On This Day: Black Sabbath releases first album with Ronnie James Dio
On this day 41 years ago, Black Sabbath moved into their post-Ozzy era with "Heaven and Hell."
With the parting of ways with Ozzy Osbourne and the move to Ronnie James Dio, the flip of the calendar to 1980 also marked a turning point for Black Sabbath. How would Dio be received? How would the music sound? From this corner, much of Sabbath’s best work came with Dio as the frontman.
On April 25, 1980, Sabbath’s first album with Dio, Heaven and Hell, was released.
To say Heaven and Hell was a departure from Ozzy-era Sabbath, and in most respects an evolution, is a massive understatement. I’ve put video clips for three songs at the bottom of the post. Later this year, Nov. 4, is the 40th anniversary of Black Sabbath’s second Dio album, Mob Rules. Look for coverage of that here at Rock Pedia.
What is your favorite song from Heaven and Hell? Leave a comment and tell me.