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Black Sabbath Set to Tour Australia in 2013

It’s been quite the ride for Black Sabbath over the past year, but now the group has announced a new Australian tour as well their first new album since 1978 to feature Ozzy Osbourne on vocals.

A tour and new record featuring the reunited original lineup was initially announced late last year, but was later sidelined by the revelation that guitarist Tony Iommi was diagnosed with cancer. Additionally, original drummer Bill Ward announced he would not participate in the reunion due to contract disputes.

Though the press release announcing the tour doesn’t speak on Iommi’s condition, it does say that the guitarist will join Osbourne and bassist Geezer Butler in Australia starting with an April 25, 2013 show at the Entertainment Centre in Brisbane. Shows in three more cities will follow: Sydney (Allphones Arena, 4/27), Melbourne (Rod Laver, 5/1) and Perth (Perth Arena, 5/4).

The statement by the band also doesn’t reveal who will play drums in place of Ward.

The three remaining original members of the band are currently working on a new album with producer Rick Rubin. Reports say that Iommi has finished all guitar tracks and Ozzy is currently recording vocals – all lyrics were written by Butler. The band says it hopes to release the record in April 2013. Thus far no official album title has been released, and only one track name has been confirmed: “God is Dead.”

In other Osbourne news, a new Ozzfest event will be held in Japan for the first time next year. The event will take place May 11-12, 2013, and will of course feature Black Sabbath.

The new album will be the first to feature Ozzy on vocals since 1978’s Never Say Die. Osbourne was fired from the group in 1979, after which he embarked on a solo career.

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