**Metallica Honors Black Sabbath at Historic “Back to the Beginning” Show with Blistering Six-Song Set**
On Saturday, July 5th, the mighty **Metallica** took the stage at Villa Park as part of *Back to the Beginning*—a once-in-a-lifetime farewell celebration for **Ozzy Osbourne** and **Black Sabbath**. In front of a roaring crowd of tens of thousands, **James Hetfield** and **Robert Trujillo** stood front and center, delivering a powerful set that paid tribute to their heavy metal forefathers while reminding everyone why Metallica remains one of the most dominant live acts in the world.
Their six-song set was a ferocious mix of homage and signature chaos. Metallica stunned the crowd by opening with two Sabbath deep cuts—*Hole in the Sky* and *Johnny Blade*—songs not often heard live even in Sabbath’s own sets. Hetfield’s gritty vocals gave the tracks a sharp edge, while Kirk Hammett’s leads and Lars Ulrich’s relentless drumming infused them with a new urgency. These covers were a sincere salute to the band that helped shape Metallica’s sound and ethos from the very beginning.
They then launched into four of their own classics: *Creeping Death*, *For Whom the Bell Tolls*, *Battery*, and *Master of Puppets*. Each performance was thunderous, with the Villa Park crowd erupting at every riff. Trujillo’s bass work, especially on *Bell Tolls*, was bone-rattling, and Hetfield commanded the stage like a man fully aware of the moment’s weight.
After their set, Metallica shared their gratitude: *”What a privilege to take part in such a historic night! Much love to Ozzy, Tony, Geezer, and Bill!”*
In a night full of emotion and once-in-a-lifetime collaborations, Metallica’s set stood out as both a fierce tribute and a reminder of their enduring fire. It wasn’t just a performance—it was a passing of the torch, done loud
and proud.
