“It’s an invisible bond that can’t be broken”: Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne are on the cover of the new Metal Hammer

As Ozzy Osbourne prepares to play his final show, and Black Sabbath’s classic lineup get ready to bow out, we speak to all four members about their incredible career – plus the special guests they’re bringing along to celebrate.

Ozzy’s final performance, billed as Back To The Beginning, takes place at Birmingham’s Villa Park on July 5. It will be a huge celebration of both the Prince Of Darkness and the band that created heavy metal.

Speaking to Hammer, Ozzy Osbourne reflects on what it means to take his final bow with Sabbath, almost 60 years since they started the band.

“It’s very important,” he says. “From the late 60s, we are probably one of the only bands where the original members are still alive and speaking with one another. As my wife says, it’s an invisible bond that can’t be broken.”

We also take a deep-drive into Ozzy Osbourne’s rollercoaster solo career. From drugs and dead bats to changing the face of metal and becoming an unlikely mainstream celeb, it’s all here.

Elsewhere in the issue, we bring together Sabbath superfans Lzzy Hale, Joe Duplantier, Brann Dailor and Randy Blythe, for an exclusive chat about what the godfathers of metal mean to them.

Metallica’s Rob Trujillo explains how the Double O helped invent his infamous ‘crab walk’, Slayer’s Kerry King reveals why Sabbath left him speechless, and Ghost’s Tobias Forge sings Geezer Butler’s praises.

Meanwhile, Anthrax’s Scott Ian, Alice In Chains’ Jerry Cantrell, ex-Judas Priest guitarist K.K. Downing, Guns N’ Roses bassist Duff McKagan, Ugly Kid Joe’s Whitfield Crane and ex-Megadeth bassist David Ellefson share their inside stories of Birmingham’s finest.

Plus! Back To The Beginning’s star curator Tom Morello reveals how the hell he pulled together the gig of the century.

As well as appearing at Back To The Beginning, Slayer will play their biggest-ever UK shows in July. From hair metal haters to their shock reunion, Kerry King and Tom Araya look back on the band’s tumultuous journey so far.

All this, along with: Judas Priest, Cradle Of Filth, Employed To Serve, Zeal & Ardor, Paradise Slaves, Bambie Thug, Slaughter To Prevail and much, much more.

Only in the new issue of Metal Hammer, on sale now. Order it online and have it delivered straight to your door.