When Black Sabbath parted ways with Ozzy in 1979, it could have all gone badly wrong for them. Instead, with Ronnie James Dio, fresh from Rainbow, they returned rejuvenated with a brace of albums that helped redefine rock and metal in the 80s. Two further studio albums followed, including one under their new moniker, Heaven & Hell.
Black Sabbath The Dio Years looks at the three different Dio eras with every album and track put under the microscope, including all of the live albums and bonus tracks. The band's narrative is often murky, especially in the year leading up to the release of their debut, Heaven And Hell. For the first time, this period is examined carefully to establish the correct sequence of events.
Contributing to the book are three men who were involved in the production and engineering of the records- Joe Foglia, Mike Exeter and Wyn Davis. Each offers new insight into the band's working processes at the time. Greg Hildebrandt also contributes the chilling story behind his painting, 'Mob Dream', which became the cover for Mob Rules.
Chris Sutton is the manager of Smethwick Heritage Centre, UK, for whom he has written several publications. This is his seventh book for Sonicbond, following on from books on AC/DC, Sparks and two on Alice Cooper, as well as Black Sabbath in the 1970s. He is also a regular contributor to PowerPlay magazine and has contributed to a TV documentary on Alice Cooper.