Black Sabbath Reveal New Album Title, Provide More Details

After over a year since Black Sabbath’s “original lineup” reunion, an album is materializing. During that period, original drummer Bill Ward dropped out of the project, while Tony Iommi handled cancer treatments. Iommi, as a result, had to back out of the reunion tour – which became the Ozzy & Friends Tour – but spent time in the studio between chemotherapy sessions, apparently.

Ozzy & Friends Tour aside, the other byproduct of the reunion was an album – their first with Ozzy Osbourne since 1978’s Never Say Die! Without Osbourne, who was fired from the group and then replaced, the band continued putting out releases through the 1990s. Based on recent statements, however, the following can be said about the album titled 13.

Ward has been replaced by Rage Against the Machine drummer Brad Wilk, and Rick Rubin is producing. A June 2013 release is set, at least for now, and to support, a tour covering stops in Australia, New Zealand, and Japan begins in April. More performances are expected to be announced at a later date. Their current tour itinerary includes:

Sat 4/20     Auckland, New Zealand     Vector Arena

Mon 4/22     Auckland, New Zealand     Vector Arena

Thu 4/25     Brisbane, Australia     Entertainment Centre

Sat 4/27     Sydney, Australia     All Phones Arena

Mon 4/29     Melbourne, Australia     Rod Laver Arena

Wed 5/1     Melbourne, Australia     Rod Laver Arena

Sat 5/4     Perth, Australia     Perth Arena

Sun 5/12     Tokyo, Japan

What’s your perspective on 13? Should it even be considered a reunion without Ward? Was the metal band’s drummer right to have jumped from the project?