An opinion piece from Jay Kirby

July 5th, 2025 is surely a day that will go down in metal history— after all, it was the day that the Back To The Beginning show at Birmingham’s Villa Park took place. Never before have we seen so much talent from the worlds of rock’n’roll and heavy metal join forces like this, and maybe we never will again: stars the world over were united, all in service of the tremendous legacies of Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath. Every moment of this legendary event is one to be remembered— nonetheless, here are my picks for the top 10 moments from Back To The Beginning.

Please note that this article was written using the event’s pay-per-view livestream, rather than from an in-person attendance.

#10: Lamb of God Creating Havoc

There is no band more capable of waking up a crowd than Virginia groove metal legends Lamb of God, and nowhere was that more apparent than at Villa Park on Saturday night. Randy Blythe is able to make a hooligan out of absolutely anyone, and the band have the aggression and the songs to match— the group’s performance of ‘Redneck’ was an all-out assault, shaking the venue like no band before them had managed. With mosh pits galore springing forth from this labyrinth of brutal riffs and guttural screams, Lamb of God’s performance brought the best out of the crowd, showing off exactly what it means to be metal.

#9: A Touching Moment from YUNGBLUD

On paper, a rendition of Black Sabbath’s ‘Changes’ performed by young stars including YUNGBLUD and II (from Sleep Token) should have failed to resonate with many of the more traditional metal fans at Back To The Beginning— such is why you should never make assumptions. The supergroup showed a real reverence for the material throughout their performance, displaying a tenderness not often associated with metal: II’s tasteful percussion provided the perfect backdrop for YUNGBLUD to sing his heart out alongside the entirety of Villa Park. A step up from Fred Durst’s rendition, this cover of ‘Changes’ hit all the right notes for this sentimental, thoughtful event.

#8: Jason Momoa in the Pantera Pit 

Pantera are a household name, and their presence at Back To The Beginning was certainly something to turn heads: ironically enough, the biggest indicator of the band’s importance didn’t come from Phil Anselmo or Zakk Wylde, but from the show’s own host. Jason Momoa seemed giddy at the thought of seeing the group tear through some of their most iconic material, promising to throw himself into the mosh pit— he did just that, wading in to the thunderous riffs of ‘Cowboys From Hell.’ The moment was special not just for the big name attached, but as a statement about how far the genre has come: Momoa proved that metal is no longer the underground scene it once was, but has blossomed into something massive, unstoppable, and well-worth celebrating.

#7: A Supernaut Celebration with Mastodon

No-one would envy the task Mastodon had, of waking up the crowd as the first show of the day and kicking off the entire event on the right note— of course, the four-piece sludge metal act are a safe bet, demolishing the venue with the hearty riffs of ‘Black Tongue’ and ‘Blood and Thunder.’ The real star of the show came during their rousing cover of ‘Supernaut,’ which showed off the extreme technical prowess of drummer Brann Dailor. Even more than that though, ‘Supernaut’ was a welcome indication of what was to come, with Mario Duplantier (Gojira), Danny Carey (Tool) and Eloy Casagrande (Sepultura, Slipknot) all coming out to jam— needless to say, it made for a stunning start to the show.

#6: Tobias Forge Carrying the Torch

At this point, Ghost’s Tobias Forge (or, if you prefer, Papa V Perpetua) is an honest-to-God megastar: it seems organisers Sharon Osbourne and Tom Morello have realised that before some other executives, as the singer was given the spotlight at Back To The Beginning. Forge has often cited Ozzy Osbourne as a key inspiration and influence for him, making this kick-ass rendition of ‘Bark at the Moon’ all the more memorable. With performers like Travis Barker (Blink-182) and Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme) sharing the stage, nothing could stop this cover from blowing the roof off the place.

#5: Alice In Chains Hitting the Nail on the Head

As the day progressed, the acts featured went from merely highly-celebrated metal acts to truly legendary icons: one such band was Alice In Chains, who proved beyond all reasonable doubt that they are not just a legacy act (here’s looking at you, Guns N’ Roses). The group have an acclaimed catalogue, with every attendee going nuts for the stomping riffs of ‘Man in the Box,’ the anthemic hooks of ‘Would?’ and a confident, can-do cover of ‘Fairies Wear Boots.’ Funnily enough though, it was a moment between songs that really set this show apart— William Duvall spoke to every metal head around the world when he said, “we’re just a bunch of head-banging, riff-loving freaks!”

#4: A Whole Lotta Stars

Back To The Beginning was the coming together of all corners of the rock and metal fandoms— as Scott Ian of Anthrax said, “we’re not here to say goodbye, but to say thank you.” The supergroups being formed were nothing short of jaw-dropping, but even amongst stiff competition, the likes of Steven Tyler (Aerosmith), Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme), Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine) and Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers) could not be beat. The band’s performance of Aerosmith’s ‘Walk This Way’— and hell, while we’re at it, why not throw in one of the greatest rock songs of all time in Led Zeppelin’s ‘Whole Lotta Love’— had you feeling like you were watching a piece of music history.

#3: The Final Sabbath

So many bands, so many fans, so much legacy and infamy, and it all came down to one act. Black Sabbath’s final show was exactly what you’d want it to be— a defiance of time, a balls-to-the-wall extravaganza and the perfect capstone on the legacy of the fathers of metal— and they only needed four songs to do it. There are very few bands with a catalogue as iconic as that of Black Sabbath, and within that discography, very few songs as imposing and singularly impressive as ‘Iron Man:’ that droning intro was a moment not soon forgotten, letting loose into the most ferocious crowd-engagement you’ll ever see. Tony Iommi, Bill Ward and Geezer Butler all killed it— really, there was no doubt they would.

#2: Slayer’s Return From The Underworld

Slayer are a band in need of no introduction: they are thrash metal, they are the sound of evil. The four-piece are only recently coming out of retirement, with Back To The Beginning being one of their first shows since 2019, and you could arguably feel some hesitance in the group’s first few tracks. All that melted away as the group’s cover of ‘Wicked World’ gave way to the diabolical grooves of ‘South of Heaven.’ In that moment, with Tom Araya screaming “before you see the light, you must die,” Slayer recaptured the magic that made them as legendary as they are. The following performances of ‘Raining Blood’ and ‘Angel of Death’ simply rode that wave of momentum, solidifying Kerry King and company as true standouts.

#1: One Last Ride for Ozzy

It just had to be, didn’t it? It was simply impossible to choose a single moment of the Prince of Darkness’ show for this list— instead, the entire five track set is sitting comfortably as the shining star atop Back To The Beginning. Ozzy Osbourne couldn’t even get out of his chair, but brought more energy and more impassioned singing than anyone before him: he simply seemed elated to get to run through hits like ‘Mr. Crowley’ and ‘I Don’t Know,’ showing the crowd just as much love as was pouring out from all-across Villa Park. The melancholic notes of ballad ‘Mama, I’m Coming Home’ and the triumphant Zakk Wylde solo on ‘Crazy Train’ were just a few of the tear-jerking moments through the set— all in all, I’d say this was one of the greatest heavy metal shows of all time.