Heaven and Hell

Heaven and Hell is the ninth studio album by Black Sabbath, released in 1980. This is their first album featuring Ronnie James Dio, and first with producer Martin Birch.

Heaven and Hell became one of Black Sabbath’s best-selling albums, revitalising Sabbath’s fortunes after what many saw as the death of the group following original lead singer Ozzy Osbourne’s departure. The album was rereleased in the Black Sabbath box set The Rules of Hell.

The album was quite successful, becoming their highest charting album (#9 UK, #28 USA) since 1975’s Sabotage and the third highest selling album of Black Sabbath. Ronnie James Dio himself cites the title track as his over-all personal favourite song of his career, the one of which he feels most proud.

This was the first album after singer Ozzy Osbourne was fired from the band and replaced with Ronnie James Dio. Geoff Nicholls of Quartz also joined the band as a possible replacement for Geezer Butler who had not been around through most of the writing sessions and was going through a divorce at the time. When Butler decided to stay with the group, Nicholls switched to keyboards. Nicholls remained as Black Sabbath’s keyboard player for over twenty years, usually playing live shows from off-stage.

Drummer Bill Ward completed this album, but drinking and other personal factors would eventually lead him to drop out of the subsequent tour. His mid-tour replacement Vinny Appice would become an official member.