It's official: Black Sabbath to headline Ozzfest 2004!!

[ABlairican Pie]

BLACK SABBATH TO HEADLINE OZZFEST 2004;
FIRST LIVE APPEARANCE SINCE 2001

Call it a mandate from the people. Call it a rumor that just won’t die. Call it what you want, but since the April 27 release of the CD/DVD Black Box: The Complete Original Black Sabbath (1970-1978), there’s been enormous public demand for a Black Sabbath tour. Original Black Sabbath members Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler (as well as Osbourne-solo band member Mike Bordin, on drums) – will storm the U.S., performing 26 shows on OZZfest, starting July 10 in Hartford, Conn.

The reviews of Black Box have been phenomenal: Rolling Stone: “[Black Box] sounds even better … in this eight-CD/one DVD set than it did on vinyl … all the Sabbath you’ll ever need. 4 STARS.” Spin noted, “Black Box collects the first eight albums ... all skull-crushingly heavy.” For its part, Details declared: “This is evil,” calling the anthology “a boot crushing a windpipe … teeth on bone.” And Time Out New York proclaimed, “Black Box compiles a body of work more central to modern, popular music than that of any band since The Beatles.”

OZZfest had already unleashed the biggest buzz of the upcoming tour season, with Ozzy (now as a member of Black Sabbath) to headline the main stage along with a fistful of rock legends, including a reunited Judas Priest, Slayer, Dimmu Borgir, Superjoint Ritual (featuring Phil Anselmo) and Zakk Wylde’s Black Label Society. Fans checking out OZZfest’s Second Stage will get a real treat with a “get close to the fans” set by headliners Slipknot. Hatebreed, Lamb of God, Atreyu and 10 other up-and-comers will keep (hell) fires burning there throughout the day.