HEAVEN AND HELL

Great rock album. We used to have huge debates in high school about Ozzy versus Dio and this album packs some great memories of those arguments. But even the most ardent Ozzy purist should acknowledge this album as successful on most fronts. Dio was a more than capable vocalist perfectly suited to the image of the material composed. The songs rock, the lyrics are fine, the playing is great.

Side one is the real slam dunk with Neon Knights, Children of the Sea, and the title track. Neon has always been a Sab favorite, something about the "feel" of the chords that just screams energy. I just love the guitar on this song. That's one thing I notice about H and H, it really seems to have re-lit the fuse for the band. They sound fresh and energetic and I think that's why the album has held up over the years. I suppose it was invigorating to get away from Ozzy's drama and alcohol problems. The title track is a late night teenage anthem up there with Stairway to Heaven on FM radio playlists. Geezer in particular has such a nice fat bass sound here and Dio is in his dramatic glory. Side two is less successful with "Die Young" being the standout track.

On the strength of the better four songs, Heaven and Hell is a must for Sabbath and Dio fans. For the rest of the site it is "good but not essential."