$50.99
Released in 2000, Nativity in Black II returned to the idea behind the hugely successful first Nativity in Black compilation, assembling another formidable collection of heavy bands to reinterpret the music of Black Sabbath. Rather than simply reproducing the originals, the artists bend these classic songs towards industrial metal, thrash, hardcore, alternative metal and the heavier sounds dominating the turn of the millennium.
The opening pairing immediately establishes the calibre of the collection. Godsmack tackle “Sweet Leaf”, bringing their thick, modern guitar sound to one of Sabbath’s greatest riffs, before Machine Head tear into “Hole in the Sky.” Robb Flynn and company make the song sound completely at home alongside their own material without losing the character of the original.
Static-X transform “Behind the Wall of Sleep” through their mechanical industrial attack, while Megadeth are an obvious match for “Never Say Die.” Dave Mustaine’s interpretation retains the energy of Sabbath’s original while giving it a distinctly Megadeth edge.
One of the album’s most interesting performances comes from Pantera with “Electric Funeral.” Sabbath’s influence on Dimebag Darrell, Phil Anselmo, Rex Brown and Vinnie Paul was enormous, and their interpretation sounds less like a novelty cover and more like one generation of heavy metal acknowledging another.
Elsewhere, Slayer attack “Hand of Doom,” Soulfly take on “Under the Sun,” and System Of A Down deliver their wonderfully strange version of “Snowblind.” The latter is particularly effective, with Serj Tankian’s unmistakable vocals and the band’s eccentric arrangements completely transforming the Sabbath classic.
The compilation also ventures beyond straightforward metal. Busta Rhymes joins Ozzy Osbourne for “This Means War (Iron Man),” while Hed PE tackle “Sabbra Cadabra.” It’s a snapshot of just how far Black Sabbath’s influence had spread by the end of the 1990s.
Nativity in Black II works because these aren’t bands treating Sabbath’s catalogue as sacred museum pieces. They take some of heavy metal’s most important songs and make them their own. For Sabbath collectors, it’s also a fascinating document of the enormous influence Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Bill Ward and Ozzy Osbourne exerted over the generation that followed them.
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