Album of the Day

Few could follow in the footsteps of larger-than-life frontman Ozzy Osbourne, but Ronnie James Dio was more than equal to the task; the former Rainbow vocalist led Black Sabbath out on their first post-Ozzy tour on this day in 1980. The U.K. heavy metal quartet had some superb new material to draw upon from HEAVEN AND HELL, including the punchy “Neon Knights,” the fantastical “Children Of The Sea,” “Die Young” and the title track. Dio soars throughout, and bandmates Tony Iommi,  Geezer Butler and Bill Ward rise to the occasion, ensuring that the collection became one of the band's most successful in America (it eventually went platinum). An album that stands proudly with Black Sabbath's early-'70s classics, HEAVEN AND HELL is hard rock paradise.