Black Sabbath's Geezer Butler Hints At Another New Album From The Band

Black Sabbath made their monumental return to the studio to record their first album with an almost entirely original line-up (drummer Bill Ward was not present for recording because of health problems) since 1978's Never Say Die, with 13 being released later this month.

Confident from how things went this time round, bassist Geezer Butler has now said that despite it taking some 35 years for the group to record their new album together, the band could be persuaded to go back to the studio much sooner this time around. Although touted as the 'final' album from the band following a string of successful reunion shows over the past year, Geezer was speaking with Billboard this week when he revealed that, like the title of the 1978 album, that he is holding on to a 'never say never' resolution as to where the metal founders might go next.

"Let's put it this way; it's taken us 35 years to do this one," Butler told Billboard, adding, "So if there's gonna be (another) album there's gonna be an album but I don't want to say if there's going to be a follow-up. I wouldn't mind doing another Sabbath album with them, though."

The band have already hit the road and played some of the new tracks to audiences in Japan, New Zealand and Australia, with the band seemingly take with the response from the crowds. Butler mentioned that when the group read out to the North American leg of the tour they'll be playing at least "three or four" songs from the new album, with the band going back to some of their classic tunes to keep the faithful fans happy. As frontman Ozzy Osbourne mentioned in regards to the recent shows, "If Australia and New Zealand and Japan are anything to go by, [the tour] is gonna be great...I mean, 45 years down the road and we've got a really great album to put out -- talk about icing on the cake! It's unbelievable."

The Rick Rubin-produced 13, which features the drumming talents of Rage Against the Machine's Brad Wilk in place of Ward, hits stores and iTunes on June 11. You can currently stream it on iTunes for free and the full list of remaining tour dates are available on the group's website. http://www.blacksabbath.com/events.html.

Ozzy can't believe the reception the new material has received.

The Brummies are back!