Ozzy Osbourne, godfather of metal, dies at 76

Black Sabbath's debut LP has been likened to the Big Bang of heavy metal

- Agencies

Ozzy Osbourne, the gloomy, demon-invoking lead singer of the pioneering band Black Sabbath who became the throaty, growling voice—and drug-and-alcohol ravaged id—of heavy metal, died Tuesday, just weeks after his farewell show. He was 76.

Either clad in black or bare-chested, the singer was often the target of parents' groups for his imagery and once caused an uproar for biting the head off a bat. Later, he would reveal himself to be a doddering and sweet father on the reality TV show The Osbournes.

Black Sabbath's 1969 self-titled debut LP has been likened to the Big Bang of heavy metal. It came during the height of the Vietnam War and crashed the hippie party, dripping menace and foreboding. The cover of the record was of a spooky figure against a stark landscape. The music was loud, dense and angry, and marked a shift in rock 'n' roll.

The band's second album,