"BLACK SABBATH: The Dio Years" info revealed

- Feb. 8, 2007



Together for a short but memorable time — a trio of studio albums, a
classic live album, and a couple of tours — the second coming of BLACK
SABBATH began in 1979 when founding members Tony Iommi and Terry
"Geezer" Butler were joined by Ronnie James Dio. The former singer of
ELF (and later RAINBOW and DIO) added his fiery, demonic howl to the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group's crushing mix of iconic riffs, gloomy
grooves and doom-soaked imagery.


In late 2006 Dio, Iommi and Butler, joined by drummer Vinny Appice,
reunited to record three new songs for Rhino Records' era-spanning
collection, "Black Sabbath: The Dio Years". These recording sessions
went so well that the quartet — billed as HEAVEN AND HELL — will launch
a highly anticipated world tour this spring. The group will play a
dozen dates in Canada in March before taking the stage of the famed
Radio City Music Hall in New York City on March 30 to play their only
U.S. date until the band launches a full tour of the States later this
year.


The first comprehensive introduction to the band's legacy, "Black
Sabbath: The Dio Years" features a dozen classic studio recordings,
plus one live track — "Children Of The Sea" from 1982's "Live Evil".
The collection also contains the three brand-new tracks — "The Devil
Cried", "Shadow Of The Wind", and "Ear In The Wall". The disc will be
available April 3 at all physical retail outlets and at www.rhino.com
for a suggested list price of $18.98. The album will also be available
at all digital retail outlets for a suggested retail price of $11.99.


Arranged chronologically, the compilation spotlights Dio's time
with BLACK SABBATH and draws heavily from the lineup's 1980 debut and
1981 follow-up, "Heaven and Hell" and "Mob Rules" respectively.
Recognized as back-to-back metal classics, the albums feature such
signature songs as the title tracks, "Neon Knights", "Die Young", "Turn
Up The Night" and "Voodoo". "The Dio Years" also features "After All
(The Dead)", "TV Crimes" and "I" from the singer's brief reunion with
SABBATH for the "Dehumanizer" album and tour.


On May 1, Rhino Handmade will release "Black Sabbath: Live At
Hammersmith Odeon", which features Dio, Iommi, Butler and Appice
getting hot one December night in London during SABBATH's 1981 tour for
"Mob Rules". Previously unreleased, the concert spotlights SABBATH as
they storm through 14 of the Dio-era's best including "Neon Knights",
"Heaven And Hell", "Children Of The Sea" and "Country Girl". The band
also performs several pre-Dio classics, including "Paranoid", "Children
Of The Grave" and a white-hot version of "War Pigs". The album will be
available from Rhino Handmade as an individually numbered limited
edition of 5,000 copies, available only at www.rhinohandmade.com for a suggested retail price of $19.98.



"Black Sabbath: The Dio Years" track listing:

01. Neon Knights

02. Lady Evil

03. Heaven And Hell

04. Die Young

05. Lonely Is The Word

06. The Mob Rules

07. Turn Up The Night

08. Voodoo

09. Falling Off The Edge Of The World

10. After All (The Dead)

11. TV Crimes

12. I

13. Children Of The Sea - Live

14. The Devil Cried*

15. Shadow Of The Wind*

16. Ear In The Wall*


* Newly recorded tracks


"Black Sabbath: Live at Hammersmith Odeon" track listing:


01. E5150

02. Neon Knights

03. N.I.B.

04. Children Of The Sea

05. Country Girl

06. Black Sabbath

07. War Pigs

08. Slipping Away

09. Iron Man

10. The Mob Rules

11. Heaven And Hell

12. Paranoid

13. Voodoo

14. Children Of The Grave


All selections previously unissued

Why does the live album have to be so dang limited. Those will be gone in no time.

So the Dio Years is a single disc collection? I thought it was to be a box set with a book.

ultmetal wrote:

So the Dio Years is a single disc collection? I thought it was to be a box set with a book.

So did I. All the Dio years albums plus the live/new song thing...