Black Sabbath

The original ‘Live Evil’ album was a double LP/Single CD, featuring The Dio/Iommi/Butler/Appice lineup of ‘Mob Rules’ and covering the 1982 tour. One of the better releases of the time, it does catch Black Sabbath’s power and it has long been a favourite of the Sabbath fans.
This release gives the 40th anniversary the pizzazz it’s due, delivering the Original Album (Newly Remastered), a New 40th Anniversary Remix by Wyn Davis, 1982 Mob Rules Tour Replica Concert Book, 60 Page Book with Photos, Artwork and Liner Notes, 1982 Mob Rules Tour Replica Colour Poster.

I have the original CD release to hand and the comparison with that to the new remastering on vinyl is night vs day. There is greater space around the performers, Geezer’s bass is more powerful and Vinny Appice’s drums have a snap and drive that the original missed while Tony Iommi’s guitar work has more depth with his riffs located in one place on the soundstage rather than being ‘sort of … there’. But the biggest difference for me is in Ronnie James Dio’s vocals. His growls and that throaty style is so much more powerful – you begin to get why he was chosen.

Wyn Jones remix is another revelation. I’ve often thought that Dio’s vocals are wrong for the original numbers that featured Ozzy but the remix somehow makes the difference less and on ‘Black Sabbath’ he produces a performance that maybe surpasses the crazy man himself.
The album is more exciting, pacier and darker. Thoroughly enjoyable.

The package is huge, and weighs a ton but if funds stretch to it, vinyl is definitely worth the extra, otherwise the CD version also includes the remix as well as the other ‘bits’.