Tag: Ronnie James Dio
0 New RONNIE JAMES DIO Covers Album “This Is Your Life” Celebrates the Life and Legacy of a Legend
New RONNIE JAMES DIO Covers Album “This Is Your Life”
Celebrates the Life and Legacy of a Legend
available April 1, 2014 via Rhino
This Is Your Life Pays Tribute To The Late Singer With Covers Of
His Greatest Songs From Rainbow, Black Sabbath, And Dio
Features Newly Recorded Tracks From Anthrax, Halestorm, Rob Halford, Metallica, Motörhead, Scorpions, Corey Taylor, And Tenacious D, Among Others
To Benefit The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund
Ronnie James Dio is one of the most beloved figures in rock history. His gifts, both as a singer and songwriter, are instantly recognizable, whether he was with Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell, or leading Dio. Sadly, Dio lost his battle with stomach cancer in 2010, but his towering voice and legacy live on.
To celebrate one of rock’s most powerful voices, an all-star group of his friends and fans recorded 13 of their favorite tracks for a tribute album that will raise funds for the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund (diocancerfund.org). Produced by his longtime manager and wife Wendy Dio, the album includes contributions by such metal heavyweights as Metallica, Motörhead, Scorpions, Anthrax, and Rob Halford, as well as appearances by many of the musicians who performed with Dio over the years.
This Is Your Life will be available from Rhino on April 1, 2014 for a suggested list price of $18.98. A digital version will also be available.
Although the songs featured on the album touch on the different eras of Dio’s career, several spotlight his time with Rainbow, including Metallica’s epic, nine-minute “Ronnie Rising Medley,” which combines the Rainbow songs “A Light In The Black,” “Tarot Woman,” “Stargazer,” and “Kill The King.” Scorpions add a scorching take on “The Temple Of The King” while Motörhead is joined by Biff Byford from Saxon on “Starstruck.” Rob Halford teams with frequent Dio collaborators Vinny Appice, Doug Aldrich, Jeff Pilson, and Scott Warren for “The Man On The Silver Mountain.” The final line-up of Dio’s solo band – Simon Wright, Craig Goldy, Rudy Sarzo and Scott Warren – are joined by Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple, Black Sabbath) for “Catch The Rainbow,” a track from Rainbow’s 1975 debut.
Anthrax and Adrenaline Mob honor Dio’s memorable stint with Black Sabbath with their takes on “Neon Knights” and “The Mob Rules” respectively, as does a group, led by Oni Logan on vocals along with Jimmy Bain, Rowan Robertson, and Brian Tichy, which performs “I” from Dehumanizer.
This Is Your Life also includes songs from Dio’s back-to-back platinum albums Holy Diver (1983) and The Last In Line (1984), with Doro’s take on “Egypt (The Chains Are On)”, Halestorm tackling “Straight Through The Heart,” Corey Taylor (Stone Sour, Slipknot) covering the classic “Rainbow In The Dark” and Tenacious D (Jack Black and Kyle Glass) putting their signature spin on “The Last In Line.” Killswitch Engage’s cover of “Holy Diver,” a hit in its own right when released in 2006, is also included here.
Fittingly, Ronnie James Dio provides the finale (and the album’s title) with his moving performance of “This Is Your Life.” Originally released on Angry Machines (1996), the song’s lyrics explore mortality and are backed by a stark and beautiful arrangement that features Dio accompanied only by his longtime keyboardist Scott Warren on piano. The song serves as a poignant reminder that we will never hear a voice like Dio’s again.
The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund, co-founded by Wendy Dio, is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable fund dedicated to supporting cancer-prevention research, raising awareness and educating the public about the vital importance of early detection and prevention when dealing with this deadly disease.
RONNIE JAMES DIO: This Is Your Life Track Listing:
- “Neon Knights” – Anthrax*
- “The Last In Line” – Tenacious D*
- “The Mob Rules” – Adrenaline Mob
- “Rainbow In The Dark” – Corey Taylor, Roy Mayorga, Satchel, Christian Martucci, Jason Christopher*
- “Straight Through The Heart” – Halestorm*
- “Starstruck” – Motörhead with Biff Byford*
- “The Temple Of The King” – Scorpions*
- “Egypt (The Chains Are On)” – Doro
- “Holy Diver” – Killswitch Engage
- “Catch The Rainbow” – Glenn Hughes, Simon Wright, Craig Goldy, Rudy Sarzo, Scott Warren*
- “I” – Oni Logan, Jimmy Bain, Rowan Robertson, Brian Tichy*
- “Man On The Silver Mountain” – Rob Halford, Vinny Appice, Doug Aldrich, Jeff Pilson, Scott Warren*
- “Ronnie Rising Medley (Featuring A Light In The Black, Tarot Woman, Stargazer, Kill The King)” – Metallica*
- “This Is Your Life” – Dio
* Previously unreleased
1 A Message from Wendy Dio: Help Dogs Find Homes by Donating to The Brittany Foundation
A message from Wendy Dio regarding she and Ronnie James Dio’s favorite charity, The Brittany Foundation:
Dear Friends,
As you all know, Ronnie and I have always been animal lovers and our favorite charity is The Brittany Foundation, as 100% of the monies raised goes to feed and house the dogs. Some of you may remember that three years ago, I spent a Day in Their Paws in a cage with two adorable dogs, trying to raise money and get them adopted. This was one of the last public appearances Ronnie made before his untimely passing.
This year I am going in the cage again with Timka and Tramp to raise money for The Brittany Foundation. I stay in the cage for 24 hours or until I have raised the money for freedom. It costs a dollar a minute for my freedom. I am asking for your help.
Please go to http://www.brittanyfoundationonline.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=48&Itemid=67 and scroll down to my picture with Timka and Tramp, and click the button to donate. We would love to see any of you that would like to join us.
I would like to say a big “thank you” to you all, and as Ronnie would say, “You Rock!”
– Wendy Dio
2 Rainbow – Live in Germany 1976 (2011)
Eagle Rock Entertainment has reissued one of the finest live releases from Rainbow, Live in Germany in 1976. Arguably, the most powerful of all of the Rainbow lineups, Live in Germany captures Ronnie James Dio, Ritchie Blackmore, Jimmy Bain, Cozy Powell and Tony Carey at their finest.
Don’t let the few number of tracks in this 2 CD set keep you from picking this up. Live in Germany captures Rainbow in over 90 minutes of hard rock perfection. If you never got the chance to see Rainbow live (like myself), Live in Germany 1976 is a release you will not want to miss.
Ritchie Blackmore’s guitar playing in this concert is absolutely spectacular. You can almost hear the smoke coming off of his guitar strings. The guitar solos that Blackmore plays in this concert have to be heard to believed.
Ronnie James Dio’s vocals have never disappointed me, and his voice is outstanding in this concert.
The audio quality of this reissue is excellent. If you close your eyes, while listening to this, you almost feel like you are back in 1976, with Rainbow bringing the house down with their electric live show.
From Blackmore’s guitar wizardry, to Dio’s amazing vocals, and the outstanding musicianship of Jimmy Bain, Cozy Powell and Tony Carey, Live in Germany 1976 is one Rainbow live offering that is definitely worth catching. I highly recommend it!!
You can pick up Rainbow Live in Germany at this link!
Rating: 
Out of 10
Track Listing
CD 1
1. Kill The King (5:25)
2. Mistreated (16:00)
3. Sixteenth Century Greensleeves (7:50)
4. Catch The Rainbow (14:50)
CD 2
1. Man On Silver Mountain (13:32)
2. Stargazer (17:10)
3. Still I’m Sad (15:00)
4. Do You Close Your Eyes (9:45)
0 HEAR RONNIE JAMES DIO’S ROCK ROOTS ON FORTHCOMING ‘AND BEFORE ELF…THERE WERE ELVES’ RELEASE
Over the years, legendary singer Ronnie James Dio fronted some of the most popular/enduring hard rock/heavy metal bands of all-time, including Rainbow, Black Sabbath/Heaven & Hell, and Dio.
But before all of these bands, there was Elf. Described as a “Rock/Honky Tonk/Blues band,” a forthcoming release, ‘And Before Elf…There Were Elves,’ will prove that Ronnie could easily handle other rock-related styles.
Released on October 11th via the Niji Entertainment Group, ‘And Before Elf’ will feature twelve previously unreleased tracks (all from 1971), comprised of both live in the studio and live on stage tracks.
The album will feature a striking Lenticular/3D/Hologram cover, that when you turn it, you will see two alternating images – Ronnie from the first Elf LP, as well as a vintage group shot from 1971. And although these recordings are 40 years old, the sonic quality still passes the test, as longtime Dio engineer Wyn Davis remastered the original tapes.
Formed in 1967 in Cortland, New York, The Elves also featured other members that would carve a niche for themselves in the hard rock world!
Guitarist David “Rock” Feinstein (Dio’s cousin) would go on to front the Rods. Elf would last for a trio of albums, before Ronnie exited the group in 1975, to co-form Rainbow with ex-Deep Purple guitarist Ritchie Blackmore.
Ronnie James Dio always had the golden touch as a masterful singer and frontman.
And upon hearing ‘And Before Elf…There Were Elves,’ you’ll discover he possessed his one-of-a-kind voice from the very beginning of his career.
“And Before Elf…There Were Elves” Track Listing:
1. You Shook Me
2. Stay With Me
3. Four Day Creep
4. Buckingham Blues
5. Wakeup Sunshine
6. Driftin’
7. Smile For Me Lady
8. You Felt The Same Way
9. Simple Man
10. Drown Me In The River
11. Cold Ramona
12.. Little Queenie
1 Today is Ronnie James Dio Day!
Hard Rock Hideout declares, May 16th, today and forever as Ronnie James Dio Day. One year ago today, Ronnie James Dio lost his battle with cancer, and left us to rock the heavens! From Rainbow, to Dio, to Black Sabbath, Ronnie James Dio left us with so many great tunes, we won’t ever forget him!
Rest in Peace Ronnie! We Miss You!!
Vodpod videos no longer available. Vodpod videos no longer available. Vodpod videos no longer available.7 JORN – Dio (2010)
When I first posted the press release about JORN’s new CD Dio, my first thought was, why on earth is JORN trying to cash in on Ronnie James Dio’s death. I thought it was out of character for him, and wondered what was up with that. Then shortly thereafter a video was released, and I knew immediately that this CD was in the works long before Ronnie’s death. Jorn Lande quickly released his own statement and all was well. New visitor’s to Hard Rock Hideout might not be familiar with the powerhouse vocalist Jorn Lande, and if you aren’t, you really ought to take a chance and explore some of JORN’s previous releases. He is a criminally under rated, monster talent that has not gotten the exposure that he has deserved.
I have always described Lande’s voice as a combination of Ronnie James Dio, and David Coverdale. I found it very fitting that he did a tribute to the singer that influenced him so greatly. Very few people could cover the mighty voice of Ronnie James Dio, and Jorn Lande does it with a lot of passion and dignity on this new CD Dio.
The first time I heard “Song For Ronnie James” it put a tear in my eye. It really hit home for me that Dio has passed on. It is a very fitting tribute to RJD. I thought it was cool that the band picked some of the lesser known tunes from Dio and included them here. “Invisible” is a song off of the ultimate DIO album, Holy Diver. Quite honestly, I always thought this song got lost behind the monster tracks “Rainbow in the Dark” and “Stand Up and Shout”. JORN’s version of this song is totally kick ass. “Shame on the Night” is another song from Holy Diver. JORN’s version could easily be released as a single in 2010.
I honestly believe Tore Moren could give Vivian Campbell a run for his money on “Stand Up and Shout” and “Don’t Talk to Strangers”. His guitar work is flawless on these songs. I actually got goose bumps off of “Don’t Talk To Strangers”. What an awesome cover!
“Lord of the Last Day” had me scrambling to find my Magica CD from DIO. I didn’t remember this song being THIS good. The original is great, as is this version.
JORN didn’t just cover the Dream Evil classic “Night People”, they turned the tempo up a notch, and possibly made it even heavier, and added some new guitar licks while doing so. Do I dare say this is better than the original?
JORN ‘s cover of “Lonely is the Word/Letters From Earth” was originally on the JORN cover CD, Unlocking the Past. You get two killer Black Sabbath tunes in one on this version. I loved this first time I heard it, and I still do.
Overall, JORN’s Dio is an incredible collection of covers that pays respect to the legend that is Ronnie James Dio. In my opinion, “Song for Ronnie James” is worth the price of admission by itself, but the cover versions on this album are equally fantastic. If you are a fan of Ronnie James Dio, you need to get this!
Rating: Out of 10
Track Listing:
- Song For Ronnie James
- Invisible
- Shame On The Night
- Push
- Stand Up And Shout
- Don’t Talk To Strangers
- Lord Of The Last Day
- Night People
- Sacred Heart
- Sunset Superman
- Lonely Is The Word / Letters From Earth
- Kill The King
- Straight Through The Heart (Live)
JORN is:
Jorn Lande: Lead Vocals
Willy Bendiksen: drums
Tore Moren: guitars
Jgor Gianola: guitars
Tor Erik Myhre: guitars
Nic Angileri: Bass
0 Ronnie James Dio Wins the Orange Amp, Relentless Energy Drink Kerrang! Icon Award 2010
Orange Amps were proud to sponsor the Relentless Energy Drink Kerrang! Icon Award, presented to Ronnie James Dio last night. His wife Wendy Dio, was tearful as she accepted the Icon Award on his behalf at the star studded event held at The Brewery, London
Ronnie, who died earlier this year, was widely hailed as one of the greatest voices in heavy metal, renowned for his consistently powerful voice. He performed with, amongst others, Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell and his own band Dio.
He was a metal legend who touched many with his music, message and magic. He was awarded the Classic Rock Metal Guru Award in 2006, and inducted into the Rock Walk of Fame in 2007. Earlier this year Ronnie was named best metal singer by Revolver Magazine.
Not only did he possess one of the best metal voices in the business, but he had the heart to match. Motivated by the omission of heavy metal talent from the Live Aid event in 1985 he organised the Hear’N Aid charity recording that same year. It says much for his influence and popularity that he was able to attract to the cause the most prominent rock musicians of the day.
To find out more about the Orange gear and their artists that won at last night awards visit http://www.orangeamps.com/
To find out more about the Relentless Energy Drink Kerrang! Awards visit http://www.kerrang.com/blog/kerrang_awards/kerrang_awards_2010/news/
5 New Fatal Smile song to support Dio’s fund and the fight against Cancer!
Two days ago Y sent me a piano ballad he wrote while saddened by the horrible tragedy of Ronnies passing due to cancer.
That night I wrote the lyrics and melody to the song “For the last in line”. We decided to have it recorded and released in the name of Ronnies new fund: “Ronnie James Dio Stand up and shout Cancer Fund”.
In the morning we recorded it and today it was mastered and released.
Itunes and all other sites will follow. We have decided not to release the full version on Spotify, but it can be heard on youtube as of tonight!
I guess it´s some kind of record, getting a song released a day after it´s written…
“Ronnie James Dio Stand up and shout Cancer Fund” is registered as owner of this song, and gets 100% of all sales!
Buy it to support his cause, the fight against cancer!
Please buy this song and share this link everywhere to give Dio’s fund a boost from us rockers!
http://www.klicktrack.com/sp/releases/fatal-smile/to-the-last-in-line/1
THANKS / Blade & the boys
4 Rockitt Rant – Cancer Sucks!!
Cancer sucks!! I come from a family that has been decimated by Cancer. I have lost several uncles, and aunt, and my niece Pam to this terrible disease. I honestly believe with all of the advances in technology in medicine, that we could have
gotten a grip on Cancer, and come up with a cure by now.
It has been a few days since I learned about the death of Ronnie James Dio to stomach cancer, and I must admit I am still in somewhat of a funk. I feel like a lost a close friend, even though I didn’t know Ronnie personally. I have loved all of his music over the years, whether it has been Rainbow, Black Sabbath, DIO, or Heaven & Hell. I absolutely hate that he is gone. Knowing that I will never get to see him sing again rips at the very fiber of my being.
This week I have listened to several interviews of the friends, band mates and associates of Ronnie, and they all mentioned just how great of a person Ronnie James Dio was. While I never got to know him personally, the few times I have seen him perform, he always gave 100% of himself, and I had a lot of respect for the man.
Looking back over Ronnie’s accomplishments, the one thing that strikes me is “Hear ‘N’ Aid” project back in the mid 80’s that was created to help famine in Africa. This charity CD helped raise over a million dollars. A million dollars is a huge amount when it comes to feeding hungry people. I wonder how a donation of this size would help cure Cancer?! Would it be enough? I doubt it, but I am sure it would help.
I would love to see a new group of hard rock & metal musicians take the time out to record a CD for Cancer Research. I would gladly donate my own 20 bucks for the CD, if I knew it was going to a good cause like the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund. Dio gave us so many great songs to enjoy, can we give something back in return?
The little man with the huge voice and big heart has left us for a better place.The legacy of Ronnie James Dio should live on forever!!
1 RONNIE JAMES DIO Tribute Episode on Hard Rock Nights
On a very special episode of Hard Rock Nights, airing May 21-27, tribute will be paid to the voice of heavy metal, Ronnie James Dio. The two-hour episode will feature music spanning the late singer’s career, from the oldies of the 1960s to his last studio release with Heaven and Hell. Several special guests will appear on the program to share memories of Dio, including Ron Keel, Tommy Denander, Robert Sarzo of Hurricane, former bandmates Rowan Robertson and Tracy G, touring member Chuck Garric, and many others.
Hard Rock Nights is a weekly syndicated radio program broadcast on several rock and metal stations on the FM dial and the internet. Visit http://hardrocknights.wordpress.com/affiliates for a full list of stations and times.
4 Ronnie James Dio Videos
I can’t believe Ronnie James Dio is gone. He left us way too soon. The video clips below are just a sample of the great music Ronnie left us with.
12 Rest In Peace – Ronnie James Dio (July 10, 1942 – May 16, 2010)
It has been a very slow news weekend in the metal world, so it saddens me to post the following info:
Ronnie James Dio, legendary vocalist for Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell and Dio, has died after a battle with stomach cancer, according to wife Wendy Dio. He was 67 years old.
The heavy metal singer died early this morning. He was being treated at M.D. Anderson in Houston.
A Twitter rumor circulated Saturday night that Dio had died. It caught fire so quickly that his wife had to issue a formal denial.
His wife released a new statement to blabbermouth.net today confirming his death:
Today my heart is broken, Ronnie passed away at 7:45 a.m. [on Sunday] 16th May. Many, many friends and family were able to say their private goodbyes before he peacefully passed away.
Ronnie knew how much he was loved by all.
We so appreciate the love and support that you have all given us.
Please give us a few days of privacy to deal with this terrible loss.
Please know he loved you all and his music will live on forever.
In my opinion, Ronnie James Dio is and always will be one of the greatest singers in the history of heavy metal. His has had some amazing accomplishments with Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and his solo band DIO. Our condolences and well wishes go out to Wendy Dio, and the entire DIO family, and friends. The metal world lost one of their greatest Icon’s today. Ronnie James Dio will be greatly missed.
3 A New Update On Ronnie James Dio
Well, now it has been Ronnie’s 7th chemo, another cat scan and another endoscopy, and the results are good – the main tumor has shrunk considerably, and our visits to Houston are now every three weeks instead of every two weeks.
Ronnie and Vinny went down to the studio to have a listen and see how the DVD is coming along, NOT to overdub anything as presumed by Hoss2112 or Shattered 73 on the Blabbermouth rants. I was very annoyed to read these comments, and if they were truly fans of Ronnie’s, they would know #1) that Ronnie is a SINGER and does not need to overdub a live show, and #2) He would never cheat his fans by overdubbing a Live DVD. I will not be showing these comments to Ronnie, as I know they would hurt and upset him as they did me. He has been going to the REHEARSAL studio to sing, not the recording studio!
Ronnie’s cousin Rock (from The Rods, who used to be in Elf with him) flew in from New York to visit Ronnie for a week and they enjoyed spending some time together, going to the movies and taking walks, and Ronnie and Rock went to the studio to master Rock’s new album, which Ronnie sings a track on. And Craig Goldy will be coming over to start writing new songs with Ronnie next week. It will be great to see him again, as he has been away touring with the British band Budgie.
That’s all I can think of right now until the next update. God bless you all and we are still reading all the wonderful cards and letters.
Many, many thanks,
Wendy Dio
3 A New Ronnie James Dio Update from Wendy Dio
Wendy Dio posted the following update today:
Since my last update, we have been back and forth to Houston three times for tests and chemo treatments, an emergency run to St. Joseph’s for another blood clot, an ultrasound and another cat scan. We met with Dr. Ajani, Ronnie’s oncologist, on Monday, and he was very pleased with the treatment so far. Some tumors have gone and some have shrunk. He says we have a long road to travel, but we are on the right path. Going back and forth to Houston is getting old, with all the cancelled and delayed flights and some of the rude Continental staff, the same boring food at the hotel (I think we have eaten everything on their horrible menu!), but…when we get a good report from the doctor, it is all worth it. The only food Ronnie says he can taste is Indian curry; everything tastes like metal (HEAVY metal?) because of the chemo. We did, however, have a nice breakfast with Carmen and his mother on Friday. He is still waiting for his bone marrow transplant.
I am so sorry if I have upset any of our friends for not returning calls or emails, but please understand that it is so draining for me to go over and over to everyone about Ronnie’s progress. This is why I thought that if I wrote an update once a month, everyone can know of Ronnie’s progress at the same time. The Fan Club just delivered a huge sack of mail, and we have been reading all the wonderful cards and letters you have all sent. Thank you all so much – it keeps our spirits up knowing you all love Ronnie so much and wish him well. Ronnie and I have a great support system: Simon, who does so much; Geezer and Gloria (she has been my strength, everyday she listens to me, whether I am happy or not); Sheila and Jacqui, friends for 25 years who would go anywhere or do anything for Ronnie or I; Mike Carden, a cancer survivor who is always available to talk to; Rudy, Vinny, Doug, Scott, Big Scott, Lois and Wyn; my colleagues at work – Marchele, Lynne, Carmen, Anthony and Diana; Dr. Mena, Dr. Chu and our wonderful Dr. Kapoor, who is available 24/7 for us and spent his whole Sunday day off with us at the emergency room, and of course Dr. Ajani, who mixes his magic cocktail of chemo and gives us hope.
Ronnie takes a walk everyday in the park and keeps busy with his music and watching sports. He was really mad that he missed the Super Bowl because we had to fly back to Houston on that Sunday, as his chemo started at 8:00am on Monday. He is in real good spirits and will be going to the studio next week to listen to the mix of the Heaven and Hell DVD that will be released later this year. He is itching to get back on tour, and with the good reports and all of your prayers and good energy, I think he is going to make it. Bless you all.
Wendy
1 Wendy Dio Checks in with an Update on Ronnie
After a few hiccups between Christmas and New Year’s, such as a blood clot, a trip to the emergency room, and a three day stay at the hospital, we had a quiet holiday spent with family and close friends. Ronnie and I just returned from Houston, where Ronnie had his third chemo treatment, and all seems to be going well. Ronnie and Simon Wright went to see Avatar, which he thought was amazing! He has also been writing more chapters for his book.
While at M.D. Anderson Cancer Centre on his second trip, he met a DIO fan named Carmen who has been having treatment every other day for a year, and is eagerly awaiting a bone marrow transplant. Ronnie and Carmen have become fast friends. Carmen is a very positive happy person whose existence, like Ronnie’s, depends heavily on music and sports. On the third trip, we also met his mom and sister, whose total support is so important to all cancer patients. They have become part of our family as well.
The support we get from all of our friends and fans is such a blessing to Ronnie and I.
Ronnie, Geezer, Tony and Vinny will be doing some interviews in the upcoming weeks to be included in the new 30th anniversary Heaven and Hell DVD due out sometime this year.
We would like to thank Simon Wright, who has been such a help with everything and a good, good friend, of course our doctor at MD Anderson, Dr. Ajani, and especially our family doctor, Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, without whose quick diagnosis and help with all the nurses and hospitals, we would be lost. His care and compassion is unwavering.
Thanks again to all of Ronnie’s friends and fans, and — by the way —- Ronnie has not lost any hair yet!
—— Wendy Dio
1 Ronnie James Dio Aces First Chemo Treatment
Wendy Dio posted the following today:
Here is an update from Wendy Dio on Ronnie’s battle with stomach cancer:
Well, it has been a very exhausting month – after all the neverending tests in Los Angeles, we flew to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, and as soon as we arrived, we got a call from the MD Anderson Hospital that they had an appointment for us with the doctor we originally wanted, so we then flew to Houston to the clinic, and of course MORE tests, but Ronnie finished receiving his first chemo treatment on Wednesday, and all is going very well.
I would like to thank Tony Martell from the T.J. Martell Foundation, Dr. Stuart Aaronson from Mount Sinai, Lindsay Brown and Mike Carden from Eagle Records, and our very own Dr. Sandeep Kapoor, for all your help in getting us into MD Anderson, and also our friends Geezer and Gloria Butler, who flew to Houston to be with Ronnie while he had his chemo.
Ronnie and I are totally overwhelmed by the amount of well wishes that we have received from friends and fans – we are reading them all. Some make us laugh, some make us cry, but all of them are so filled with love that it gives us so much support and makes Ronnie even more determined to fight this battle and win. Thank you all for the positive energy and prayers.
–Wendy Dio
4 Ronnie James Dio Diagnosed With Stomach Cancer
The following update was posted on the Dio blog by Wendy Dio:
“Ronnie has been diagnosed with the early stages of stomach cancer. We are starting treatment immediately at the Mayo Clinic. After he kills this dragon, Ronnie will be back on stage, where he belongs, doing what he loves best, performing for his fans.
Thanks to all the friends and fans around the world that have sent well wishes. This has really helped to keep his spirit up.
Long Live Rock and Roll, Long Live Ronnie James Dio”
This is terrible news, and I wish Ronnie James Dio all the best!
0 DIO Announces UK Tour
DIO, the band fronted by legendary heavy metal vocalist Ronnie James Dio (HEAVEN & HELL, BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW), has scheduled the following U.K. dates:
Nov. 21 – Glasgow, UK @ 02 Academy
Nov. 22 – Sheffield, UK @ 02 Academy
Nov. 24 – London, UK @ HMV Forum
Nov. 25 – Birmingham, UK @ O2 Academy
Nov. 27 – Manchester, UK @ Academy
Nov. 28 – Lincoln, UK @ Engine Shed
Nov. 29 – Bristol, UK @ Academy
Tickets go on sale on August 28 at 9:00 a.m.
The dates for the other European countries are expected to be announced shortly.
DIO’s “Killing The Dragon” album from 2002 was released in June on limited-edition vinyl with a gatefold pop-up cover via Night Of The Vinyl Dead. Only 500 hand-numbered copies were manufactured.
“Killing The Dragon” was originally released by Spitfire Records.
DIO’s “The Very Beast of Dio” was officially certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on March 11, 2009 for shipments in the United States in excess of 500,000 copies.
Issued in October 2000, “The Very Beast of Dio” is the second greatest-hits collection CD — and the first to be released in the U.S. — from the Ronnie James Dio-fronted band.
DIO’s last release was the “Holy Diver Live” CD, featuring a performance of the classic “Holy Diver” album in its entirety, from start to finish, recorded live for the very first time in 2005 in front of a sold-out London crowd. It also includes, among others, “Heaven & Hell”, “Sign of the Southern Cross” and “Mob Rules” from vocalist Ronnie James Dio’s BLACK SABBATH days, “Tarot Woman”, “Man on the Silver Mountain” and “Long Live Rock ‘N’ Roll” from the RAINBOW era and “We Rock” from his solo career.
2 New Video – HEAVEN & HELL – Bible Black
5 Heaven & Hell – The Devil You Know (Release Year – 2009)
Black Sabbath, or Heaven and Hell if you prefer is back with their first CD with Ronnie James Dio since 1992’s Dehumanizer. Seventeen years is a hell of a long wait for new material from any band, but the gentlemen of Heaven & Hell made it worth the wait. They have delivered another disc of quality heavy rock.
I can only use one word to describe Ronnie James Dio….incredible! How is it possible for RJD to sound this good at this stage in his career? His vocals continue to astound me on “The Devil You Know”. He continues to sing better than just about anyone out there in hard rock today. With no surprise, Tony Iommi dishes out some awesome guitar work on this disc. His guitar solos on this album are brilliant to say the least. Listen to his incredible riffs on “Bible Black” or “The Turn of the Screw” and I guarantee you will come back for more.
Geezer Butler is still laying down the deepest doom laden bass licks I have ever heard, and Vinnie Appice just kills it on the drums.
Does The Devil You Know live up to Heaven & Hell, Mob Rules or even Dehumanizer? Probably not. This album is not without its problems. A couple of the songs on this disc could be better. While some of the tunes don’t work for me, even the worst songs on “The Devil You Know” are only a minor distraction. The music speaks for itself and does so loudly. Two of the better cuts, “Bible Black” and “Eating the Cannibals” could go down as some of the best Heaven & Hell tunes ever.
The Bottom Line: I have listened to this CD a couple of times now, and it seems to get better with each play. The elder statesmen of heavy metal can still get it done in 2009. Black Sabbath and Dio fans will likely enjoy this disc as much as I have. Buy this!!
Rating:
Out 0f 10
Track Listing:
1. Atom And Evil
2. Fear
3. Bible Black
4. Double The Pain
5. Rock And Roll Angel
6. The Turn Of The Screw
7. Eating The Cannibals
8. Follow The Tears
9. Neverwhere
10. Breaking Into Heaven
Heaven & Hell is:
Ronnie James Dio – Vocals
Tonny Iommi – Guitars
Geezer Butler – Bass
Vinnie Appice – Drums
0 Heaven & Hell To Hit the Road in May
The management for HEAVEN AND HELL – the legendary band featuring BLACK SABBATH icons Ronnie James Dio (vocals), Tony Iommi (guitar), Geezer Butler (bass) and Vinny Appice (drums) – have provided Black-sabbath.com webmaster Joe Siegler the following official, up-to-date list of dates for the band:
May
30 – Moscow, Russia – B1
31 – Moscow, Russia – B1
June
2 – Helsinki, Finland – Icehell
4 – Oslo, Norway – Spektrum
8 – Giessen, Germany – Hessenhallen
9 – Berlin, Germany – Zitadelle
10 – Bamburg, Germany – Jakoarena
13 – Bergum, Germany – Festivalterrein Zomerweg (Waldrock Festival)
14 – Kalsruhe, Germany – Europehalle
16 – Bonn, Germany – Museumsplatz
17 – Zurich, Germany – Volkshaus
The new Heaven And Hell album is now complete and will be released some time in March/April via Rhino. The group’s first LP since Sabbath’s Dehumanizer (1992) was recorded at Rockfield studios in Wales, UK (where Dehumanizer was also tracked).
Courtesy of Bravewords.com
1 We Wish You A Metal Xmas…And A Headbanging New Year (Release Year – 2008)
Twisted Sister seemingly opened the floodgates for a new batch of hard rockin’ Christmas tunes when they released their album, “Twisted Christmas” in 2006. “We Wish You A Metal Xmas, and a HeadBanging New Year” has more hard rock and metal stars than any other Christmas compilation in history (Yes, even more than Monster Ballads Christmas from 2007). With that being said, it has to be awesome right?!
For the most part it is, and I would go so far as saying they have one upped, “Twisted Christmas” with this compilation.
First and foremost, I am a Jeff Scott Soto fan and he can do little wrong in my eyes. He helps rock out this rocking version of “We Wish You A Merry (Metal) Xmas”. My step daughter likes this one too. I caught her singing “We Wish You A Metal Christmas”. 🙂
You either have to love or hate Lemmy Kilmister. His rendition of “Run Rudolph Run” is pretty fun for the most part, but you know what to expect from his vocals. I have officially started a new holiday tradition by singing “Run Rudolph Run” in my best Lemmy Kilmister voice. What a great way to annoy the spouse and siblings.! 🙂
“God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” is a creepy and cool rendition of this tune. Ronnie James Dio and Tony Iommi make this sound like a lost Black Sabbath cut.
“Silver Bells” is one of the weaker moments on this disc. Geoff Tate’s lack of vocal fortitude really shows up badly on this song. He can’t hit the notes that this song requires, and that is a shame. He used to have an awesome voice, but it is severely lacking here.
Dug Pinnick from King’s X turns in a semi soulful version of the Little Drummer Boy. George Lynch adds some pretty tasty guitar licks to this version.
You have to love Ripper Owens. He may not be the best singer in the world, but he can really metalize Christmas songs like no one else. Steve Morse provides the tasty guitar licks on “Santa Claus is Back In Town”, and Ripper drives it home with his metal screams. I love it!
Chuck Billy destroys “Silent Night” with his death metal growl, but I think this is more tongue in cheek, than anything else. I can’t say I ever expected to hear a death/thrash metal version of “Silent Night”, but the unit of Scott Ian, Jon Donais, Chris Wyse and John Tempesta somehow manage to pull this off. The shredding on this tune is pretty awesome.
Every time I hear “Deck the Halls” I think it is Geoff Tate back for another dose. It is actually Lynch Mob’s Oni Logan. I don’t know if is just me, but his voice also sounds worse for wear here. I don’t remember him sounding anything like this in the 90’s.
RATT’s Stephen Pearcy pulls off a pretty good version of “Grandman Got Ran Over By A Reindeer”. As it turns out, Pearcy has a pretty good voice for this tune. Who would have thought that?
As a whole, I have enjoyed this CD, and have replayed this quite a bit . This is easily the best hard rock Christmas CD released in 2008. Buy it!!
Rating: 
Out of 10
Track Listing:
- We Wish You A Merry Xmas – (Jeff Scott Soto, Bruce Kulick, Bob Kulick, Chris Wyse, Ray Luzier)
- Run Rudolph Run – (Lemmy Kilmister, Billy F. Gibbons, Dave Grohl)
- Santa Claws Is Coming To Town – (Alice Cooper, John 5, Billy Sheehan, Vinny Appice)
- God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – (Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, Rudy Sarzo, Simon Wright)
- Silver Bells (Geoff Tate, Carlos Cavazo, James Lomenzo, Ray Luzier)
- Little Drummer Boy – (Dug Pinnick, George Lynch, Billy Sheehan, Simon Phillips)
- Santa Claus Is Back In Town – (Tim Owens, Steve Morse, Juan Garcia, Marco Mendoza, Vinny Appice)
- Silent Night – (Chuck Billy, Scott Ian, Jon Donais, Chris Wyse, John Tempesta)
- Deck The Halls – (Oni Logan, Craig Goldy, Tony Franklin, John Tempesta)
- Grandma Got Ran Over By A Reindeer – (Stephen Pearcy, Tracii Guns, Bob Kulick, Billy Sheehan, Greg Bissonette)
- Rockin’ Around The Xmas Tree – (Joe Lynn Turner, Bruce Kulick, Bob Kulick, Rudy Sarzo, Simon Wright)
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) – (Tommy Shaw, Steve Lukather, Marco Mendoza, Kenny Aronoff)
Produced by: Bob Kulick and Brett Chassen
1 Hard Rock Hideout’s We Wish You A Metal Xmas CD Giveaway!
Hard Rock Hideout has a copy of the new CD, “We Wish You A Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year” to give away to two lucky readers. Submit your name and email address in the box below to enter the drawing.
Invite a little Dio Claus to your Christmas party this year!
0 Brutal Legend Game to Feature Rob Halford, Ronnie James Dio and Lemmy Kilmister
EA Partners has rescued publisher-less game Brutal Legend, the next project from celebrated developer Tim Schafer and Double Fine Productions.
Brutal Legend had been in Sierra’s stable, but was dropped during the Activision Blizzard merger. The Xbox 360 and PS3 game will now be released in autumn 2009.
Brutal Legend tells the story of heavy metal roadie Eddie Riggs, who is dragged into a fantasy world based on rock culture, where metal titans once ruled and power chords rung from the hilltops.
Armed with a lifelong knowledge of the subject, Riggs sets about returning the world to its former glory, calling forth an army of axe-wielding rock-strocities to help.
“In Brutal Legend you’ll go into a world you haven’t gone into before, which is combinations of every single thing I’ve ever thought was cool in the world altogether in one place,” Tim Schafer told Eurogamer in an interview published today.
Heavy metal stars Rob Halford (Judas Priest), Lemmy Kilmister (Motorhead) and Ronnie James Dio (Dio/Black Sabbath) will all lend their voices to the game.
But it’s Jack Black, voicing Eddie Riggs, who Tim Schafer feels is the real star of the show.
“From the beginning, before I even dreamed of having someone of that caliber on the game, we were hoping that we were making a game Jack Black would like,” said Schafer.
“And he’s contributed a lot; he improvises dialogue, he really brings a lot to the character. So he’s been great to have. Not just for the participation, but contributing to the energy and enthusiasm of the project overall.”
Double Fine, of course, was responsible for Psychonauts, the game Eurogamer felt was the best of 2005. So how much better will Brutal Legend be?
“Brutal Legend is the natural evolution of awesome. I think you must take the next step, even if it is a giant step… The next logical, enormous step towards awesomeness that we’ve made,” explained Schafer, not really explaining anything at all. What a talent.
For more information on Brutal Legend, check out this link.
0 Girlschool to Release Legacy in November!
Veteran British all-female hard rock band GIRLSCHOOL will release its 30th-anniversary album, “Legacy”, on October 24 in Germany, October 27 in Europe and November 4 in the USA via Wacken Records/SPV. The CD will feature a plethora of special guests, including Tony Iommi (BLACK SABBATH), Ronnie James Dio (BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW, DIO), Lemmy and Phil Campbell from MOTÖRHEAD, “Fast” Eddie Clarke (FASTWAY, ex-MOTÖRHEAD) and a couple of members of TWISTED SISTER. Even the group’s original guitarist Kelly Johnson, who died last year, can be heard on the opener “Everything ‘s The Same” with a special ghost appearance!
“Legacy” (see artwork below) track listing:
01. Everything’s The Same (feat. Kelly Johnson on percussion – her ashes)
02. From The Other Side
03. I Spy (Girlschool Mix)
04. Spend Spend Spend (feat. J.J. French guitar solo)
05. Whole New World (feat. Neil Murray – bass, Phil Campbell – lead guitar)
06. Just Another Day (feat. Phil Campbell – guitar solo)
07. Legend (feat. Neil Murray – bass)
08. Still Waters
09. Metropolis (MOTÖRHEAD cover) (feat. Fast Eddie Clarke – guitar solo)
10. Don’t Mess Around (feat. Eddie Ojeda – guitar solo)
11. Zeitgeist
12. Don’t Talk To Me (feat. Lemmy on bass, vocals and triangle)
Bonus Tracks:
13. I Spy (Dio/Iommi Mix) (feat. Ronnie James Dio on vocals, Tony Iommi on lead guitar)
14. Emergency
15. London
Article courtesy of Blabbermouth
2 We Wish You a Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year?!
Wendy Dio is very excited to tell you about a Christmas metal CD that she, Bob Kulick and Brett Chassen have been working on since June, entitled “We Wish You a Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year”.
This is a METAL CD you will want to listen to all year round.
Wendy says, “It has been a very exciting and exhausting project, but we have managed to get an all star cast together.
”The hardest person to get was Ronnie himself, as he told Wendy he doesn’t sing Christmas songs, but after Wendy hounded him for days, he finally listened to the arrangement Bob had come up with for “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”, decided he liked it, added a few bits, recorded it at Bob’s studio, and then said that it needed Tony Iommi’s signature guitar sound. Wendy then sent the track over to Tony, who also liked the track, and behold! You have a very Sabbath Christmas song.
Also rounding out the circle of familiar characters on this track are Dio bassist Rudy Sarzo and drummer Simon Wright.
All of the tracks on the record are awesome and definitely have Wendy’s stamp of approval.
No word on when this will be released, but I am guessing this will be out in time for the ’08 Christmas Holiday Season.
0 DIO – Killing the Dragon (2002)
Killing the Dragon is the 9th DIO studio disc, and the first to feature current Whitesnake guitarist Doug Aldrich. Craig Goldy was not available for Killing the Dragon as he just recently had gotten married and his wife had a newborn child. Goldy did leave his mark on a few tracks, and has writing credits on Throw away Children, Rock ‘N Roll, and Push.
Doug Aldrich, on the other hand ,had played in quite a few hard rock bands prior to DIO, including Lion, Bad Moon Rising, House of Lords and Hurricane. He was the perfect replacement for Goldy at the time, and his guitar work on Killing the Dragon is awesome.
Killing the Dragon stars this disc off with a high tempo rocker. Doug Aldrich establishes himself quickly by showing off his mad guitar skills. This track sounds like classic DIO to me.
The heaviness continues with Along Comes the Spider. There are plenty of chugging guitars on this track. Sure the title and chorus is kind of silly, but the music is great.
Scream is one of the better tracks on this disc. Its a pretty solid song with some excellent guitar noodling by Aldrich.
Better in the Dark is an excellent upbeat rocker with a cool guitar riff by Aldrich. Dio sounds great here but Aldrich steals the show with some killer guitar solos!
Rock ‘n Roll is one an extremely cool track on Killing the Dragon. This song has an very heavy bass riff. Dio’s voice sounds amazing here. As a whole, this is a very heavy track, and a cool one at that.
Push is probably my favorite track off of Killing the Dragon. Aldrich reminds me of Jake E. Lee on this track. Its a cool song with excellent vocals by Dio. This song may be a little less heavy than some of the other tracks here, but it works.
Push
Guilty would have to be a close 2nd to Push as my favorite on this disc. This is another rocker that kicks ass. This track is also not quite as heavy as some of other tracks on Killing the Dragon.
The guitar work on Throw Away Children is absolutely superb. If it wasn’t for Aldrich’s playing, I would probably skip this track.
Before the Fall has a very Deep Purple sounding keyboard throughout the song, but the guitars are far heavier than any Deep Purple track. Once again, the guitar work is great, but I consider this an average DIO track. It is good, but not great.
The keyboards on Cold Feet give this song a less heavy feel to it. I like this song, but I don’t think I would have placed this as the last song on the disc.
Bottom line, If you want to hear an above average hard rock disc, with amazing vocals and stellar guitar work, you need to pick up Killing the Dragon. There are at least 4 songs on this disc that are mainstays on my play list today. DIO fans should not hesitate picking this up.
Rating: 
Out of 10
Track Listing:
- Killing the Dragon
- Along Comes a Spider
- Scream
- Better in the Dark
- Rock ‘n Roll
- Push
- Guilty
- Throw Away Children
- Before the Fall
- Cold Feet
Dio is:
Ronnie James Dio – vocals
Doug Aldrich – guitar
Jimmy Bain – bass, keyboards
Simon Wright – drums
5 Black Sabbath – Dehumanizer (Release Year – 1992)
Dehumanizer is the 16th studio disc by Black Sabbath, and the third featuring Ronnie James Dio on vocals. Ronnie returned to Black Sabbath after an 11 year hiatus in which he was performing as a solo artist.
This disc features the same lineup from the Mob Rules disc, which is Iommi on guitar, Butler on bass, Appice on drums and Dio on vocals.
Typically when people talk about Dio singing in Black Sabbath they will often refer to Heaven and Hell, and Mob Rules. Dehumanizer rarely gets mentioned, and that is a shame. It is a heavy disc, and easily as solid as the first two with RJD.
This disc starts off with Computer God, which is a very heavy track to start the pace of Dehumanizer. This is a well written and performed song, and quite possibly one of their best.
Computer God
After All is a very dark and heavy track that sounds like it was a left over from the period when Ozzy was still in the band. This is a bit too dark for my tastes.
After All (the dead)
TV Crimes on the other hand is a killer track that I absolutely love. The tempo is high paced, and Dio sounds awesome on vocals. This is one that I hope they perform live on the Heaven and Hell tour. This is essential for any Sabbath fan.
TV Crimes
Another track that I like a lot on Dehumanizer is Letters from Earth. This is another well written song, with cool lyrics, and superb playing by Iommi. Geezer’s bass sounds like it is going to rip the walls down, and Appice crushes on the drums here. Great Stuff!
Master of Insanity starts with a dark and gloomy bass riff by Geezer, and turns into a heavy rocker, that resembles more of a DIO solo track than a Black Sabbath song. Nonetheless, it is a good song, and one of the better ones on Dehumanizer.
Master of Insanity
I love the chugging guitars and fast paced bass rhythm of Time Machine. This song is another Dehumanizer stand out.
Time Machine
Sins of the Father is one of the most different Sabbath tracks I have heard in a while. It seems that Geezer’s bass is mixed so that it less audible. Iommi’s guitar seem to be tuned in a different key on this track. The end result is a very cool 80’s sounding Metal song.
Something about the track Too Late reminds me of Queensryche in a sense. It starts off as a low tempo acoustic track that allows Dio’s voice to shine, but then breaks in a heavy metal behemoth about midway through. This is one of those songs that you may not get the first time. I bet if you sit down, crank this song up, and close your eyes, and immerse yourself into the music, you will get into it to. I think it is a very cool song.
I is a track that grows on me more with every listen. The lyrics are cool, and the chorus is simple and sing songy…I..I..I. The music is good, and Dio sounds great as well.
I
Buried Alive is a song that I just could not get into. Its ultra heavy intro, didnt work for me. Sure Iommi has some cool solos here, but this feels like an average track to me. Quite frankly, I tend to skip this song when it comes up.
Aside from the intro on Time Machine, I can’t tell much of a difference in the Wayne’s World version. They could have used this one instead of the other version on the album, and added another original cut. There isn’t enough difference between the two to really support having two different versions here.
Bottom line, I believe Dehumanizer is a much better disc than a lot of people perceive it to be. It has some tracks that may need to grown on you a few times, and is probably the heaviest of the three discs that have Dio on vocals. It is still a good listen today, and to me and while it isn’t perfect, it is still a must have in my heavy metal collection!
Rating:
Out of 10
Track Listing:
- Computer God
- After All (The Dead)
- TV Crimes
- Letters from Earth
- Master of Insanity
- Time Machine
- Sins of the Father
- Too Late
- I
- Buried Alive
- Time Machine (Wayne’s World Version)
Black Sabbath is:
Ronnie James Dio – vocals
Tony Iommi – guitars
Geezer Butler – bass
Vinny Appice – drums
Geoff Nicholls – keyboards
6 Black Sabbath – Mob Rules (Release Year 1981)
Black Sabbath’s Mob Rules is the band’s 10th studio disc and 2nd featuring Ronnie James Dio on vocals. Mob Rules also features the 2007 lineup of the Heaven and Hell Tour, Tony Iommi on Guitar, Geezer Butler on bass, and Vinnie Appice on Drums.
Mob Rules starts off where Heaven and Hell left off, by opening up with a heavy up tempo track Turn Up the Night. Iommi starts jamming early and Dio is in fine form here.
I find myself head banging to Voodoo each time I listen to it. Ronnie James Dio is probably one of the few singers on earth that can make a track like this work. Voodoo has a very good rhythm to it, and the guitar work is quite good, but Dio’s vocals are what stands out the most.
The Sign of the Southern Cross is one of the heavier tracks on Mob Rules. This song is essential to any Sabbath fan. Awesome!
E5150 is a dark instrumental track that will scare the hell out of your parents. This track flows right into the title track, The Mob Rules. This is a heavy track that is essential to any Sabbath fan. Great stuff!
Mob Rules
Something about Country Girl reminds me of an Irish drinking song, albeit a very heavy one. I didn’t really care for this track much at first, but it has grown on me somewhat.
Slipping Away is an upbeat rocker that has a simple rhythm about it. Its pretty much the same guitar riff over and over by Iommi. Geezer Butler has some funky bass grooves in this track. It is a cool track but not essential.
Falling Off the Edge of the World is one of the better tracks on Mob Rules. This tracks starts off as a dark low tempo number that only Black Sabbath could pull off, and then blasts off into a heavy guitar noodling , Dio screaming monster. This is probably my second most favorite track off this disc.
Over and Over ends this disc with a heavy low tempo track. Dio belts out the lyrics in fine fashion, and Tony Iommi ends this disc the same way it began, by jamming out. The song itself would just be an average track, by Iommi’s playing turns this into something much more enjoyable. While not this is not the best Sabbath track I have ever heard, it is still a solid way to close out this disc.
Mob Rules is an excellent slab of Black Sabbath metal. This disc isn’t quite as good as Heaven and Hell, but it still very much essential to any fan of hard rock and heavy metal!
Rating: 
Out of 10
Track Listing:
- Turn Up The Night
- Voodoo
- The Sign of the Southern Cross
- E5150
- The Mob Rules
- Country Girl
- Slipping Away
- Falling Off the Edge of the World
- Over and Over
Black Sabbath is:
Ronnie James Dio – vocals
Tony Iommi – guitar
Geezer Butler – bass guitar
Vinny Appice – drums
Geoff Nicholls – keyboards
6 Black Sabbath – Heaven and Hell (Release Year – 1980)
In 1979 due to lack of commitment and personal conflicts, Ozzy Osbourne was asked to leave Black Sabbath. None other than Ronnie James Dio was brought in to replace him.
Heaven and Hell is the first of 3 discs (and a live disc) featuring Ronnie on vocals and the 9th overall by Black Sabbath.
Heaven and Hell is nothing short of a metal masterpiece! Who can deny the incredible opening track Neon Knights! This is an up tempo track that pleases both Black Sabbath and Ronnie James Dio fans. Great vocals by Dio and killer guitars by Iommi. Awesome!
Neon Knights
Children of the Sea is another classic Sabbath track. This mid tempo jewel featues that fat Geezer Butler bass rhythm, and more awesome vocals by RJD. Outstanding!
Children of the Sea
Lady Evil is infectious as hell. Geezer’s bass sounds extremely fat on this track. If you don’t find your self singing “Lady Evil, Evil...” after a single listen, then you probably wont get this track. That would be a real shame too. This is killer track!
Heaven and Hell is unmistakably one of the biggest songs Black Sabbath has ever written. Dio’s vocals are in fine form here. Iommi’s guitars are amazing on this song. The sheer heaviness of this track is what makes it so cool. I can’t say enough about this track. Definitely one of my all time favorite metal songs!
Heaven and Hell
Wishing Well is a cool track that you need to sit and absorb a few times. Iommi’s guitar work on this track is so cool, you need to listen to this multiple times to get the true enjoyment out of it.
Die Young has a very trippy Pink Floyd and Queen progressive feel to it while retaining that Sabbath heaviness. I like this track more each time I hear it.
Die Young
Walk Away is one of those tracks that needs to grow on you. Af first it seems that this track isnt as heavy as some of the Heaven and Hell. This track is probably the least heavy of the 8 songs here. It is still a rocking track, but not one of my favorites.
Lonely is the Word is a another great track where Dio really belts out the vocals. One again, Iommi’s guitars are excellent. This song makes me want to break out a lighter and start waving it in the air. Absolutely incredible playing, and a superb song to close this record out with.
Heaven and Hell is an extraordinary debut by Dio with Black Sabbath. If Iommi and company were trying to get people to forget about Ozzy with this disc, they accomplished the task. This is an impressive heavy metal classic that still sounds great in 2007. No hard rock fan or metalhead should be with out it!
Rating: 
Out of 10
Track Listing:
- Neon Knights
- Children of the Sea
- Lady Evil
- Heaven and Hell
- Wishing Well
- Die Young
- Walk Away
- Loney is the Word
Black Sabbath is:
Ronnie James Dio – vocals
Tony Iommi – guitar
Geezer Butler – bass guitar
Bill Ward – drums
Geoff Nicholls – keyboards
