CREDIT: JESS BAUM
Cancer Bats bring their Bat Sabbath show to London on October 17.

I write about random things a lot. I write a lot about random things. But when it comes to the legacy of 1970s metal pioneers Black Sabbath, and in particular their early lead singer Ozzy Osbourne, the truth is often stranger than fiction.

Similarly, if you weren't familiar with Toronto-based hardcore punk band Cancer Bats and how they came to be associated with Black Sabbath, the connection might seem as mysterious as the figure on the cover of Paranoid from 1970.

Returning to London on October 17, Cancer Bats — comprised of vocalist Liam Cormier and Scott Middleton on guitar, Mike Peters on drums and Jaye Schwarzer on bass — are bringing with them the return of Bat Sabbath, their tribute to the English rock giants. The band will first perform a set from their catalogue of albums, including last year's explosive album Dead Set on Living, and close with a second set of Sabbath cover songs.

According to Cormier, the decision to take Bat Sabbath on tour was an organic one. “After we did those shows and as people saw them, word spread,” he explained by phone, shortly after the band crossed into Michigan on a five-day sojourn through the U.S. en route to the West Coast.

“Tons more people were excited to have it in their town and to hear a different side of what we do,” Cormier continued. “And we thought, ‘We kind of have to do these shows out there — Vancouver, Winnipeg, Regina — all these spots where we have these notoriously awesome shows.'”

No ordinary tribute outfit, Bat Sabbath evolved by chance from an after-party gig on the last night of the 2011 Sonisphere Festival in the U.K. Organizers were looking for an act to play on the side stage following Slipknot's performance on the Apollo Stage, and Cancer Bats — having already performed earlier in the day — agreed to step in.

The event was wildly successful, and led to the band embarking on a 12-date Canadian tour in the winter that included a stop in London at Rum Runners on December 15, 2011. The night held a place of importance on the tour, which served to bring full circle the process of making their most recent album Dead Set On Living — the dates at Sonisphere were the last for the band before beginning to record the album, and the winter tour helped to tide the band over from completing it in the fall until its release in April 2012.

This time around, the tour is intended to fire the band up creatively to begin writing sessions for their next album; the band has recently had a couple of months off and is looking forward to rising to the challenges of the tour, aiming to carry that momentum into new material.

In preparation, they've worked new songs from Sabbath's extensive catalogue into their repertoire. According to Cormier, the idea is to craft an unforgettable show for fans, an experience that can appeal to fans whether they had seen the tour in the past or not ... and all still the icing on the cake of a full Cancer Bats concert experience.

Speaking as a loyal fan, Cormier was unable to decide which song he'd be most excited to play for Sabbath themselves if the opportunity arose.

“Firstly, I think we'd all be terrified,” Cormier laughed. “I feel like they'd be able to point out all the mistakes we were making. I don't think I could choose a song, though. I think we'd like to play them the whole set and let them choose their favourite.”

He then recalled a night on tour on which an opening band had performed an entire set of Cancer Bats covers, similarly considering the good-natured tribute. “By the end I wound up singing ‘Pneumonia Hawk' with them, I couldn't tell you if they made any mistakes.”

For more on Cancer Bats or their current Bat Sabbath tour, visit them online at cancerbats.com or follow along on Twitter @cancerbats. This concert event returning to Rum Runners is akin to lightning striking London twice, so don't miss it. Advance tickets are $17, available on ticketscene.ca until 3 p.m. on October 17 while supplies last.

And for more of the latest music news, views and concert previews, consider following this column on Twitter @fsu_bobbyisms. Some of the best folklore comes from the most humble beginnings, don't miss this opportunity to glimpse some history in the making. I'm out of words.