Trivium brought out Machine Head frontman Robb Flynn for a thunderous cover of Black Sabbath’s “Symptom Of The Universe” on Friday night (August 8) at Bloodstock Open Air in the U.K., paying tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne. Fan-filmed footage of the moment is available below.
Before the song, Trivium’s Matt Heafy addressed the Bloodstock crowd: “We wanted to pay a special tribute to the man that made this all happen. And there’s no better way than to bring out another hero of ours. Make some noise for Robb Flynn from Machine Head.”
“We recently lost a hero of metal… actually, the man without whom none of this would exist. I wouldn’t be here, we wouldn’t be here — none of these bands would be here. Metal, rock, metalcore, deathcore — none of it would exist without him.
Ozzy Osbourne died from a heart attack at his Buckinghamshire estate, with coronary artery disease and Parkinson’s disease listed as contributing factors, according to a death certificate filed in London by his daughter Aimée. Emergency services, including a helicopter air ambulance, were called to his home around 10:30 a.m. that day.
His sister, Jean Powell, told The Mirror the loss took the family by surprise. “He was frail but it still came as a shock,” she said. “He still had plans and things he wanted to do. We don’t know the details of his death; it’s still too early. It’s just so sad. I’m just thankful he died in England.”
The Osbourne family issued a statement the same day, sharing their grief with fans around the world: “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family privacy at this time.”
Writer and extreme metal devotee, Ialdagorth has spent over a decade covering the darkest corners of heavy music. A black metal lifer, he spends his free time wandering the Carpathian Mountains, likely humming blast beats to the trees.
