Posted in: What's New | 2 Comments | Posted on January 22, 2022 by Grumpy

In January, Black Sabbath will make its triumphant return to North America to launch their highly anticipated “The End” final tour. That same month, the greatest metal band of all time will also release deluxe editions of its first three studio albums – Black Sabbath, Paranoid, Master of Reality.

Each deluxe edition includes the 2012 remaster of the original album along with a second disc of outtakes that are previously unreleased in North America. All three albums will available January 22 as 2-CD and 2-LP sets.

Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward made their debut as Black Sabbath in 1970 with the band’s self-titled album. The new deluxe edition of Black Sabbath includes studio outtakes from the 1969 sessions for the album, including alternate versions of “Black Sabbath” and “N.I.B.,” as well two versions of the UK single “Evil Woman (Don’t Play Games With Me).”

 The same year that Sabbath’s debut arrived, the band released its follow-up Paranoid. This metal masterpiece has gone on to be certified 4x platinum. The deluxe edition features phenomenal instrumental takes on “War Pigs,” “Iron Man” and more, along with versions of “Paranoid” and “Planet Caravan” with alternate lyrics.

The group’s third album, Master of Reality, arrived in 1971 and introduced fans to essential Sabbath tracks like “Sweet Leaf” and “Into The Void.” The deluxe edition builds on that legendary album with versions of “Children Of The Grave” and “Sweet Leaf” that have different lyrics. There is also an instrumental version of “After Forever” and an outtake for “Solitude” that features an alternative guitar tuning.

The live collection Past Lives, originally released in 2002 but long out-of-print, will also be reissued as 2-CD and 2-LP sets on the same date. It features performances recorded between 1970 and 1975 — when the band was at the height of its dark powers — and includes phenomenal live versions of essential tracks like “War Pigs,” “Paranoid,” “Snowblind” and “N.I.B.”