Members of the pioneering and legendary heavy metal band Black Sabbath are planning to create one last record after the success of their 19th studio album "13" released in 2013, according to Metal Hammer.
Vocalist Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler have at various points in the past expressed delight about their experience with the last album and its subsequent supporting tour, says Rolling Stone. The success of the record, according to Osbourne, has contributed to their enthusiasm to create one last album.
"Once the dust settled after the last tour we started discussing the idea - because we were getting asked it all the time," Osbourne told Metal Hammer.
Talk of creating a final record and going on tour for the last time happens amid Iommi's battle with lymphoma, which Osbourne said is among the reasons they plan to get going promptly.
"Obviously a lot of it is coming down to Tommy's health, he's obviously got his cancer treatment, but we'll get onto it next year," he said. "I don't know if we'll be writing in England or L.A., but I'll fly to the moon for it if I have to."
Osbourne, who has had a successful solo career since leaving the band for the first time in 1977, said he's had to juggle the idea of recording again with Black Sabbath and his own music.
"I said to Sharon [Osbourne], 'What's going on? Because if there's no more Sabbath I want to get on with my own thing again,'" he said. "She came back and said, 'Let me look into it,'" the vocalist continued.
"Three weeks later, I asked her about it again, and she said 'Oh, I still have to talk to so and so...' And I said, 'Sharon, I ain't 21 anymore. If we're going to do it [it], I want to do it before I'm 70. Time isn't on our side," the 65-year-old singer said.
"So she made the call and came back and said, 'Yeah, the record company wants another album.' I believe Rick Rubin is going to do it with us again," he said.
The band has yet to write material for the album, but Osbourne said sessions will start in 2015, according to The Guardian.
Black Sabbath was formed in 1968 and has had several line-up changes over the years, with Iommi being the only consistent member of the band. Founding drummer Bill Ward left the band in 2012 after a dispute.