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Black Sabbath: The Dio Years
Compilation album by Black Sabbath
Released April 3, 2007
Recorded 1980–1982, 1992, 2007
Genre Heavy metal
Length 79:27
Label Rhino
Producer Black Sabbath
Professional reviews
Black Sabbath chronology
Greatest Hits 1970-1978
(2006)		 Black Sabbath: The Dio Years
(2007)		 Live at Hammersmith Odeon
(2007)

Black Sabbath: The Dio Years is a 2007 compilation CD of material from recordings made during vocalist Ronnie James Dio's tenure in the band. The CD contains full album length, remastered tracks culled from all three studio albums; Heaven and Hell (1980), Mob Rules (1981), Dehumanizer (1992), and the live album Live Evil (1982). It also contains three new recorded songs; "The Devil Cried", "Shadow of the Wind" and "Ear in the Wall".

It was reported that the collection was first conceived of as a box set, in the vein of Black Box: The Complete Original Black Sabbath (1970-1978); containing all of the group's albums released from their post-Ozzy Osbourne period, starting from Heaven and Hell to The Eternal Idol. This idea was eventually scrapped, and another box set was planned only to feature the four albums recorded from the Dio era of the band. This did not happen either, eventually making way for the single disc compilation.

In an interview conducted by Martin Popoff, Tony Iommi revealed that in fact three tracks were recorded[1]: "Shadow of the Wind" (a slow tune), "The Devil Cried" (a mid tempo rocker) and "Ear in the Wall" (a fast song), therefore changing the original plan for two new songs to accommodate all three tracks in the compilation. "The Devil Cried" was released as a single on March 13, 2007. [2]

On February 23, 2007, both Eddie Trunk and Sirius Satellite Radio unveiled the song "The Devil Cried" from the upcoming album. Rhino Records subsequently made the track available (for preview only) on February 26, 2007. On the week of March 13, 2007, it became available for download at all digital outlets.

Contents

[edit] Background information

[edit] Origins

In an October 2005 interview with the program "Masters of Rock", aired on BBC Radio 2, Ronnie James Dio revealed the fact that he would be writing with Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi once again. Dio mentioned that two songs would be penned, and were to feature on a "project" entitled Black Sabbath: The Dio Years.[3] Iommi stated that Warner Bros. Records had been considering the option of releasing a Black Sabbath box set featuring Dio "for some time", and were searching for previously unreleased material.[4] The guitarist confirmed the existence of incomplete demos, although conceded the demos might not be deemed "worthwhile". Iommi labelled Black Sabbath: The Dio Years a "long-term album project", and stated that no release date had been negotiated.[4] It was later reported that the box set would contain all Black Sabbath albums featuring Ronnie James Dio, and all would be fully remastered. In addition, the tracks written by Iommi and Dio would comprise bonus material.[5] "This, obviously, would increase the sales and interest", Dio observed.[6] In an August 16 interview with the syndicated radio show "Rockline", Dio noted that him and Iommi "wanted to make it a little bit more special", and "not just give you things you've not heard from a live perspective".[7]

[edit] New material

In April 2006, Dio flew to the UK in order to undertake promotion in support of the Dio album Holy Diver - Live.[5][8] While there, Dio visited Iommi so that the pair could discuss ideas for the box set.[8] Iommi and Dio wrote together for roughly a week, and Dio felt that the sessions "went very well".[9] One track emerged from those sessions, which Dio described as "really wonderful".[7] The group initially worked with original Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward,[10] but Ward later confirmed he wouldn't be involved in recording sessions for the effort.[11] Drummer Vinny Appice received a telephone call in November, and was asked; "Can you come to England tomorrow?". Appice flew to England, attended a Birmingham studio,[10] and laid down drum parts for two new songs. Slated for inclusion on Black Sabbath: The Dio Years,[12] Appice felt the tracks were "very, very heavy, but a little bit more modern".[13]

[edit] Marketing and promotion

[edit] Critical reception

Black Sabbath: The Dio Years was released on April 3, 2007 by Rhino Entertainment. In its first week of release, the album sold 21,000 copies in the United States and debuted at number 54 on the Billboard 200 Chart.[14]

Blabbermouth's Scott Alisoglu said that "you can't go wrong with plunking down the bucks for "The Dio Years", but if you really want to know what that lineup was all about, then pick up Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules."[15]

[edit] UK Tour Edition

Before the Heaven and Hell tour of the UK in November 2007, a special edition release of The Dio Years was released on November 5 - Black Sabbath: The Dio Years Tour Edition to commemorate the tour. This CD, only to be in print for a limited time, features four songs from the Live at Hammersmith Odeon limited edition live album recently released by Black Sabbath. The four songs, recoreded live in 1981 during Black Sabbath's "Mob Rules Tour" are "Neon Knights", "The Mob Rules", "Children of the Grave" and "Voodoo".

[edit] Track listing

All songs were written by Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler, except where noted.

  1. "Neon Knights" (Dio, Iommi, Butler, Bill Ward) - 3:51
  2. "Lady Evil" (Dio, Iommi, Butler, Ward) - 4:23
    • Originally from Heaven and Hell
  3. "Heaven and Hell" (Dio, Iommi, Butler, Ward) - 6:59
    • Originally from Heaven and Hell
  4. "Die Young" (Dio, Iommi, Butler, Ward) - 4:44
    • Originally from Heaven and Hell
  5. "Lonely is the Word" - 5:50
    • Originally from Heaven and Hell
  6. "The Mob Rules" - 3:13
  7. "Turn Up the Night" - 3:42
    • Originally from Mob Rules
  8. "Voodoo" - 4:32
    • Originally from Mob Rules
  9. "Falling Off the Edge of the World" - 5:03
    • Originally from Mob Rules
  10. "After All (The Dead)" - 5:42
  11. "TV Crimes" - 4:02
    • Originally from Dehumanizer
  12. "I" - 5:12
    • Originally from Dehumanizer
  13. "Children of the Sea" (live) (Dio, Iommi, Butler, Ward) - 6:12
  14. "The Devil Cried" (Dio, Iommi) - 6:01
  15. "Shadow of the Wind" (Dio, Iommi) - 5:40
  16. "Ear in the Wall" (Dio, Iommi) - 4:04

[edit] UK Tour Edition bonus CD

  1. Neon Knights (Dio, Iommi, Butler, Ward) (Live)
  2. The Mob Rules (Dio, Iommi, Butler) (Live)
  3. Children of the Grave (Dio, Iommi, Butler, Ward) (Live)
  4. Voodoo (Dio, Iommi, Butler) (Live)

[edit] Personnel

[edit] Charts

[edit] Singles

Year Single Chart Position
2007 "The Devil Cried" Mainstream Rock Tracks 37

[edit] References

  1. ^ Bravewords.com > News
  2. ^ Black Sabbath News: The Devil Cried Single
  3. ^ RONNIE JAMES DIO To Collaborate With TONY IOMMI On New BLACK SABBATH Project. Blabbermouth.net (2005-10-23). Retrieved on 2008-03-07.
  4. ^ a b TONY IOMMI Comments On Possible Collaboration With RONNIE JAMES DIO. Blabbermouth.net (2005-10-26). Retrieved on 2008-03-23.
  5. ^ a b RONNIE JAMES DIO Collaborating With TONY IOMMI On New BLACK SABBATH Material. Blabbermouth.net (2006-04-12). Retrieved on 2008-03-24.
  6. ^ Felix, David (2006-04-27). Interview with Ronnie James Dio. Rockeyez.com. Retrieved on 2008-03-24.
  7. ^ a b RONNIE JAMES DIO On BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW Reunion Rumors, Upcoming DIO CD. Blabbermouth.net (2006-08-23). Retrieved on 2008-03-23.
  8. ^ a b RONNIE JAMES DIO Has No Plans To Rejoin BLACK SABBATH. Blabbermouth.net (2006-04-14). Retrieved on 2008-03-24.
  9. ^ Prato, Greg (2006-04-24). Dio Unleashes Live Album, Makes Acting Debut. Billboard.com. Retrieved on 2008-03-24.
  10. ^ a b VINNY APPICE: New BLACK SABBATH Songs Are 'Very, Very Heavy, But A Little Bit More Modern'. Blabbermouth.net (2006-12-10). Retrieved on 2008-04-19.
  11. ^ BILL WARD Confirms He Is Not Involved With HEAVEN AND HELL Project. Blabbermouth.net (2006-11-26). Retrieved on 2008-04-19.
  12. ^ Exclusive: HEAVEN AND HELL Recruits VINNY APPICE For Upcoming Tour, SABBATH Collection. Blabbermouth.net (2006-11-23). Retrieved on 2008-04-19.
  13. ^ VINNY APPICE: New BLACK SABBATH Songs Are 'Very, Very Heavy, But A Little Bit More Modern'. Blabbermouth.net (2006-12-10). Retrieved on 2008-04-21.
  14. ^ BLACK SABBATH, SHADOWS FALL, STATIC-X First-Week Sales Revealed. Blabbermouth.net (2007-04-11). Retrieved on 2008-03-23.
  15. ^ Alisoglu, Scott. Blabbermouth Review - The Dio Years. Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved on 2008-03-23.