Black Sabbath announce 'Supersonic Years - The Seventies Singles Box Set'

Titled ‘Supersonic Years - The Seventies Singles Box Set’, the collection will boast an array of Sabbath’s towering anthems from the era that helped define the heavy metal genre, ranging from their 1970 debut single ‘Evil Woman’ right up to 1978’s ‘Hard Road’.

The limited-edition box set features of a total of 20 songs across 10 vinyl singles that are housed in unique colour picture sleeves from around the world, either ultra-rare or exclusive to the box set.

Among the songs are five rare single edits: ‘Iron Man’, ‘Sabbath Bloody Sabbath’, ‘Am I Going Insane (Radio)’, ‘Hard Road’ and ‘Symptom Of The Universe’.

There’s also a liner notes booklet detailing the rarities contained within the box set, along with the story behind the birth and evolution of the most culturally important genre of all time.

Costing £59.75, the box set is released on Friday 8th June via Sony BMG. Fans who pre-order via Black Sabbath’s official website will get an exclusive ‘Henry Devil’ spider-dink seven-inch adapter that can also be used as a keyring.

After the release of ‘Evil Woman’ and their breakthrough classic ‘Paranoid’, Black Sabbath, of course, were not comfortable with the confines of the mainstream pop format and the audience it brought them, leading to a self-imposed ban on releasing singles that lasted for more than two years.

“We didn’t intend to make a single in the first place,” said Tony Iommi to the Disc and Music Echo way back in 1971. “But after we’d completed the album, the ‘Paranoid’ track was sufficiently short to be a ‘trailer’ for the LP.  We really didn’t expect it to do anything at all.

“We don’t go into the studio to make singles. We make LPs only. But if there is anything suitable as a result of the recordings, it would be considered, of course.”

The box set features the following songs:

Disc 1. Evil Woman, Don’t Play Your Games With Me (2012 – Remaster) Wicked World (2012 – Remaster)

Disc 2. Paranoid (2012 – Remaster) / The Wizard (2012 – Remaster)

Disc 3. Iron Man (Single Edit) (2017 – Remaster) / Electric Funeral (2012 – Remaster)

Disc 4. Tomorrow’s Dream (2012 – Remaster) / Laguna Sunrise (2012 – Remaster)

Disc 5. Sabbath Bloody Sabbath (Edited Version) (2018 – Remaster) / Changes (2012 – Remaster)

Disc 6. Am I Going Insane? (Radio) (Single Edit) (2018 – Remaster) / Hole In The Sky (2012 – Remaster)

Disc 7. Gypsy (2012 – Remaster) / She’s Gone (2012 – Remaster)

Disc 8. It’s Alright (2012 – Remaster) / Rock ‘N’ Roll Doctor (2012 – Remaster)

Disc 9. Never Say Die (2012 – Remaster) / She’s Gone (2012 – Remaster)

Disc 10. Hard Road (Single Edit) (2012 – Remaster) / Symptom Of The Universe (German Single Edit) (2012 – Remaster)