BLACK SABBATH to release remastered 2025 version of 'The Eternal Idol'
16-06-2025
On July 25, Rhino Entertainment will reissue BLACK SABBATH‘s “The Eternal Idol” album — more than three months after a Record Store Day reissue of the album arrived on limited-edition translucent red 140g-weight LP. The new reissue of “The Eternal Idol” will feature new remastering from the original analog tapes and will include two bonus tracks, “Some Kind Of Woman” and “Black Moon”. It will come with a new booklet for the CD and a lyric sheet for the LP.
Originally released in 1987, “The Eternal Idol” was BLACK SABBATH‘s thirteenth studio album and was the band’s first LP to feature vocalist Tony Martin.
“The Eternal Idol” 2025 reissue track listing:
01. The Shining
02. Ancient Warrior
03. Hard Life To Love
04. Glory Ride
05. Born To Lose
06. Nightmare
07. Scarlet Pimpernel
08. Lost Forever
09. Eternal Idol
Bonus tracks:
10. Some Kind Of Woman
11. Black Moon
After just a handful of dates on BLACK SABBATH‘s 1986 “Seventh Star” tour, singer Glenn Hughes was let go, and Ray Gillen was brought on board as Glenn‘s replacement. Gillen finished the tour, and work began on the next SABBATH album, and it was mostly completed. Gillen left to form BADLANDS (with future KISS drummer Eric Singer, who also previously played with SABBATH), and this left BLACK SABBATH with a mostly completed album, and no singer. Martin was brought in and re-recorded all the vocals in two weeks. The album came out with Tony Martin, and the only remaining bit of the original Gillen vocals was some laughter in the track “Nightmare”.
In 2010, an expanded reissue of “The Eternal Idol” was made available, featuring “Some Kind Of Woman” and “Black Moon” (demo) on Disc 1. Disc 2 comprised the entire Ray Gillen version of “The Eternal Idol”.
“The Eternal Idol” was not included on the “Anno Domini 1989-1995” box set of the Martin-era SABBATH recordings, which was made available in May 2024 via Rhino.
For the “Anno Domini 1989-1995” box set, which came with either CDs or LPs, SABBATH guitarist Tony Iommi remastered the albums “Headless Cross” (1989), “Tyr” (1990) and “Cross Purposes” (1994) and even remixed “Forbidden” (1995).
BLACK SABBATH released six albums with Martin on vocals: “The Eternal Idol”, “Headless Cross”, “Tyr”, “Cross Purposes”, “Cross Purposes Live” (1995) and “Forbidden”. Eventually, Martin and his “Forbidden”-era bandmates were ousted when Iommi reunited with SABBATH‘s fellow original members.
Eight years ago, Iommi told I Heart Guitar that “it’s a shame” that “it took a lot for people to accept” Martin as SABBATH‘s vocalist. “It’s taken all these years later for people to say, ‘Oh blimey, that was a good band with good singing.’ So it took a long time to get people to really realize how good it was.”
BLACK SABBATH‘s original lineup — Ozzy, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward — will reunite for the first time in 20 years to headline the sold-out event. They’ll be joined by metal’s most iconic and influential acts — METALLICA, GUNS N’ ROSES, TOOL, SLAYER, PANTERA, GOJIRA, HALESTORM, ALICE IN CHAINS, LAMB OF GOD, ANTHRAX, MASTODON and RIVAL SONS — all performing as part of this monumental moment, now confirmed for a global livestream.
With the concert, which proudly supports charities close to Ozzy‘s heart selling out in under 16 minutes, those who missed out on being there in person can immerse themselves in what is set to be the greatest heavy metal show ever. Broadcast directly from Birmingham, United Kingdom’s Villa Park, fans around the world will be able to watch the entire metal family come together to celebrate Ozzy Osbourne‘s legacy, as he takes the stage for the last time. Ozzy is set to play his own short set before joining with BLACK SABBATH for their final-ever performance.
This won’t just be watched, it will be remembered. For fans who’ve followed Ozzy‘s 50-year reign, the global livestream offers a front row seat to a once-in-a-lifetime goodbye. They’ll have access to the raw livestream from 3:00 p.m. on July 5, and will also have exclusive access to rewatch the concert in its entirety for another 48 hours.
Livestream tickets are on sale at www.backtothebeginning.com.
Ozzy‘s wife and manager Sharon Osbourne said: “We had such an overwhelming demand from fans from around the globe, who couldn’t get tickets to the show, and they took to social media, pleading with us to broadcast a livestream of the show. Being this is such a historic event, we just couldn’t let them down.”
“Back To The Beginning” will be captured, produced and distributed by Mercury Studios (“One To One: John & Yoko”, “American Symphony”, “Metallica Saved My Life”),who are pioneering the way for premium, music-driven storytelling across film, television, podcasts and immersive formats. Mercury has partnered with Kiswe — the global D2C streaming partner behind the record-breaking BTS concert livestream — to deliver this unforgettable moment of music history to fans across the globe.
Kelly Sweeney, managing director of Mercury Studios, said: “Mercury Studios are incredibly proud to be involved in capturing this monumental milestone at Villa Park. ‘Back To The Beginning’ will be an unforgettable experience, and our aim is to deliver this moment to fans worldwide, wherever they are, so they don’t miss out on seeing music history being made.”
Ozzy and the rest of the original BLACK SABBATH lineup — guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward — will perform one last time as part a fundraising event at Villa Park, featuring a host of bands they inspired, including METALLICA, PANTERA, SLAYER, GOJIRA and ANTHRAX.
The concert, dubbed “Back To The Beginning”, was announced at Villa Park on Wednesday (February 5) by Sharon and Tony.
See the full list of performers in the poster below.
All proceeds from the show will go to Birmingham charities Cure Parkinson’s, the Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Acorn Children’s Hospice.
Osbourne comments: “It’s my time to go ‘Back To The Beginning’… time for me to give back to the place where I was born. How blessed am I to do it with the help of people whom I love. Birmingham is the true home of metal. Birmingham Forever.”
METALLICA says: “We are beyond honored and humbled to be invited to perform at BLACK SABBATH‘s final show, back where it all began in Birmingham, England. On July 5 at Villa Park — home of Aston Villa — Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward will reunite to play their first show together in 20 years. Tickets go on sale at 10 AM GMT on Friday, February 14, via Ticketmaster UK and Live Nation UK.
“As part of this huge celebration of nearly six decades of BLACK SABBATH, we’ll hit the stage just before a short solo set from Ozzy Osbourne, followed by the mighty SABBATH closing the show. ANTHRAX, ALICE IN CHAINS, GOJIRA, HALESTORM, LAMB OF GOD, MASTODON, PANTERA, and SLAYER will also be a part of the massive night.
“An incredible lineup of musicians from around the globe will also be on hand to pay tribute, including Billy Corgan (THE SMASHING PUMPKINS), David Draiman (DISTURBED), Duff McKagan & Slash (GUNS N’ ROSES), Frank Bello (ANTHRAX), Fred Durst (LIMP BIZKIT), Jake E. Lee, Jonathan Davis (KORN), K.K. Downing, Lzzy Hale (HALESTORM), Mike Bordin (FAITH NO MORE), Rudy Sarzo, Sammy Hagar, Scott Ian (ANTHRAX), II (SLEEP TOKEN), Papa V Perpetua (GHOST),Tom Morello (RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE),Wolfgang Van Halen, and Zakk Wylde.
“All profits from the night will go to the following charities: Cure Parkinson’s, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorn Children’s Hospice, a Children’s Hospice supported by Aston Villa.
“Our admiration for BLACK SABBATH runs deep, and we cannot wait to be a part of this historic event! We’ll see you in Birmingham!”
A year ago, Sharon said that Ozzy was hoping to play a farewell concert at Birmingham’s Villa Park as a “goodbye” to fans.
BLACK SABBATH is considered a pioneer of heavy metal and was formed in 1968 in Aston, Birmingham.
BLACK SABBATH has sold over 75 million albums worldwide and were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2006, awarded a Lifetime Ivor Novello Songwriting Award in 2015 and were presented with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019.
The band has a star on the Broad Street Walk Of Stars in Birmingham, alongside individual stars in their own right, together with a bench in their honor.
In February 2017, SABBATH finished “The End” tour in Birmingham, closing out the quartet’s groundbreaking 49-year career.
“The End” was SABBATH‘s last tour because Iommi — who was diagnosed with lymphoma in late 2011 — can no longer travel for extended amounts of time.
Iommi revealed his cancer diagnosis in early 2012, shortly after SABBATH announced a reunion tour and album. He underwent treatment throughout the recording of the disc, titled “13”, and the subsequent tour to promote it.
The BLACK SABBATH guitarist successfully underwent an operation in January 2017 to remove a noncancerous lump from his throat.
“13” was the first album in 35 years to feature Iommi, Osbourne and Butler all playing together.
Ward was on board for the SABBATH reunion when it was first announced 11 years ago, but backed out soon after. The drummer later claimed that he sat out the recording and touring sessions because of unfair contractual terms, although the members of SABBATH have hinted in other interviews that he wasn’t physically up to the task.
All four original members of SABBATH were present when the band announced its final reunion in late 2011. But Ward split from the group in 2012, citing an “unsignable” contract, and Osbourne, Iommi and Butler carried on with their Rick Rubin–produced “13” LP and extensive international touring without him.
Social media