Black Sabbath has revealed the release date for the first single off their new album, '13.' The metal giants will make 'God is Dead?' available as a digital single on April 19.

The news that 'God is Dead?' is the first single means that 'End of the Beginning' will, contrary to previous speculation, not be the first we hear of the new album. Last week it was announced that 'End of the Beginning' will be premiered on the season finale of 'CSI' on May 15. The episode's plot revolves around a Sabbath concert and features a performance by the band.

Brave Words reported the news, and unveiled the artwork for the single (at left). A snippet of the song can be heard in the video that accompanied the artwork for '13,' which will come out on June 11. 'God is Dead' was one of eight songs premiered at a special press event last week. The song was described by Loudwire in the following manner.

[Geezer] Butler’s bass work offers a mesmerizing beginning to the song that continues through a majority of the track. [Ozzy] Osbourne sings about a bleak future and questions the existence of a higher being, given some of the hard times on Earth. As he belts, “Will someone please tell me is God really dead?,” a musical shift begins to set in with Wilk and the band offering a swinging beat while Osbourne exclaims, “Nowhere to run / Nowhere to hide.” The song offers a cold end and was met with applause from the audience.

Sabbath also released a new video (embedded below) of the band working on the album in the studio with producer Rick Rubin.

Watch Black Sabbath in the Studio