Swedish progressive metal powerhouse Opeth paid their respects to the late Ozzy Osbourne with a heartfelt cover of Black Sabbath‘s “Solitude” during their set at the Beyond The Gates festival on August 1. The performance, captured in fan-recorded videos now circulating online, offered a poignant tribute to the iconic rock vocalist who passed away on July 22. You can watch it down below.
The song “Solitude,” originally from Black Sabbath‘s 1971 classic album Master Of Reality, is known for its softer, more melancholic tone. Opeth‘s rendition maintained the emotional weight of the original while infusing it with their signature atmospheric style. This wasn’t the first time the band has covered the track; a live version from a 2012 show in Stockholm was released as a bonus track on their 2014 album Pale Communion. According to Opeth frontman Mikael Åkerfeldt, the song has been part of their live repertoire since the early 1990s and is the only Black Sabbath song the band has ever officially covered.
Just two days after Ozzy‘s death, Åkerfeldt shared a powerful message on the band’s social media channels, reflecting on the deep influence Ozzy and Black Sabbath had on his life.
“So that dreadful day finally came. John Michael Osbourne has left us, and it’s so incredibly hard to accept it,” Mikael wrote. “Even if I have braced myself for this inevitable fact since the 80’s it just feels completely unreal. He was like an ancient oak tree to me. A listed tree that people would visit and marvel at.”
Åkerfeldt recalled his first encounter with Black Sabbath’s music as a child, an experience that ignited his lifelong passion for the genre. “Black Sabbath was my introduction to heavy rock/metal and has remained a lifelong companion since. I’ve read some posts from other musicians and can only concur. If it wasn’t for Ozzy and Black Sabbath my interest in music (as a whole) wouldn’t have taken off as it did. I became obsessed with them, and I suppose I still am.”
Though Åkerfeldt never had a personal conversation with the metal legend, he recounted a brief, memorable encounter at an awards show. “The closest engagement I had with him was when he shuffled past me at an award show and kinda bumped into me. I remember thinking ‘this might become my only Ozzy story’. He felt that illuminated and untouchable just walking past.”
Concluding his tribute, Åkerfeldt acknowledged the loss of a major force in the music world. “All I know is that the world is a lesser place without him around. The beacon that was Ozzy Osbourne has gone dark and silent. Luckily, his music remains for our eternal enjoyment, and for that I am so grateful.” He concluded with a message of condolence to Ozzy‘s family, friends, and colleagues.
