Heaven and Hell (band)
Encyclopedia
Heaven & Hell were an English and American heavy metal
supergroup
active from 2006 to 2010. The band was a collaboration featuring Black Sabbath
members Tony Iommi
and Geezer Butler
along with former members Ronnie James Dio
and Vinny Appice
.
The four members of Heaven & Hell recorded and toured together as Black Sabbath from 1980 to 1982, and again from 1991 to 1992. After the foursome reunited to record three new songs for the 2006 compilation album, Black Sabbath: The Dio Years
, they embarked on a 2007–2008 tour. Iommi, owner of the Black Sabbath name, decided to call the touring group Heaven & Hell to differentiate the project from the Ozzy Osbourne
-led Black Sabbath. The moniker was taken from the first Dio-fronted Black Sabbath album, Heaven and Hell
.
The group disbanded following Dio's death from stomach cancer
in 2010.
, Ronnie James Dio revealed his plans to work with Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi once again. He stated that two songs would be penned, and were to feature on a "project" entitled Black Sabbath - The Dio Years. Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward were initially named as the rhythm section completing the project. At Iommi's behest, the group rebranded themselves Heaven & Hell to differentiate this incarnation from the Osbourne-fronted Black Sabbath which was then only on a hiatus. However, for The Dio Years - for which the band would end up recording three new songs rather than two - the band continued to use the Black Sabbath name.
Ward, who performed on the 1980 Heaven and Hell album and the first half of the tour, ultimately declined to be band's drummer before they recorded, citing musical differences. His departure made way for a reunion of the other Dio-fronted Black Sabbath lineup which included journeyman drummer Vinny Appice. Appice had replaced Ward midway through the original Heaven and Hell tour in 1980, and he remained the Black Sabbath drummer for two years coinciding with Dio's tenure in the band from 1980 to 1982, and again when Dio reunited with the band in 1991 and 1992. He also backed the Osbourne-led version of the group briefly in 1998 while Ward was ill.
Following the recording of three new tracks for Black Sabbath – The Dio Years, the group embarked on a 2007 tour
. This tour was voted "Comeback of the Year" at the Classic Rock Roll of Honour awards by readers of Classic Rock
.
to produce Magica II and Magica III, sequels to their 2000 album Magica
, while Appice would continue with his project 3 Legged Dogg. However, in a March 2007 interview, Dio and Iommi stated that while they were both tied to separate contractual commitments in 2008, neither would discount the possibility of future collaborations; six months later, the band members announced their decision to continue their collaboration and record and release a new album in 2008.
In August 2008, they took part in the Metal Masters Tour
alongside Judas Priest
, Motörhead and Testament
.
On 28 April 2009, the band released the studio album The Devil You Know, containing the single "Bible Black
". The subsequent promotional tour, the Bible Black Tour, spanned from 5 May 2009 to 29 August 2009 and featured supporting act Coheed and Cambria
. It saw stops at the Sweden Rock Festival
, the Hellfest
in France, the Wâldrock Festival in Holland, the Wacken Open Air
and the Sonisphere Festival in Knebworth, UK. The tour's final show in Atlantic City, New Jersey
, USA would prove to be Dio's final public performance.
The band was slated to tour in support of Iron Maiden in Europe from July to August 2010. However, on 4 May, the tour was canceled due to Dio's ill health. Dio died from this illness on 16 May 2010 at 7:45 A.M. (CDT).
The three surviving members performed a tribute set to Dio as Heaven & Hell at the High Voltage Festival
on 24 July 2010 with two guest vocalists: former Black Sabbath and Deep Purple
vocalist Glenn Hughes and Norwegian singer Jørn Lande
of Masterplan. All of the proceeds from the event went towards the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund. This concert was announced as the final performance under the Heaven & Hell moniker.
The posthumous live album Neon Nights: 30 Years of Heaven & Hell
was released on November 16, 2010. It was recorded in Germany at the Wacken Open Air festival on July 30, 2009.
Live members
Live albums
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
supergroup
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
active from 2006 to 2010. The band was a collaboration featuring Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
members Tony Iommi
Tony Iommi
Anthony Frank "Tony" Iommi is an English guitarist and songwriter best known as the founding member of pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, and its sole continual member through multiple personnel changes.Iommi is widely recognised as one of the most important and influential guitarists in...
and Geezer Butler
Geezer Butler
Geezer Butler is an English musician and songwriter. Butler is best known as the bassist and lyricist of heavy metal band Black Sabbath. He was also involved in Heaven & Hell from 2006 to 2010.-Career:Butler formed his first band, Rare Breed, with old friend John "Ozzy" Osbourne in the autumn of...
along with former members Ronnie James Dio
Ronnie James Dio
Ronald James Padavona , better known as Ronnie James Dio, was an American heavy metal vocalist and songwriter. He performed with, amongst others, Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell, and his own band Dio, which means God in Italian. Other musical projects include the collective fundraiser...
and Vinny Appice
Vinny Appice
Vincent Samson Appice , also known as Vinny Appice is a rock drummer of American Italian descent and the younger brother of drummer Carmine Appice...
.
The four members of Heaven & Hell recorded and toured together as Black Sabbath from 1980 to 1982, and again from 1991 to 1992. After the foursome reunited to record three new songs for the 2006 compilation album, Black Sabbath: The Dio Years
Black Sabbath: The Dio Years
Black Sabbath: The Dio Years is a 2007 compilation CD of material from recordings made during vocalist Ronnie James Dio's tenure in the band. The CD contains full album length, remastered tracks culled from all three studio albums; Heaven and Hell , Mob Rules , Dehumanizer , and the live album Live...
, they embarked on a 2007–2008 tour. Iommi, owner of the Black Sabbath name, decided to call the touring group Heaven & Hell to differentiate the project from the Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
-led Black Sabbath. The moniker was taken from the first Dio-fronted Black Sabbath album, Heaven and Hell
Heaven and Hell (Black Sabbath album)
Heaven and Hell is the ninth studio album by British heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released in April 1980. This is their first album featuring Ronnie James Dio, and first with producer Martin Birch.-Album information:...
.
The group disbanded following Dio's death from stomach cancer
Stomach cancer
Gastric cancer, commonly referred to as stomach cancer, can develop in any part of the stomach and may spread throughout the stomach and to other organs; particularly the esophagus, lungs, lymph nodes, and the liver...
in 2010.
Formation and early days (2005–2006)
In an October 2005 interview with the programme "Masters of Rock", aired on BBC Radio 2BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
, Ronnie James Dio revealed his plans to work with Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi once again. He stated that two songs would be penned, and were to feature on a "project" entitled Black Sabbath - The Dio Years. Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler and drummer Bill Ward were initially named as the rhythm section completing the project. At Iommi's behest, the group rebranded themselves Heaven & Hell to differentiate this incarnation from the Osbourne-fronted Black Sabbath which was then only on a hiatus. However, for The Dio Years - for which the band would end up recording three new songs rather than two - the band continued to use the Black Sabbath name.
Ward, who performed on the 1980 Heaven and Hell album and the first half of the tour, ultimately declined to be band's drummer before they recorded, citing musical differences. His departure made way for a reunion of the other Dio-fronted Black Sabbath lineup which included journeyman drummer Vinny Appice. Appice had replaced Ward midway through the original Heaven and Hell tour in 1980, and he remained the Black Sabbath drummer for two years coinciding with Dio's tenure in the band from 1980 to 1982, and again when Dio reunited with the band in 1991 and 1992. He also backed the Osbourne-led version of the group briefly in 1998 while Ward was ill.
Following the recording of three new tracks for Black Sabbath – The Dio Years, the group embarked on a 2007 tour
Heaven and Hell 2007 Tour
The Heaven and Hell 2007 Tour was a global concert tour by Heaven & Hell in support of Black Sabbath's The Dio Years compilation CD.-History:...
. This tour was voted "Comeback of the Year" at the Classic Rock Roll of Honour awards by readers of Classic Rock
Classic Rock (magazine)
Classic Rock is a British magazine dedicated to the radio format of classic rock, published by Future Publishing, who are also responsible for its "sister" publication Metal Hammer. Although firmly focusing on key bands from the 1960s through early 1990s, it also includes articles and reviews of...
.
The Devil You Know (2007–2009)
Initially, the members had stated that their 2007 tour was a one-off and had expressed their intentions to go their separate ways at its conclusion. Dio planned to return to his eponymous bandDio (band)
Dio was an American heavy metal band from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Formed in 1982 and led by vocalist Ronnie James Dio, after he left Black Sabbath with intentions to form a new band with fellow former Black Sabbath member, drummer Vinny Appice. Naming the band Dio made sense from a commercial...
to produce Magica II and Magica III, sequels to their 2000 album Magica
Magica (album)
Magica is Dio's eighth studio album. It is a concept album and it was released on March 21, 2000, through Spitfire Records. A 2007 re-release puts Magica together with Killing the Dragon....
, while Appice would continue with his project 3 Legged Dogg. However, in a March 2007 interview, Dio and Iommi stated that while they were both tied to separate contractual commitments in 2008, neither would discount the possibility of future collaborations; six months later, the band members announced their decision to continue their collaboration and record and release a new album in 2008.
In August 2008, they took part in the Metal Masters Tour
Metal Masters Tour
The Metal Masters Tour was a short 2008 American and Canadian concert tour featuring Judas Priest, Motörhead, Heaven & Hell, and Testament.Heaven & Hell, Motörhead, Judas Priest, and Testament used the three-week arena tour to support their recent albums The Rules of Hell, Motörizer, Nostradamus,...
alongside Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
, Motörhead and Testament
Testament (band)
Testament is an American metal band from Berkeley, California, formed in 1983. They are often credited as one of the most popular bands of the 1980s thrash metal scene...
.
On 28 April 2009, the band released the studio album The Devil You Know, containing the single "Bible Black
Bible Black (song)
"Bible Black" is a song by heavy metal band Heaven & Hell from their 2009 album, The Devil You Know. The song was premiered on 20 March 2009 by Eddie Trunk.-Details:...
". The subsequent promotional tour, the Bible Black Tour, spanned from 5 May 2009 to 29 August 2009 and featured supporting act Coheed and Cambria
Coheed and Cambria
Coheed and Cambria is an American progressive rock band from Nyack, New York. Formed in 1995, the group incorporates aspects of progressive rock, punk rock, metal and post-hardcore....
. It saw stops at the Sweden Rock Festival
Sweden Rock Festival
Sweden Rock Festival is an annual rock/metal festival held in Sweden since 6 June 1992. While having a clear rock/metal focus, the festival is noted for its diversity across these genres, having featured southern rock bands such as Molly Hatchet to death metal legends like Obituary.The first...
, the Hellfest
Hellfest Summer Open Air
Hellfest is an annual music festival which takes place in Clisson, France in mid-June. It is held within the Val de Moine sport complex in Clisson, approximately 35 km south-east of the city of Nantes, and approximately 400 km south-west of the nation's capital Paris. Billed as an "extreme music...
in France, the Wâldrock Festival in Holland, the Wacken Open Air
Wacken Open Air
Wacken Open Air is a summer open air heavy metal music festival. It takes place annually in the small town of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany...
and the Sonisphere Festival in Knebworth, UK. The tour's final show in Atlantic City, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, USA would prove to be Dio's final public performance.
Dio's illness and death; band dissolution (2009–2010)
In November 2009, Dio was diagnosed with stomach cancer. Prognoses were initially favorable, however, and the band planned further activity following a brief period of rest for the singer.The band was slated to tour in support of Iron Maiden in Europe from July to August 2010. However, on 4 May, the tour was canceled due to Dio's ill health. Dio died from this illness on 16 May 2010 at 7:45 A.M. (CDT).
The three surviving members performed a tribute set to Dio as Heaven & Hell at the High Voltage Festival
High Voltage Festival
High Voltage is a music festival held in Victoria Park, London. The event hosts artists from various strands of rock music, including classic rock, progressive rock, and heavy metal. The first festival was held on the 24 and 25 July 2010...
on 24 July 2010 with two guest vocalists: former Black Sabbath and Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
vocalist Glenn Hughes and Norwegian singer Jørn Lande
Jørn Lande
Jørn Lande is a Norwegian hard rock and heavy metal singer who has sold over 2 million records worldwide. He is probably best known for being the lead singer of the power metal band Masterplan.-Biography:...
of Masterplan. All of the proceeds from the event went towards the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund. This concert was announced as the final performance under the Heaven & Hell moniker.
The posthumous live album Neon Nights: 30 Years of Heaven & Hell
Neon Nights: 30 Years of Heaven & Hell
- DVD Tracklist :- Personnel :* Ronnie James Dio - vocals* Tony Iommi - lead guitar* Geezer Butler - bass* Vinny Appice - drums* Scott Warren - keyboards, rhythm guitar- References :...
was released on November 16, 2010. It was recorded in Germany at the Wacken Open Air festival on July 30, 2009.
Band members
- Ronnie James DioRonnie James DioRonald James Padavona , better known as Ronnie James Dio, was an American heavy metal vocalist and songwriter. He performed with, amongst others, Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, Heaven & Hell, and his own band Dio, which means God in Italian. Other musical projects include the collective fundraiser...
– lead vocals, keyboards (2006–2010) - Tony IommiTony IommiAnthony Frank "Tony" Iommi is an English guitarist and songwriter best known as the founding member of pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, and its sole continual member through multiple personnel changes.Iommi is widely recognised as one of the most important and influential guitarists in...
– guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
(2006–2010) - Geezer ButlerGeezer ButlerGeezer Butler is an English musician and songwriter. Butler is best known as the bassist and lyricist of heavy metal band Black Sabbath. He was also involved in Heaven & Hell from 2006 to 2010.-Career:Butler formed his first band, Rare Breed, with old friend John "Ozzy" Osbourne in the autumn of...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(2006–2010) - Vinny AppiceVinny AppiceVincent Samson Appice , also known as Vinny Appice is a rock drummer of American Italian descent and the younger brother of drummer Carmine Appice...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion (2006–2010)
Live members
- Scott WarrenScott WarrenScott Warren was the latest keyboardist for heavy metal band Dio and Heaven & Hell.Scott is a self taught keysman, he begin playing at age 6...
– keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
(offstage) (2007–2010) - Glenn Hughes – lead vocals (2010, Ronnie James Dio tribute show only)
- Jørn LandeJørn LandeJørn Lande is a Norwegian hard rock and heavy metal singer who has sold over 2 million records worldwide. He is probably best known for being the lead singer of the power metal band Masterplan.-Biography:...
– lead vocals (2010, Ronnie James Dio tribute show only)
Discography
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
AUT Ö3 Austria Top 40 Ö3 Austria Top 40 is the name of the official Austrian singles chart, as well as the radio show which presents it, aired Fridays on Hitradio Ö3. The show presents the Austrian singles, ringtones and downloads chart. It premiered on 26 November 1968 as Disc Parade and was presented by Ernst Grissemann... |
CAN Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS... |
FIN |
GER Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
NOR VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
SWE Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
SWI Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
UK UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
|||
| 2009 | The Devil You Know
|
8 | 37 | 24 | 5 | 17 | 15 | 36 | 31 | 21 | |
Live albums
| Year | Title | CD | DVD | RIAA Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States... certification Music recording sales certification Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,... |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Live from Radio City Music Hall Live from Radio City Music Hall Live from Radio City Music Hall is a double album by the supergroup Heaven & Hell which was released in 2007. The set is a chronicle of the group's performance on March 30, 2007 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.... |
99 | X | Gold Longform Video |
| 2010 | Neon Nights: 30 Years of Heaven & Hell Neon Nights: 30 Years of Heaven & Hell - DVD Tracklist :- Personnel :* Ronnie James Dio - vocals* Tony Iommi - lead guitar* Geezer Butler - bass* Vinny Appice - drums* Scott Warren - keyboards, rhythm guitar- References :... |
Discography as "Black Sabbath"
| Album details | Notes | Certifications |
|---|---|---|
| Heaven and Hell Heaven and Hell (Black Sabbath album) Heaven and Hell is the ninth studio album by British heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released in April 1980. This is their first album featuring Ronnie James Dio, and first with producer Martin Birch.-Album information:...
|
Although Vinny Appice does not appear in this album, it is crucial to the Heaven & Hell formation, and is the inspiration of the name of the band. | |
| Mob Rules
|
The debut album from the complete Heaven & Hell line up. | |
| Live Evil
Compact Disc The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,... , LP Gramophone record A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove... |
First live Black Sabbath album with Heaven & Hell lineup. | |
| Dehumanizer Dehumanizer Dehumanizer is the sixteenth studio album by British heavy metal band Black Sabbath, released in June 1992.It was the first Black Sabbath studio album in over a decade to feature Ronnie James Dio on vocals and Vinny Appice on drums. It is also the first in nine years to feature original bassist... |
Last studio album as Black Sabbath from Heaven & Hell lineup. | |
| The Dio Years Black Sabbath: The Dio Years Black Sabbath: The Dio Years is a 2007 compilation CD of material from recordings made during vocalist Ronnie James Dio's tenure in the band. The CD contains full album length, remastered tracks culled from all three studio albums; Heaven and Hell , Mob Rules , Dehumanizer , and the live album Live... |
Although it was a compilation, this album included three new songs, at least two of which they have played live while touring under the name "Heaven & Hell". |