Black Sabbath are back and it looks like they're back with a bang too, with the metal overlords looking set to score their first number one on the album chart in 43 years. 13 was released at the beginning of this week and it has been slowly creeping up the charts, and it could have a good chance of reaching the coveted spot by the end of the week.The album - the first to feature the (mostly) original lineup of Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler (drummer Burt Ward was forced to sit out the recording process because of health reasons) in 35-years - currently sits at the top of the mid-week charts, however it cannot officially claim to be an official number one until the end of the week. With no real threat in the charts to challenge it for the top spot - bar Liam Gallagher’s Beady Eye perhaps - so it looks like the band may be on to recreate the feat their 1970 album Paranoid.

The album was produced by acclaimed Def Jam co-founder Rick Rubin and features Rage Against The Machine’s Brad Wilkes sitting in for Ward, and critics are hailing the album as a return to the doom-laded guitar riffs of the band's classic albums from the 70's. Frontman Osbourne declared his surprise at the album's success earlier today, saying “I can’t believe Black Sabbath may have its first number one album in 43 years.”

The band will continue their world tour in support of the album over the rest of the year, having already played in New Zealand, Australia and parts of Asia. The tour reaches London's O2 Arena in December and will arrive at Houston's Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavillion on July 25.