ɪn ɐdˈɪʃən tə paɪənˈɪɹɪŋ əkˈʌlt ɹˈɑːk wɪð lˈɪɹɪks ænd ɛsθˈɛɾɪks ðæt ɛksplˈɪsɪtli dˈɛlt ɪn θˈiːmz ʌv sˈeɪtənˌɪzəm ænd wˈɪtʃkɹæft, ðeɪ ɑːɹ ɹˈɛkəɡnˌaɪzd baɪ mˈɛɾəl fˈænz ænd mˈɛɾəl hɪstˈoːɹiənz æz bˌiːɪŋ ðə bˈænd ðæt ˌɪntɹədˈuːst ðə "sˈaɪn ʌvðə hˈɔːɹnz" tə ɹˈɑːk, mˈɛɾəl ænd pˈɑːp kˈʌltʃɚ, æz sˈiːn ˌɔn ðɛɹ nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti nˈaɪn deɪbjˈuː ˈælbəm ɹᵻlˈiːs wˈɪtʃkɹæft dᵻstɹˈɔɪz mˈaɪndz ænd ɹˈiːps sˈoʊlz.
In addition to pioneering occult rock with lyrics and aesthetics that explicitly dealt in themes of Satanism and witchcraft, they are recognized by metal fans and metal historians as being the band that introduced the "Sign of the horns" to rock, metal and pop culture, as seen on their 1969 debut album release Witchcraft Destroys Minds & Reaps Souls.