Metaltalk.net reports that Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi, and Bill Ward have officially reformed in 2011 as Black Sabbath and have begun rehearsing for a massive reunion tour and a new album. It will be the first time the original members have all played together since 2006 and the first time the original members will have recorded a studio album since Ozzy was kicked out in 1979.
Update: Tony Iommi releases statement on his website
The four members decided to go ahead with the reunion only a few weeks ago and word is that on Monday the band met at a secret studio to start working on the reunion live show.
Black Sabbath are the gods of heavy metal and for the past two decades have lived in the shadow of Ozzy Osbournes MTV fame even though the band continued for many years without him.
Ozzy had said a few months ago that he would consider getting back together with the band if “Geezer will stop moaning” so it appears they may have sorted things out.
Recently the former Sabbath members from 1980 -82 and 91 -92 ( Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Ronnie James Dio, Vinny Appice) reformed and toured under the name Heaven and Hell. In 2006 they recorded three tracks for the compilation album, Black Sabbath: The Dio Years then set out on a 2007–2008 tour. Iommi who owned the Black Sabbath name, decided to call the touring group Heaven & Hell to differentiate the project from the Ozzy Osbourne-led Black Sabbath. The name was taken from the first Dio-fronted Black Sabbath album, Heaven and Hell.
