Black Sabbath Reveals Album Title, Release Date

Black Sabbath has revealed that its new album will be titled 13 and will arrive this June, with the exact release date yet to be confirmed. The album is the first in 35 years to feature original members Ozzy Osbourne on vocals, Tony Iommi on guitar and Geezer Butler on bass, with Rage Against The Machine drummer Brad Wilk sitting behind the kit for the recording sessions, which were produced by Rick Rubin. Founding drummer Bill Ward sat out the sessions and the band's handful of live dates so far over a contract dispute.

The last Sabbath album to feature Osbourne, Iommi and Butler was 1978's Never Say Die!, with Ozzy leaving shortly thereafter. Butler and Ward both eventually departed as well, with Iommi presiding over a series of different lineups until the original foursome first reunited in 1998 for a world tour and live album titled Reunion.

Sabbath, with Ward initially on board, announced its current reunion in November 2011, six years after they had last played together.

However, plans for extensive touring were curtailed by the January 2012 revelation that Iommi had been diagnosed with an early stage of cancer.

He received treatment throughout the year, with the band initially beginning its recording sessions in London so that the guitarist could be near his doctors.

Sabbath did play three shows last year, a warm-up gig in Birmingham, England, a headlining spot at the U.K.'s Download Festival in June, and a second headlining set at Chicago's Lollapalooza in August. All three featured Ozzy's touring drummer Tommy Clufetos on drums.

So far, Sabbath has unveiled live dates in Australia, New Zealand and Japan for late April and early May, with more to be announced. It is not clear whether Wilk, Clufetos or someone new will play drums at those gigs.