BLACK SABBATH Takes You To Heaven And Hell With "The Dio Years" And "Live At The Hammersmith Odeon"

Together for a short but memorable time-a trio of studio albums, a classic live album, and a couple of tours-the second coming of BLACK SABBATH began in 1979 when founding members Tony Iommi and Terry "Geezer" Butler were joined by Ronnie James Dio. The former singer of ELF (and later RAINBOW and DIO) added his fiery, demonic howl to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group's crushing mix of iconic riffs, gloomy grooves and doom-soaked imagery.

In late 2006 Dio, Iommi and Butler, joined by drummer Vinny Appice, reunited to record three new songs for Rhino Records' era-spanning collection, "BLACK SABBATH: The Dio Years". These recording sessions went so well that the quartet — billed as HEAVEN AND HELL — will launch a highly anticipated world tour this spring. The group will play a dozen dates in Canada in March before taking the stage of the famed Radio City Music Hall in New York City on March 30 to play their only U.S. date until the band launches a full tour of the States later this year.

The first comprehensive introduction to the band's legacy, "BLACK SABBATH: The Dio Years" features a dozen classic studio recordings, plus one live track — "Children Of The Sea" from 1982's "Live Evil". The collection also contains the three brand-new tracks — "The Devil Cried", "Shadow Of The Wind", and "Ear In The Wall". The disc will be available April 3 at all physical retail outlets and at www.rhino.com for a suggested list price of $18.98. The album will also be available at all digital retail outlets for a suggested retail price of $11.99.

Arranged chronologically, the compilation spotlights Dio's time with BLACK SABBATH and draws heavily from the lineup's 1980 debut and 1981 follow-up, "Heaven and Hell" and "Mob Rules" respectively. Recognized as back-to-back metal classics, the albums feature such signature songs as the title tracks, "Neon Knights", "Die Young", "Turn Up The Night" and "Voodoo". "The Dio Years" also features "After All (The Dead)", "TV Crimes" and "I" from the singer's brief reunion with SABBATH for the "Dehumanizer" album and tour.

On May 1, Rhino Handmade will release "BLACK SABBATH: Live At Hammersmith Odeon", which features Dio, Iommi, Butler and Appice getting hot one December night in London during SABBATH's 1981 tour for "Mob Rules". Previously unreleased, the concert spotlights SABBATH as they storm through 14 of the Dio-era's best including "Neon Knights", "Heaven And Hell", "Children Of The Sea" and "Country Girl". The band also performs several pre-Dio classics, including "Paranoid", "Children Of The Grave" and a white-hot version of "War Pigs". The album will be available from Rhino Handmade as an individually numbered limited edition of 5,000 copies, available only at www.rhinohandmade.com for a suggested retail price of $19.98.