BLACK SABBATH just released an excellent new remastered / remixed box set covering the Tony Martin-era, but in-between these albums the band recorded a LP with the mighty Ronnie James Dio as frontman: 1992’s ”Dehumanizer”.
As requested, here’s ”Dehumanizer” Japanese remastered reissue on a double SHM-CD replicating the vinyl LP, a Limited Release now out of print. This 2-disc edition is pretty much as good as they get. It collects every B-side side and associated track for ”Dehumanizer”, as well as one previously unreleased one.
On the bonus disc you will find three non-album versions of “Master of Insanity”, “Letters From Earth”, and “Time Machine” (the version from the movie Wayne’s World soundtrack). “Letters From Earth” is an early version with slightly different lyrics and riffs.
In the early 90s Tony Iommi recovened the classic Mob Rules lineup of the band, featuring fellow cohorts in hard rock Ronnie James Dio, Geezer Butler, Vinnie Appice, and keyboardist Geoff Nicholls. The results were staggering: a very good album.
”Dehumanizer” is incredibly heavy even for Black Sabbath, topped only by the same lineup’s The Devil You Know in 2009. Yet heaviness alone would not make any album a classic. ”Dehumanizer” is marked by outstanding production (by Mack of Queen fame), newfound seriousness in the lyrical department, and a certain rhythmic thrift courtesy of Appice.
Whilte overlooked, easily, ”Dehumanizer” is among the best of all Sabbath albums, and that includes Ozzy’s. For that vintage guitar sound, Iommi resurrected his old Gibson SG that he used back in the Paranoid days. That’s why it sounds like a monster puking distortion out of the speakers.
A track like “Computer God” relies on Appice’s relentless hammering, until Iommi’s riff subdues you into a pulp. None of these songs are immediate. The sludge of “After All (The Dead)” crawls along, but slowly burrows its way into your memory. Another highlight is “I”, a dark, heavy metal awesome number.
Iommi convinced Ronnie Dio to drop the rainbows and dragons from the lyrics, and the album is that much more powerful for it. This carried on through to some of Ronnie’s solo albums as well. It is a shame that this newfound seriousness did not strike a chord with the grunge scenesters of the time.
On this reissue you also get five live tracks recorded live at The Sundome, Tampa, Florida, 25 July 1992, all from single B-sides. This is a real coup for most fans, as at the time many missed those singles. “Die Young” is a mere two minutes long (you can hear that it was about to merge into “Too Late” before the fade). Geoff Nicholl’s keyboards are mixed in a bit loudly.
“Master of Insanity” is previously unreleased, and although unlisted it is actually a medley with “After All (The Dead)”. We’re glad that this brief era of Sabbath has been documented with some live songs, and Dio was in peak form back then.
”Dehumanizer” is a crucial slab of Black Sabbath that has been given the appropriate treatment here, with a proper remastering preserving the original vibe but resulting clearer and powerful
Highly Recommended
ＵＮＩＶＥＲＳＡＬ ＭＵＳＩＣ ＪＡＰＡＮ 【UICY～77799/800】
【ＬＴＤ ＳＨＭ－ＣＤ】 / ブラック・サバス
Disc I
1-1 Computer God
1-2 After All (The Dead)
1-3 TV Crimes
1-4 Letters From Earth
1-5 Master Of Insanity
1-6 Time Machine
1-7 Sins Of The Father
1-8 Too Late
1-9 I
1-10 Buried Alive
Disc II
2-1 Master Of Insanity (Single Edit)
2-2 Letters From Earth (B-Side Version)
2-3 Time Machine (Wayne’s World Version)
Live At The Sundome, Tampa, Florida 25th July 1992
2-4 Children Of The Sea
2-5 Die Young
2-6 TV Crimes
2-7 Master Of Insanity
2-8 Neon Knights
Ronnie James Dio – vocals
Tony Iommi – guitars
Geezer Butler – bass
Vinny Appice – drums
Geoff Nicholls – keyboards