After Ozzy Osbourne was let go at the end of the 1970s, Black Sabbath went through a bit of an identity crisis. The remaining band members — guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, and drummer Bill Ward — brought in Ronnie James Dio and made two well received studio albums before separating. After that, Sabbath spent the rest of the 80s with a rotating lineup that never quite lived up to the band’s glory days. To many, Black Sabbath’s original lineup was the only lineup that mattered.
Sabbath with Dio was a different band. They did one more album as Black Sabbath together in the 90s that failed to gain much momentum. It wasn’t until 2007 — after numerous reunions with Osbourne — when Iommi, Butler, Dio and drummer Vinny Appice realized a name change was in order if they wanted to work together again. As the title of their first album together, Heaven & Hell made perfect sense. For the next two years, as documented by the Breaking Out Of Heaven 2007-2009 multi-disc retrospective, the group began to etch out a place of their own before Dio’s unfortunate passing in 2010.
Breaking Out Of Heaven 2007-2009 offers a thorough overview of Heaven & Hell brief run with a four-CD/ Single Blu-ray and a seven LP box set. Both feature 2009’s The Devil You Know, the group’s only studio album under the new moniker, plus two live performances — Live From Radio City Music Hall and Neon Nights: 30 Years Of Heaven & Hell – Live At Wacken. Both editions include an illustrated book with liner notes, replica tour book. and poster. The Blu-ray includes the previously released videos of Live From Radio City Music Hall and Neon Nights: 30 Years Of Heaven & Hell – Live At Wacken, plus additional bonus footage with band interviews, a short documentary about Radio City, and a tribute to Dio. The live performances are also on the CDs, as well as on vinyl for the first time.
The Devil You Know cannot be judged on the merit of your typical debut album because the only thing different is the name. The guitar and bass work have that Sabbath ring, and Dio brings his unique voice and words to the mix. That being said, it could be held to the standard set by Heaven & Hell, the album. But that’s where, like Mob Rules and 1992’s Dehumanizer, it doesn’t have a fighting chance.
On the first pass, you won’t hear anything here that grabs your balls with the guttural clutch of “Neon Knights.” The first two, “Atom And Evil” and “Fear,” fire up the furnace, plodding along without much snap, crackle or punch. It isn’t until “Bible Black” that the band harnesses a firm foundation and gets down to serious crunching. Even so, it’s an initial indication of an heir apparent lick from Iommi’s arsenal of riffs, and half-hearted at best.
Dio’s ephemeral lyrics, as usual, dabble in despair and darkness, suitably aligned with the rumble of Iommi, Butler and Appice. “Double The Pain” ups the stakes and delivers one of the record’s more memorable choruses and chord progressions. “Rock And Roll Angel,” brought to life by a piercing, stinging lead from Iommi, basks in shades of light and heavy, giving rise to the rigid potential of this fine group of musicians. “The Turn Of The Screw,” “Eating The Cannibals” and “Neverwhere” are headbanger fests that pile drive the muscle without furthering an agenda into unfamiliar territory. Then, at one point, the record trips and falls into “Follow The Tears,” catapulted by a jagged, growling sustain that assures Iommi’s preeminence as the one and only king of heavy metal guitar.
The version of The Devil You Know on Breaking Out Of Heaven 2007-2009 includes three additional bonus tracks that first appeared on the 2007 compilation Black Sabbath: The Dio Years — “The Devil Cried,” “Shadow Of The Wind,” and “Ear In The Wall.” Definitely not throwaways, all three are heavy, dripping with trademark Iommi riffs and Dio’s hieroglyphic lyrics. Though they flew under the Sabbath banner, they became the launching pad for Heaven & Hell.
Live From Radio City Music Hall is what followed The Dio Years release, which is why the set list includes “The Devil Cried” and “Shadow Of The Wind.” This was the very first performance of the tour, so the crowd was as anxious as the band was psyched to be on stage together again. Two years later, Neon Nights: 30 Years Of Heaven & Hell – Live At Wacken came along on the heels of The Devil You Know. To have both live performances on vinyl, CD, and a single Blu-ray with brighter video and improved sound truly ties the box set together.
Amazingly, there are few overlaps when it comes to song selection. Of course, you get a double dose of “(The) Mob Rules,” “Children Of The Sea,” “Die Young,” “Heaven And Hell,” and “Neon Knights.” In addition to the wealth of material from the first two Sabbath records with Dio, there’s a few from Dehumanizer, including Radio City opener “After All (The Dead),” :Computer God,” “I,” and a chunky run-through of “Time Machine” at Wacken.
Appice relieved the other members with an explosive solo around his 18-piece DW set at both shows. Otherwise, it was all hands-on deck with Iommi, Dio, and Butler, on the frontline at the top of their game. From standouts like “Lady Evil” and “The Sign Of The Southern Cross” right on through to their then-new songs like “Bible Black” and “Fear,” Heaven & Hell rose to the challenge of winning over new and old fans before Dio fell ill and the band came to a sudden end. Breaking Out Of Heaven 2007-2009 captures that short span of two years when the group picked up after their Sabbath records of the 80s and 90s solidified their legacy. For Sabbath, Dio, and Heaven & Hell fans, this is one set you’ll want to add to your collection.
~ Shawn Perry
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