Exploring the Rules of Hell - After All (The Dead)

"After All (The Dead)" starts with what sounds like Tony Iommi creating an ominous cello-like riff via volume swells. From there Dio sings of talking to the dead as the band feeds off of his vocal lines. In a nice call back to earlier days Iommi delivers some trills like those heard on "Black Sabbath".

It's a slow, heavy track and Appice and Butler create a heavy anchor. Appice's drums on the first two songs have sounded huge. Credit to Appice (of course) and producer/engineer, Mack*. Butler's bass is about as deep as I've heard it on a Sabbath recording, and it seems fitting for what is shaping up to be a very heavy album.

Tomorrow "TV Crimes"!
 
* Mack (Reinhold Mack) has worked as a sound engineer and producer since 1974. His client list includes Electric Light Orchestra, Queen, Scorpions, Deep Purple and The Rolling Stones.