BLACK SABBATH Announces 'The End' World Tour

BLACK SABBATH will embark on tour that is being billed as "The End" in January 2016.

The official press release reads as follows:

"It's the Beginning of THE END.

"It started nearly five decades ago with a crack of thunder, a distant bell ringing and then that monstrous riff that shook the earth. The heaviest rock sound ever heard.

"In that moment Heavy Metal was born, created by a young band from Birmingham, England barely out of their teens.

"Now it ENDS, the final tour by the greatest Metal Band of all time, BLACK SABBATH. Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler close the final chapter in the final volume of the incredible BLACK SABBATH story.

"BLACK SABBATH's farewell tour, 'The End', begins on January 20, 2016 and it promises to surpass all previous tours with their most mesmerizing production ever.

"When this tour concludes, it will truly be THE END,

"THE END of one of most legendary bands in Rock 'n Roll history…"

BLACK SABBATH "The End" tour dates:

North America

Jan. 20 - Omaha, NE @ Centurylink Center
Jan. 22 - Chicago, IL @ UNited Center
Jan. 25 - Minneapolis, MN @ Target Center
Jan. 28 - Saskatoon, SK @ Sasktel Centre
Jan. 30 - Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Centre
Feb. 01 - Calgary, AB @ Scotiabank Saddledome
Feb. 03 - Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena
Feb. 06 - Tacoma, WA @ Tacoma Dome
Feb. 09 - San Jose, CA @ SAP Center
Feb. 11 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Forum
Feb. 13 - Das Vegas, NV @ Mandalay Bay Events Center
Feb. 15 - Denver, CO @ Pepsi Center
Feb. 17 - Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center
Feb. 18 - Detroit, MI @ The Palace of Auburn Hills
Feb. 21 - Hamilton, ON @ Firstontario Centre
Feb. 23 - Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre
Feb. 25 - New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden

Australia and New Zealand

Apr. 15 - Perth, @ Perth Arena
Apr. 17 - Adelaide @ Entertainment Centre
Apr. 19 - Melbourne @ Rod Lave Arena
Apr. 23 - Sydney @ Allphones Arena
Apr. 25 - Brisbane @ Entertainment Center
Apr. 28 - Auckland @ Vector Arena
Apr. 30 - Dunedin @ Forsyth Barr Stadium

Ozzy Osbourne said this past spring that BLACK SABBATH will embark on one last tour in 2016 before calling it quits. "The plan is that next year [we'll do] the final BLACK SABBATH tour and then it's over," Ozzy said during an April 24 press conference in in São Paulo, Brazil, where he performed as part of the Monsters Of Rock festival.

Ozzy also said that he will keep recording and touring as a solo artist once SABBATH has packed it in. "I'm still gonna continue my solo career," he said. "I'm doing these few [solo] gigs down here [in South America] now. Then at the beginning of next year, I'm going out with SABBATH. The SABBATH thing is folding up after the next tour, but I'm gonna continue my solo career."

Iommi in April dismissed rumors that his health is the reason why the band canceled an appearance at this year's edition of Ozzfest Japan in November. Iommi, who was diagnosed with lymphoma in early 2012, wrote, "I'm not sure how the rumor of my being unwell started" He added, "Once you've had something like lymphoma, the fear that it will return never leaves. All I can say is that right now I'm fine and have regular blood tests."

Although it was originally announced that SABBATH would give its final Japanese performance at the event, the band dropped off the bill on April 8. Ozzy will now perform solo instead, accompanied by yet-to-be-disclosed "friends."

No reason was given for SABBATH's withdrawal from the event.

Although Iommi completed his treatment last summer, he admitted that he was told by doctors that his cancer "more than likely… will come back and it could be any time."

It is not clear whether SABBATH has begun writing a new album yet. Ozzy has also begun work on a solo album, and will do a residency in Las Vegas this October.

"13" was the first SABBATH album in 35 years to feature Osbourne, Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler together, with drummer Bill Ward the only founding member to sit out the record and world tour.

"13" went to No. 1 in both the U.S. and the U.K., a first for the band in America and only their second chart-topper in their native country since 1971.

Osbourne released a solo career retrospective titled "Memoirs Of A Madman" in October 2014. The CD contained 17 of his greatest hits, while the DVD featured music videos, rare live performances and interviews.

Ozzy's last solo studio effort was 2010's "Scream".