Heaven & Hell (band)
| Company type | Supergroup |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2006 |
| Defunct | 2010 |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom / United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, Ronnie James Dio, Vinny Appice |
| Products | Heavy metal music, studio album, live performances |
Heaven & Hell was a British-American heavy metal supergroup active between 2006 and 2010, composed of guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Geezer Butler, vocalist Ronnie James Dio, and drummer Vinny Appice. This lineup was responsible for the Black Sabbath albums Mob Rules (1981) and Dehumanizer (1992). The band's name was inspired by the 1980 Black Sabbath album Heaven and Hell, which marked Dio's debut as their lead singer.
Following their reunion to record three new tracks for the 2007 compilation Black Sabbath: The Dio Years, the group toured during 2007–2008 under the name Heaven & Hell. Tony Iommi explained that adopting this name helped distinguish this ensemble from the Ozzy Osbourne-fronted version of Black Sabbath, which had been active since 1997, emphasizing that Heaven & Hell concentrated solely on material from the Dio era.
The band released a single studio album, The Devil You Know, in 2009. They disbanded after Dio passed away from stomach cancer in 2010.
Formation and early period (2005–2006)
In October 2005, Ronnie James Dio announced intentions to reunite with Tony Iommi on a project titled Black Sabbath – The Dio Years, initially planned to include two new songs. Bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward were originally involved; however, at Iommi’s suggestion, the group adopted the name Heaven & Hell to set themselves apart from the Osbourne-led Black Sabbath. Despite this, the compilation retained the Black Sabbath branding.
Ward, who had contributed to the original Heaven and Hell album and its early tour dates, opted out due to creative differences. Consequently, drummer Vinny Appice returned to the fold; he had replaced Ward during the initial 1980 tour and contributed to the Dio-era Black Sabbath albums throughout the early 1980s and 1990s.
After recording three new tracks for The Dio Years, Heaven & Hell embarked on their 2007 tour, which was honored as "Comeback of the Year" by readers of Classic Rock.
The Devil You Know (2007–2009)
Originally, the 2007 tour was conceived as a singular event with members intending to focus on individual projects: Dio planned to work on Magica II and Magica III with his own band, while Appice concentrated on his group 3 Legged Dogg. Nevertheless, in March 2007, Dio and Iommi hinted at further collaborations despite their separate contractual obligations for 2008. Half a year later, they confirmed their intention to continue working together by recording a new album. In August, they participated in the Metal Masters Tour alongside acts such as Judas Priest, Motörhead, and Testament.
On 28 April 2009, Heaven & Hell issued their studio album The Devil You Know, which included the single "Bible Black". The Bible Black Tour spanned from 5 May to 29 August and featured support from Coheed and Cambria. The band performed at prominent festivals including Sweden Rock Festival, France’s Hellfest, Wâldrock Festival in the Netherlands, Wacken Open Air, and Sonisphere Festival at Knebworth in the United Kingdom. The tour concluded in Atlantic City, New Jersey, marking Ronnie James Dio's final live appearance.
Dio's illness and the band's dissolution (2009–2010)
In November 2009, Ronnie James Dio received a diagnosis of stomach cancer. Early medical assessments were optimistic, leading the band to plan additional activities following a short hiatus for Dio's recovery. They had arranged a European tour alongside Iron Maiden from July to August; however, this tour was cancelled on 4 May due to Dio’s declining health. Sadly, he passed away from the disease on 16 May 2010 at the age of 67.
On 24 July 2010, the three remaining members honored Dio with a final Heaven & Hell performance at the High Voltage Festival, featuring guest singers Glenn Hughes and Jørn Lande. Phil Anselmo, formerly of Pantera and Down, also made a brief appearance during "Neon Knights." Funds raised from this event were donated to the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund. Later that year, on 16 November, the live album Neon Nights: 30 Years of Heaven & Hell, recorded at Germany’s Wacken Open Air festival in July 2009, was released posthumously.
Following Heaven & Hell's disbandment in March 2011, Vinny Appice joined Kill Devil Hill alongside ex-Pantera bassist Rex Brown. Meanwhile, in November 2011, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler revived Black Sabbath with original vocalist Ozzy Osbourne, announcing plans for a global tour and a new album produced by Rick Rubin. This collaboration resulted in the release of Black Sabbath’s album 13 in June 2013.
Band members
Former
- Ronnie James Dio – lead vocals, keyboards (2006–2010; deceased)
- Tony Iommi – guitar (2006–2010)
- Geezer Butler – bass guitar (2006–2010)
- Bill Ward – drums, percussion (2006)
- Vinny Appice – drums, percussion (2006–2010)
Live
- Scott Warren – keyboards (offstage) (2007–2010)
- Jørn Lande – vocals (2010)
- Glenn Hughes – vocals (2010)
Discography
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | AUT | CAN | FIN | GER | JPN | NOR | SWE | SWI | UK | ||
| The Devil You Know |
|
8 | 37 | 24 | 5 | 17 | 28 | 15 | 8 | 31 | 21 |
- Live albums
| Recorded | Released | Title | CD | DVD | RIAA certification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 30, 2007 | 2007 | Live from Radio City Music Hall | 99 | X | Gold Longform Video |
| 2009 Wacken Festival in Germany | 2010 | Neon Nights: 30 Years of Heaven & Hell |
Discography as Black Sabbath
| Album Information | Remarks | Certifications |
|---|---|---|
Heaven and Hell
|
This album features the original Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward; following his departure in 1980, Vinny Appice took over drumming duties. | Gold (UK) Platinum (US) Gold (Canada) |
Mob Rules
|
Marks the first studio work with the lineup that subsequently evolved into Heaven & Hell. | Silver (UK) Gold (US) Gold (Canada) |
Live Evil
|
The initial live album showcasing the group formation that later became Heaven & Hell. | |
Dehumanizer
|
The final studio album by Black Sabbath featuring both Dio and Appice. | |
The Dio Years
|
A compilation album including three new songs that were subsequently performed by Heaven & Hell. | |
Live at Hammersmith Odeon
|
Recorded during 1981–82 and released in 2007 to coincide with the Heaven & Hell reunion. Limited to 5000 copies; later included in the 2010 Deluxe Edition of Mob Rules. |