Come 1979, and Black Sabbath were in very bad shape. For a band used to the highs and lows of the fickle music industry, turmoil was nothing new, but after a decade of excess and relentless recording, the quartet had finally disintegrated. Following the tour for 78’s lackluster ‘Never Say Die!,’ Ozzy was kicked out, while the remaining members struggled with their own demons and creative burnout. One of the planet’s most creative rock acts had run out of steam and purpose. If things were to end there, history couldn’t complain. The mad Brummies had helped birth the metal genre and laid down four of its sacred texts for future generations to gather inspiration from. The fates, though, had other plans.
In meeting ex-Rainbow singer Ronnie James Dio, guitarist Tony Iommi found a kindred spirit also looking for a new chapter in his musical career. First flirting with the idea of starting a fresh project altogether, a jam session saw the completion of the previously abandoned number ‘Children Of The Sea’. The chemistry was immediate, and it was clear that Sabbath still had a future with some new blood injected into it. The songwriting and recording process was far from drama free though. Bassist and lyricist Geezer Butler, the man responsible for the band’s hellish rumble and occult imagery, was mostly AWOL due to divorce proceedings. As for drummer Bill Ward, heartbroken with the end of Sabbath’s classic lineup and unsure of the group’s new sonic direction, fell deeper still into the bottle. Despite this, Iommi fought on, finding in a Dio more professional musical partner who was also happy to create words to the riffs he was laying down.
The resulting ‘Heaven And Hell’ produced by Martin Birch, landed in April 1980 and was the commercial success the band had sought for years. No mere course correction, the combination of Dio and Sabbath saw the group energized, focused, and showcasing a sound that’d influence 80s metal as a whole. From the opening breakneck chug of ‘Neon Knights,’ it’s obvious that the dirgy Sabbath of old was gone, replaced by a more intricate beast. The album’s eight numbers slotted perfectly into the emerging NWOBHM scene while showcasing a confidence and muscularity only achievable from veteran musicians. Every track is propulsive and taut, sprinkled with a sense of fantasy and wonder courtesy of Dio’s theatrical vocals and lyrics. Sabbath’s ninth album is the sound of metal being reborn for a new decade. A sleeker, shiner, and more commercially viable noise reeking of denim.
Understandably these new deluxe editions are less expansive than the recent Sabbath ‘Super Deluxe’ releases. Owners of the 2010 remastered CDs will have to decide if they want to fork out again merely for a handful of different bonus tracks. Wax collectors, however, will undoubtedly be happy to have a 2021 remaster of a metal classic coupled with a second LP of energetic live cuts. Much like the album, it’s a punchier set and boasts some great gatefold notes on this period of the band.
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Gears well and truly oiled, a newly invigorated Sabbath followed suit with 1981’s ‘Mob Rules,’ H&H’s grungier sister. Historically overlooked due to their phoenix-like resurrection of the previous year, it still stands as an all-killer set, perhaps missing out on some of the highest peaks of their last effort. With Ward replaced mid-1980 tour by younger hand Vinnie Appice, the album switches some of Ward’s trademark groove for a more forceful energy. Coupled with Dio reducing his D&D imagery by 25%, and you have an angrier-sounding record with punkier edges. One listen to tracks such as the title number and ‘Slipping Away,’ and it’s no surprise that musicians like Dave Grohl remain huge fans. It’s air drumming gold.
While Iommi later bemoaned that the group’s/producers’ drug issues hurt the record’s sound, contemporary ears may judge that it’s aged better than Heaven and Hell’s glossier production. One thing is for sure. It’s truly the last of Sabbath’s essential albums, the backend of a beautiful two-year period where the band returned from the ashes only for in-fighting to rip it apart again. For the average metalhead, it wouldn’t be until Ozzy returned for the Rick Rubin-helmed victory lap ‘13’ that the legends recaptured some of that old magic. A three-decade plus wait.
For collectors, this new version of ‘Mob Rules’ offers a lot more, the CD editions including a previously unreleased live show recorded at Portland Memorial Coliseum. With vinyl’s time restrictions being what they are, the second LP opts for a fun selection of bonus material. Included is the original version of the title track, as recorded in John Lennon’s house, using the Beatle’s own instruments. This earlier take, created for the soundtrack to cult animated flick ‘Heavy Metal,’ is deemed superior by the band, and we’re inclined to agree. Also included is a stonking version of ‘The Sign of the Sothern Cross/Heaven And Hell’ from the aforementioned Portland show and four live numbers from two performances at The Hammersmith Odeon.
For many, Dio era Sabbath will never be ‘true’ Black Sabbath, and that’s a shame. While it’s hard to dispute the power of those first doom-laden albums, Sabbath kickstarted the 1980s with two of the finest metal albums of the decade. It was a fascinating time for the band and the genre as a whole. Producer Birch would soon have a long and fruitful relationship with Iron Maiden, and Dio would soon fly solo with Appice to create ‘Holy Diver,’ yet another metal classic.
Even Ozzy himself would kickstart his solo career with ‘Blizzard of Oz’ and ‘Diary Of A Madman,’ still his most beloved and influential records. A decade after delivering metal’s definitive starting point, the boys dropped another clutch of albums to inspire a new generation of headbangers.
8/10
Words: Sam Walker-Smart
Heaven and Hell Deluxe Edition is out now. Mob Rules will be released on November 18th.
