"The Sound of the Beast" by Ian Christie

"At the beginning of the 1970s, Black Sabbath stood with Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple at the forefront of something loud, large, and life-changing. Yet while Zeppelin had its "Stairway to Heaven" and Purple its "Highway Star," Sabbath's "War Pigs" was the almost magical beginning of a riveting new musical form. As hard rock rose to prominence during the decade, Kiss emerged as metal forerunners with catchy anthems and a stage show beyond all precedent. In 1976, however, Judas Priest delivered the goods with Sad Wings of Destiny, extending heavy metal into something beyond bombast and Black Sabbath. Sadly, as the original line-up of Sabbath met its end at decade's finish, the pioneering work of Ozzy Osbourne and his comrades was put to rest." - Chapter 1 summary.

Read more, or buy "The Sound of the Beast"!

This great book tells the story of heavy metal in over 400 pages based on over 100 original interviews. "Brilliant!" says Rob Halford.