Well, Black Sabbath fans, the time has come for the Prince of Darkness to retire. July 5, 2025, marked the end of an era for the original Black Sabbath lineup at Villa Park in Birmingham, England. After two decades, the original lineup of Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Bill Ward, and Ozzy Osbourne reunited to celebrate both the band and Ozzy as he embarks on retirement after a long, successful, and unforgettable career.

Black Sabbath was founded in 1968 in Birmingham, England. The band consisted of Tony Iommi on Guitar, Geezer Butler on bass, Bill Ward on drums, and the final piece of the puzzle, Ozzy Osbourne on vocals. The band had initially gone by the name Earth and were more of a blues-style rock band, but decided to rebrand with the name Black Sabbath, inspired by a horror film. Black Sabbath is considered to be one of the forefathers of heavy metal, along with bands such as Judas Priest, Led Zeppelin, Rush, UFO, and others. The band is also known for specializing in the subgenre of doom metal. Throughout the band's 57-year span, it has gone through many eras, but the original lineup will never be forgotten.

The unforgettable original lineup had nine studio albums together: Black Sabbath (1970), Paranoid (1970), Masters of Reality (1971), Vol 4 (1972), Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (1973), Sabotage (1975), Technical Extacy (1976), Never Say Die (1978) and lastly, 13 (2013). Overall, Black Sabbath as a whole has had 19 studio albums.

It was announced earlier this year that July 5th would be the band's final show and Ozzy Osbourne's retirement. News of the show erupted around the world as fans all over ran to get tickets to witness the band together one last time. It was also monumental as this would be the last chance to see Ozzy before his retirement.

The name of the larger-than-life send-off was announced as Black Sabbath: Back to the Beginning in the band's hometown of Birmingham, England, at Villa Park.

Geezer, Iommi, and Butler plan to continue working on their individual projects; however, for Osbourne, it is time for retirement due to health issues, including his battle with Parkinson's disease, which he was diagnosed with in 2020.

Parkinson's disease is defined by the Mayo Clinic as the following: “Parkinson’s is a movement disorder of the nervous system that worsens over time. The nervous system is a network of cells that control many parts of the body, including movement.”.

"Black Sabbath: Back to the Beginning" included performances from some of the most influential names in the genre. Bands in attendance included Anthrax, Mastodon, Halestorm, Mastodon, Lamb of Gob, Rival Sons, Pantera, Alice in Chains, Gogira, Guns N' Roses, Tool, Pantera, Slayer and Metallica.

Two Supergroups were featured as well, comprised of musicians such as Nuno Bettencourt, Jake E Lee, Scott Ian, Tom Morello, Rudy Sarzo, K.K. Downing, Sammy Hagar, and Steven Tyler, just to name a few. The groups played Black Sabbath hits like Sweet Leaf and material from Osbourne's solo career, including Bark at the Moon.

Many fans and well-known faces were in attendance, including actor Jason Momoa, who was seen in the pit during the show. I had the opportunity to speak with one fan who traveled to England from Upstate New York, who said that it was such an incredible yet bittersweet moment, one that he will never forget.

The day ended with Ozzy performing his solo material with Zakk Wylde, Adam Wakeman, Tommy Clufetos, and Mike Inez. The set included songs Mr. Crowley (my personal favorite), I Don’t Know, Suicide Solution, Mama, I’m Coming Home, and Crazy Train.

Osbourne later joined the rest of Sabbath for one final jam. The Sabbath set included songs such as War Pigs, Iron Man, N.I.B., and Paranoid. The emotion on the stage could be felt by not just the audience in attendance but also by the thousands or even millions watching from home via the livestream. It is clear that no matter what may have occurred throughout the band's lifespan, they care and love one another, lifelong brothers, no matter what.

It is safe to say Black Sabbath will continue to influence generations to come.

Update: On July 22, 2025, Ozzy Osbourne passed away at the age of 76. The announcement was made by his family in the following statement: “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to respect our family's privacy at this time.”.

Last week, there was a procession held throughout Birmingham, England, where thousands of fans gathered to say goodbye to the legend as his family laid flowers at a bridge that is dedicated to Black Sabbath. A private funeral was held for the family and friends at the Osbournes' estate.

In the words of Tony Iommi, “Ozzy forever”.