Black Sabbath Born Again Black Sabbath Heaven and Hell

4.05 | 606 ratings | 28 reviews | 45% 5 stars

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Studio Album, released in 1980

Songs / Tracks Listing

i. Neon Knights (3:49)
two. Children of the Sea (5:thirty)
3. Lady Evil (4:22)
4. Sky & Hell (6:56)
v. Wishing Well (iv:02)
6. Die Young (4:41)
vii. Walk Away (4:21)
eight. Solitary Is the Give-and-take (5:49)

Total Fourth dimension 39:30

Line-up / Musicians

- Ronnie James Dio / vocals
- Tony Iommi / guitars
- Geezer Butler / bass
- Bill Ward / drums, percussion

With:
- Geoff Nicholls / keyboards

Releases information

Artwork: Lynn Curlee, titled "Smoking Angels"

LP Vertigo ‎- 9102 752 (1980, U.k.)

CD Vertigo ‎- 830 171-2 (1986, Frg) Remastered by Gert Van Hoeyen
CD Warner Bros. ‎- R2 515958 (2008, The states) Remastered by Dan Hersch

Thanks to Terra Australis for the addition
and to Quinino for the terminal updates
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Collaborators/Experts Reviews

Review by Finnforest
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator

Great rock album. We used to have huge debates in high school about Ozzy versus Dio and this album packs some great memories of those arguments. Only even the near ardent Ozzy purist should admit this album as successful on most fronts. Dio was a more than capable vocalist perfectly suited to the paradigm of the material composed. The songs rock, the lyrics are fine, the playing is great.

Side ane is the real slam dunk with Neon Knights, Children of the Sea, and the title runway. Neon has ever been a Sab favorite, something virtually the "feel" of the chords that just screams energy. I just love the guitar on this vocal. That'southward i matter I find about H and H, it really seems to have re-lit the fuse for the band. They sound fresh and energetic and I remember that'due south why the anthology has held up over the years. I suppose it was invigorating to get away from Ozzy's drama and alcohol bug. The title rails is a belatedly night teenage anthem up there with Stairway to Heaven on FM radio playlists. Geezer in particular has such a nice fat bass sound here and Dio is in his dramatic glory. Side two is less successful with "Die Young" being the standout track.

On the force of the ameliorate four songs, Heaven and Hell is a must for Sabbath and Dio fans. For the remainder of the site it is "proficient but not essential."

Review by b_olariu
PROG REVIEWER

This is my favourite Blackness Sabbath anthology ever.

Subsequently two mediocre albums with Ozzy, the ane from '76 and the worst album Ozzy era Never say die from '78 Sabbath return to the doomy sound that made them gods of dark heavy metal in the early '70. Once again i mention, to me Sabbath is heavy metal and not a shred of prog in their music, not even the early on works are not prog. Enter Dio ex - Rainbow, Elf. Voice is perfect for what they play, powerfull, and he requite a new dimension to Sabbath music. When everybody belived that Sabbath is history, Dio'due south phonation is a punch in the face and he said in a high german magazin in 1980 " Who belive Sabbath is dead then those persons must come to at least on show of united states - he will alive the stadium with the tail betwixt the legs". Nothing more to say, Dio was right. The best Sabbath album since Vol.4 in my opinion, and i of the best in their lenghty carere. I will not review track by track, but Heaven and Hell, Lady Evil and Walk away the best from here, the residuum are also skillful too.5 stars and i of the all-time albums ever in music in general. Essential to whatsoever serious listner.

Review by ZowieZiggy
PROG REVIEWER

For the very time of their being, a fellow member of the "Sabbath" original line-upwardly was sacked (mainly for his drugs abuse). Dear Ozzy had to leave and Dio came in the place. I have mentioned already that even if Ozzy was not a corking singer, he WAS "Sabbath" 'southward phonation. All their allegorical songs were written while he was there and their later production won't be as fruitful.

"Heaven & Hell" is better than their final two studio albums "Technical Ecstasy" and "Never Say Dice!" but it is not exciting. Dio does a skilful job just most of the songs are just average hard-rock. If you except "Neon Knights", the great opener (simply we are used to this with "Sabbath") and "Children Of The Ocean" which are both very skillful hard-stone songs; you lot won't find any anthems hither.

Closing part of the title track "Heaven & Hell" features a great Iommi (one time again) merely it is a scrap "short" to use the same (and only) bamboozlement again. The poppier side shines on with "Wishing Well". An AOR good piece of rock. This album reminds some "Rainbow" ones. Average hard-rock with piffling inspiration and rather anonymous if it weren't the name of the band or leader. Songs as "Walk Abroad" is fully like this description. Ther closing number is better and tin be regarded every bit a highlight mostly thanks to the great piece of work of Iommi.

But it pleased the fans since it peaked at the 9th spot in the Britain charts (Nr. 28 in the United states). But I do not belong to them. V out of ten, merely this fourth dimension, I will downgrade information technology to two stars.

Review by Gatot
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator

Correct after the release of "Technical Ecstasy" album Ozzy quit the band and replaced for some live dates by former Savoy Brown singer Dave Walker, then Ozzy returned in January 1978. In June 1979, Ozzy quit the band for the second fourth dimension for a solo career, replaced by quondam Rainbow singer Ronnie James Dio (b. June 10, 1949). As well during this period, keyboardist Geoff Nichols became a regular office of the band's performing and recording efforts, though he was not officially considered a band member until after. There was once more, some other major shift in the music of Black Sabbath. This was mainly due to the song quality of Dio had been a major trademark for Ritchie Blackmore'south Rainbow. Having known Dio vocal characteristic, Black Sabbath tried to suit the music so that in this album the music is much harder than any Sabbath album before which typically starts with something slow / bluesy. This can be heard even from the opening track "Neon Knights". But the 2d track "Children of the Bounding main" (5:xxx) brings dorsum the traditional Blackness Sabbath music specially through the riffs and drum work. I can sense that with this track the blend of Dio into Black Sabbath has worked perfectly well. The 3rd track "Lady Evil" (4:22) demonstrates powerful bass lines by Geezer Butler.

"Sky & Hell" (6:56) is a very nice vocal with an intro combining Iommi'south typical riffs with Geezer dynamic bass guitar piece of work to accompany Rainbow-similar singing style. Geezer bass guitar work is quite obvious throughout the track. "Dice Young" (4:41) starts with an ambience nuance demonstrating keyboard and guitar work followed with a hard rocker rhythm which accompanies Ronnie James Dio singing in relatively fast speed tempo. It's quite interesting stone track with nice musical breaks exploring keyboard and vocal line. "Alone is the Word" (5:49) concludes the album beautifully, because the music flows naturally with some bluesy bear on.

The effect was a commercial resurgence. In the U.Due south., the album was a million-seller; in Uk, it was a Height Ten striking that threw off two chart singles, "Neon Knights" and "Die Young." (At the same time, the ring'due south one-time British tape label issued a five-year old concert album, Blackness Sabbath Live at Terminal, that was rapidly withdrawn, though not earlier making the U.Chiliad. Superlative Five, and reissued "Paranoid" as a single, getting it into the Height 20.)

Overall, it'due south a very expert hard rock music with combined styles of early Blackness Sabbath and Ritchie Blackmore'due south Rainbow, mainly due to Dio vocal characteristic that had get Rainbow'south trademark. I recommend this anthology for those who love hard rock music. Keep on rockin' ..!

Peace and earth and mercy mild - GW

Review by Sean Trane
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Prog Folk

4.5 sarts really!!

With Ozzy now out for good, the band had to call up about its hereafter with Wazrner Bros pushing the group for their 10th anthology. Torn between LA and England, the grouping eventually ended up in France in their taxation-exiles (then the H&H anthology was partly recorded at Criteria studios in the UK and Studio Ferber in French republic), but personal problems besides plagued Butler and prompted him to head back home to sort his problems (see later in the review).

Produced by Martin Birch (but not wearing the usual Birch Purple-audio), Blackness Sabbath's improvement album is one of the most impressive and influential albums of the lxxx'southward, equally the grouping headed a Heavy Metallic Revival, with Judas Priest (British Steel) and Motorhead's rise to fame every bit well (Ace Of Spade), just in forepart of a wave of new groups that volition exist called NWOBHOB; Having secured RJ Dio on vocals (and bass), the group started rehearsing, with Geoff Nichols on bass (too), considering Geezer Butler was busy in his divorce case. Once the original bassist returned (therefore wiping out any legend that he didn't play on H&H), Geoff Nichols remained with the group only concentrated on whatever keyboards sounds were needed. Dio's new ideas mixed Iommi's writings created the new fresh approach ion the album, and the anthology's general ambiance is a huge role of its success.

Starting on the hit single Neon Knights (i of Sabbath'southward most up-tempoed tracks e'er), the grouping charged heavily on the dramatics, developing to goosebump levels on the longer Children Of The Ocean, the H&H title rails and Lonely Is the Word tracks. With another two shorter tracks similar the "anthem" Die Young and the abrupt Wishing Well, H&H is a stunning metallic album, and strangely plenty one of the terminal 1 (chronologically and historically-speaking) this writer volition really consider highly. Butler'southward usual superb bass playing is nonetheless a very of import feature, but Ward's drumming is a bit less mightier than in his early days. Superb endmost track in Lone Is The Word, likewise.

While I wouldn't call H&H a progressive anthology per se, it certainly became the emblem of a new era for metal music, even if (IMHO) information technology's never been bettered by whatever metallic group since.

Review past Raff
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator

Before I fifty-fifty beginning on this review, I wish to make i matter clear: this is one of my top 10 albums of all time. So, yes, I am biased, very much so, and well enlightened of it....That, however, doesn't mean I consider "Heaven and Hell" to exist anywhere near a masterpiece of prog - the progressive elements, if any, are few and far between, and the album definitely was never as influential to the evolution of prog-metal as Black Sabbath's Ozzy-era offerings. Yet, it can hardly be denied that H & H is a masterpiece of archetype hard rock/heavy metal, signaling the band's return to sparkling form after the astringent decline shown by their late Seventies albums.

At the first of the Eighties, Sabbath underwent what nosotros could call a full makeover. Gone was the muddy, uncertain sound a of their earlier albums, to be replaced by Martin Birch'southward country-of-the-art, crystal-clear, diamond-hard production, which allowed every instrument to shine - Geezer Butler'south and Pecker Ward'due south thunderous rythm section, Tony Iommi's legendary riffing, merely especially new guy Ronnie James Dio's awe-inducing roar. The latter's addition to the lineup fabricated the real departure in the band's performance: though Ozzy's distinctive, vaguely disturbing wail had been Black Sabbath's trademark for well-nigh a decade, Dio was simply one of the all-time vocalists e'er heard on the rock scene.

Plainly, such changes couldn't assist altering the ring's audio in a rather substantial way. As a matter of fact, "Sky and Hell" sounds quite different their Seventies output - less chillingly menacing, more crushingly powerful. Album opener "Neon Knights" (to these ears, one of the best opening tracks of all time) sounds like a statement of intent correct from the very outset, brimming with Iommi'southward towering guitar riffs and Dio's soaring bellow. Things slow down for the second item on the tracklist, doom-laden "Children of the Sea" - ane of Dio's career-defining vocal performances together with Rainbow'due south immortal "Stargazer". Though not 1 of the album's highlights, "Lady Evil" is a catchy, uptempo song, punctuated by Butler's booming, dynamic bass lines.

Strategically placed at the cease of Side A when the album was originally released, the title-rails, is a crushingly heavy column bolstered by Butler'south thundering bass and Iommi'due south manic riffing, with Dio'southward voice soaring and swooping in a higher place the din in true epic way. As a sort of release of tension, another tricky tune follows, the almost poppy "Wishing Well" (no relation to the Free song of the aforementioned championship) - perhaps zero to write home about , just a song I've ever been fractional to. On the other hand, "Dice Young" can exist counted as another of the album'due south high points - a classic, powerful, keyboard-laden difficult rocker, it sees another keen vocal performance past the inimitable RJ Dio, and sterling guitar piece of work from Iommi.

While the slightly nondescript "Walk Away" is in my stance the only real filler on the album, closing rail "Lonely Is the Word" most closely resembles Sabbath's earlier output with Ozzy - a sinister slice of doom driven by Iommi'south positively monstrous riffing, and featuring at the end what is probably his all-time solo ever, while Dio'due south vocals audio pleading and commanding in turn. Without the shadow of a uncertainty, one of the band'southward undisputed milestones, and one hell of an album closer.

Not a masterpiece of progressive music, just a masterpiece all the same, "Sky and Hell" deserves no less than five stars in my book. if you are into great music, regardless of labels, exercise yourself a favour and grab a copy. You won't regret it.

Review by Mellotron Storm
PROG REVIEWER

4.v stars.This is one of my top three SABBATH records, and yes I have quite a history with this one. I bought information technology in the early eighties on cassette and it got plenty of air play as I collection around the beaches comfortably numb. Dio is ane of my favourite vocalists, and this is the tape where I like him all-time. He wasn't just their new singer though he besides wrote the lyrics putting his stamp on Blackness SABBATH in more than ways than one. The cover art of angels playing cards and smoking is one of a kind. I heard Kim Mitchell (MAX WEBSTER) recently on the radio talking about playing(solo) at a festival in Sweden last twelvemonth and watching Dio(solo) play afterwards at the same prove, and but existence in utter amazement at how practiced he was. He couldn't believe what he was witnessing. Coincidently Kim, Ronnie James and I were all born July 10th.

"Neon Knights" hits the ground running,an absolutely killer opening track that SABBATH has go famous for on their classic records.This is uptempo and relentless. Dio is freaking incredible. Iommi rips it up ii minutes in. "Children Of The Body of water" is my favourite rails on here. It opens with acoustic guitar as Dio sings softly.Ward pounds his way in as Iommi's riffs come crashing in. Butler's bass is punishing equally Dio belts information technology out. Iommi is so fluid iii minutes in. iv minutes in the intro acoustic guitar is back merely this time with synths, as Dio once more sings softly. Cheque out Dio 5 minutes in along with the powerful riffs from Iommi to end it. "Lady Evil" is a mid paced tune with some nice guitar work from Iommi. This one and "Walk Abroad " are what keep me from giving this five stars.

"Heaven And Hell" is my second favourite rail and the longest on hither. This is in the classic SABBATH mold, dark and heavy. Dio sounds so menacing. Some atmospheric guitar iii 1/ii minutes in, a infinitesimal later it becomes so powerful equally the tempo picks upwards. This is insane ! Ward is leading the fashion as Iommi starts to shred. It ends with audio-visual guitar melodies. "Wishing Well" is a brighter, uptempo track with more atmospheric guitar 2 minutes in. "Die Immature" is a top 3 track for me. It sort of follows the pattern of "Children Of The Body of water" with the contrast betwixt calm and loud. Information technology opens with synths as guitar rises out of it most crying. Drums come pounding in as Iommi lights it up. Dio is very passionate here in this fast paced department. Calms right down afterward 2 minutes once again with soft vocals. They're kick it again a minute later. Iommi offers upwardly some blistering solos to end it as Butler's bass throbs. "Walk Away" features a powerful vocal brandish. Ward is decorated in this catchy song. It's ok I gauge. "Lone Is The Globe" is dark and heavy with great riffs. Iommi's solo after 2 1/2 minutes goes on and on as synths come in. Ward is dandy and so is this song.

This really is essential BLACK SABBATH and should exist in every metal-head'south collection.

Review by Queen By-Tor
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator

Sabbath catches the Rainbow

With their lead voice Ozzy gone and a couple of albums coming in earlier this ane that didn't hit as hard as their before material, Sabbath actually had to regroup on this effort. Conspicuously, recruiting someone like the legendary lungs of Ronnie James Dio of Rainbow would do only the play tricks, and information technology did. This effort is far and away from about anything that Sabbath has done before, and the change is a breath of fresh air. With the force of Sabbath'south overwhelming nighttime nature with their evil lyrics and doom guitars combined with Dio'south excellent vocals and fantasy way lyric and music writing the band molded into a whole new brute. Obviously 1 to be reckoned with as well, as it'due south easy to see while looking dorsum on this disc simply how much information technology impacted the face of metal coming into the 80s with the audio of the albums seeming to have paved the mode for influential acts like Iron Maiden. Sabbath may take been a driving force in metal already, simply with this album they actually defined the way the genre would go over the side by side decade, and even until now. In fact, but many this is considered ''the kickoff power metal album''.

While Sabbath'due south sound was often defined by heaviness and a kind of overwhelming body of water of music it's been changed here. While the riffs still fill the air the music is more evened out past Dio'south voice giving it a dimension that it never had earlier. Whether this be skillful or band is really upwards to you, but this album really seems to be coming afterwards you lot instead of expecting y'all to be immersed by the waves of guitar. This is evident right off the bat from the time Dio'due south phonation comes in and brings us to the first refrain of the stellar opener, Neon Knights. Other songs on the first side maintain the old Sabbath feel with the very traditionally Sabbath Children Of The Bounding main which is likely the about immersed you lot'll get by riffs listening to this album. Dio's phonation still acts a driving forcefulness, bringing united states of america further into the album.

The second half of the anthology is merely pure power metallic. While this may not ever been 100% attractive to the normal prog head the music here is performed just so damn skillful that information technology's piece of cake to overlook. These guys are astonishing musicians, and so even tunes like the strangely upbeat Wishing Well make for a swell listen thanks to flying guitar solos and a crazy drum beat. If the first half of the album had a very Sabbath experience to it, this half nigh has a thick Rainbow feel to it. Listening to a tune similar Die Young you can actually hear where a young Iron Maiden would accept been listening and getting ideas with information technology'south prominent bassline and ripping guitars.

The biggest standout (and most progressive song) on the album as to exist the title cut. Heaven and Hell is a tour-de-force of astonishing guitars, vocals and all around instrumentation wrapped upwards in a short 7 minutes. Starting out night and chugging like a normal Sabbath this one explodes into full blast at the middle of the vocal with a full shift in time and tone making for a very, very satisfying vocal coming into the cease. Sinkadotentree likely described this department of the song best in his review of the album when he said, ''This is insane!''. I really couldn't put information technology better.

While not purely prog as the 70s would accept united states believe, this album is still progressive in the sense of what it would before long practise for metallic music in full general. The playing is precipitous, every song is a killer and Dio's voice is always satisfying. This one has to go 4 black winged angels out of 5. Absolutely essential to whatever metallic collection, and an excellent add-on to a prog collection. Fans of Prog metal will be delighted, and anyone who likes metal in full general certainly need to check this one out. Highly recommended!

Review by SouthSideoftheSky
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Symphonic Team

Sing me a song, you're a singer

Ronnie James Dio joins Blackness Sabbath here and starts a new chapter in the band'south career. Heaven And Hell has become something of a classic and it is admittedly a stiff album, perhaps even up to par with some Ozzy-era albums. However, having been a fan of the band for some years (even if I wasn't born until i year after this album was released), I retrieve beingness less than impressed when I showtime heard this album. I have come to similar it a bit more than since and then, merely some of my initial misgivings all the same stand up.

First of all, this album is certainly not as obviously Prog related as Sabotage or Sabbath Bloody Sabbath or fifty-fifty as some of the Jazz-Rock/Fusion inspired tracks on Never Say Die. I would even say that the Dio-era is the least progressive of all of the ring's unlike eras. There are some slight progressive touches in Sky And Hell as well, merely if you want to notice them you must expect very closely. The loud and quite elaborated bass lines from Geezer, the discrete keyboards in the background, the Gothic, choir-like backing vocals and the mystical lyrics are some features to pay actress attention to.

The keyboards are played past Geoff Nicholls here for the first time and while he contributed to every album from this one onwards plus following them on tours, he was never recognized equally a full member. This man deserves some credit for being at that place!

Heaven And Hell alternates between longer and more than interesting pieces and shorter quite conventional Hard Rock songs. The excellent Children Of The Body of water is followed past the straightforward Lady Evil; the archetype title track is followed past the similar Hard Rock song Wishing Well and the superb, Queen-like Die Young is followed by another one of those straightforward songs in Walk Away. The album existence book-ended by the powerful Neon Knights and the slow, heavy Lonely Is The Word.

The title track and Children Of The Ocean both became a live favourites, and rightly so. These are classic Black Sabbath songs as are Die Immature, Lone Is The Word and Neon Knights. However, this anthology is not very varied. In that location are no real ballads to speak of or even semi-ballads like at that place were on many previous and later Black Sabbath albums, neither are at that place any instrumentals (apart from the all too brief but lovely acoustic outro to the championship rail) similar the ones that enhanced some previous and subsequent albums (remember Embryo, Orchid, Fluff, Don't Start (Too Late), Crimson Pimpernel, etc.).

Heaven And Hell is a good and solid album and for Black Sabbath fans this is essential. Withal, information technology is hard for me to enhance very much Prog-enthusiasm over this album. Especially if I compare this with previous albums by the ring similar Demolition or Sabbath Encarmine Sabbath, or the best of Ronnie James Dio's previous work with Rainbow (i.east. Ascension) for that matter. Hence, the 3 commencement rating.

Review by UMUR
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator

Heaven and Hell is the 9th full-length studio album by Great britain heavy metal act Blackness Sabbath. The album sees the first lineup change since Black Sabbath began their recording career with their cocky-titled debut in tardily 1969/ early 1970. The inevitable exit of lead vocalist Ozzy Osbourne was a result of clashing egos, musical differences and an extensive drug and alcohol abuse. The latter reason meant that rehearsals for their ninth studio album were drawn out for most a year and the piece of work was done in an unpleasant atmosphere. As a event of the animosity and fighting guitarist and primary composer Tony Iommi fabricated the decision to fire Ozzy Osbourne from the band in 1979. Former Elf and Rainbow frontman Ronnie James Dio was brought on as the new lead vocaliser in Black Sabbath and finally the band started working on writing new material for what was to become Heaven and Hell. in addition to Ronnie James Dio keyboardist Geoff Nicholls was also added to the lineup. He was initially brought in as a replacement for Geezer Butler on bass as Geezer Butler left the ring for a short while during the sessions for the anthology. When Geezer Butler returned Geoff Nicholls shifted to keyboards.

The music on Heaven and Hell notwithstanding sounds unmistakably like Blackness Sabbath. Ronnie James Dio is a powerful and very practiced vocaliser and compared to the last couple of albums by Blackness Sabbath where Ozzy Osbourne sounded rather uninspired and tired, Ronnie James Dio�south functioning here really ignites the dying spark in the band and re- launches Black Sabbath�due south career. It actually sounds like they quit the drugs and ate some vitamines instead considering this album just oozes of the joy of playing music. The songs are all powerful heavy metal tracks and a few of them even accept an epic edge to them I can�t retrieve hearing in Black Sabbath�s music before. Songs similar Children of the Body of water and Heaven & Hell are really purple. The just vocal I�k not that addicted of is Walk Away which has a chip of AOR/ soft heavy rock feeling to it. But information technology�southward not really bad. Songs like Neon Knights, Lady Evil and Dice Young just blow me abroad. Raw ability and great songwriting. Annotation how fierce yet melodic Tony Iommi�s guitar solos audio on this album. Talk nigh a resurrection.

The musicianship is absolutely outstanding. The best performance up until then in their career. There�s so much bite and will to piece of work for a great result that information technology�southward scenic.

The production by Martin Birch ( Deep Purple and Iron Maiden among others) is powerful. A very professional person product that suits the music perfectly.

I wasn�t mature enough when I listened to this album fifteen years ago and dismissed information technology for existence soft heavy rock which at the time was of no interest to me. Heaven and Hell has really grown on me ( or I�ve grown up) and today I regard it as ane of the best albums by Black Sabbath and a classic in the genre. It fully deserves a BIG 4 star rating. It�south highly recommendable to fans of heavy yet melodic heavy rock/ metal.

Review past snobb
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator

Hey-Blackness Sabbath on "Progarchives"site! I don't think they are proggers at all, but they play good music, it'south for sure!

"Heaven and Hell"is their kickoff LP with Dio instead of Ozzy, and it is the best Lp for Black Sabbath Mk.2! Yes,it is very different from Ozzy years, only brings it own heavy-romantic atmosphere. Never earlier or after Dio was so good, mainly because of strange mix of his melodies,"dragon myths" and potent BS music. His voice is equally perfect as always, but in combination with cold,doomy and hypnotic BS music information technology makes THE result: yes, it works!

I can compare this LP with "Rex Crimson"s "Discipline" ( not in sense of music, of course): we can hear the renewed BS at that place, which is not better or worse of BS Mk.I, it is just first and all-time LP of totaly new grouping!

Review by Bonnek
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Honorary Collaborator

The early Ozzy years will forever remain the most relevant in the history of Black Sabbath. Ozzy'south morbid tone combined with the awesome wall of sound that Iommi produced made Majestic and Zeppelin sound similar innocent school boys. Metal was born.

The formula didn't remain successful though. Ozzy became a wreck and the creative well where Iommi used to unearth one majestic riff after some other seemed to have stale upwardly later a few albums. In the 2nd half of the seventies they released, similar so many other icons of the first one-half (Yes, ELP, Camel,?), some of the worst albums in rock history.

Out went Ozzy and in came Dio of Rainbow fame. And while he was never accustomed by many Sabbath purists, no one can deny that he completely reinvigorated the remaining members and propelled Sabbath into the lxxx's with a vengeance. The bones formula hasn't changed that much actually. The music is direct, heavy and straightforward, only even so smart plenty to remain interesting for a whole album. The sound does luckily not fall into 80's trappings. It is clear, dry and heavy. Much like Master Of Reality sounded.

Neon Knights kicks off the anthology in full gear (well at least for Black Sabbath) and has everything a classic metal vocal needs: catchy riffs, solos, great epic melodies and a heavy dark undertone. It is an lxxx'southward upgrade of Paranoid and the result is much improve. Children of the Body of water is the heaviest track on the album, featuring one of Iommi'due south famous chugging riffs, dueling with a tiresome bass/drum groove. Lady Evil is a nice hard rock tune, non unlike Rainbow'south Run With The Wolf. Heaven & Hell is the epic monster. Dio'due south excellent vocals fight for say-so with Iommi'south sustained background guitars to a most stunning consequence. The track goes crescendo and builds upward to an all-encompassing climax. Wishing Well and Die Immature are less well know but notwithstanding very competent hard stone. Walk Away is Dio's typical slip song. But it doesn't bother me much every bit there's still one major winner ahead. Alone Is The Globe is a very powerful and emotive ballad with an entrancing guitar loop that is both expressionless heavy doom and beautifully ethereal. Especially so Iommi delivers his about beautiful solo on the album. Wonderful what this man can practise with his axe. Less is more!

Iommi has that magical gift to arts and crafts perfect songs from simply a few basic ideas. Add the power chords of Dio on acme of that and you end up with ane of my favorite hard rock albums.

Review past ProgShine
COLLABORATOR Errors & Omissions Team

Black Sabbath is a Giant! We all know that!

In the 80's they had returned every bit 'new ring' later on Ozzy Osbourne difference. Keyboards were always present in their records (for instance Rick Wakeman Aka Spock Wall on Volume 4 album), merely this time they brought in Geoff Nicholls for the whole album.

But of course, the thing in Heaven And Hell (1980) are the vocals. Ronnie James Dio (who sadly died a couple of years agone) was now in the band, and he brought a new audio to the band. We tin can't deny this fact. Ozzy will always be THE frontman from Black Sabbath, but you but tin't ignore Dio (and you shouldn't do that anyway) just like Ian Gillan on Born Once more (1983) (another great tape pos Ozzy).

'Die Young' alone probably could make the album resist the exam of fourth dimension, simply Heaven And Hell (1980) accept and then much more, enjoy!

Review by Rune2000
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR Prog Metal Team

I know what you're thinking - hither is another of these hardcore Ozzy fans who dismisses any other Sabbath lineup! To that I can only say; shame on you lot for being and then prejudice and... please keep on reading!

The addition of Ronnie James Dio to the original instrumental lineup was probably one of the best vocalist substitutions in rock music's history! The but other one I tin think of right at present is that of Bruce Dickinson joining Iron Maiden. For Black Sabbath, this apparently meant a fresh new start where the members quickly started experimenting with new types of songs and arrangements. Amongst these were the fast-paced Neon Knights and dark semi-ballad Dice Young which would have never worked in Ozzy'due south repertoire.

And then why the whole good, merely non-essential rating then? Simply because this is the weakest out of the iii Dio-era studio albums (including Dehumanizer!). Most of the time the material works just fine but and so at that place are those really weak tunes that just never appealed to me. Amid these are Lady Evil and Walk Away which clearly show the band'due south inexperience every bit a collective. It's not that Sabbath weren't trying new things, on contrary, they did a lot of experimentation where some stuff worked and other simply didn't. The main reason for that would be the fact that the lineup had not yet come into their own and haven't learned the optimal fashion to comprise Dio'due south vocals into Sabbath'southward repertoire.

Even though Heaven And Hell features not bad classics like Neon Knights, the anthology'south magnificent championship track and Die Young, the overall experience and fan reception reminds me a lot of Paranoid where the album is judged every bit a sum of its highlights while completely ignoring the grey areas. Fortunately it didn't have long for the band to blossom and Mob Rules is a nifty example of merely that!

***** star songs: Neon Knights (3:51) Sky & Hell (vi:58)

**** star songs: Children Of The Sea (5:33) Die Immature (4:43) Solitary Is The Word (5:53)

*** star songs: Lady Evil (four:24) Wishing Well (4:05) Walk Abroad (4:24)

Review by lazland
PROG REVIEWER

The finest Black Sabbath album ever made. Yes, fifty-fifty with the history behind gems such as Paranoid, Masters of Reality, and Vol. 4, this is the one that I return to more oft than whatever other.

Ozzy had come across the arms of the Arden clan, and eventual worldwide celebrity status, and was replaced past Ronnie James Dio, who had fallen out with Ritchie Blackmore. Dio brought his unique brand of sword & sorcery lyrics, added them to a bit of the "dark side", and, hey presto, we accept a archetype stone album on our easily. What this album did was rescue Sabbath from the pages of history, certainly after the cocaine fueled nonsense which had preceded this album, and gave them new impetus. Sadly, information technology wasn't to last very long.

In all of their illustrious career, I don't think that they came upwardly with better tracks than Neon Knights, a rip roaring opener, Children Of The Sea, with its distinctly proggy acoustic opening & mid sections, and the title rail itself, an anthem to heavy rock, and indispensable for whatever fan of the genre.

However, it is Die Young that is, to me, the crowning accomplishment of this album and, indeed, the band. Featuring some magnificent keyboards by Geoff Nicholls guesting, it is probably deliberately intended to parody Ozzy's madcap lifestyle at the time. The vocals by Dio are incredible, but it is Iommi who really steals the show with a roaring performance on guitar. I only love the opening dreamy solo, before he and the ring get crashing into the main section. Just most the finest hard rock rail ever made.

The four tracks I have raised above are nigh definitely the template for a whole host of what we at present telephone call prog metal. In those days, we simply chosen it heavy rock, of course, and I'm not birthday sure merely what the ring would say to being included on a prog dedicated site.

The other four tracks are great slabs of heavy rock, but practise suffer a little flake in comparison with the four accented masterpieces here. I especially savor Lone Is The Word, which features a frail operation past Dio.

Nevertheless, this is an incredible album, and is, by any standards, an excellent add-on to whatever stone drove.

Four stars, just 4.v in reality.

Review past Prog Leviathan
PROG REVIEWER

While its progressive elements are minimal, y'all'd be hard-pressed to find a more than solid, entertaining, and rock-solid slice of metallic excellence than Sky and Hell.

Many of the elements that come to mind when thinking of Black Sabbath are absent here-- the doom, gloom, psychosis, etc. has been left behind in favor of upbeat, melodic, and catchy rockers, thanks no doubt more often than not to the incomparable Ronny James Dio, whose lyrics and vocals here are some of the best in his career. Dio sets the bar very high here with his characteristic gruff, masculine, and powerful dynamic. Although the content is pretty standard for Dio, his mix of mysticism, gypsies, hellfire, and being crawly just seem to work, without any hint of pretense. While somewhat anachronistic, this is the sort of metal lyricism that I love-- over the height, fun, and badass.

But while Dio almost steals the bear witness, its the original Sabbath crew that really makes Heaven and Hell the success it is. Iommi's guitar playing is revitalized on these tunes, cranking out massive riffs, solos, and melodies throughout. From the chugging might of the opener "Neon Knights" to the soloing over tempo changes in the championship runway-- Iommi provides the wall of sound which crushes the listener with this anthology's heaviness. The rhythm section gives an exceptional showing as well, laying downward solid foundations of bass grooves and crashing drums.

While all the songs on this anthology are at least fun listens, "Heaven and Hell", and specially "Die Young" stand out to me equally essential metal songs of the '80's. While the "new" Sabbath may non appeal to those who cling to Ozzie's fashion, but for those of u.s.a. who love to stone and feel the speed of life on our faces-- Heaven and Hell is an excellent addition to our music libraries.

Songwriting: 4 Instrumental Performances: 4 Lyrics/Vocals: four Way/Emotion/Replay: 5

Review past Warthur
PROG REVIEWER

Afterwards a run of five classic studio albums, one patchy but even so quite good piece (Sabotage) and a couple of albums best forgotten, the Ozzy-fronted incarnation of Black Sabbath finally disintegrated for expert. Luckily, Iommi, Ward and Butler had been having a good fourth dimension jamming with Dio of belatedly, and took him on as their new vocalist - a crucial moment for the careers of both Dio and the band equally a whole.

Wisely, Sabbath do not try to mimic the audio of the Ozzy-era albums, instead taking the opportunity of their new pb singer to update and rejuvenate their audio and prove those NWOBHM whippersnappers how it's washed. The result is a confident and capable album which might not be as starkly original and groundbreaking as their kickoff releases, simply nonetheless represents a striking return to form after a fallow patch in the ring's fortunes and a refreshingly new sound for the grouping.

Particularly striking is the way Iommi is able to weave guitar solos in his own archetype manner into fast-paced tunes like Neon Knights, which in their pounding rhythms and Dio's dramatic commitment rank compare favourably to the sort of fabric produced by Atomic number 26 Maiden or Judas Priest at around the aforementioned time. Meanwhile, Dio proves he'southward capable of handling slower, doomier cloth like the championship rails, Lonely Is the Word, or Children of the Sea. These slower tracks take on a more than operatic tone than the sledgehammer-heavy dirges of early Sabbath, but this is only appropriate for Dio's vocal fashion - which is on elevation course this time around.

On the whole, this album is probably more closely aligned to Dio's early solo style than the classic early 1970s Blackness Sabbath audio, so if you're addicted of the former but aren't and so dandy on the latter, don't be put off from giving it a try, while if you love the early Ozzy sound don't expect more of the same with a different vocalist here. Of class, if you love both early Sabbath and solo Dio, you'll probably end upward giving this album heavy rotation anyway.

Review by Conor Fynes
PROG REVIEWER

'Heaven And Hell' - Black Sabbath (8/ten)

Blackness Sabbath take made some of the best heavy metal albums I've ever heard. Both "Paranoid" and "Sabotage" have claimed their rightful thrones as masterpieces, and even the relative 'lesser' of Sabbath'due south early works were still excellent. Alas, the band hitting a brick wall, the brick in this analogy representing a ton of drugs and petty argument. By "Never Say Dice!", Black Sabbath ironically felt dead, not in an atmospheric or morose way, but in that it was clear that music was no longer their number one priority. With this, Ozzy Osbourne left to pursue a successful solo career, and a Mr. Ronnie James Dio came into play. And so best known for his work in Ritchie Blackmore'south Rainbow, Dio's operatic style was a precipitous contrast to Ozzy's more nasal, downward-to-earth phonation. This shift too fabricated for a big take chances on the band's part, but it was one that they needed to take. "Sky And Hell" is now seen as the render to grace for Black Sabbath, although it bears piddling resemblance to the classic Sabbath sound.

Disregarding the fact that I'm visiting this album a good 3 decades after it was released, I would non have believed that Sabbath would have sorted out their [&*!#] and gone dorsum to recording passionate music after "Never Say Die!". In a fashion, the 'classic' audio of Blackness Sabbath seems to take died with "Demolition", but then again, Sabbath were never a band to stay in the same place for long. Although Ronnie's solo work would not exist out for a couple of years yet, "Heaven And Hell" tends to sound more like a Dio animal than the signature sound of Iommi and company. Although I may accept preferred to hear a doomier incarnation of Sabbath here, Dio's contributions are impressive and work in the favour of a band that sounds young over again.

Although "Heaven And Hell" would exist the most refined and polished Black Sabbath had even so sounded, information technology has a deeper grounding in heavy metallic than almost of their previous work. Iommi'due south riffs are a little less massive than they had been in the past, and as Sabbath albums get, the sound is pretty homogeneous. Although information technology was commonplace to hear ballads, experimental interludes, and metal screechers all within a single Sabbath record, the songwriting and tone lean towards a theatrical, upbeat energy, with the occasional phone call for mellowed rock instrumentation. Though this makes "Heaven And Hell" more difficult to distinguish on a song-past-song basis than albums from the band'south gilded era, this is arguably the most consistent the band had ever sounded. Highlights include "Children of the Sea" and the immortal title track, simply one thing is for certain; "Heaven And Hell" is the return of passion for a ring that had lost their style.

Review by TCat
FORUM & SITE ADMIN Grouping Eclectic / Prog Metal / Heavy Prog Squad

The ring says that Ozzy was too much into drugs and they kicked him out, only Ozzy says that he was sick of the experimental direction the band was taking after "Technical Ecstasy" and "Never Say Dice" and wanted out of the band. Whatever the reason, it was Sharon Arden that introduced guitarist Tommy Iommi to Ronnie James Dio (previously the pb vocalist for the bands Elf and Rainbow). Sharon Arden would later become Sharon Osbourne....interesting how things piece of work out. The move to put in Dio turned out to be a wise decision for both Dio and Black Sabbath. This revitalized Black Sabbath'due south sound and introduced the band to new fans, the type of fans that love the 80s style metallic that Black Sabbath started to emulate instead of following their onetime doom metallic sounding formula which likewise had more than prog elements than the new sound did. Information technology is likewise interesting that with Ozzy leaving that the "experimental flow" also ended with the ring making more attainable heavy metallic than before.

So, this album was a huge success. People liked Dio's vocals because he was right in line with what was happening in the hair metallic scene that was evolving. Dio's method of singing was much different from Osbourne'due south. Iommi said that Dio opened upwards new possibilities because he sang against the guitar hooks where Osbourne insisted on singing forth with them. What I detect interesting nonetheless disheartening is that the days of the multi-motion songs that was prominent in Sabbath's music was also gone. This lost a lot of the dynamics that were previously a huge characteristic of Black Sabbath music up through the "Sabatoge" album. To reflect this, the songs on "Sky and Hell" are a lot more commercial than earlier.

This is non to say that "Heaven and Hell" is a bad anthology though. For Dio, this was probably his least commercial anthology that he was involved with, but it was besides Blackness Sabbath's well-nigh commercial album to this indicate. While with Rainbow, Dio would dabble a little with prog elements, just for the well-nigh part, his overall sound was the same. Then Dio brought commercialism to Black Sabbath, and the band brought popularity to Dio's proper name. For this anthology, the change in the vocals is welcome and it is a expert mix of heaviness and commercialism that did rising to a higher place a lot of the hair band audio that was out or coming out at the fourth dimension. "Neon Knights" and "Sky and Hell" are staples of Black Sabbath and both excellent tracks, and some of the secondary songs are even neat rockers, but they are not progressive at all, and unfortunately to me, become less interesting faster. However, it's a worthy album and a keen on for the Black Sabbath discography. Besides the obvious highlights, "Lady Evil", "Wishing Well", and "Die Young" are all amend than near of the heavy metallic being fabricated at the time and "Lonely is the Give-and-take" is actually my favorite highlight of the album, so yes this is a Black Sabbath album that deserves to be in your collection.

The next anthology "Mob Rules" too featured Dio as vocaliser, simply likewise fell to existence more commercial than ever, and suffered for information technology. In the meantime nonetheless, this album is non quite up to the standard of the best Ozzy era albums, but it is still groovy plenty to get four stars. The office that bothers me is that it really isn't a prog anthology, then for the purposes of this site, it must get 3 stars.

Review by Chicapah
PROG REVIEWER

Sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised to find that my snooty, know-it-all assumptions about a classic ring are unfounded. For decades I brushed off Blackness Sabbath as being nothing more a one trick pony that made a name for themselves by just being loud, brash and controversial. I didn't requite them much credit for being all that talented because all I ever heard on the radio was 'Iron Man' and 'Paranoia' and neither song did anything for me. (Ironically, when I finally got around to listening to the LP those tracks are part of I realized there was a lot more going on than I anticipated hearing and I felt obligated to give it a favorable review. Who'd a thunk it?) While my sense of taste in prog still leans heavily toward the symphonic and jazz fusion ends of the spectrum and always will, there's a part of me that enjoys loftier-quality hard rock quite a bit. Peculiarly when there'due south enough of inventiveness and imagination tossed into the mix. 'Heaven and Hell' fits that description to a tee.

According to what I've read, the boys in Black Sabbath (despite their ain share of destructive hang-ups) got their make full of Ozzy Osborne's dreadful habits later making eight albums with him commandeering the mike and kicked him out the door. It simply and so happened that vocalist Ronnie James Dio was unemployed and pleased as punch to step in when the invitation was received. Inside the offset few seconds of the opening cut, 'Neon Nights', one can tell it was a nigh-perfect, serendipitous friction match made in, well, heaven. The tune features a driving Deep Purple-ish, Highway Star-like motivating riff that doesn't waste time making a bold statement of purpose. When Dio opens his mouth it's a done deal. He pours uncompromised free energy and excitement into the song that announces the grouping'due south timely resurrection from the doldrums of burn out mediocrity. But what shocked me most was Tony Iommi's guitar solos. They sizzle and pop like wet salary on a hot skillet. I wasn't expecting that at all. 'Children of the Sea' is side by side. Its subtle opening leads to a weighty progression that might've grown irksome if not for Ronnie'due south awesome vocal tour de force. And, once over again, I was knocked silly by Tony'southward blazing guitar pb. They also display admirable arrangement skills past letting the rail die down a tad in guild to prepare up a power-packed ending. 'Lady Evil' sports a more traditional, directly-ahead rock & roll vibe that does a fine job of keeping the momentum brawl rolling at this juncture. The lyrics are pretty lame but who cares? This foursome sounds like a band that'southward firing on all cylinders. 'Sky and Hell' follows and, while it starts off similar a throwback to their earlier minimalist productions, Ronnie jumps into the fray and gooses information technology with a freshness and vitality that tin't be denied. They rev up into speed metal fashion for a spell and and so finish with an unanticipated Spanish guitar segment that I establish delightful. Overall, this terrific number shows off a great deal of maturation in their songwriting acumen.

'Wishing Well' is a tight rocker from the get go. I go the feeling Mr. Dio brought some of what he learned from fronting Rainbow into the sessions as far equally how to structure tunes like this one in a way that isn't overly predictable or patronizing. 'Die Young' benefits from sideman Geoff Nichols' dreamy keyboard contributions and the contrast they add keeps the proceedings from turning stale. (I'thou a big fan of variety so the fact that each cut has its ain character is a major plus in my book.) The center section is nice and proggy, too. Gotta say it's hard not to be constantly blown away past Ronnie's incredible range and intensity. The human was i of a kind. 'Walk Away' is next and Iommi's switch to a slicker guitar tone comes at just the right fourth dimension. It distinguishes this tune from the others right off the bat. It erects a much more radio-friendly aura yet it doesn't detract from the album'southward cardinal mojo at all. Instead information technology demonstrates efficiently the versatility that helped keep them relevant in that era. They conclude with 'Solitary is the Word'. Tony, bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward combine to present a knock-downward-the-walls, blindside-your-caput arena rock riff that could satisfy any crowd of rowdies anywhere and Dio'due south voice slices through the din without any difficulty any. I really like that they tossed in a brief jazzy interlude along the fashion. Humbly I observe it necessary to reiterate that, to my amazement, Iommi had by this fourth dimension turned into a monster guitarist that I would've bragged about to my friends had I been paying attention. A little belatedly now.

Black Sabbath was either fortunate beyond belief or extremely wise to recruit Ronnie James Dio when they did because together they made a damned skillful tape. The musical landscape was irresolute rapidly as the 70s came to a close and a lot of their contemporaries were deteriorating into starving dinosaurs as Punk and New Wave were fast becoming the rage. By bringing new claret into their band and letting him contribute and blend his unique artistry into their foundational sound they were able to give their reputation a huge boost as they entered the 80s decade. 'Heaven and Hell' reached #ix in the Great britain and a respectable #28 in united states, no small-scale feat for an established-but-aging rock outfit in that uncertain era. Sadly, the Dio/Black Sabbath union didn't survive past their follow-upwards LP together but they can be super proud of this one. I can't detect a darn thing wrong with it then I requite it a solid iv-star rating. This is how sledgehammer rock is supposed to sound, kids.

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