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 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."
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.