Black Sabbath Discuss The Idea Of Recording New Album

As Black Sabbath prepares for their highly anticipated “Back To The Beginning” farewell concert this Saturday, July 5th, in Birmingham, a lingering question remains: will the original lineup ever record new music together again? Despite the upcoming show being billed as their final live performance, recent discussions among the band members suggest that another studio album isn’t entirely off the table.

The last Black Sabbath studio album, 13, released in 2013, brought the original trio of Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, and Geezer Butler back together, but notably without drummer Bill Ward. The album’s creation was fraught with creative tensions and mixed feelings from the band members, a factor that surprisingly fuels the possibility of a future collaboration.

Tony Iommi, the band’s legendary guitarist, openly admitted some dissatisfaction with 13‘s final sound under producer Rick Rubin. “Some of the stuff sounded better when we were working at my house – it sounded more… alive. But it’s what it was. And it’s a shame Bill [Ward] didn’t play on it, but it was difficult,” Iommi confessed to Classic Rock.

Bassist Geezer Butler echoed similar sentiments regarding the recording process, particularly the lyrical demands. “I was led to believe Ozzy [Osbourne] would write all the lyrics, but Rick Rubin insisted I write them,” Butler revealed. “So I changed around some lyrics and ideas of Ozzy’s, then wrote everything in a mad rush. I like Sabbath’s lyrics to mean something, but trying to think of thirteen subjects to write about the night before committing them to recording gave me headaches.” The absence of Bill Ward, with Rage Against the Machine‘s Brad Wilk filling in on drums for 13, remains a point of regret for some of the members, further opening the door for future projects that could include Ward.

Despite the less-than-ideal memories of 13, the prospect of a new album is not being entirely dismissed. Iommi confirmed: “I’ve been approached about doing a Sabbath album. It could be good, but I don’t want to take the time of sitting down and writing stuff like last time and it goes willy-nilly.” This suggests a willingness, provided the creative process is more aligned with the band’s preferences.

Geezer Butler also expressed a conditional openness to the idea. “Do I wish we’d done another album? No, I don’t wish we had, but if anyone really wanted to do another, I’d be up for it. But not just for the sake of doing it,” he stated, indicating a desire for a meaningful, rather than perfunctory, recording.

However, the most enthusiastic voice for a new Black Sabbath album comes from Bill Ward. The drummer, whose absence from 13 was a source of contention due to contractual disputes and health concerns, is unequivocally ready to record. “I’d love to do another album,” Ward asserted directly. “I’ll be direct about that.”

While the future of new Black Sabbath material hangs in the balance, the band members have remained active in their individual careers. Ozzy Osbourne, for instance, has released two successful solo albums in recent years, Ordinary Man (2020) and Patient Number 9 (2022), demonstrating his continued musical drive. He has made it clear that he will continue recording as long as the interest and inspiration are there.

The possibility, then, remains. If the chemistry from this weekend’s “Back To The Beginning” concert reignites a shared desire for a more harmonious creative process, the heavy metal scene may yet receive another chapter from the pioneers of the genre.