Heaven & Hell or Blizzard of Ozz?

[Isabellacat]

Both came out in 1980. Dio helped give new life to Sabbath as well as Randy giving new life to Ozzy.  Which one would you choose tho?


I choose Blizzard of Ozz because Randy Rhoads just kicks ass in that. Some people have said they don't like the album cos it's played out,but I think it's still rad. 'Revelation(Mother Earth)' is an awesome song. Better than anything off of Heaven & Hell.

[Woody]

H&H.

Never cared much for solo Ozzy and really disliked the production on those first 2 tapes.

[GodShifter]

I like both but, if I had to choose, I'd also go with Heaven and Hell.

Woody's right, though, the production on the first two Ozzy tapes sucks. Perhaps part of the reason, SO wanted them re-recorded (but that seems it was mostly due to fucking Daisley & Kerslake out of their royalties).

[vinyldinosaurus]

I've always preferred Diary to Blizzard so I'm gonna go with H&H although I prefer Mob Rules over that one...

[goldwater]

I've always preferred Diary to Blizzard so I'm gonna go with H&H although I prefer Mob Rules over that one...

i agree. love "sign of the southern cross" especially. both though beat the first two ozzy albums. just an opinion.

[Woody]

I always wished those first 2 Ozzy tapes sounded like the first Van Halen tape.

[vinyldinosaurus]

What's wrong with the production? Both albums have that rare sound quality that mixes the best sounds of the late 70s and early 80s! Love it!

[GodShifter]

You know, if I'm being honest (and I realize that Blizzard and Diary come from the same sessions, no?), that Blizzard's production bothers me a lot more than Diary. For me, and, again, I know they are the same, but Blizzard has that really farty sounding bass guitar, kind of a gated drum sound, and the guitar is just too thin for my liking. I guess, if anything, Diary is more acceptable because, overall, I like the material better? I don't know, but it gets more of a pass than Blizzard in the production dept.

[EddieMullet]

For years I had a 90 minute tape with Heaven & Hell on one side and Blizzard of Ozz on the other (dubbed from my LPs) and it got much use in the Walkman and car. When the first one wore out I made another one.

So I'll never decide.  I like both the same.

[Isabellacat]

[Isabellacat]

You know, if I'm being honest (and I realize that Blizzard and Diary come from the same sessions, no?), that Blizzard's production bothers me a lot more than Diary. For me, and, again, I know they are the same, but Blizzard has that really farty sounding bass guitar, kind of a gated drum sound, and the guitar is just too thin for my liking. I guess, if anything, Diary is more acceptable because, overall, I like the material better? I don't know, but it gets more of a pass than Blizzard in the production dept.

lol @ farty bass sound. I think the songwriting holds up, despite that too much cocaine early 80's production. The bass is'nt that bad. People complain about Randy's scooped out guitar tone but I love it.

Back in the 80's I bet this poll would have been the other way around. Blizzard was a bigger album.

[EddieMullet]

Bob Daisley used a Gibson EB-0 on Blizzard and a Fender Precision on Diary, which may explain why the bass sounds fartier on Blizzard.  There's some interview with him somewhere where he says that.

From what I remember reading there were 2 separate sessions about a month or two apart between Blizzard and Diary.

[Isabellacat]

Bob Daisley used a Gibson EB-0 on Blizzard and a Fender Precision on Diary, which may explain why the bass sounds fartier on Blizzard.  There's some interview with him somewhere where he says that.

From what I remember reading there were 2 separate sessions about a month or two apart between Blizzard and Diary.

Again I don't have any problems with Daisley's bass on Blizzard. I know some people hate it,they say the bass sounds too 70's but Daisley is a good player(and lyricist) imo.

Say Eddie,don't you have Blizzard of Ozz on 8-track?

[Mr. Blue]

Gotta go with Blizzard Of Ozz.

[joshredearth]

heaven and hell.........................but if you asked ....diary or mob rules............................diary......ozzy's best by far.

[Doommantia]

Heaven and Hell. Even when it came out I thought Blizzard was disappointing, Diary was much better.

[core9]

I would choose Diary Of A Madman and Mob Rules......those are the 2 classic albums from those bands.  I guess I am in the minority, but I REALLY think that H&H is way overrated.  Aside from Neon Nights,Children Of The Sea and Heaven and Hell, the rest all sound pretty filler to me.

[GodShifter]

I think that's pretty fair in terms of Heaven and Hell. The tunes you mentioned are, indeed, the true highlights of the album. Even something like "Lonely is the Word", which is a good track, is pretty much just an extended solo guitar piece. Same could be said for "Over and Over" on Mob Rules, though.

But, I agree, I think Mob Rules has stronger material, overall. But it is close.

[Isabellacat]

I would choose Diary Of A Madman and Mob Rules......those are the 2 classic albums from those bands.  I guess I am in the minority, but I REALLY think that H&H is way overrated.  Aside from Neon Nights,Children Of The Sea and Heaven and Hell, the rest all sound pretty filler to me.

Funny I always thought Mob Rules had more "filler" tracks than H & H. Like 'E5150' and even the title song which I think is kinda formulaic.


'Wishing Well' sounds like something left over from the NSD sessions. I really like that song tho.

Blizzard of Ozz might suffer from that poor "too much cocaine" early 80's production,but it will always be a better record for me. It sounds alot fresher while H&H sounds like outtakes from Never Say Die.

[cat shepard]

Blizzards production at least causes it to jump out of the speakers and demand attention and I like anything that sounds different. H&H has a much more serious and collectively stoic stance on the band being cohesive as the result of a motivated and focused leader. This shot caller  unbeknownst to myself for certain though I have speculated  it's origins lie in the Dio/Appicie camp and as Iommi is entrusting his playing to an outside ear for the first time exhibiting trust in an effort to be heard and not wither away but obtain a grasp in the 1980's, as the 70's waned from consciousness. This variable however accurate? but real in my experience of listening caused the album to resonate deep in the depths of my soul, as the advisors behind this album intended imo with spot on attention to demographic potential both short and long term, including cultivated listening patterns and there effects on conciousness both in headphones individually and collectively at the arena. And Dio always sings about his rainbows. People in the sabbath concerts were blowing there minds on psychadelics. Not sure of the blizzard shows.

[BrianDamage]

I chose Heaven and Hell but I love both albums.  Blizzard has some of the best musicianship ever committed to tape but man Sabbath had something to prove on Heaven and Hell and they did it in spades. 

[Isabellacat]

Blizzards production at least causes it to jump out of the speakers and demand attention and I like anything that sounds different. H&H has a much more serious and collectively stoic stance on the band being cohesive as the result of a motivated and focused leader. This shot caller  unbeknownst to myself for certain though I have speculated  it's origins lie in the Dio/Appicie camp and as Iommi is entrusting his playing to an outside ear for the first time exhibiting trust in an effort to be heard and not wither away but obtain a grasp in the 1980's, as the 70's waned from consciousness. This variable however accurate? but real in my experience of listening caused the album to resonate deep in the depths of my soul, as the advisors behind this album intended imo with spot on attention to demographic potential both short and long term, including cultivated listening patterns and there effects on conciousness both in headphones individually and collectively at the arena. And Dio always sings about his rainbows. People in the sabbath concerts were blowing there minds on psychadelics. Not sure of the blizzard shows.

I'm sure people dropped alot of acid at the Blizzard shows too....Was'nt Ozzy's crowd crazy Satan worshippers who brought dead animals to the shows?? I remember reading an old Randy Rhoads interview and he said people would bring dead animals and stuff backstage. I think it really weirded Randy out at some points. Also read they used pass a goblet around the audience and people would spit in it and whatnot and they'd pass it back onstage and Ozzy would drink it.

Anyways I think I might listen to Heaven and Hell tonite since it's been awhile. I really love that song 'Lady Evil'.

[GodShifter]

That old pass the cup around and have people spit in it and _____ would drink it goes back to the days of Alice Cooper. Total bullshit. Just like the rumor that Zappa would have people take a crap on stage and he would eat it.

I suppose it's possible that Ozzy, in a drug induced haze, might have done something like that because didn't he snort ants through a straw in front of Motley Crue? So, I guess, anything is possible, but I kind of doubt it.

[Woody]

What about the time you refused to go on stage until the audience destroyed a litter of puppies?

[GodShifter]

Yeah, that one, as I recall, was attributed to Marilyn Manson.

He threw a puppy into the front row and said he wouldn't continue the concert unless they tore it limb from limb.