Last November, eagle-eyed Ozzy Osbourne fans noticed that an official document published by Sony Group Corporation – the over-arching parent company of Sony Music Entertainment and Osbourne’s label, Epic Records – listed a new album from Osbourne under a category titled "Selected upcoming releases anticipated over the next six months."
To that end, Osbourne announced on social media this past Saturday (April 9) that he had completed a new album, and delivered it to Epic.
"I’m so happy to let everyone know that I finished my new album this week and delivered it to my label @EpicRecords," wrote on Instagram. "I’ll be sharing all the information about the album and its upcoming release with you in the next several weeks."
The as-yet-untitled follow-up to 2020's acclaimed Ordinary Man (which itself was Osbourne's first solo effort in a decade) is set to be a doozy, packed to the brim with guest appearances from a who's who of electric guitar legends.
Osbourne's former Black Sabbath bandmate, Tony Iommi, wrote an entire song for the album, which is also set to feature appearances from Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and Osbourne's longtime six-string sidekick, Zakk Wylde.
As if that wasn't enough, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith – who serves as the drummer on both the new album and Ordinary Man – revealed earlier this month that Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready and Queens of the Stone Age guitarist Josh Homme will also make appearances on the album.
Reportedly, Wylde will handle rhythm guitar duties on many of the album's cuts, with the other guest stars focusing mainly on lead work.
“It [the album] definitely sounds slamming," Wylde revealed to MusicRadar in an interview last October. "The same goes for all the guys – what Tony Iommi played, and then Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck, it’s all killer for sure.
“On those tracks I’m playing rhythm guitar for my heroes… it’s crazy! It sounds awesome and I’m beyond honored to be doing it.”
