''Nativity in Black: A Tribute to Black Sabbath'' is a series of two

Black Sabbath Black Sabbath are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler, and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. After adopting the Black Sabbath name in 1969 (the band ...

tribute album An album is a collection of audio recordings (e.g., music) issued on a medium such as compact disc (CD), vinyl (record), audio tape (like 8-track or cassette), or digital. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century a ...

s, released in 1994 and 2000 respectively. The albums feature various heavy metal groups performing cover versions of Black Sabbath songs in tribute to the band.

Information

All of the tracks featured on the ''Nativity in Black'' albums cover material strictly from the band's 1970s heyday with vocalist

Ozzy Osbourne John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne (born 3 December 1948) is an English singer, songwriter, and media personality. He rose to prominence during the 1970s as the lead singer of the heavy metal music, heavy metal band Black Sabbath, during which per ...

. The title is derived from a widespread yet incorrect assumption surrounding the title of the Black Sabbath song "

N.I.B. "N.I.B." is a song released by English heavy metal band Black Sabbath. It first appeared as the fourth track on the band's self-titled debut album. The lyrics are in the first person from the point of view of Lucifer. Bassist Geezer Butler, w ...

". The band Bullring Brummies featured Black Sabbath founding members

Geezer Butler Terence Michael Joseph "Geezer" Butler (born 17 July 1949) is an English musician, best known as the bassist and primary lyricist of the pioneering Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Black Sabbath. He has also recorded and performed with Heave ...

and Bill Ward, along with vocalist

Rob Halford Robert John Arthur Halford (born 25 August 1951) is an English heavy metal singer. He is best known as the lead vocalist of Judas Priest, which was formed in 1969 and has received accolades such as the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Metal Perform ...

, Obsessed/

Saint Vitus Vitus (), whose name is sometimes rendered Guy or Guido, was a Christian martyr from Sicily. His surviving hagiography is pure legend. The dates of his actual life are unknown.Basil Watkins, ''The Book of Saints: A Comprehensive Biographical ...

guitarist

Scott "Wino" Weinrich Robert Scott Weinrich (born 1961), better known as Wino, is an American singer and guitarist. He has been highly influential in helping develop and codify doom metal's trademark sound, and is also considered an influential figure in the stoner r ...

, and

Fight Combat (French language, French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent Conflict (process), conflict between multiple combatants with the intent to harm the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed (Hand-to-hand combat, not usin ...

guitarist Brian Tilse. Their cover of "The Wizard" on the first album is their only official recording, with the musicians coming together specifically for this recording. The live recording of "

War Pigs "War Pigs" is an anti-war protest song by English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released in 1970. It is the opening track from the band's second studio album ''Paranoid'' (1970). Overview The original title of "War Pigs" was "Walpurgis", ...

" by

Faith No More Faith No More is an American Rock music, rock band from San Francisco, California, formed in 1979. Before September 1983, the band performed under the names Sharp Young Men and later Faith No Man. Bassist Billy Gould, keyboardist/rhythm guitarist ...

was previously included on the band's live album, '' Live at the Brixton Academy''.

1000 Homo DJs 1000 Homo DJs was a side project of American industrial rock band Ministry. The project released two singles, one of which featured a cover of Black Sabbath's " Supernaut". 1000 Homo DJs began as a side project to release outtakes from Ministry ...

' version of "Supernaut" was originally released as a

12" single The twelve-inch single (often written as 12-inch or 12) is a type of vinyl (polyvinyl chloride or PVC) gramophone record that has wider groove spacing and shorter playing time with a "single" or a few related sound tracks on each surface, compar ...

in 1990.

Pantera Pantera () is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Arlington, Texas in 1981 by the Abbott brothers (guitarist Dimebag Darrell and drummer Vinnie Paul), and currently composed of vocalist Phil Anselmo, bassist Rex Brown, an ...

was originally supposed to appear on the first album with their recording of

Planet Caravan "Planet Caravan" is a song by the English Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Black Sabbath. It was originally released on their 1970 album ''Paranoid (album), Paranoid''. Overview Black Sabbath's Geezer Butler – who composed the song's lyr ...

but was left off. Instead, that song appeared on their 1994 release

Far Beyond Driven ''Far Beyond Driven'' is the seventh studio album by American heavy metal band Pantera, released on March 21, 1994 in the UK and March 22 internationally by Elektra Records and East West Records. Pantera's fastest-selling album, it peaked at n ...

Biohazard was featured in a music video for the song After Forever which was directed by

Parris Mayhew Parris Mitchell Mayhew (born 1964), formerly known as Kevin Mayhew, is an American musician, songwriter, director and camera operator. He is best known as a founding member of the New York Hardcore band Cro-Mags, in which he played guitar. He ha ...

Cro-Mags The Cro-Mags are an American hardcore punk band from New York City. The band, which has garnered a strong cult following, has released six studio albums, with the first two considered the most influential. With a Hare Krishna background, they ...

and produced by

Drew Stone Drew Stone is an American film director, producer, film editor, author and musician. His works include music videos, commercials, documentary films and television. He played an active role in the early stages of the New York hardcore and Boston ...

The album was certified

Gold Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au (from Latin ) and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a brightness, bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal ...

by the

RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

on 4 December 2000. Bob Chiappardi of

Concrete Marketing Concrete Marketing is an independent marketing company based in New York City, US, founded by Bob Chiappardi and Walter O'Brien in 1984. Concrete: Early years Concrete Marketing was founded by Bob Chiappardi and Walter O'Brien in 1984. Chiappa ...

was executive producer for the album.

Megadeth Megadeth is an American thrash metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1983 by vocalist and guitarist Dave Mustaine. Known for their technically complex guitar work and musicianship, Megadeth is one of the "big four" of American thrash metal—alo ...

's cover of "Paranoid" received a Grammy nomination in 1995 for 'Best Metal Performance'.

''Nativity in Black''

''Nativity in Black II''

References

External links

* ''Nativity in Black''at

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...

* ''Nativity in Black II''at AllMusic
Music video for "After Forever" by Biohazard
{{Authority control Black Sabbath tribute albums 1994 compilation albums 2000 compilation albums Compilation album series Priority Records compilation albums Heavy metal compilation albums