Better, right. Ok, I've been listening to alot of Sabbath lately and it seems that Ronnie is pretty underrated as far as Sabbath goes. I've never had a conversation with somebody where Ozzy doesn't come up when Sabbath is mentioned. When you look at "Mob Rules" and "Heaven and Hell" It just seems that Ronnie fits. Mob Rules was my favorite Sabbath CD and Better than any Ozzy did vocals for. I'm not saying Ozzy is bad, but I liked his Solo work much better than with Sabbath. I just think Ronnie doesn't get enough credit for what he did with Sabbath. And the bullshit about Gene Simmons doing the Devils horns first, but that's not the point.

Well, I tried, if thats not good enough then eh..

There probably were plenty of discussion on this, and you have to write a better opening post anyway (and especially for this type of topics).

It's just you, man.

Yes, there have been millions of discussions on this, on these forums and otherwise. Try to make a more considered and constructive topic and opening post. This one is just inviting a slanging match.

I like Dio Sabbath a lot but I don't agree with anything in the original post.

There is no way Ozzy's solo stuff is better than his Black Sabbath stuff. Also, there are amazing dio Sabbath songs/albums but those early Sabbath albums contained some of the best metal riffs ever. Iommi had some good ones with Dio... thinking Sign of the Southern Cross... but they don't touch some of the early Sabbath riffs.

I'm not talking about riffs, vocal wise is what I'm aiming for. I agree Tony did some of the best metal riffs with Ozzy fronting I meant vocal wise I think Ronnie is was underrated.

What? Dio is much more popular as a vocalist.

About 75% of the people I've talked to say they prefer Ozzy.

Imagine Dio singing Lord of this World or something. It just doesn't seem right.

I wish they would re-record some Ozzy era Sabbath with Ronnie on vocals just to see what it would sound like.

Or you could check out some live videos... War Pigs sounded silly with Dio on vocals.

And honestly the lyrics of War Pigs are more geared toward Dio singing and dramatic hand motions than most Sabbath songs.

Most people I've spoken to prefer Dio to Ozzy. I think that the "tr00 Sab" is Iommi, Butler, Ozzy and Ward - no matter about actual technical skill. However, that's just my way of looking at things.

I havn't heard that much Dio-era Sabbath to be honest, but what I have heard I do enjoy, just not as much as Ozzy-fronted Sabbath. Whilst Dio might be the best singer, Ozzy is the better vocalist in my opinion.

And yes, "Paranoid" sung by anyone other than Ozzy is pretty woeful. Hearing Gillian singing it (Who is one of my favourite vocalists) made me want to die.

I think you need some clarification of what you mean there.

Indeed, if you are talking of Live Evil, that is. I liked his rendition of Black Sabbath though.

They're both great at what they respectively attempt. Ozzy is preferable in songs best suited for Ozzy, and Dio is preferable in songs best suited for Dio.

Why should I be obligated to dislike one of them?

I prefer the Ozzy stuff, mostly the first four albums.
I've only heard Heaven and Hell, and it's okay, I just like the ozzy albums better, mostly for the music, not the vocals.

No you aren't. Only N00bs would say so.

Listen to Mob Rules, I liked it better than Heaven and Hell, except for the actual song.

I always thought the 1980 Heaven and Hell album was alot different direction as it went with a more D & D direction thematicaly. To me it was a good but not great release. A few too many filler for a somewhat short album. I like Mob Rules alot better though. They went back to a more doom metal sound on that one. As a matter of fact, it was the epic doom album that inspired Candlemass. As I have viewed Candlemass more influenced by Mob Rules era Sabb than 1970's Sabb.

I've always thought the Dio and Ozzy eras really can't be compared, kinda like comparing Chuck and Quorthon's vocals (or two other arbitrary singers). Ozzy's vocals fit a different style than Dio's. Dio had more of a lively vocal style, whereas Ozzy had more of a doomy, stoner type of vocals, which also kinda fits the musical style of the two eras (save TE and NSD, which I've never listened to).

Yeah. The band loves that song and always starts with it but I don't understan the appeal

Clarify which song, Mob Rules of Heaven & Hell?

Dehumanizer is where it's at with Dio Sabbath.

Heaven & Hell was fucking awesome, great dynamics and a killer sense of riffs/melody. Not quite as good as Sabotage/Master of Reality/Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, but close.

I haven't actually listened to Mob Rules, mainly because last time I heard it (when I was still naught but a metal newbie) I didn't like it. I'll re-visit it sometime though.

Iommi's riffs are always completely awesome.

Dio era Sabbath is probably some of my favorite music.

Iommi's riffs + Dio's vocals = excellence

Yeah, fair point.

What I meant was that, in terms of musicality, Dio has the best singing voice - best range, etc. Dio is a technically proficient singer.

Whilst Ozzy isn't all that bad technically (I think he has improved over his career, as anyone does) I would prefer to listen to his voice, despite Dio being superior in terms of skill. If that made sense.

Ozzy is a terrible singer technically, but he was effective in early Sabbath due to the atmosphere he was able to convey and fit with the music.

Agree, my fellow DIO fan phil and I are always harping on about how we love DIO era Sabbath. it's a different band but fucking great. i have all the stuff from that era. HEAVEN & HELL is the winner for me though, great stuff

did anyone else go to the "Sabbath: the Dio Years" tour. it was fucking awesome, and i got a tony iommi guitar pick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm weird. i prefer obviously Dio era Sabbath Live, even with the fun sloppiness of some of the early live Sabbath I've heard, but thought the Ozzy Studio stuff was magical and way more innovative, especially albums like Sabotage and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath. Of course, the innovation had nothing to do with Ozzy.

But even though I like those albums more, I still listen to Mob Rules the most. I guess I have some contradictions on that one.

Btw- I hope for the day that Born Again is remixed as well as remastered again.

Same here

The band made totally different styles of music during the eras of both vocalists though. When Ozzy was there they made Doom Metal, but when Dio was there their sound shifted to more like Traditional Heavy/Speed metal. So I guess your preference as to which vocalist you prefer will be heavily influenced by which style of metal you prefer. Having said that Dio's voice would probably not have suited Doom metal at all.

Personally I find it nearly IMPOSSIBLE to say which singer I prefer, I adore them both. But I do think that Neon Knights is one of my favourite Sabbath tracks of all time!

i personally like ozzy in sab better than dio, but i like Dio solo better than ozzy. they are both reall good singers, but i would say the Dio is the best.

Raising the dead.

Dio has a better voice - arguably the best in metal (but that's a different discussion for a different thread). I was in high school when Dio joined Black Sabbath, and I loved Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules. Compared to the work Ozzy was doing, I think Sabbath was much better. But my favorite Sabbath albums are the first 6 albums. The only thing I don't care for about Dio is his lyrics. They're OK, but a little cheesy. They sound so dated today, while the first six albums seem more classic than dated (if that makes any sense). I liked Born Again too, so there you go.

Dio is the better singer but Ozzy had the "being there at the right time" thing going since most of the best stuff Tony Iommi was writing was like the first 4 or 5 BS albums. When Dio joined the famous iommi riffs were all but gone and they imo resorted to a heavy metal mixed with some rock and roll mixed in. the early riffing Iommi riffs are what is known as heavy rock and blues which morphed into heavy metal .

All HAIL Dio. was just rocking out to "Mob Rules" album, after walking in the door from work, and HOLY FUCK that track "Falling Off the Edge of the World" kills.

Dios' vocals wouldn't work well on the earlier albums, while ozzys' vocals fit nicely. Dio is obvious a better singer technically but his vocals would not be good on those albums.

Dio's voice is absolutely beautiful, but Sabbath just wasn't his cup of tea. I think I am just used to an Ozzy Sabbath, but I prefer Ozzy over Dio in Sabbath, and Dio over Ozzy in just about everything else. Dio is just too magnificent. Pantheon of great metal singers!