Thursday, March 28, 2013

Exploring the Rules of Hell - Computer God


In June of 1992 the Ronnie James Dio fronted Black Sabbath released Dehumanizer. The ten songs on the album were the first new studio recordings to feature Dio since Mob Rules nearly eleven years earlier. The album also marked the return of Geezer Butler and Vinny Appice. Butler returned to the band after a nine year abscence, and Appice was called in after current drummer Cozy Powell was injured. The arrival of Appice marked the new sessions as a reunion of the Mob Rules era of the band.

After some sound effects "Computer God" starts with Appice laying down a huge sounding drum beat that instantly calls to mind Led Zeppelin's John Bonham. The band joins in playing what can best be described as a nasty riff.

In an intense and powerful vocal that is just as nasty as the riff that's accompanying him, Dio sings of "Waiting for a revolution" and finding "Technical Paradise" on "another side of heaven". Much like on Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules Dio is delivering lyrics that create vivid images in the receptive listener's head. Dio's presentation is down right scary on this track, and if it is a sign of what's to come on rest of the album I can't wait.

Tomorrow, "After All (The Dead)"!

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