Live from Radio City Music Hall Reviews

• Heaven & Hell (Aka Black Sabbath) Smoke On This 2-Cd Set!

  
  By A2N0YUO6W311EE on 2007-08-29
  If you think that Ronnie James Dio, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler & Vinnie Appice are all old timers and are all washed up, just one listen to this double cd set will erase that thought very quickly. From the opening song - the errie "E5150/After All The Dead" you know these guys are definately for real and can easily blow most of today's rock groups right off stage. The energy level is high and the songs are played to perfection. Singer Ronnie James Dio still sounds great and does an excellent job interacting with the audience. Lead guitarist Tony Iommi has lost none of his punch and his licks are awesome to say the least. The sound he gets out of his Gibson SG's is Iommi's trademark - he truely is the innovator of that classic Black Sabbath sound. Bassist Geezer Butler's playing adds the perfect bottom end to the band's brand of metal. Last, Vinnie Appice really adds to the band with his solid performance behind the drumkit. The songs as one would expect, are from the Dio Black Sabbath years. There are fifteen tracks including such classics as "Neon Knights", "The Mob Rules", "Lady Evil", "Children Of The Sea", "Heaven & Hell", "I", "The Sign Of The Southern Cross", "The Devil Creed" & "The Shadow Of The Wind" (both are new songs included on Black Sabbath "The Dio Years"), "Computer God" plus more. This recording is so good it makes one feel as though he or she is right in the front row seats at New York's Radio City Music Hall. For the serious rock collector Rhino Handmade offers this 2-cd set combined with the dvd, a copy of a backstage pass, tickets, pics all in a nice case directly from their website.
  
  

• WOW, DIO RULES, more than ever imagined,

  
  By A38QEATH3NODFM on 2007-08-29
  Just when I had written Dio off as being old an worn out(Holy Diver Live), He completly blows me away in this DVD (CD). Absolutely Amazing. Tony Iommi is absolutely top notch, Geezer just grinds out the bassline, and Vinnie pounds the skins like a Madman. When this whole "reunion" thing was being tossed around, I was having images of the mismanaged Dehumanizer shows. Then I heard "And the Devil Cried"...and I knew this was the real thing. I am the biggest Ozzy fan alive, but this DVD/CD absolutely solidified the Dio years as some of the best Metal music produced. This is a must have for Sabbath fans, and any metal Fan.
  
  
  

• The real Sabbath!!

  
  By A20DZX38KRBIT8 on 2007-09-08
  At long last the real true Sabbath is back together again. This is by far one of the best live metal DVD's ever. The sound is amazing, Iommi, Geezer and Appice playing is off the hook and DIO's vocals are better than ever. The best band ever is finally reunited with it's best line-up ever. Lets pray for a studio album the new tracks rule! \m/\m/
  
  

• Very good, but not as great as I had hoped...

  
  By A27LCALNYYBIBF on 2007-09-12
  This record is as good a live document of the "Heaven and Hell 2007" tour as anyone can possibly ask for. And yet, I can't help but feel that while a very good album, it is not as great as I had hoped. Now, let me elaborate a little before you start sending me death threats (if you still feel like threatening me by the end of the review, that's ok with me, but at least let me finish, then...). As a major Dio-era Sabbath fan, I was very excited to hear that these gentlemen had decided to give these old, criminally underrated songs a few more spins on tour, especially after catching an unbelievable Dio show in July of 2006, where he played quite a few Sabbath gems and blew me (and everybody else in the house, for that matter...) away!
  
  That show really whet my appetite for this reunion tour, as Ronnie sounded fantastic, way better than he does on his "Holy Diver Live" 2CD set (I like that one too, but the show really blew that out the water as well! Yeah, that's how good it was...). It was obvious that they were gonna release a live album for the benefit of all those among us that couldn't make it to a Heaven and Hell show and for those lucky enough to witness the reunion and wanting to relive the experience over and over again, so I was very happy to find out they would release it rather quickly, while still on tour (as opposed to the normal rule of waiting up to a year after a tour is over to release a live album).
  
  Fans and critics unanimously complimented the tour, and I kept a close watch of its evolution: set lists, reviews, interviews, etc. When I read the reviews that detailed the set list, I didn't think that "After All (the dead)" was the best choice for a show opener (dark and powerful, yes, but slow nevertheless), but after listening to the CD, I have to admit that somehow, these guys make it work! The sound of the album is crystal clear and all the more potent because of it, light years away from the muddy production of "Live Evil".
  
  As I kept listening, I was thrilled by the great performances of most songs, even if they had to drop the tuning for the majority of them: I don't care much for downtuning, but the fact is that it is an unavoidable concession to times. I mean, as much as I hate to admit it, Ronnie is no longer a kid...like the Stones said "what a drag it is getting old..." (Mother's Little Helper). Ronnie can still outsing most singers at god only knows what age, Tony's guitar never sounded better (I mean it!), Geezer sounds louder and clearer here than on any other Sabbath album and Vinny is a powerhouse on his own. I think that the structure of the songs, far more sparse and with more room to breathe than the trademark riff fest of the Ozzy-era really helps when playing live, leaving more room for dynamics. Something caught my attention, though: for some reason, some of the songs didn't sound all that great to me. And after listening to the whole thing, I discovered that I liked disc 1 better than disc 2. Most of the songs sound and feel right, but there are a few that, at least for me, don't.
  
  The totally killer rendition "The Mob Rules" is a highlight for sure! Ronnie even manages a huge scream at the beginning of the song that gave me goose bumps! "Children of the Sea" (the opening song at that Dio show that I mentioned earlier) is a classic of hard rock and here it explodes in all of its glory. The next tune, however, made me raise an eyebrow for the first time: "Lady Evil", one of my favorites from their first album, didn't sound quite right for me; it almost felt as if it were a different song...I have no idea why... I was looking forward to hear "I", another one of my favorites (which was also played at the solo show with unbelievable results!), and while I think it is ok, it's not as great as the live version I got to hear...
  
  "The Sign of the Southern Cross" has got to be one of the greatest songs in the Sabbath catalog, period, and yet, the 2 official live releases from this lineup have failed to present it in all of its glory (absent in the "Live at Hammersmith", included in a medley in "Live Evil"). So the guys finally decided to right that wrong, and the result is well worth it, another highlight of the show without a question. Their performance of "Voodoo" is good, but not great, and finally CD1 closes with a monstrous rendition of a new tune, "The Devil Cried", which sits easily among the classics, proving that the song is just as strong as any other from their catalog.
  
  Disc 2 begins with "Computer God", another one of my personal favorites (I absolutely LOVE "Dehumanizer"...), but truth be told, this version didn't cut it for me...I don't know, I guess it lacks a little something, not sure what exactly..."Falling of the Edge of the World" doesn't really improve things for me: first, I would have preferred to hear a different song, such as "Country Girl" or maybe even "Wishing Well", but in addition to that, this version didn't particularly impress me... "Shadow of the Wind", on the other hand, is a classic on its own right: dark, heavy, and powerful, truly worthy of inclusion here. So is "Die Young", one of the live classics of this lineup that kicks butt big time. Probably my biggest disappointment is with the live rendition of "Heaven and Hell": way shorter than the one included in "Live Evil" (that's ok with me), it lacks the feel of the one Ronnie recorded for his "...Diver Live" set.
  
  The last 2 songs of the set are 2 of my favorite Sabbath songs, and that's why they are also 2 big letdowns of this release: both "Lonely is the Word" and the encore "Neon Knights" sound to me almost like totally different songs...and I have no idea why! I'm sure most of you are thinking "this guy is so full of it, he says he doesn't like the songs, but he can't even say why". Well, I've never claimed to be a professional reviewer or critic, I'm just telling you what I...think...no, not really...I'm an instinctive kind of person, I rely on my gut feeling, if something "feels" right to me, great, and if it doesn't, I say it...
  
  Bottom Line, this is a very good package, with a clear, potent sound that is a faithful representation of the show and the tour. I don't like it as much as I thought I would, but I'd still recommend it to those of you who, like me, were unable to catch the band live, and for those who were lucky enough to do so as well. This is a 3 ½ star record at least, and while I would have preferred a 5 star record, I guess this is as close as we're ever gonna get. A must for Dio-era Sabbath fans and recommended listen for everybody else. (There, NOW you can send your death threats...happy?)
  
  
  
  
  

• KEEPING TRUE ROCK ALIVE!!!!

  
  By A1KKEIN4FKTW7W on 2007-08-28
  It is good to know that there are still bands out there keeping it real. Dio will never let true rockers down nor will the rest of the Black Sabbath group. The music now is called "classic rock" but in my heart it is still the only "rock" music out there these days. This is a great, and lenghthy, album clocking in at a little over two hours and they still sound as great as they did back in the days. I would have loved to see this show live but I will have to settle for this album instead. Add to your collection NOW!!!!!!!!
  
  
• Black Sabbath's (and probably Heavy Metal's) most brilliant line-up in all their glory!
  By A1ZBS37Z20HMO5 on 2007-08-30
  I guess it's well known among many Black Sabbath fans that the Dio-lineup was an absolutely brilliant, although unfortunately unstable one, giving us only three studio albums. I am damn sure that they would've produced lots more great stuff if their egos didn't get in the way, and the new songs 'The Devil Cried' and 'Shadow of the Wind' are a testament to that. The tracks performed from this fine classic trilogy of albums (H&H, Mob Rules and Dehumanizer) plus the new material are in excellent form here. I saw one of these Heaven and Hell shows in Toronto earlier this year, and must say that it was one of the best and most powerful concerts I've had the pleasure of seeing in a long time.- This live set (along with the DVD which I also picked up, a real treat!) is worth every penny. A great souvenir of the tour. The sound quality is top notch in it's crispness and clarity. Tony Iommi's guitar playing, Dio's voice, not to mention Vinny's drumming and Geezer's bass are as good as ever. This along with the long out-of-print limited-edition 'Live At Hammersmith' are sonically far superior to the disppointing 'Live Evil'. Anyone into Dio-era Sabbath should not pass this one up! I can just imagine what a new album of studio material form these guys would sound like, if they manage to stick together - and I don't really care whether it's under the B.S. or H&H name either. Oh and, BTW, maybe it's time to give the Ozzy-lineup a permanent rest, as I don't seriously think they'll work out anyway!.
  
  
• Oustanding Performance and a sonic gem!
  By A2GMXOTFI7DZQA on 2007-08-30
  Not an Ozzy song to be found and that's not a bad thing in my opinion. Great set list, crisp-clear-in your face sound. I don't normally write reviews but I was blown away by the performance of these great songs,I especially appreciated hearing the lesser known songs off of H&H and Mob Rules such as "Die Young", "Lonely is the Word", "Lady Evil" and "Falling Off the Edge of the World". All instruments can be heard clearly - Iommi's guitar is out front but Geezer's excellent bass can be easily heard as well as Vinny Apppice's drums. Appice adds some nice drum fills not heard on the original versions of the songs. To me, that's why you get a live album (1) to hear a great cross section of songs and (2) to hear extended versions with subtle changes to make them unique. I wouldn't call it improvisation but it is still excellent musicianship and Iommi is still one of the greatest guitarists of all time. The man has riffs as Dio says and Heaven and Hell deliver the goods on this cd in outstanding fashion. Dio's voice has lost a slight bit of range, but he still belts these songs out with authority and enthusiasm. Dio still hits about 97% of the notes from the original songs and this in no way detracts from the show. Amazing since its been over 25 years since H&H was first released. I think the performance shows the band truly enjoying this performance. Highly recommended to any Dio fan, Sabbath fan and metal fan, in general
  
  
• Horns Up and Ready to Rock!
  By A9LLNBBOASWCS on 2007-09-10
  Warning: May cause one to stand on living room furniture with fists in the air with intermittent horns raised. Side effects include singing along with the band, shouting 'hell ya!' before, during, and after guitar solos and jumping of living room furnature. Not intended for anyone who likes boy bands, girl bands, or Barry Manilow.
  
  
• Great Show!
  By A3ENAJ5AWE3MQ2 on 2007-08-28
  I went to see this show when they came to Phoenix. It was well worth the wait. The sound was amazing and every song sounded incredible! I only gave it four stars because they should have played more songs. This is certainly better than Live Evil.
  
  
• Radio City Heaven...
  By A2PGECCG3C3NHF on 2007-08-28
  I was lucky enough to have been at this show. If you are a fan of Dio-Era Sabbath (that's all they played) - buy this NOW!
  
  
  
• Good songs but the presentation sucks
  By A3OMPDGTIQ9M2J on 2007-09-11
  Thoroughly disappointing. Ronny James Dio's voice is awful and old sounding. The recording is poor resulting in music with no power behind it. At least they didn't put Black Sabbath's name to it.
  
  I think I'll stick to The Dio Years and the original albums.
  
  
• Ronnie James Dio: the shemp of Black Sabbath
  By A15PN25PUG3NI on 2007-10-06
  Somewhere along the way the comparison struck me, but in a way it fits. Dio, like Shemp Howard, was a talented individual who, taken in their own right, should be respected for what they accomplished, but will forever be overshadowed by their predecessors. Maybe I come at this from a unique perspective. Most stooge fans seem to be either Curly or Shemp, and Sabbath fans seem to be either Ozzy or Dio. Personally I like them all and take each of them for what they were. In the case of Sabbath, Dio allowed the band to finally reinvent themselves with some sort of cohesive vision, and his operatic growl was the perfect foil for Iommi's ever-darkening guitar riffs. They did away with much of the experimentation and occasional acoustic dabblings, and became a more straight forward metal band. On this album the quartet of Dio, Iommi, Butler, and Appice have captured a bit of the old black magic. Though I find myself favoring the first disc, the entire album is about as solid a live performance as you can get. The new material even fits in seamlessly with the old, a rare feat when old bands try to add to their back catalog. In the end I will always love Sabbath with Ozzy or with Dio and this Live masterpiece is a welcome addition to the collection. It's one of those albums perfectly suited to driving with the windows down, the volume up, and your foot feeling a little on the heavy side.
  And for the record, I'll let someone else sort out who the Joe and Curly Joe of Sabbath are.
  
  
• True old school metal
  By A2P69IEDIFZFP4 on 2007-09-03
  2007 is turning out be a good year for us old school metal fans. Heaven and Hell is the icing on the cake. With Ronnie James Dio taking us back to the Dio years in front of a live audience is refreshing. Black Sabbath proves once again metal will never die.
  
  
• Heavy Metal Excellence!!
  By ARFKSGISFTUBG on 2007-09-05
  This concert has a dream setlist from THE definitive lineup of Black Sabbath (I'm sorry, but I can't stand much Ozzy-era Sabbath), AWESOME sound (and I haven't been able to crank it on anything but my ear buds yet), and brilliant performances from all. Vinnie Appice is Sabbath's best drummer, and with Tony and Geezer locked in, this is one of heavy metal's finest rhythm sections ever. And who can forget the man himself - Ronnie James Dio. Though his voice is showing a little wear and tear from his age, he's still got a fantastic voice and wails from start to finish. Listen to the scream at the beginning of Mob Rules! Rob Halford would be lucky to belt one out like that these days. Dio is awesome. Get this album and bang your head off!
  
  
• nu-metal, listen up, bow to your gods!
  By A2YPFRYLMUG1BZ on 2007-09-05
  Absolutely unbelievable! I saw this tour when it rolled into Connecticut in may and i'll see it again this friday night. No band in my opinion can touch this line-up. These guys might be 60 years old or damn near close, but no band of young guys can rock like this version of sabbath. No ozzy songs! Thank God for that. I hope these guys keep it going and give us a new album.
  
  
• How can any Sabbath fan not like what this has to offer?
  By AXWF3P7EMY7XW on 2007-09-06
  Hey, like most people on here I think Sabbath is a band that deserves our respect. They were trend setters way back when metal was not even on the map and they continue to influence bands today some 40 years later. They are true metal masters!
  
  Dio took Ozzy's vacated spot and gave us 2 killer studio albums right off the bat with another to follow some years later. Songs like Neon knights, Children Of The Sea and Sign Of The Southern Cross are metal, no if's and's or But's!
  
  This reunited version of Sabbath is called Heaven and Hell, however they can't fool us as we know who they are *lol*.
  
  This live recording is from the last tour, you know the one we all just checked out just a few months back. Well it rocked then and it rocks now. The song selection is great, although I was a bit surprised that they did not include Ear In The Wall of their just released The Dio years Compilation? Oh well, no big deal, but it would have been cool to have it on here.
  
  The performances are solid and the mix is very good indeed. The packaging is very cool and contains comments from each member except for Vinny? Again no big deal, but it would have been nice to hear what his perspective was on this entire tour and so on.
  
  Overall I'm very pleased with what's on here and think the price of admission is well worth it. Yes it is Sabbath like only Sabbath can be, great and mysterious!
  
  
• By any other name, it's BLACK SABBATH!
  By A25J9504LWCY2I on 2007-09-06
  This is just what I've been waiting for.
  
  I currently own "Live Evil" and "Cross Purposes Live." Both of those are excellent (and underated). I've owned "Live at Last," "Past Lives" (rip-off) and the unnecessarily F-word laden "Reunion," all of which I got rid of.
  
  This is BLACK SABBATH, people. Tony Iommi, Ronnie James Dio, Geezer Butler and Vinny Appice. This is the lineup that existed when I first got into Sabbath back in 1980-81.
  
  Even at 65, Ronnie has still got a voice that would put singers a third of his age to shame. Tony...what can you say? The man invented heavy metal guitar as we know it, and he's still the master! Geezer...solid when he needs to be, and fluid when he needs to be, the mark of a truly excellent bass player. Vinny...Ronnie once called him "the American John Bonham," and I'm inclined to agree. Big brother Carmine may be better-known, but I've seen Vinny live twice (once with Dio and once with Sabbath) and he is among the most impressive drummers I've ever seen live, along with Neil Peart, Bobby Rondinelli and Phil Ehart (it's a shame I never got to see Cozy Powell).
  
  Ronnie James Dio is easily the best frontman I can think of. I have never seen anyone connect with an audience the way he does, without having to resort to profanity-laden stage raps.
  
  The song selection is excellent, and proves that this version of Black Sabbath can stand quite nicely on its own, without having to rehash any other lineup's songs, as good as those are. Of course, I miss songs like "Time Machine," "TV Crimes" and "Slipping Away"...I also think they should have done "Ear In The Wall"...but you can't please everyone.
  
  By any other name, it's BLACK SABBATH. Do yourself a favour and get this necessary live album.
  
  
• Ozzy bashers unite
  By A2F78VDTPMNEYD on 2007-09-06
  I give Tony and Gezzer 5 stars I give Dio 1 star I never liked Dio and I never will. This just gives you Ozzy haters out their a chance to bash him. Even with Ozzy's horrible singing (yes I admit it) watching and listening to Dio makes me appreciate Ozzy that much more.
  
  
• It's A Classic
  By A163N66ALZDACR on 2007-09-19
  This DVD is a classic along side of The Song Remains the Same, Prime Cuts, Last Supper, History of Sabbath, California Jam, Woodstock, Monterey and all the other video classics which occupy my collection. I saw them in 2007 and back in 82 when Heaven & Hell/Mob Rules were new. This is a classic concert. Iommi never sounded better and Dio is in great form from start to finish. The extra bonuses incude some footage of rehearsals, commentaries from managers, road crew, fans and of course, the band themselves. The best part is that it is all done with humor and not the self - congratulatory crap that screws up many potentially good interviews. Even the manager of Radio city Music Hall gets some time on screen.
  The music of course was never better and if it sounds different it is because they detuned one whole step for this concert. Hope there is more to come.
  
  
• Any Die Hard Ozzy Era Fan Has to Admit, This Freaking Rocks!!!
  By A4YUEEJTMNOBC on 2007-09-22
  I am a huge Ozzy Era fan, and up until about one week ago, I always hated the Dio era. I tried to like it, I really tried, but I just couldnt. So about a week ago, I was watching VH1 Classic, and Heaven and Hell Live at Radio City Music Hall was on, so I decided to try it one more time. Thank God I did! I was blown away by Dio, by the band, and how great the songs were. There I was, listening to the Mob Rules in my living room, with the devil horns flying, and thinking to myself "Wait, this isnt Ozzy, but it still rocks!!" I got the CD the next day, and have been listening to it non stop ever since.
  
  Now, I still think the Ozzy era is the one true era of Black Sabbath, and I still dont love the studio versions of these song. And I know its ridiculus, but I still dont want a CD that says "Black Sabbath" and is not Ozzy, and yes I know it is stupid, but thats just me. I'm sorry, but it is just not Black Sabbath without Ozzy. If they had called their band Heaven and Hell from the begining, I would have loved it. But when I listen to the studio versions, there is just something that turns me off. I dont know, anyways...
  
  
  This CD though, has most every greatest hit Dio + Sabbath ever had, and it is technically not Black Sabbath (it's Heaven and Hell!) so that takes care of all of my weird problems, and I still think that every one of these songs sound better live 25 years after they were made than the original studio version. I think that there is more power in these live albums, and I like Dio's voice better here. Tony is in top form as is Vinnie and Geezer.
  
  Oh, and by the way, if anyone needs any reisuence that Tony is the greatest metal guitaritst who ever lived, just listen to anyone of these songs. (He blows Randy Rhoads out of the water!)
  
  Just listen to Dio scream at the beginning of The Mob Rules. No one should be able to scream like that, especially someone pushing 70!! He is truly a god, and one of the all time greatest!
  
  And, just so you guys know, I am a teenager, which just goes to show that this music can transend ages and generations. Of all the bands right know, only Iron Maiden beats these guys. GET THIS CD!!!!!
  
  Heaven and Hell forever! Ronnie James Dio forever!
  
  PS. They were just in my hometown and I missed it because my ZZ Top concert was the same night (I still think I made the right choice) but if they come near you and you are not sure if you should see them or not, DONT THINK, DO IT!!
  
  It goes on and on and on, its Heaven and Hell!! \m/ \m/
  
  
• The Best Version of Sabbath
  By A350YNHSW1CUYG on 2007-09-25
  Argueably, Black Sabbath is the greatest rock band ever to grace a studio, and for that matter a stage. I can hear it now; all of the Zeppelin and Beatles fans are going nuts. Sorry if I'm not a snob. For so many years Sabbath has taken so much abuse from critics and music snobs alike. It's probably because Sabbath has usually gone against the grain, and has been its own enemy with a number of line-up changes. Not to mention the fact that at times Tony Iommi was the lone original member and decided to put out records under the Sabbath moniker. All that being said, regardless what the band was called, the music has always been of high quality and most of it is still relevant today.
  
  I was fortunate enough to see the Radio City show live. Both vocally and musically, this is the best version of Black Sabbath. The 3 albums they've turned out are classic pieces with great lyrics and great production. As a matter of fact, Iommi's sound on the albums is far better than any of the other stuff. Couple that with Dio's vocals, and you have the basis for great things. Now, I love Ozzy, and in no way am I insulting him, but the fact is Dio is a better singer.
  
  This recording of the "Heaven & Hell" band is amazing. Get the DVD too. It's hard to imagine that these guys are as old as they are. But then again, it's not so surprising because they've had a lot of practice, and they are also older and wiser.
  
  I'm not going to go through each song. If you know Sabbath then you know how great the songs are. The performance is the thing to marvel at. The sound is perfect, the vocals are perfect; everything about it is mind-boggling.
  
  I love the fact that there's never been a rhythm guitar player in the band. It shows how great Iommi is, but also how the rhythm section (Butler and Appice) can keep it together. Although they only did 3 albums together, I don't think it's too hard to say that this is the best version of Sabbath. I just hope they take it back into the studio and put out a full-length in the future. In the meantime, I'll be looking for the original Sabs to hopefully get something to us in '08.
  
  
• The True Reunion is back!
  By A3LGZZMZHP8EFG on 2007-09-28
  This is the reunion I have been waiting for! I enjoy the Ozzy Era material, but since I grew up with this lineup I see them as Sabbath's best. If you are a fan of this version of Sabbath, or Heaven and Hell as they are calling themselves, buy this CD. Although I am not really a fan of live CD's, but this one will blow your mind. The 64 year old Dio is amazing. The man can still belt out about 98% of the notes in the songs and is a great frontman. His polite, and sober, demeanor is really great.
  
  Butler, Iommi and Appice are all fantastic. First they open with the techno "E5150" and then surprisingly come out with a great version of "After all (The Dead)". Next is the one everyone was expecting "Mob Rules", and then a great version of "Children of the Sea" in which Dio relates it was the first song the band wrote together. Next we have great versions of "Lady Evil", "I", And a favorite of mine, "Sign of the Southern Cross". We then have "Voodoo", a great new song "The Devil Cried", and the powerful "Computer God". Then they played a favorite of mine "Falling off the Edge of the World" which I am sure is one which has not been played for many years. Next was a really heavy and great new song "Shadow of the Wind" ,a sinister song about drug addiction, then the great "Die Young", the all time classic "Heaven and Hell", "Lonely is the Word" and for their encore the great "Neon Knights".
  
  This is real metal. Melodic and heavy, unlike some of the garbage today, you will not be disappointed. Dio, Iommi, Butler, and Applice should reform and do a full length CD. Forget drug addicted Ozzy, bring back this lineup!
  
  
• Preety good, but...
  By A2VZHVWBWRLZRS on 2007-10-01
  Due we now can get DVD with artists in performance, we hope that CD contains different recording than DVD, it's the same recording and mixing, I preffer CD if it has at least two or three different songs.
  
  
• Four-and-a-half stars...
  By A7VYYVTMIFT9M on 2007-10-01
  I went to the concert on opening day of the 2007 North American Tour in Vancouver, BC. I was thoroughly impressed by Sabbath's performance on that night as I am by this release (Not a fan of "Down" at all and "Slayer" was the other opener- they're so so). I want to rate this release on three fronts: sound production, performance by the band, and setlist.
  
  First of all, I love a well produced (sounding) live production. Gauging by the high quality live productions Dio has been releasing on his solo work, I didn't expect this would be poor. It is, in fact, outstanding. Nice clarity on all instrumental fronts, but it still sounds very live... 10/10.
  
  The performance of the band is superb and I really find that a lot of these songs come across WAY better live, for some reason, especially Computer God. Everyone is playing well on this. My concern these days is that Dio is going to have a bad night on the vocals. "Holy Diver" live in retrospect, was not his finest moment. On here, though, he does just fine and I sense he's not trying to oversing the songs and scream or rant during the fill-ins. This is what he did on "Live Evil" back in 1982 and for me, it ruined the songs. He doesn't do that on here and his voice holds out very well. Let's remember Ronnie is 64 years old now... Incredible. 9/10.
  
  The setlist is pretty amazing, as well. All the songs that should be there are, for the most part. I would have liked to see "TV Crimes" and "Wishing Well" on here. I also hold Iommi responsible for the exclusion of the songs that Ozzy sang. I think Dio does great on some of those songs like "Children of the Grave", "Paranoid" etc and it would have been nice to hear him do those again with the better sound production and so on. Of course, we all know the history behind how Sharon Osbourne seems to own the rights to everything and doesn't want to give anyone other than Ozzy a chance to shine. Also, that Ozzy and Dio aren't exactly good friends. Still, it is what it is, I guess and I give the setlist 8/10.
  
  In conclusion, if you are Dio era Sabbath fan, this release is a must have.
  
  
• Almost perfect
  By AI4E0A8ZWHPLY on 2007-10-13
  Dehumanizer is my favorite album of all time and Dio with Sabbath is pure magic heavy metal. It is so varied, fresh, beautiful, and interesting. It is thrilling for me that these guys are playing together again sounding better than ever. They have a good time together and the music is flowing so easily.
  Can find a better band today than H&H, that is for sure!
  The only flaw with this live CD is that not all of the songs from H&H, MR and Dehumanizer were played. A new studio album from H&H would probably be as good as Dehumanizer, why not strike while the iron is hot? Ronnie and Tony and Geezer should work together from now on, not putting out mediocre solo albums.
  
  
• heavan & hell
  By A3R0454K0XOK5U on 2007-10-20
  if you're heavily influenced by sabbath this is a must have cd/dvd,fast delivery, and awsome price, cheers guys.
  
  
• great, but not perfect
  By ANP1GNGJ9W2MO on 2008-01-12
  Almost two hours of live material from the newly reunited Dio-era lineup of Sabbath. The sound quality is great. The classics are there, as well as some new ones. However, they extended some songs to the point of dragging on a bit too much. For example, the song "Heaven & Hell" goes on for 15 minutes. Sure, it's good to hear soloing, but bogging each song down with solos gets repetitive after a while. Aside from that, no real gripes. A great addition to any metal collection.
  
  
• A Great Set!
  By A36SSF310LBGSE on 2008-02-02
  So a bunch of guys from Black Sabbath get together and tour playing Sabbath material and release a live album...great, another Sa...what? Heaven & Hell? Eh, Sabbath have earned the right to do whatever the Hell they want, so if they want to tour as Heaven & Hell, it's no skin off my back.
  
  Anyway, the album itself is pretty damned good! A lot of live Sabbath, without the cringe worthy moments that have been known to happen when Dio covers Ozzy Osbourne era songs. It's Dio era Sabbath, playing Dio era Sabbath...can't ask for more, can you? And they do hit a lot of great tracks (not bad, considering they've only three albums of material form which to choose). This is really just a great live album. Dio still has it, Iommi still has it, Geezer still has it...good stuff!
  
  
• Must have
  By A20OJ2H5LMSA9C on 2008-02-13
  For me this is the best line-up as Black Sabbath. I know it's this called "Heaven and Hell" which I think is a better name for this line up. Anyway this CD really rocks. Especially where it counts. Tony Iommi guitar playing is phenomenal. There is not a bad song performance on this entire CD. Ronnie James Dio vocals push through with strength & vision. I highly recommend the DVD too!
  
  
• vintage rock and roll ...alive and kicking
  By A3UQO7FQUE5SIT on 2008-02-29
  excellent live performance form the historical members of BLACK SABBATH...just riding the metal-tiger still after all those years: the schedule of the live act is strongly based on "the mob rules" and "heaven and hell" sabbath's albums...and the atmosphere is just the dark and bluesy heavy underworld that Iommi and Dio gave us so many years ago
  
  good production, satisfying level of "live feeling", a very METALLIC looking package...very very well! just a little complaint for the voice of Ronnie James on the mike...still rocks but hey, time has no mercy for no-one...KEEP ROCKING!
  
  

• Heaven & Hell: Live from Radio City Music Hall
• The Dio Years
• Good To Be Bad
• Iron Maiden: Live After Death (Two-Disc Set)
• Death Magnetic