METALLICA Induct BLACK SABBATH Into ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME: Photos Available

METALLICA inducted BLACK SABBATH into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and also performed a medley of SABBATH songs during the induction ceremony Monday (March 13) at New York's Waldorf Astoria Hotel. METALLICA ripped into covers of "Hole in the Sky" and "Iron Man", with vocalist James Hetfield reaching into his highest register to equal Ozzy Osbourne's signature singing style, according to Billboard.com.

METALLICA members Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, in a heartfelt induction, both said their band would not exist without the example of BLACK SABBATH, according to The Associated Press.

"I hereby not only acknowledge but scream from every fucking rooftop that BLACK SABBATH is and always will be synonymous with heavy metal," said Ulrich, sporting a vintage SABBATH t-shirt.

Ulrich also chided hall of fame voters for waiting a decade to induct the band.

"We are here to celebrate BLACK SABBATH tonight a decade or so late, but that's another conversation, another argument," Ulrich said.

BLACK SABBATH frontman Ozzy Osbourne remained on his best behavior and thanked hall members for the honor.

Osbourne had previously badmouthed the hall for snubbing SABBATH even before he shot to fame with "The Osbournes".

"We did get criticized a lot by the press for many years, but we didn't take any notice of that," guitarist Tony Iommi said backstage when asked about how SABBATH defied constant critical bashing on its way to becoming one of the most influental rock bands of all time. "Everything we've done, we've believed in."

"Hopefully our induction tonight will add to the validation, and hard rock and heavy metal will have an enduring and everlasting place in rock history," said drummer Bill Ward.

Check out pictures of from Getty Images (Media Room, Show),Wire Image (Cocktails and Dinner, Backstage, Press Room, Show) and Film Magic (Show, Press Room).