After the departure of Ozzy Osbourne in 1979 Ronnie James Dio, former vocalist of Elf and Rainbow, joined the band. Then, in 1980, Heaven and Hell was released, the first album was Dio at the helm.

Heaven and Hell

The opener, Neon Knights, is strikingly like a Rainbow song. It is faster paced than most traditional Black Sabbath songs, has softer guitar tone and (obviously) has a very different vocal style, with Dio's soaring melodic performance making this song more exciting than most Black Sabbath songs. This is both a good and bad thing. It is very different, as the band was at the time, but it's also not as unique as what came before and for me the song isn't that amazing.The title track is amazing, however, featuring a really fantastic riff and some of Iommi's most emotional solos. I also love the "Fool fool!" bits!

Unfortunately it's not all amazing. Walk Away is the clear lowlight here, a generic and bland hard rock song not showcasing any of the band's talent. The solo isn't even that good. Wishing Well isn't that great either but is an improvement thanks to Iommi's soloing (he really is that good).

Not exceptional, but a fantastic first album from the new Dio-fronted Black Sabbath, helped by the fact that Dio is really amazing (one of my favourite metal singers).
8/10

Mob Rules

Mob Rules (1981) is not as good as Heaven and Hell but is still a great time. It's a bit darker than Heaven and Hell (look at that cover art!) but on the whole it is very similar. Songs like The Mob Rules and Falling Off the Edge of the World are highlights. The former has an excellent fast-paced riff and more of Iommi's iconic solos. The latter is slower to build and when the riffs burst onto the scene it's really fantastic. The rest of the songs are good, but nothing that special to me.
7/10

Born Again

Ronnie James Dio left Black Sabbath after Mob Rules to form his own band, leaving Black Sabbath without a frontman. Again. For Born Again (1983), Black Sabbath got none other than Ian Gillan of Deep Purple fame. Gillan's vocals aren't as unique as Ozzy's or Dio's but are serviceable and serve the music well.

Disturbing the Priest is one of the better songs here. It's a very dynamic song with a lot happening and featuring some interesting techniques from Iommi. A big problem is that the songs all sound very similar, leading to not very much individuality. Born Again is just 'good'.
7/10

Seventh Star

By 1986, the time of Seventh Star's release, all original Black Sabbath band members except Tony Iommi had left. This album is almost unrecognizable as a Black Sabbath album, it is very rock focused and lacks the doomier elements of earlier Sabbath. That's not necessarily a bad thing but the album just isn't very good regardless. No Stranger to Love is a particularly bad song highlighting the problems with the album. A lot of the heaviness is gone. Iommi is on fine form for his solos (In For the Kill has a great one) but a lot of the album is just boring.
5/10

The Eternal Idol

Another 'good' effort from Iommi and co. The Eternal Idol (1987) features Tony Martin on vocals and I actually quite like them. He's not as good as Dio but has a similar style. Lost Forever is great, featuring an exciting driving riff and the title track features some of the doomier elements of early Black Sabbath. The songs as a whole aren't that great which is why I don't love this album.
7/10

Headless Cross

Headless Cross (1989) also features Tony Martin on vocals and in my opinion this (along with Tyr) is one of Black Sabbath's hidden gems. When Death Calls is a fantastic song: atmospheric, heavy and dynamic, it's one of the best post-70s songs. How can you not love that chorus? Nightwing is also a highlight, a suspenseful slow-builder with another one of Iommi's knockout solos.

While it doesn't hit the highs of a lot of 70s Sabbath, solid riffs, fantastic vocals and exceptional solos make Headless Cross a welcome return to form for the band (even with the lack of most original members!).
8/10

Join me next time for a look at the rest of Black Sabbath's albums! Thanks for reading!