Black Sabbath links Formed in Birmingham, England in 1968, Black Sabbath became a defining force in heavy metal music. The group took the blues-rock sound of late '60s acts like Cream to a logical conclusion, slowing the tempo, accentuating the bass and emphasizing screaming guitar solos and howled vocals full of lyrics expressing mental anguish and macabre fantasies. Though there have been many personnel changes, the first, current and most popular line-up is Tony Iommi, Bill Ward, Ozzy Osbourne and Geezer Butler. Click on the thumbnail to the right to see photos of Black Sabbath. Click on the thumbnail to the right to see Black Sabbath's handprints in cement.