Zakk Sabbath Nailed It on Cover of Black Sabbath ‘Black Sabbath’

Earlier this year, Black Sabbath‘s landmark self-titled debut turned 50 years old. Zakk Wylde had revealed he intended to cover the record in full with his Zakk Sabbath tribute band and now that has finally come to fruition. The album, Vertigo, has been unveiled along with a faithful cover of the iconic Black Sabbath title track that put heavy metal in motion.

Those of you wary that Wylde’s signature pinch harmonics would dominate the immortal opening riff — you have made the wrong assumption. The trio of Zakk Wylde (guitar and vocals), Blasko (bass) and Joey Castillo (drums) embraced the herculean task of covering one of the most daunting songs in the entirety of the metal canon and did it with remarkable skill.

Listen to the cover toward the bottom of the page and view the Vertigo album art and track listing beneath the video.

“We recorded a live EP and were wondering what we could do next as a cover band, so the 50th album anniversary came just at the right time”, explained Blasko of the band’s decision to enter the studio. “Compared to Paranoid, which is almost like a best-of record, the bulk of the material on Black Sabbath is deep-cut, really experimental stuff that was never thoroughly explored, so that was a challenge, not to forget that we wanted to meet our own high standards.”

In an attempt to maintain a certain vibe about the Vertigo album, which is obviously a nod to the record label that first released Sabbath’s classic first record, Zakk Sabbath will not be releasing this cover set digitally. The aim is “to make the release feel authentic to the time when vinyl ruled the earth. It was such a cool time for those of us that grew up during that time. The fan experience with the physical product is irreplaceable with digital and streaming. We wanted to capture that authenticity.”

Vertigo will be released on Digipak CD and CD/DVD hardcover book with behind-the-scenes and making-of clips in addition to limited edition yellow vinyl. The album is set for a Sept. 4 release on Magnetic Eye Records and pre-orders can be placed here.

1. “Black Sabbath”
2. “The Wizard”
3. “Wasp / Behind the Wall of Sleep / N.I.B”
4. “Wicked World”
5. “A Bit of Finger / Sleeping Village / Warning”