Black Sabbath have announced that they will be releasing a box set for their 1972 album Vol. 4, which will feature outtakes and alternative takes, a live concert from 1973 and several previously unreleased tracks. The box set will be released on February 12, 2021 via Rhino, with pre-orders currently available.

Along with the music, the box set will also feature booklets with quotes from the band during the Vol. 4 era, rare photos, a poster and cover art from the album’s original title, Snowblind, which was in reference to the amount of cocaine that Black Sabbath would consume during the recording of the album.

The live tracks set to appear in the box set had initially been planned to become a live album of their own, however Black Sabbath never got around to releasing them. Black Sabbath had also released a Paranoid box set earlier this year in honor of the album’s 50th anniversary.

Record label Magnetic Eye released a compilation album last month of various artists covering the band with Best of Black Sabbath – Redux. The album featured Earthless’ cover of “Never Say Die” and Thou’s cover of “Wheels of Confusion.”

Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne announced in October that he will perform his final shows in 2022. Osbourne had been diagnosed with Parkinsons in 2019, causing him to cancel his No More Tours II dates in 2020, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Osbourne’s daughter, Kelly Osbourne, stated that her father has been making progress following stem cell treatment, with his wife, Sharon Osbourne, also stating his health has been improving over recent months.

Black Sabbath producer Martin Birch had passed away last August, with Birch having produced the band’s 1980 album Heaven and Hell. Birch had been 71 years old.

Vol. 4 box set track list:

Original Album Remastered

1. “Wheels of Confusion/The Straightener”
2. “Tomorrow’s Dream”
3. “Changes”
4. “FX”
5. “Supernaut”
6. “Snowblind”
7. “Cornucopia”
8. “Laguna Sunrise”
9. “St. Vitus Dance”
10. “Under the Sun/Everyday Comes and Goes”

Outtakes – New Mixes

1. “Wheels of Confusion/The Straightener”
2. “Changes”
3. “Supernaut”
4. “Snowblind”
5. “Laguna Sunrise”
6. “Under the Sun” (Instrumental)

Alternative Takes, False Starts & Studio Dialogue

1. “Wheels Of Confusion” (False Start with Studio Dialogue)
2. “Wheels Of Confusion” (Alternative Take 1)
3. “Wheels Of Confusion” (Alternative Take 2)
4. “Wheels Of Confusion” (Alternative Take 3)
5. “Wheels Of Confusion” (Alternative Take 4)
6. “The Straightener” (Outtake)
7. “Snowblind” (Alternative Take 1 – Incomplete)
8. “Supernaut” (Outtake)
9. “Supernaut” (Alternative Takes with False Starts)
10. “Under The Sun” (False Start with Studio Dialogue)
11. “Under The Sun” (Alternative Take with Guide Vocal)

Live in the UK 1973

1. “Tomorrow’s Dream”
2. “Sweet Leaf”
3. “War Pigs”
4. “Snowblind”
5. “Killing Yourself To Live”
6. “Cornucopia”
7. “Wicked World” (Guitar Solo)
8. “Orchid”
9. “Into The Void”
10. “Sometimes I’m Happy”
11. “Supernaut” (Drum Solo)
12. “Wicked World” (Reprise)
13. “Embryo”
14. “Children Of The Grave”
15. “Paranoid”

Photo credit: Aisha Humphrey