Disco de Black Sabbath: “Heaven and Hell”

This is the greatest LP ever recorded. You don't have to believe me. Buy it and find out for yourself.

This is Black Sabbath's first album without Ozzy, and Dio's divine performance reveals all of the band's former front man's shortcomings. Dio has better tone, better range, and better lyrics, and is just much more powerful than anything the band released in the 70's, though most those albums stand on their own as heavy metal masterpieces.

Also improved are the guitar sound and the rhythm section. Iommi crunches out riffs that are more than heavy, more than fast, and more than perfect. Bill ward proves he can play straight 4/4 and do it incredibly well, and Geezer plays bass in a way that is unparalleled in rock.

Every song is great, the production is good, and the lyrics will suck you in. From the opening chords of "Neon Nights" to the last tear-jerking chorus and solo in "lonely is the word" Heaven and Hell will enthrall you. It is utter musical perfection and I have no doubt that it will never be equaled.

Heaven and Hell is proof that metal can be powerful, melodic, heavy, and meaningful all at the same time. It is not just for metal heads, but anyone who loves real music.

Again, utter musical perfection. The best album ever recorded.

The Dio fronted Sabbath is the best version of Black Sabbath in my book. Black Sabbath with Ozzy was all about doom and gloom, no imagination or life in the songs what so ever. Don't get me wrong, some of the Ozzy albums were classics such as Sabotage and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, but when Dio joined in 1979 and 1 year later the band released its' masterwork, Heaven and Hell. This is the best Black Sabbath album period! Dio's lyrics are at his best, taking shape during his Rainbow years, Dio songwriting reached it's peak here. Tony Iommi's riffage is just as hard hitting on this to any other riff he's laid down. The rtythm section is tight too, and this being Bill Ward's last chance in the drummer's seat with Dio in the band. The album opens with the hard riff rockin' Neon Knights, and from there on the album is killer all the way to the end. All the songs are classic Sabbath songs as well as for Dio too. Heaven and Hell proved all the skeptics that there was life after Ozzy afterall.

After the Ozzy era in Black Sabbath, most people lost interest in Sabbath, thinking that the band could never top the success that they achieved with their former frontman. However, Sabbath answered to all the "non-believers" by recruiting former Rainbow frontman Ronnie James Dio. The result of this was Heaven and Hell. H&H still features Tony Iommi's distinct guitar style and the pounding rythm section of Geezer Butler and Bill Ward but takes on a whole new dimension with the vocals of Dio. Songs like "Children of the Sea" and "Neon Knights" are mystical tales of the unknown that Dio would eventually become well-known for in his solo career. The song "Lonely is the Word" is a great ending for this album because of it's power. However, the highlight of this album is by far the title track. When Iommi plays that first power chord you can tell the song is going to kick .... The song then goes into a fast ending after the guitar solo and ends with the calm sound of an acoustic guitar similar to the likes of "Fluff" from the bands "Sabbath, Bloody Sabbath" album. To sum it up I will say this: Whoever thought Sabbath couldn't rock without Ozzy should not be a Black Sabbath fan.

Most Sabbath fans regard the Ozzy Osbourne period as the one with the defining lineup. In many respects this is true. Early Sabbath (with Ozzy) have been highly influential in shaping today's metal scene. And although their albums are mostly hit-and-miss affairs (Paranoid perhaps the exceptional exception), all of them contain at least a couple of all-time classic tracks.

So in 1979-1980, Ronnie James Dio comes to take over the vocal duties for Sabbath. Dio was already well established as a vocalist for Rainbow, so it seems a risky career move to take over and replace a legend in Ozzy.

I have to be honest, Heaven and Hell was the very first Sabbath album I owned, when it was released in 1980. So perhaps because of that reason it has remained my favorite. Only later did I complete my Sabbath collection. WHat strikes me the most is the huge effect that Dio had in shaping not only Sabbath's lyrics, but musical vision as well. The lyrics evoke fantastic images of distant places and strange figures, and the music echoes those feelings. In my opinion, Toni Iommi has never unleashed better solos before or since this album. Both _Heaven and Hell_ and _Lonely Is The Word_, which closed each side on the record, end in long, melodic solos that always bring goosebumps to me. Neon Knights has been covered by many modern metal bands, Lady Evil and Wishing Well are great crunching metal tracks. Children Of The Sea and Die Young are very atmospheric and evocative. And Walk Away, well, they probably could have done without.

Definitely not Ozzy-era Sabbath, but superb nonetheless.

So Ozzy hates this album. So what?! It's Black Sabbath! And yes it is! This album really left off where Never Say Die was. Many hated this album cause of the new singer Dio. Well as he said on the Mob Rules..."YOUR ALL FOOLS! THE MOB RULES!" lol. I know I forgot to say something good about this album cause it's that good, but maybe I'll remember by the time you email me. Let's review the songs.1. Neon Knights- A classic song. You hear it and thats it! 95%2. Children of the sea- I was like "What the hell isup with this title?!" when I bought this album cause like many I already had all the Ozzy era Black Sabbath and one fames track from "Master of Reality" album was Children of the Grave. I had to ask what is up with that. Well Theres nothing in common with these tracks. This song is somethng of a doomsday song but is not a heavy Geezer thing! lol. 90% 3. Lady Evil- Yes watch out for Lady Evil! lol. Good Song! 85%4. Heaven and Hell-NO WAY IN GOD YOU COULD NOT LIKE THIS TRACK UNLESS YOUR A BLIND OZZY FAN! This track is truely a hit. I think of it like the Stairway to Heaven of Black Sabbath. It's truely that good! 100%! + 100% =Perfect!5. Wishing well-Good positive track. Sounds good. 90%6. Die Young-heres some Magic! A Great song. Somewhat soft tho. But thats part of sabbath......remember Changes?! 90%7. Walk Away-Yeah DIO! THose ladys always only do me wrong too! This is a song for all those guys ot there. I think of it as a mans song. 95%8. Lonely is the Word- So true. Good Track. 85% A few albums to buy if you like this one: The Mob Rules(Black Sabbath), Holy Diver(DIO), The Last in Line(DIO), Dehumanizer(Black Sabbath),and Never Say Die(Black Sabbath).