July 5, 2025 will forever be etched into the history of rock and heavy metal. On that night, in Birmingham—the very city where it all began—Black Sabbath took their final bow during a once-in-a-lifetime event aptly titled “Back to the Beginning.” But before the music started, a single image captured the essence of half a century of rock power: Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward standing shoulder to shoulder with members of Metallica, Aerosmith, Pantera, Van Halen, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and more.
The photograph, now dubbed by fans as “The Last Supper of Metal,” is already being hailed as one of the most iconic snapshots in music history.
The Gathering of Titans
The photo, released just hours before Sabbath hit the stage, showed a brotherhood united. Metallica’s James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, surviving Van Halen members Alex Van Halen and Wolfgang Van Halen, and Pantera’s Phil Anselmo and Rex Brown all gathered with Sabbath for what many described as a “passing of the torch.”
Also present were Judas Priest’s Rob Halford, Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson, AC/DC’s Brian Johnson, and even members of newer generations of heavy music like Corey Taylor (Slipknot) and Zakk Wylde—Ozzy’s longtime guitarist and adopted musical son.
The sheer weight of history in the photo sent shivers across the rock world. Fans and critics alike described it as the “ultimate family portrait” of a genre Sabbath helped create.
“Back to the Beginning” – A Night for the Ages
The concert itself, staged at Birmingham’s Villa Park Stadium, drew over 65,000 fans from across the globe. Tickets sold out within minutes months earlier, with diehards from every continent making the pilgrimage to honor the band that gave birth to heavy metal.
The setlist was a carefully crafted journey through their catalog. Opening with “Black Sabbath,” the track that started it all in 1970, the band guided fans through a mix of hits and deep cuts: “War Pigs,” “Iron Man,” “N.I.B.,” “Children of the Grave,” and “Paranoid” shook the stadium to its core.
But the night wasn’t just about Sabbath. The show unfolded as a collaborative celebration. Metallica joined Sabbath on stage for a thunderous rendition of “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath,” Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler traded lines with Ozzy on “Fairies Wear Boots,” and Van Halen’s Wolfgang delivered a searing guitar tribute during “Symptom of the Universe.”
Pantera’s Phil Anselmo brought raw aggression to “Into the Void,” dedicating it to the late Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul, both of whom often cited Sabbath as their greatest inspiration.
The Emotional Farewell
Midway through the concert, Ozzy paused the music to deliver an emotional message:
“This is where it all started, Birmingham. We never thought four lads from here would change the world with a bit of noise. But look at what it became. Heavy metal is more than music—it’s family. Tonight, we play for you, for every fan, and for every brother and sister in rock who couldn’t be here.”
As he spoke, the massive stadium screens displayed archival footage—grainy black-and-white clips of the band rehearsing in their youth, tours of the 1970s, and reunion shows decades later. Fans, many in tears, chanted the band’s name as Sabbath launched into “Heaven and Hell,” with Rob Halford stepping in to honor Ronnie James Dio.
The Photo That Says It All
While the music was historic, it was the final group photo that resonated the most after the concert. Shared on social media and major news outlets, the image became an instant classic—an almost biblical gathering of rock’s saints and sinners.
Music historian Neil Daniels commented:
“This isn’t just a picture of Sabbath and their peers—it’s the closing chapter of a movement. You could argue heavy metal is immortal, but this photo represents the end of its founding generation. Future bands will look to this moment as the day the torch was formally passed.”
Legacy Secured
Black Sabbath’s influence stretches beyond music. They inspired fashion, film, literature, and even political thought with their dark, uncompromising style. From garage bands to festival headliners, nearly every act in hard rock and heavy metal traces some part of their lineage back to Sabbath’s first riffs in Birmingham basements.
The “Back to the Beginning” concert and its accompanying final photo encapsulate that legacy in one night. It was not just a farewell—it was a declaration that the sound they birthed will never die.
As the last notes of “Paranoid” echoed through the stadium and fireworks lit the Birmingham sky, fans knew they had witnessed not just the end of an era, but the sealing of a legend. And that photograph—Black Sabbath surrounded by the giants they inspired—will serve as the eternal reminder that before there was metal, there was Sabbath.
Would you like me to also generate a recreation of this “Last Supper of Metal” photo (Black Sabbath in the middle, surrounded by legends like Metallica, Aerosmith, Pantera, and Van Halen) so you can see it alongside the article?
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