In 2013, Black Sabbath released 13: their 19th studio album and first featuring Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler together since 1978. Surpassing all expectations, it channelled the menace and vitality of their early work with its potent songwriting, yet simultaneously felt fresh and modern thanks to producer Rick Rubin. Sabbath also reclaimed heavy metal dominance with its release, reaching number one in the US Billboard chart. Journalist Dave Everley, in his contemporary Metal Hammer review, aptly remarked: “If [13] does turn out to be their last album – and time, age, health and a few sizeable hints in the press and on the record suggest that’s not impossible – then this is the perfect way to close the circle.”
Fast forward to 2014. Ozzy, in a new interview with Hammer, gushed over how rewarding the writing and recording process had been for 13 and announced, almost casually, that plans had been hatched for one final Sabbath album. “It was a lot of fun,” he said, “so we’re going to do one more album, and a final tour.” And with those seven words – “we’re going to do one more album” – a tsunami of speculation was unleashed.
