Heaven & Hell (band)

Lore & Background

In October 2005, Ronnie James Dio revealed plans to work with Tony Iommi again, initially for a project called Black Sabbath – The Dio Years. The group recorded three new songs for the 2007 compilation Black Sabbath: The Dio Years, then embarked on a 2007–2008 tour under the Heaven & Hell name. According to Iommi, the name change avoided confusion with the Osbourne-fronted Black Sabbath, so fans would not expect songs from the Ozzy period. Drummer Bill Ward initially participated but declined before recording, citing musical differences, making way for Vinny Appice to rejoin.

The band released one new studio album, The Devil You Know, on 28 April 2009, with the single 'Bible Black'. The subsequent Bible Black Tour ran from May to August 2009, with the final show in Atlantic City, New Jersey, being Dio's last public performance. In November 2009, Dio was diagnosed with stomach cancer; he died on 16 May 2010 at age 67. The surviving members performed a final Heaven & Hell set at the High Voltage Festival on 24 July 2010 with guest vocalists Glenn Hughes and Jørn Lande, plus a brief appearance by Phil Anselmo. Proceeds went to the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund.

Reader's Guide

Heaven & Hell holds significance as a deliberate rebranding of the Dio-era Black Sabbath lineup, allowing the musicians to revisit and celebrate that period without the expectations of the Osbourne-era catalog. Their sole studio album, The Devil You Know, stands as the final recorded work of this classic lineup. The group's formation resolved a long-standing fan desire to see Iommi, Butler, Dio, and Appice collaborate again, and their 2007 tour was voted 'Comeback of the Year' by Classic Rock magazine readers. The band's legacy is intertwined with Dio's final performances and his death from stomach cancer, which ended the group. The posthumous live album Neon Nights: 30 Years of Heaven & Hell and the 2026 box set Breaking Out of Heaven (2007-2009) preserve their output. Their brief existence underscores the enduring appeal of the Dio-era Black Sabbath sound and the respect for Dio's contributions to heavy metal.

Did You Know?

• The band's name was taken from the 1980 Black Sabbath album Heaven and Hell, the first to feature Ronnie James Dio as vocalist.
• The 2007 tour was voted 'Comeback of the Year' at the Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards.
• Dio's final public performance was the last show of the Bible Black Tour in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on 29 August 2009.
• A box set titled Breaking Out of Heaven (2007-2009) has not been officially released as of the current date.