“We are honoured to show our love for Ozzy and Black Sabbath”: Judas Priest might not be playing at Back To The Beginning but they have just saluted the OG metal gods with a cover of War Pigs

“We are honoured to show our love for Ozzy and Black Sabbath”: Judas Priest might not be playing at Back To The Beginning but they have just saluted the OG metal gods with a cover of War Pigs…

 

 

**“We Are Honoured to Show Our Love for Ozzy and Black Sabbath”: Judas Priest Salutes Metal’s Founding Fathers with Fiery “War Pigs” Cover**

 

*Birmingham, UK – July 2, 2025*

 

Though they won’t be performing at the upcoming **Back To The Beginning Festival**, legendary British metal band **Judas Priest** has found a powerful way to honor the occasion — with a thunderous cover of **Black Sabbath’s** iconic track **“War Pigs.”**

 

Released today as a surprise digital single, Judas Priest’s version of the 1970 protest anthem is a heartfelt salute to the band that laid the foundation for all things heavy — **Black Sabbath**, and particularly their frontman, **Ozzy Osbourne**.

 

> *“We are honoured to show our love for Ozzy and Black Sabbath — the OG metal gods,”* said Priest vocalist **Rob Halford** in a statement. *“This isn’t just a song to us — it’s sacred ground. Covering ‘War Pigs’ is our way of paying respect to the ones who made everything we do possible.”*

 

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### ⚔️ Priest Pays Tribute — From One Metal Titan to Another

 

While Judas Priest will not take part in **Back To The Beginning** — the massive Birmingham-based festival celebrating the roots of heavy metal — their presence will be deeply felt through this tribute. And what better way to do it than with **one of Sabbath’s most iconic songs**?

 

Priest’s rendition stays true to the doomy, slow-burning groove of the original, while injecting it with **modern sonic power and their signature precision**. Rob Halford’s soaring, operatic wails give new dimension to the track’s anti-war fury, while guitarists **Richie Faulkner** and **Andy Sneap** add searing new textures to **Tony Iommi’s legendary riffs**.

 

The result? A version that feels both reverent and revitalized — **a battle hymn reborn**.

 

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### 🎬 A Video That Hits Home

 

Released alongside the track is a **gritty performance video**, shot in Birmingham’s industrial quarters, intercut with archival footage of both bands, protest imagery, and glimpses of **Ozzy Osbourne** in his prime. The final frame lingers on a black-and-white still of Ozzy and Halford side-by-side, with the words:

**“To the ones who started it all — thank you.”**

 

Fans around the world have already flooded social media with praise:

 

> *“Priest just gave ‘War Pigs’ a second life — and a second punch to the system.”*

> *“Ozzy and Sabbath couldn’t have asked for a better tribute.”*

> *“Metal royalty saluting the kings. Doesn’t get better than this.”*

 

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### 🖤 Sabbath Responds

 

Black Sabbath members quickly acknowledged the gesture with appreciation and admiration.

 

> **Tony Iommi** said: *“That meant the world. Rob’s voice on ‘War Pigs’ gave me chills — the good kind.”*

> **Geezer Butler** commented: *“Incredible take. Priest did it justice, and then some.”*

> And from **Ozzy Osbourne** himself: *“Thank you, Rob. Thank you, Priest. Love you boys — forever.”*

 

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### 🔥 What Comes Next

 

While Judas Priest is not part of the Back To The Beginning lineup, the band is expected to reunite with Black Sabbath for a string of **farewell joint tour dates in 2026**, where both bands will share the stage one final time. Rumors are already swirling that *“War Pigs”* could become a **joint encore track**, featuring **Rob Halford and Ozzy Osbourne** trading verses in an epic final act.

 

In the meantime, this cover stands as a towering tribute to everything Sabbath created — and everything Judas Priest proudly carries forward.

 

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### Final Words

 

**”War Pigs”** isn’t just a song. It’s a warning, a battle cry, and a cornerstone of heavy metal history. And Judas Priest just reminded the world why it still matters.

 

From one legendary band to another, from Birmingham to eternity — the metal flame continues to burn