Black Sabbath-Mob Rules (1981)

The 1980s began majestically for Black Sabbath, showcasing two heavy metal masterpieces: the immense "Heaven and Hell" and the dark and heavy "Mob Rules". Both featured Ronnie James Dio on vocals, replacing Ozzy Osbourne, who had been "invited" to leave after the 1978 album "Never Say Die!" While it didn't reach the creative and commercial heights of "Heaven and Hell", its follow-up, "Mob Rules", saw the band, led by Tony Iommi, display a more overwhelming and consistent sound. In addition to Ronnie James Dio (vocals), Tony Iommi (guitar), and Geezer Butler (bass), this recording featured drummer Vinny Appice replacing Bill Ward and keyboardist Geoff Nichols. Like the aforementioned "Heaven and Hell", this is a true and undeniable heavy metal classic, containing a series of crushing songs such as "Turn Up The Night”, “The Mob Rules”, “Slipping Away” or “Voodoo”. On the other hand, nods to the past appear in the fatalistic and epic “The Sign of the Southern Cross”, in the melancholic and ominous “Over and Over” and in the tremendously furious “Falling Off The Edge Of The World”.