A Black Sabbath reunion of sorts--with former interim lead singer Ronnie James Dio filling in for the non-participating Ozzy Osbourne--will hit the road in March under the moniker Heaven and Hell.

Dio will rejoin the three founding members of Sabbath--Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward--for the third time, following stints replacing Osbourne in the '80s and '90s, when the singer was asked to leave the band to treat his drug and alcohol problems.

The tour is scheduled to kick off March 11 in Vancouver, British Columbia, with 12 stops on the calendar.

The tour's publicist said that additional dates would be added along the way and that the band intends on touring throughout the remainder of the year. Aside from the tour's final stop, March 30 in New York, all of the group's currently scheduled shows are in Canadian venues.

Fellow metal icons Megadeth will offer opening support on the currently announced outing, with Down--featuring Phil Anselmo and Rex Brown from Pantera--providing additional support.

When the planned collaboration was announced last October, Osbourne was quick to issue a press release through his publicist, Lathum Nelson, commenting that there is only one Black Sabbath, and that Osbourne's work with the band will continue.

Ozzy, Tony, Geezer and Bill will be touring late next year along with a new Black Sabbath album, Nelson said. However, Ozzy wishes Tony and Ronnie much success in their project together.

Heaven and Hell takes its name from the title of the 1980 Black Sabbath album that was the group's first with Dio at the helm.

Black Sabbath, which formed in 1969, has appeared onstage together in its original form several times in recent years, most recently at the 2004 version of Osbourne's namesake music festival, Ozzfest.

Black Sabbath's most recent release is the 1998 live album Reunion, which also contained two new studio tracks, including the radio hit Psycho Man.

March 2007
11 - Vancouver, British Columbia - Pacific Coliseum
13 - Edmonton, Alberta - Rexall Place
14 - Calgary, Alberta - Saddledome
16 - Regina, Saskatchewan - Brandt Centre
18 - Winnipeg, Manitoba - MTS Centre
20 - Sault St.