Black Sabbath’s Dehumanizer was originally released in June 1992, and was the first album in over a decade to feature Ronnie James Dio and drummer Vinny Appice, in addition to being their first in nine years to feature OG bassist Geezer Butler, reuniting a lineup of the band last heard on 1981’s Mob Rules. (You may recall the title track from 1981’s underground animated classic Heavy Metal.) Dehumanizer is heavy both in terms of its fierce production and concept, with tunes about televangelism, the afterlife, and the worship of technology. Sonically, the album is stripped down and basic, free of overdubs, sampling, or chorus filters. Dio’s vocals are at their peak, his voice soaring above Tony Iommi’s iconic guitar work and Geezer’s frantic bass riffs. The disc starts with the machine gun snares and arena-filling guitar of “Computer God”, leading to the more downtempo drama of “After All (The Dead)”. “Letter From Earth” is sludgy instrumental cut through by Dio’s wide-ranging incantation, “Time Machine” ends the disc with uptempo axe licks, cleverly improvised drum fills, and a rugged bass solo. This version includes a bonus disc with single edits, b-sides, live cuts, and the version of "Time Machine" that was heard in the film Wayne's World. Packaged in a gatefold sleeve and pressed on double 180g black vinyl, this pressing is limited to 3500 copies. 

• 180g black double vinyl pressing
  
• gatefold sleeve
  
• original release year: 1992
• music label: Rhino 2024

reviewed by YOU EXPECTED A RECORD REVIEW BUT IT WAS ME, DIO! 12/2019