10 Best Metal Albums Of The 2000s - Ranked

The final studio album to feature legendary singer Ronnie James Dio, The Devil You Know was a Black Sabbath reunion in almost every way, with Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler teaming up with Ronnie one last time for an album worthy of sending off one of the genres most talented performers.

As well as topping the hard rock charts in the USA, the album was the line-up’s most critically successful since their original release, Heaven And Hell, after which they named this project. The album is passionate, heavy, and shows a side of Sabbath that is seldom seen.

Dio’s vocal range is excellent as always, and the rest of the band shows a musical style only seen when paired with the singer. Though often an afterthought, Vinny Appice’s drumming is often great, proving on all of his Sabbath releases that he is the best drummer that the band has ever worked with.

All the songs on The Devil You Know are great, as was the way of Ronnie James Dio, but single Bible Black is likely the best song on the album, as it takes us on the journey of a man who is destroyed by a dark bible.

The Devil You Know is essential heavy metal.