4. Heaven And Hell (1980)

“Oh no/ Here it comes again.” The first line of “Neon Knights” could be referring to Black Sabbath. Their career was waning after two lackluster albums with Osbourne. Heaven And Hell was their rebirth. For many kids who grew up in the 80s it was their introduction to Black Sabbath before they worked their way back through the catalog.

When Osbourne was fired, Sabbath teamed with former Elf and Rainbow frontman Ronnie James Dio. It was an instant match. Heaven And Hell doesn’t just rank among the best Sabbath records; it’s one of the best metal releases ever. Dio’s voice fit Iommi’s playing and Sabbath’s style perfectly and his range allowed Iommi, Butler, and a succession of drummers (Ward and then Vinnie Appice) to explore directions not possible with Osbourne.

The lyrics changed; there’s more fantasy here. But Sabbath was still a band about big ideas: “Heaven And Hell” is about how fickle life is, offering both and pleasure and pain, and “Children Of The Sea” is an environmental plea well before the term “climate change” was introduced. Dio’s voice throughout is majestic — it might be the best performance in a career that pushed what was possible for metal vocals (along with Judas Priest’s Rob Halford and Iron Maiden’s Bruce Dickinson).

Iommi’s riffs on Heaven And Hell stand next to those on the first four Sabbath albums, and his soloing is fluid. Ward played on the record but reportedly was so mired in alcoholism that he can’t remember recording it. Instinct must have kicked in because his playing here is, again, amazing. Heaven And Hell is a mandatory album from a retooled Sabbath lineup.