According to nme.com, an album of Black Sabbath’s early recordings, when they still went by the name Earth, is set to be released for the first time. Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward first came together in 1968 and originally named themselves The Polka Tulk Blues Band, before transitioning to Earth shortly afterward.

Then in 1969, the band recorded a number of demos at Zella Studios in Birmingham that were never released and later that year the group changed their name again to Black Sabbath, after a song they had recently written which itself was named after the 1963 Italian horror film of the same name.

With Sabbath’s huge farewell show set to take place on July 5, it has now been announced that an album of demos that Earth recorded in 1969 will be released under the title Earth: The Legendary Lost Tapes. The project has been overseen by Jim Simpson, the band’s first manager: “Before Black Sabbath, the band was known as Earth, a blues-driven powerhouse already making a name for themselves,” said Simpson.

The former manager adds: “This new release presents rare early recordings from that era, remastered from long-lost tapes. These recordings clearly demonstrate what fine music they produced right from the very beginning. We recorded these tracks at Zella Studio in Birmingham in 1969, but held back from releasing them as their style was evolving so quickly. Now, some 57 years later, the recordings assume a greater importance, illustrating how these four young men from Birmingham, barely out of their teens, were excellent musicians and a fine band, fully deserving of all the success that was to come their way.”

Earth: The Legendary Lost Tapes will be released on July 25, through Big Bear Records, On another note, it has been understood that the members of Black Sabbath are not involved with this album release.