Mob Rules - Black Sabbath

The second Dio album is commonly regarded as the necessary twin to 'Heaven and Hell,' but is a little disappointing when contrasted directly with its predecessor for sounding, at best, exactly the same, and at worst, worse. The experimental side of the last album is still present here, most notably in the prominence of keyboards in track three leading to the entirely synthesised instrumental ambience of 'E5150' (a numerical pun on the word "evil" arrived at through conversion to Roman numerals. Go on, do it), but this sadly leaves the majority of the album sounding very average and indistinct as a result. 'Turn Up the Night' lacks the energy of the previous ...  Read the complete review

The fans that disowned Sabbath when Ozzy left made a big mistake, or rather two big mistakes, the first was missing out on Heaven And Hell and the second was missing out on this, the follow-up. It was released in 1981 and still sounds excellent today. Bill Ward, the drummer, checked into rehab again so he was replaced by Vinnie Appice, who doesn't let the side down. Other than that the line up is the same as for Heaven & Hell, being Ronnie James Dio with the voice, Geezer Butler with the booming bass and Tony Iommi with the down-tuned guitars. Sabbath deliver the towering sound they are famous for on tracks like the eight minute Sign Of ...  Read the complete review

Mob Rules is often forgotten because of Sabbath's previous album, Heaven and Hell which is considered much better. This is unfair since it is one of the bands best although fans of the Ozzy era and not Dio may disagree. Ronnie James Dio is on vocals and does a fine job both writing lyrics and singning, his voice puts Ozzy's to shame. His style of lyrics comes through again in Mob Rules especially in Country Girl and Falling Off The Edge of the World. Over and Over is very like Heaven and Hell's Lonely is the Word, it has a similar bluesy flavour to it. Perhaps this album is most famous for its title track which is probably the best song on the album but ...  Read the complete review

'Turn Up the Night', 'Mob Rules' and 'Falling Off the Edge of the World' are extremely fast and deadly tracks that really do showcase some of Dio and Iommi's finest moments performing together. 'Voodoo' and 'Country Girl' are both hard rock wonders but slower in tempo, the former track making it onto the Sab's live set on 'Live Evil'. Probably the finest song on the album is 'The Sign of the Southern Cross' which is a long-winded, slower epic piece, the LP's answer to the title track on 'Heaven and Hell'. It's here where Dio's sword and sorcery-laced lyrics play at their best off the rest ...  Read the complete review