“Heaven and Hell” by Black Sabbath

“Heaven and Hell,” is glossed over because it does not feature the original singer Ozzy Osbourne, but rather another powerhouse in rock and metal–Ronnie James Dio. 

You might want to shrug it off because it is not Ozzy, but Dio and Black Sabbath got along together so well that they later rejoined as a group called Heaven and Hell named, named after this very album. Under that name, they made some killer songs, too. 

I want to look at Dio’s debut with Black Sabbath, where he got to open up and to prove that Black Sabbath wasn’t dead just because Ozzy was gone. Of course, we must open with the self-titled iconic “Heaven and Hell,” keeping a powerful voice, bassline and guitar solo throughout the song. This masterful song proved to skeptics there is still gold left to find post-Ozzy. 

If you want mood boosters to infect you with an ego boost, “Die Young” is for you. This song is filled with the classic power of the late ‘70s early ‘80s–the perfect mix to make you feel like you could truly live through anything. Another song with a similar vibe is “Neon Knights,” which is strong enough to blast your heart out of your chest. 

One a different note, if you want to feel like you’re gliding, “Lady Evil” define going with the flow. In a similar way, some songs that are somber include “Children of The Sea,” which packs a choir and mind-blowing instrumentals to match Dio’s vocals in a softer way. “Walk Away” also has it to where it is not an intensity focus, but rather a classic ‘80s rock song. 

The deeper, more emotional songs include “Wishing Well,” an upbeat signature style rock song that covers the aspect of trying to fill happiness with money. If you wish to feel gloomy, then “Lonely is the word” would work. It features lyrics about loneliness and feeling like the great parts are over in life, but that we cannot just mope about how times used to be good and instead must continue creating new ones. 

I will say that Ozzy Sabbath comes out on top of Dio-era Sabbath. However, Dio’s band, DIO, was better skill-wise than Osbourne’s. Ozzy was better with marketing and staying relevant in the public eye. It’s a tough decision, since it’s true both have incredible discographies, but solo wise, Dio comes out on top.  

While this album and “Mob Rules” with Dio have some incredible classics, it just doesn’t feel like Black Sabbath. Instead, it always felt like a Dio band with members of Black Sabbath. 

The iconic hand symbol of rock and roll came about from Italian superstition to ward off evil spirits. Ozzy used hand peace signs to signal to the crowds and connect to them, and Dio felt that Black Sabbath should keep that connection in some way. Thus, Dio is credited as the first to do what’s now known as the “hand horns” or the sign to rock on.  

Sadly, Dio and Ozzy had major disagreements with each other, and we never got to see the crazy collab that could’ve been.