Geezer Butler has introduced DEADLAND RITUAL, a new band which reportedly includes former GUNS ‘N’ ROSES drummer Matt Sorum, BILLY IDOL guitarist Steve Stevens and APOCALYPTICA vocalist Franky Perez.
Both Butler and Stevens posted teaser clips on their Facebook pages; the French rock festival Hellfest has also confirmed that DEADLAND RITUAL will appear on June 22 next year on their main stage.
Butler played his final show with BLACK SABBATH in February 2017. “I felt relief that it was all over, that it was done with, that we’d done a good show, and quite sad in a way to think that we’d never do it again,” he later admitted. “It really wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be, actually. It just felt right. We’ve been around for 49 years now, and it’s time to call it a day.”
Still, Butler didn’t seem ready to settle down, confirming that guitarist Tony Iommi’s cancer diagnosis played a significant role in Black Sabbath’s decision to call it quits. “If it was up to me,” Butler added, “I would have toured for the next five years, because I love touring and traveling.”
