Tony Ijomi was not in favor of Black Sabbath releasing a new album

Tony Iommi rejected the idea of ​​the original Black Sabbath lineup recording another album, although producer Andrew Watt wanted to collect the rights and make a new release.

Iommi told Classic Rock magazine that Watt, who produced Ozzy Osbourne's last two solo albums, Ordinary Man and Patient Number 9, was very interested in working with the original Black Sabbath lineup. The band would have included Iommi and Osbourne, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward.

"I met Andrew Watt when he produced Ozzy's album. He was very interested and a little too excited," Iommi said.

The guitarist, however, did not want the band to continue their discography after the album "13", which was released in 2013 and was presented as the band's last studio album.

"He also didn't know what it was like to work with the original 'Sabbath,' what it was like to work with Bill. Besides, we had already recorded '13' and I didn't like the idea of ​​saying, 'Here's another album,'" he explained.

Although a new album was never recorded, the original foursome reunited last year for a farewell concert, "Back to the Beginning." The performance took place in July 2025 at Birmingham's Villa Park Stadium and was Ozzy Osbourne's final concert.

The singer died just 17 days later, at the age of 76.