Sleep Token Honors Black Sabbath
II’s Sleep token opened a speech at the upcoming final concert of Black Sabbath, calling it “reverence and great honor”.
- Read more: Sharon Osborne and Tony Immi tell us about the final Black Sabbath: “Usually this thing is done when you are dead”
Final Concert Details
Yesterday (February 5), Black Sabbath announced its last living show, set to take place in Birmingham on July 5. The band revealed the opening acts and special guests, including Metallica, Slayer, Pantera, Lamb of God, Mastodon, Alice in Chains, Halestorm, recent Grammy winners Gojira, and many more.
Sleep Token was among the significant acts announced. In a rare statement—given that the group rarely gives interviews—the drummer of the group II shared thoughts about the concert on his official Instagram account.
“It is with respect and great honor that I announce my participation in the tribute to the legendary @blacksabbath at the Villa Park stadium. Performing on the sacred ground of Birmingham, Great Britain, on Saturday, July 5, 2025,” he wrote.
He continued: “A group that from the very beginning lit my passion for heavy music and creation in its essence. Eternal gratitude to @ozzyosbourne, @sharonosbourne, @tommorello, and @andycoppingofficial for their kind consideration.”
Legacy of Black Sabbath
The final performance of Black Sabbath will feature the legendary lineup of Ozzy Osbourne, guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward on stage. This show will mark their first live performance in two decades and will be the band’s last appearance. All profits will be donated to charities including “Treat Parkinson’s,” Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and Acorn Children’s Hospice, a hospice supported by Aston Villa.
In an interview with NME shortly after the final concert announcement, Sharon Osborne expressed that the band’s legacy is too profound for them to truly disappear.
“You cannot say goodbye,” said Ozzy’s wife and manager to NME. “Look at the fact that they leave behind a huge, excellent body of work. As long as you have it, it will never be a goodbye. This is there for eternity.”
She also noted that Ozzy currently feels “very emotional” about the final show, and that it is “what he wants.” “He wants to thank everyone. He hasn’t had such a chance due to his illness, but now he has the opportunity,” she shared.
Sharon added that the day is a “holiday” honoring the genre and the pioneers who started it and passed it on to all these groups. “Usually, this kind of recognition comes posthumously—so it’s wonderful that these artists can experience this appreciation while they’re alive!”
In other news, at the end of last year, a mysterious masked vocalist took a moment during their concert at the O2 Arena to play on their Nintendo Switch console. They are also set to perform this summer for the first time.
