MOB RULES

After a stunning 80s album, Sabbath think that they can repeat the same old thing, as it is an almost carbon copy as Heaven and Hell; only with different lyrics. The same heavy riffs and Dio-led vocals dominate the sound, leaving room for the excellent rhythm section of Vinny Appice and Geezer Butler. Nothing very new on this album.

1.Turn on the Night - A direct copy of Neon Nights, when it comes to the steady beat, but with a different riff. A great opening though, as Ronnie James Dio leads the track into the depths of metal pop, with mystic lyrics and excellent vocal performances. In fact, the production for the song is so slick and clean, that it could have came from the Sunset Strip, if not for the lyrics of the song. Great opener, but nothing new. (8.5/10)

2.Voodoo - A steady riff, but it sounds like a rehash of ideas from Heaven and Hell tracks. The beat from Appice is excellent, and the bass playing on this track from Butler are definatly excellent, as his groove is definatly still there; albeit with a different tone on the bass. Dio's vocals aren't very energetic, but still passionate. Nothing particularly special. (8/10)

3.Sign of the Southern Cross - Too bad that this track is on THIS album, as it could have been a huge acoustic - type epic with Children of the Sea from the previous album. The cut is simply amazing, as the acoustic guitar from Iommi is some of his best. Dio's vocals are at their most passionate, as the vocal harmonies and high range of his voice are definatly a reminder of Rainbow years. The progressive metal leanings are apperant on the rest of the track, as an almost sludge beat from Appice is presented in an excellent way. Some synths make the epic track even more varied and lush. A classic track from beginning to end. (10/10)

4.E150 - What the hell is this? A weak synthesizer-led instrumental that could belong in a krautrock jam, if it weren't for the bit of structure in the track. The experimentation is definatly appreciated, but not always very good. (4.5/10)

5.The Mob Rules - The title track to the album is easily one of the best. The steady beat is definatly pop like, but has very heavy sensibilities. Dio's vocals are at their best, as he screams his head off. The instrumentation, of course, is excellent. Iommi really takes the show though, as this may be his best riffing song on the whole album. A classic track. (9.5/10)

6.Country Girl - After some pretty good tracks, we get another filler cut. The steady riff is actually very good, but it's the lyrics and lack of energy that make the track one of the worst on the album. The lyrics are truely nonsense, as Dio hopelessly tries to find a way to make the song work for his thunderous vocals, but they come off a bit preachy and indirect to me. The riff does bring back some old memories, as there is a great amount of sludge and doom in the riff, only to be knocked by some shining and shimmering guitar parts in the breakdown section. (4.5/10)

7.Slipping Away - Another rehash song, but dosen't quite work as well. The awkward beat of the track can make it very hard to listen to, as Appice tries to make a decent beat for an odd guitar riff, but ultimatly fails because of their wierd snare motions. These factors all play a part in the big shame; it's one of Ronnies best vocal performances on the album. It's totally energetic and raw the way he is singing, and is totally dissapointing on the song because of the instruments being jumbled. (6/10)

8.Falling off the Edge of the World - The unheard jem of the Dio era songs. Dramatic and witty, the song has some of the most emotional instrument playing and vocal performances I have ever heard, as they truely rock with emotions and flourish with an almost gothic-symphonic track. The slowed down playing is timeless, with an ultra-heavy bass drum that makes the song memorable. A classic that is lost in the waste. (9.5/10)

9.Over and Over - The album should have ended with the previous track, as this one borders on filler. It seems to be an almost rehash of the previous and a bit of War Pigs; needless to say, it dosent really work out the way that it was intended. Song average lyrics are mixed with average instrument playing, as it's nothing very energetic or interesting at all. (6.5/10)

Some great songs get lost between the sea of fillers on this album, as there is truely some great material here. I have to give this album a 3 stars, as it is very good, but the whole album is not needed in your Black Sabbath collection, as only a few tracks are really needed from this album.