Heaven & Hell - The Devil You Know

Title: The Devil You Know
Artist: Heaven & Hell
Genre: Metal
Release Date: 24th April 2009 (Germany) / 28th April 2009
Label: Roadrunner / Rhino Records



Album Review

We all know the differences between heaven and hell; one land is good while the other is truly and completely evil having met forces at one time or another while now each are pure enemies. Sadly though this plans to be your one way ticket to hell! That’s right you heard correctly hell, the fire but forsaken death trap of the underworld. HEAVEN AND HELL is a musical 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 AND HELL recorded and toured together as BLACK SABBATH from 1980-1982 and again from 1991-1992. When the year of the beast was among the foursome in 2006 they reunited to record three new tracks for a compilation album, ‘Black Sabbath: The Dio Years’, thus allowing them to embark on a tour that erupted in 2007-2008 breaking the barrier for metal even further.

Having it already been destroyed since the beginning era it was now shall we say buried to the ground. Founder Ozzy Osbourne was slated to perform his own solo tour during that time period. Leading on down the line to being known as HEAVEN AND HELL, the band had chosen a name to suite themselves much better to their liking and appeal. The band while out the on road unleashed a live album entitled ‘Live from Radio City Music Hall’, a double album that chronicled the group's performance that had taken place back on March 30th 2007. But now that the past is behind them HEAVEN AND HELL is time to continue their musical careers in a new life, with their debut efforts ‘The Devil You Know’ giving in depth look into the wild world of Satan himself dishing out 10-tracks of absolute glory and brutality is unbelievable.

Starting off the album you get thrown with ‘Aton and Evil’ already letting the evilness loose upon your soul it drains you instantly as the wild and craziness of guitarist Tony Iommi his abilities blowing the music in every way possible breaking out the riffs and mighty roars that soon break away into a non-stop soloing atmosphere. While Ronnie James Dio's vocal styling's does a well done job of keeping up the pace and matching the tunes of the Tony's work. Having each of the ten tunes lasting six minutes a piece does drag the music a bit and allows it to have its moments with its gothic-dirge effects and emotional sent choruses shining right on through making it more appealing for the listener to enjoy.

Some other tunes that tend to stick out includes the band's break-through single ‘Bible Black’, a black out on what the bible is claiming allowing the utter most hatred and darkness invade it engulfing itself all over the surface surrounding, it as the music brutally beats its way through; letting the drumming tactics boost on up building the sound fast and heavy as the guitars keep up letting the vocals do their thing on top of it all. ‘Rock and Roll Angel’ takes the music uplifting it letting the essence of pure rock and roll junkies bang their heads until sore and bleeding letting their angels flying up into the heavens to just be denied access. The instruments displayed on this track go beyond the music that HEAVEN AND HELL can create showing a more upbeat and mellower style that keeps the music more fun and energetic and in your face grabbing you and not letting go. HEAVEN AND HELL have come a long way and this debut is surely to become an instant classic for many years to come. Let the fans of the classic old school metal world burn in hell after listening in to this musical masterpiece.


Tracklist

01. Atom & Evil
02. Fear
03. Bible Black
04. Double the Pain
05. Rock & Roll Angel
06. The Turn of the Screw
07. Eating the Cannibals
08. Follow the Tears
09. Neverwhere
10. Breaking into Heaven


Line-up