As they're the undisputed godfathers of hard rock and metal, it's fitting that the tradition of paying homage to Black Sabbath continues with NATIVITY IN BLACK II. Here, a lineup of cutting-edge metal bands again interprets material from Sabbath's Ozzy-era catalogue. Godsmack slams through a faithful rendition of "Sweet Leaf", adding James Hetfield (of Metallica)-influenced vocals, while on "Hole In the Sky", Machine Head rocks it harder than the original, brewing the intensity to soaring levels at the song's close. The first surprise in the set comes in the form of a techno-metal version of "Behind the Wall of Sleep" by Static-X. Rightfully makinga return appearance to the NATIVITY IN BLACK series, Megadeth displays its signature technical prowess on "Never Say Die". Newcomers System Of A Down offer a decidedly original Mr. Bungle-influenced interpretation of "Snowblind". Returningfor a gratuitous guest spot with Primus, Ozzy shows his metal offspring how it's done on "Nativity in Black", sounding both youthful and commanding. Finally, after missing the cutfor the first NIB collection, Texas metal outfit Pantera gets to join the Sabbath celebration on "Electric Funeral".