*Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath Announce Highly Anticipated New Album Set for January 2026 Release, Featuring Collaborations with Legendary Bands Like Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Guns N’ Roses, Tool, and More, Marking a Monumental Return for the Pioneers of Heavy Metal*
**By Livia Kramer | July 5, 2025**
In a seismic announcement that has sent shockwaves through the rock and metal world, Ozzy Osbourne and the legendary Black Sabbath have revealed plans to release a brand-new studio album in January 2026. Aptly titled *Eternal Idols: Reforged*, the album is being hailed as the band’s most ambitious and collaborative project to date, featuring an all-star lineup of guest appearances from some of the biggest names in heavy music history.
The announcement was made during a surprise press event held at London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall, where Osbourne, along with original Sabbath members Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler, appeared together for the first time in years. A thunderous crowd of fans and media erupted when the band took the stage—visibly older but radiating a renewed energy.
“This album isn’t just a comeback,” Ozzy proclaimed with his trademark grin. “It’s a celebration of everything heavy metal stands for. We’ve brought together the legends, the misfits, the rebels—everyone who’s ever bled for this music.”
Among the confirmed collaborators are Metallica’s James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, Slayer’s Kerry King, Pantera’s Rex Brown and Charlie Benante (representing the late Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul), Guns N’ Roses’ Slash and Axl Rose, and Tool’s enigmatic frontman Maynard James Keenan. Rumors are also swirling about additional surprise contributors, including Corey Taylor of Slipknot and even a long-rumored track featuring Dave Grohl.
Produced by Rick Rubin, *Eternal Idols: Reforged* blends Sabbath’s doom-laden roots with modern production and guest musicianship that spans multiple generations of metal. According to Iommi, the album retains the darkness and heaviness that defined Sabbath’s early sound while incorporating new sonic textures and experimental arrangements. “It’s not just nostalgia,” Iommi explained. “It’s evolution.”
One track, *Chains of the Damned*, features a blistering dual guitar battle between Iommi and Metallica’s Hetfield, while *Blood Moon Requiem* sees Tool’s Keenan lending his haunting vocals to a slow-building epic reminiscent of *Paranoid*-era Sabbath. Meanwhile, *War Cry*, a high-octane anthem featuring Slayer’s Kerry King, is said to be one of the heaviest tracks Sabbath has ever recorded.
Notably, the album also includes a tribute track titled *Echoes of the Abyss*, honoring the late Sabbath drummer Bill Ward, who declined to participate due to ongoing health issues but gave his blessing to the project. Ward’s absence is respectfully acknowledged in the liner notes, and the track includes a posthumous drum sample from unreleased 1970s recordings.
The band also announced a limited world tour in support of the album, titled *The Reforged Tour*, set to kick off in March 2026, with a headline slot at Download Festival UK already confirmed. Osbourne, who has battled health issues in recent years, appeared in good spirits, promising fans “the loudest, darkest, and wildest ride yet.”
Fans can expect the first single, *Children of the Grave (Reborn)*, featuring Slash on lead guitar, to drop this October. Pre-orders for the album, available in vinyl, CD, and digital formats, open next week.
With *Eternal Idols: Reforged*, Black Sabbath isn’t just returning—they’re reigniting the flame they lit over five decades ago. In the words of Ozzy himself: “We’re not done yet, not by a long shot.”
