Taking a break from the large-form boxsets that have been used to document the bulk of the Ozzy years of Black Sabbath, BMG have taken the decision to reissue two classic albums from the Dio years as double disc sets, with bonus tracks available on both CD and LP (albeit with the LP featuring fewer tracks due to space constraints). With Hugh Gilmour once more coordinating, both sets benefit from the same attention to detail as the previously reviewed boxsets, with liner notes, extra tracks and solid mastering proving to be the order of the day. This review covers 1980’s legendary Heaven and Hell, with a separate review covering 1981’s Mob Rules.
The Package
Available on CD and LP, this review covers the gorgeous double LP edition. Housed in a gatefold sleeve, with a peelable promo sticker on the shrink wrap, the front and rear art remains intact, while the gatefold offers up impressively detailed liner notes from Kory Grow (Rolling Stone) and Lynn Curlee (the cover artist), alongside a selection of images from single covers and promotional materials. It may not be as exhaustive as the books found in the super-deluxe editions, but it is well-presented and provides plenty of context for an album that was destined for greatness. The vinyl itself is packaged in simple, white paper liners and there are no other notes or lyrics, but it is a handsome edition overall. As for the vinyl itself, it is rock solid and impressively crackle-free, the quality of the pressing doing full justice to the pristine new master.
The Audio
Disc one
With the redoubtable Andy Pearce and Matt Wortham at the helm, this was always going to sound aces. Responsible for the recent Ozzy reissues, Andy and Matt have once again turned in a dynamic and engaging master that sounds absolutely fantastic. Quieter then previous editions, there’s plenty of depth and separation to enjoy, allowing the nuances to shine through. Pump up the volume on the title track, for example, and bask in the warm thud of Bill Ward’s kick drum, the layered vocal harmonies, Geezer Butler’s creeping bass lines and Tony Iommi’s remarkable, psychedelic leads. It is probably the best the album has ever sound and the thrill is real as the needle hits the groove, allowing you to lose yourself in this classic album all over again.
And what a classic. From the moment the album kicks off with Neon Knights, there’s a feeling that Sabbath, worn down after a couple of difficult experiences in the studio, were once again a force with which to reckon. Dio sounds turbo-charged on this opening number, and the band simply race behind him, layering guitar upon guitar to deliver a curtain-raiser that remains a tour-de-force to this day. Then there’s Children Of The Sea, an astonishing epic with prog elements powered by a seismic Iommi riff. A crushing track that carried over into Dio’s solo sets for years after, it’s one of Sabbath’s all-time greatest tracks and a perfect showcase for Dio’s remarkable skills behind the mic. While Lady Evil is simply a very good rock song, the mid-tempo might of the title track is nothing short of majestic and you end the first side aware that you have been touched by magic.
The second side is no less awe-inspiring, even if familiarity has long settled in. The remaster brings Geezer’s increasingly innovative bass lines to life on Wishing Well, and it’s one of those cases where, the more you turn it up, the more detail reveals itself. With Die Young once again digging into the realm of prog, few original listeners may have expected the bruising riff waiting in the wings behind the ethereal introduction, and it remains a thrilling experience to this day. In Walk Away you can hear the foundations of the more NWOBHM sound the band would adopt on Mob Rules, before Lonely Is The Word brings it all to a brilliant finale, with Iommi’s bluesy progressions perfectly paired with Dio’s remarkable vocal. It’s a stunning album, varied and often graceful, and it remains one of the most remarkable reinventions in rock history.
Disc two
Gathering together b sides and live tracks, the second disc of Heaven and Hell is something of a mixed bag. The first three tracks are b sides, including Children Of The Sea (the live b side to Neon Knights), Heaven and Hell (a live 7” edit from Die Young) and a mono, 7” edit of Lady Evil. These tracks are quieter than the album tracks on disc one, but the sound quality is not bad and it’s easy to imagine fans, starved of content compared to their modern counterparts, going crazy over these rare glimpses of their heroes in action. Most notably, the two live tracks showcase Dio’s power, and it his voice that emerges, authoritative in the mix, most clearly. The rest of the band, despite playing well, are rendered rather boxier, but they’re worthy bonuses just the same, especially Heaven and Hell, which sees Iommi absolutely blazing a trail across his fretboard. Arguably the best sounding of the three B sides, it’s easy to see why this show would particularly capture the attention.
The remaining tracks are taken from a live show At Hartford Civic Centre, August 10th, 1980 – the same show from which the Heaven and Hell b side was culled. There’s nothing unique for vinyl fans here, with all these bonuses having previously appeared on the 2010 2-CD edition. However, it should be noted that those who opt for the new 2-cd edition get an additional four tracks from the Hammersmith Odeon (tracked in Dec 1980 and Jan 1981).
Concluding side A is Neon Knights, delivered with crushing might by a band on fire. Like the 7” edit of Heaven and Hell, it is Dio’s voice that emerges most impressively from the mix, with the band rendered in bootleg quality, slightly trebly and lacing in depth. Nevertheless, there’s a palpable sense of the band’s desire to win over the doubters, and any material for this era is to be coveted, given its relative scarcity. Side B opens up with Children Of The Sea and proceeds to offer the remaining highlights from the album – Heaven and Hell (all twelve, glorious unedited minutes of it, as featured on the 12” single release of Die Young) and Die Young itself, the band doing their best to raze Hartford to the ground in a blaze of white hot intensity. Such is the quality of the band’s performance that any fidelity issues are long forgotten by the time the disc spins to an end and you’re just left caught between a sense of awe at the band’s power and sadness that it was not to last much longer. That, however, is a story for another release…
Conclusion
We could, of course, always wish for more Dio-era material, especially after the packed Ozzy boxes, but this is an impressive edition of a classic album. Worthy of a purchase for the fantastic remaster alone, the second disc really is icing on the cake, but what icing! While there will surely be fans who still have their treasured 7” and 12” singles, for the rest of us, the collected b sides and additional live tracks make for a most welcome bonus. Meanwhile, the gatefold sleeve, complete with detailed liner notes, is a pleasure to hold and the price point (averaging around £30 at time of writing) is also appealing. In short, this is a cracking edition of a classic album, and fans not currently in possession of a vinyl copy, should already feel their wallets start to burn in anticipation – it’s certainly worth a purchase.
Original album: 10/10
Reissue: 9/10
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