Artist: BLACK SABBATH
Album: DEHUMANIZER (CD)

Release date: 1992
EAN/UPS: 0077771315527
Media type: CD

BLACK SABBATH continuously kept negotiating with OZZY OSBOURNE for his return, but in 1992, following many false starts Iommi and Butler opted finally for the next best thing by teaming up once more with Ronnie James Dio. On August 28th 1990 Geezer Butler had jammed with DIO on the 'Lock Up The Wolves' tour at the Minneapolis Forum performing ‘Neon Nights’, after which the proposal to join forces once more was mooted. The idea was a necessary step for both parties as DIO had suffered from less than capacity attendances on their North American tour and BLACK SABBATH were in limbo following Ozzy's opt out of reunion plans.

With Dio rejoining, TONY MARTIN pursued a solo project, releasing a 1992 album 'Back Where I Belong' for Vertigo in Germany. He would also appear to contribute lead vocals to two MISHA CALVIN albums, although these recordings had in actual fact been made much earlier, whilst a a pre-SABBATH Martin was still with THE ALLIANCE.

With COZY POWELL still in recuperation from his horse rising accident, his position was taken by Vinnie Appice. The resulting album was the Mack produced 'Dehumaniser', which, despite being a heavyweight offering, failed to capture previous Dio-era glories, mainly due to a clutch of mediocre songs. Of the stronger material it would transpire that 'Master Of Insanity', although uncredited, had in fact been written by guitarist JIMI BELL for Geezer's earlier solo venture the GEEZER BUTLER BAND.

BLACK SABBATH, with Ronnie James Dio back at the helm, used South America as the first staging post in the ‘Dehumanizer’ world tour. During June the band performed to enormous audiences in Sao Paulo, Porte Alegre and Rio De Janeiro just upfront of the album release. Stalling at number 44 in the Billboard charts in mid July it was hardly the much vaunted resurrection Warner Bros. had hoped for. The group used Florida as an inception point from which to launch their first leg of the USA, the Gothic Rock n’ Roller DANZIG lending suitable support. Chuck Billy’s Thrash vets TESTAMENT provided the guest honours for a round of British shows in September. BLACK SABBATH provided their fans with yet another dose of Thrash as they got stuck into the second round of US shows in October as San Francisco’s EXODUS paired up with German’s SKEW SISKIN to act as support.

In parallel, Ozzy was nailing the lid on his live work by performing his last two shows at Costa Mesa. The Oz invited BLACK SABBATH to play on the same bill then reunite for a few songs one last time following his performance. The idea was anathema to Dio, who promptly announced he was quitting once more. This was not before another ugly war of words had ensued, including a fax to journalists from the Ozzy management camp detailing the paltry attendance figures DIO the band had mustered last time they played the Costa Mesa venue. Remarkably, BLACK SABBATH did play at the Ozzy shows with JUDAS PRIEST vocalist Rob Halford fronting the band, the singer having learnt the entire set in two days. However, when it was initially learned that Dio was not going perform TONY MARTIN's services were requested - but then nixed by the Osbourne camp.

During all this activity ex-members Cozy Powell and Neil Murray re-found one of Cozy’s old acts COZY POWELL’s HAMMER with guitarist MARIO PARGA and singer Peter Oliver. This line up only lasted one gig before the recruitment of another BLACK SABBATH face TONY MARTIN. The band toured Europe billed as TONY MARTIN & FRIENDS. Powell and Murray would stick together to form SAINTS AND SINNERS.

TRACKLIST:

1. Computer God
2. After All (The Dead)
3. TV Crimes
4. Letters From Earth
5. Masters Of Insanity
6. Time Machine
7. Sins Of The Father
8. Too Late
9. I
10. Buried Alive

LINE-UP:

Ronnie James Dio (vocals)
Tony Iommi (guitar)
Geezer Butler (bass)
Geoff Nicholls (keyboards)
Vinnie Appice (drums)