhymes version of the same song is a disaster. A song like "Iron Man" just shouldn't be covered. Ever. Unless it's Randy Rhoads playing it on his live Tribute CD.

Good thread, NAD.

 

[Black Winter Day]

type o negative's version of "paranoid" is by far the best. it is 20 times more effective than the original... just unbelievably good.

 

[J.]

TON is just a great cover band. "Black Sabbath", "Paranoid", "Hey Joe", "Summer Breeze" and the wonderful "Daytripper" on World Coming Down are all very good cover tunes. Even "Cinnamon Girl" was pretty darn good.

Too bad I don't think so highly of their regular output, except the highly enjoyable October Rust. "Burnt Flowers Fallen".....woah....

 

[bloodfiredeath]

Mike Patton sings brilliantly on "War Pigs" - both live and on The Real Thing.

I prefer Phil Rind singing War Pigs in Sacred Reich's version.

Jim Martin is a forgotten hero too. Where is he these days?

I believe he's a professor at Bill and Ted University.

 

[J.]

I can't stand the FNM version of War Pigs where either a)Mike Patton forgot the words and decided to mumble or b) he decided to mumble for the hell of it.

 

[NAD]

I think Patton forgot the words, it's not like that on their studio version.

TON is my favorite cover band. Any group that can make a Seals and Croft song completely kickass is pretty cool.

Jim Martin is AWOL, I think I tried to find that dude once and came up completely empty.

Yes, that Therapy? version of Iron Man is the one junk track on NIB I. I mean, for fuck's sake, they don't even play the pre-guitar solo riff right!!!

 

[JayKeeley]

Yes, that Therapy? version of Iron Man is the one junk track on NIB I. I mean, for fuck's sake, they don't even play the pre-guitar solo riff right!!!

It's so noticeable as well. The first time I heard that, I thought, that doesn't sound right...and then once you've noticed it, everything else in the song is ruined. It's like chewing on tin foil.