Heaven and Hell- The Devil You Know (2009)

Overview:

After Ozzy Osbourne was fired from Black Sabbath in 1979 after the band had released two consecutive sub par albums and lost all of its chemistry in a haze of drug abuse and infighting, the band was faced with the challenge of finding a new singer to replace one of the best-loved vocalists in rock. The band chose former Rainbow singer Ronnie James Dio (ironically suggested by Sharon Arden, the daughter of the band's manager, who would later go on to marry Ozzy), and set about on the uphill climb of trying to restore credibility to the band that had put out some of the best metal albums of all time. Heaven and Hell, released in 1980, was a sublime work, standing up against even the best of the Ozzy-era albums. The re-energized Sabbath then recorded the excellent Mob Rules in 1981 before falling apart again in 1982 over internal conflicts relating to the live recording Live Evil, with Dio leaving to start his own band.

Sabbath spent the next eight years putting out largely uninspired albums to declining sales before reuniting with Dio in 1990 to release Dehumanizer, a good if not classic effort that once again returned the band to commercial success. Dio left again before the end of the tour in support of Dehumanizer, feeling insulted that Black Sabbath was to be opening up for Ozzy Osbourne's solo band for the final two shows and seeing that the concerts were likely to bring about a reunion of the original lineup. That reunion didn't end up occurring until 1997, spawning live album Reunion, and resulting in several tours over the following years but no new albums. With Ozzy working on solo material in 2006, Black Sabbath recorded three new songs with Dio for the album The Dio Years, a greatest-hits collection of the singer's work with Sabbath, amongst them the sublime "Shadow of the Wind". The recording went so well that the band reunited with Dio for a tour in support of the album, touring under the name Heaven and Hell to aviod confusion with the Ozzy-fronted incarnation of the band which was still technically together. After a successful period of touring, and the release of The Rules of Hell, a box set of remasters of all of the Dio-era Black Sabbath material, the band announced that they would be recording a new album, to be released in 2009.

The album, brought about by the positive energy the band felt recording the new tracks for The Dio Years, the positive fan reaction to the tour supporting it, and guitarist Tony Iommi's frustration with Osbourne's hesitation to record a new Black Sabbath album, is titled The Devil You Know- the band retaining the Heaven and Hell name for the record. The Devil You Know is loaded with slow doom, even slower and darker than Dehumanizer, and having little stylistically in common with Heaven and Hell or Mob Rules. Iommi's trademark crushing riffs and masterful solos show that he is still in top form, and Dio's voice is in remarkable condition for a man in his mid-sixties, having lost little of its power. Bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Vinnie Appice are consistent as always, providing the background for Iommi to crush in and Dio to soar over. Not every track is above average, putting the album behind the first two Dio Sabbath albums in terms of quality, but the overall product is superior to Dehumanizer. Black Sabbath with Dio at the helm is one of the great metal bands of all time, and The Devil You Know is an excellent addition to its catalogue, making one hope for a continuation of the lineup and more albums from them in the future.

Track by Track:

"Atom and Evil": Starting with a powerful riff at pure sludge velocity, this is a great introduction to what the album is all about. Dio's voice, alternating between near-malevolence to plaintive, tremulous highs, is perfect for the track. As fans know, deciphering Dio's usually-poetic lyrics can sometimes be impossible, but this track is quite plainly about the nuclear age, with a few excellent turns of phrase to remind the listener that songs can indeed be poetry

Song Rating: A-

"Fear": A quicker, rolling riff starts this track, alternating with a slower, pounding one for the chorus which keeps the song musically interesting. Iommi delivers a quality subdued solo that adds to the track instead of distracting from it. Dio also demonstrates that he is still capable of singing over riffs instead of having to follow along with them, one of the things that makes his songs with Sabbath a pleasure to hear.

Song Rating: B

"Bible Black": Opens with a soft acoustic intro with electric accents and Dio singing in his still-excellent softer tones, reminiscent of Sabbath classics "Children of the Sea," "The Sign of the Southern Cross," and "Falling off the Edge of the World." Then, like those songs, the soft intro gives way to a tremendous, chugging riff. Iommi shreds in the song's great solo, and Dio soars, making this one of the best tracks on the album- full of the magic that fans of the group have come to expect. The closest track on the album to the H&H/Mob Rules era, and a wise choice as the first single.

Song Rating: A

"Double the Pain": Grooves along consistently, though its excellent pre-chorus gives way to a weak chorus that prevents the song from being a classic. Yet more quality guitar from Iommi makes it a good listen, still, and Butler's bass stands out strongly

Song Rating: B

"Rock and Roll Angel": The most skip-worthy track on the album. A mid-tempo rocker whose light chorus doesn't fit with the rest of the record much at all. Excellent guitar work a little over halfway through and Dio's conviction to what he is doing prevent it from being unlistenable, however. The acoustic outro is a treat, as well.

Song Rating: C-

"The Turn of the Screw": Another mid-tempo track similar to "Double the Pain," and of similar quality. A good track on its own that can be a bit lost amongst the similar songs on the album. Still, Iommi and Dio both turn in good performances and there's not much to dislike here.

Song Rating: B

"Eating the Cannibals": A welcome increase in pace, driven along by Iommi and Butler's quick grooving. The whole tone of this track is lighter than the rest, and it stands as evidence that Sabbath can still write a fast, fun song in the vein of "Neon Knights."

Song Rating: B+

"Follow the Tears": From the faster pace of "Eating the Cannibals," the album comes back to a slow chug here. A giant doom riff and Dio at his dark best make this thoroughly enjoyable. A stronger chorus would have made this a classic, but it's still damn good.

Song Rating: B+

"Neverwhere": The second of the faster-paced songs on the album. Dio's vocals render this track better than it may otherwise have been, and Iommi turns in his standard level of quality.

Song Rating: B+

"Breaking Into Heaven": A return to sludge with the album's closer. Dio shines here, with the waver his voice has picked up over the years adding to the song rather than taking from it. The band's name is apt here, as the track goes from heavenly highs, Dio's voice and the music behind it reaching before crashing to pitch-black lows. No one does epic like the Dio/Sabbath pairing, and "Breaking Into Heaven" is another reminder of what the combination can produce. If this is played live on the upcoming tour, do not miss the opportunity to see it.

Song Rating: A


Overall Album Rating: B+