Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t bang your head violently and still be sensitive. Metalheads get a bad rap for wearing black all the time and brooding in solitude. But guess what? We also play with kittens and hold the door for crabby old ladies who don’t say, “Thank you.” If that isn’t true love, then what is?
If Valentine’s Day is a weird time for your playlist, don’t worry – you’re not alone. Well, maybe you are. But there are plenty of people just like you. Here are six songs about that dreaded little thing called love that you can blast the next time someone says, “Your music is too angry!”
Ozzy Osbourne – “I Just Want You”
The Prince of Darkness can be a real sweetheart when he wants to be. This love letter from Ozzmosis is a perfect example. Much of “I Just Want You” is the Ozzman running down a list of things that he doesn’t believe in, like unwinnable wars and unachievable goals. Those silly notions don’t exist in his world. What exists is love, and it’s the only thing that matters.
Ozzy is so preoccupied with one person that he doesn’t care about all the nonsense happening on Earth. It’s quite the romantic mindset from a guy known for chomping down on bat brains.
Metallica – “Sabbra Cadabra”
It’s cool hearing James Hetfield sing in such a high register. And it’s weird for him to sound so happy. Papa Het never wrote lyrics like, “Feel so good, I feel so fine / Love that little lady, always on my mind.” Mushy stuff like that would be totally out of place on a Metallica record. But, on Garage, Inc., “Sabbra Cadabra” is a standout track bursting with all the love and sick Iommi riffs.
There’s a chance they picked this song because of the riffage. The band couldn’t resist throwing a chunk of “A National Acrobat” into the mix as well, even though lyrically it’s out of place. Still, Hetfield tackles Ozzy‘s vocals pretty well, and Ulrich‘s huge drum sound gives the tender tune the extra oomph that was missing from Black Sabbath‘s original. You’ll get some leg tonight for sure if you throw this on a mixtape for that special little lady.
Deftones – “Rx Queen”
Oh, the things a person will do for love. How far are you willing to go to please your soulmate? Are you okay with getting stung? Can you even say your love is real if you won’t steal a carcass for your other half?
On “Rx Queen,” Chino Moreno promises said carcass to his eternal Valentine with the added twist of feeding off the virus together. Damn, that’s hot. Chicks dig romantic crap like that. The only thing hotter than eating carcass viruses is doing so on the moon next to a fire. Chicks love fire. Think about that when you’re in Rite Aid looking for a lame piece of cardboard to express your feelings.
Black Label Society – “A Love Unreal”
Don’t let the Viking beard and Sons of Anarchy wardrobe fool you. Zakk Wylde gets all sorts of lovey-dovey on “A Love Unreal” without sacrificing the chunky riffs he’s notorious for delivering. The soft intro is just evil trickery to help set the mood before launching into a barrage of tender vows.
Zakk‘s beautiful minute-plus solo makes you believe love can exist even during the most troubling times. If someone handed you the lyrics to this song and said, “Be Mine,” you would drop your pants and be theirs forever.
Korpiklaani – “Under the Sun”
Folk metal has the power to turn any frown upside down. If you need to free yourself from a funk on Valentine’s Day (or any day), just thrown on some Korpiklaani. Your sorrows will soon disappear into an enchanting forest filled with nature’s loveliest creatures.
On “Under the Sun,” Korpiklaani sounds like they’re playing a wedding reception at The Shire. It’s impossible not to feel the love. I don’t think hobbits celebrate Valentine’s Day, but if they did, this song would be on their playlist.
Throughout the track, vocalist Jonne Järvelä acknowledges all the incredible things his significant other does for him, and you get the sense he would be nothing without this person. It’s a thank-you note without actually saying the words, “Thank you,” which is the greatest gift you can give someone.
Lamb of God – “Walk with Me in Hell”
Nothing says love like strolling through a fiery hell with your sweetheart. This song slays so hard that the average listener would think they’re getting yelled at by Satan. But it’s just the devil in disguise. If they dug into the lyrics, they’d realize it’s surprisingly sentimental. This is the tenderhearted side of Lamb of God.
Mark Morton wrote “Walk with Me in Hell” for his wife. He took the vow, “till death do us part” to a whole new level. Alongside punishing riffs and tasteful solos, he promises to remain by his woman’s side through the darkest of times.
Randy Blythe put a lot of passion into the song himself, screaming the line, “You’re never alone!” as if he wrote it. Most people can only dream about having a song this ferocious yet romantic written in their honor.
Valentine’s Day is a time for love and all the corny, sappy stuff that comes with it. But that doesn’t mean the music has to suck. What metal songs make your blackened heart flutter?
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Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi is using his fame and metal voice for a good cause. The longtime guitarist has raised funds for a cancer charity in his hometown of Birmingham, England.
According to a report from the BBC, Iommi donated a guitar to Birmingham-based Heartlands Hospital Charity, and it has helped raise more than $60,000 toward their campaign to open a new hematology and oncology center at the hospital. The person who bought the guitar lives in the U.S.
Director of fundraising for Heartlands Hospital Charity Charlotte Schofield thanked the rocker for his “generosity and support” in a statement.
“Thanks to this incredible donation we are well on our way to our fundraising goal of £150,000 (about $170,000) and creating a beautiful space for patients to be comfortable while they receive their treatment,” she added.
The gift is personal for Iommi. The guitarist is a cancer survivor. He was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2012 and announced he was cancer-free in August 2016.
Celebrating Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath
Tony Iommi didn’t just play guitar. He redrew the shape of it. What makes him legendary isn’t speed or flash. It’s restraint. Those riffs don’t rush. They loom. He understood space early, letting notes hang just long enough to feel uncomfortable. That tension became the backbone of Black Sabbath, and by extension, metal itself.
The accident that cost him the tips of his fingers could’ve ended everything. Instead, it forced invention. Detuned strings, thicker strings, darker tone. Limitations became language. That’s not myth-making. That’s problem-solving at the highest level.
Iommi’s riffs are instantly recognizable because they’re built on feel, not tricks. “Iron Man,” “Paranoid,” “War Pigs.” You don’t need to see who’s playing. You know. The sound carries his fingerprint.
Iommi trusted heaviness before it had a rulebook. That trust changed rock forever. Every slow, crushing riff that followed owes him something, whether it admits it or not.
Anne Erickson started her radio career shortly after graduating from Michigan State University and has worked on-air in Detroit, Flint, Toledo, Lansing and beyond. As someone who absolutely loves rock, metal and alt music, she instantly fell in love with radio and hasn’t looked back. When she’s not working, Anne makes her own music with her band, Upon Wings, and she also loves cheering on her favorite Detroit and Michigan sports teams, especially Lions and MSU football. Anne is also an award-winning journalist, and her byline has run in a variety of national publications. You can also hear her weekends on WRIF.
Through November 2025, a striking mix of metal and dance unfolds as the Birmingham Royal Ballet takes its Black Sabbath show on the road. The Sinfonia orchestra breathes new life into eight thundering metal classics, and the performance is called Black Sabbath — The Ballet.
Each act bursts with raw power. “War Pigs” sets the stage ablaze. Then, “Iron Man,” “Paranoid,” and “Black Sabbath” play. Raúl Reinoso, Cassi Abranches, and Pontus Lidberg created the acts with Christopher Austin’s fresh take on the music.
On their website, the Birmingham Royal Ballet said, “Sparks fly in this intriguing new response to Black Sabbath’s music and legacy — the first true heavy metal ballet experience.” Carlos Acosta, the director of the ballet, paid tribute to Ozzy Osbourne at recent shows after the singer’s death on July 22.
Act one strikes hard. Seventeen dancers clad in black twist and turn as metal meets strings. Next, dancers perform graceful moves matched with taped talks. The show peaks as additional dancers storm the stage to mark metal’s mighty rise.
This bold clash of styles writes a new chapter in art. From the grit of Birmingham’s Aston streets, Black Sabbath sparked a revolution. Critics sneered, but millions fell under their spell as heavy metal took hold.
Guitarist Tony Iommi keeps watch over the music’s soul. Fresh sounds from Marko Nyberg and Sun Keting weave through the band’s fierce hits. The show will storm through Plymouth, London, and Edinburgh before its final bow on Nov. 1. It has received positive reviews and standing ovations. Each venue’s box office stands ready for ticket sales.
On this day in rock history, the world said a tragically early goodbye to one of the most talented and innovative drummers of all time. It’s also David Lee Roth’s birthday, as well as the anniversary of an album release that introduced fans to progressive rock. These are the most era-defining moments in rock that happened on Oct. 10.
Breakthrough Hits and Milestones
Rock music took two huge steps forward, just one year apart from each other, with these two landmark albums:
1969: King Crimson released In the Court of the Crimson King via Island Records. The record was an important milestone for rock music, as it’s widely regarded as the first authentic progressive rock album, blending traditional rock sounds with a wide variety of other genres, such as jazz and symphonic music.
1970:Paranoid, Black Sabbath’s second studio album, reached the top spot on the UK albums chart. It’s considered one of the best and most influential heavy metal albums of all time, powered by songs such as “Iron Man,” “War Pigs,” and title track “Paranoid.”
Cultural Milestones
Rock’s characters and their stories are part of its enduring appeal. These are the most important cultural moments that happened in rock on Oct. 10:
1954: Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth was born in Bloomington, Indiana. After fronting the band from 1974 until 1985, he went on to have a successful solo career before rejoining his bandmates in 2006.
1959: Following an argument, Ken Brown left The Quarrymen, which now consisted of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison. The remaining trio did pretty well for themselves, though, with the band they formed the following year, called The Beatles.
1980: The funeral for Led Zeppelin drummer John “Bonzo” Bonham took place in Worcestershire, England. Alongside Bonham’s three bandmates, other notable attendees included Moody Blues and Wings guitarist Denny Laine and Electric Light Orchestra’s Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood.
Oct. 10 is a day to celebrate genre-defining albums and legendary rock superstars. Come back tomorrow to discover what happened on that day in rock history.