ALBUM REVIEWS: Black Sabbath Reissues – Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules


Photo credit: Mark Weiss with permission

Photo credit: Mark Weiss with permission

When Ronnie James Dio joined metal legends Black Sabbath in 1980 the former Rainbow frontman’s appointment couldn’t have come at a better time. Sabbath were a sinking ship. A drowning vessel from which enigmatic frontman Ozzy Osbourne had been trying to escape for some time. However, even though it was painfully clear that new blood had to be added to halt the band’s alarming deterioration the hostility that greeted Dio from some corners was quite shocking.

Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Black Sabbath – Technical Ecstasy Super Deluxe Box Set


Although 1976’s Technical Ecstasy (Vertigo/BMG) is unlikely to ever be viewed as a top tier release among most Black Sabbath fans, the fact that it exists at all goes to demonstrate the Birmingham foursome’s resilience and determination in those early days, if not the focus.

Continue reading


ALBUM REVIEW: Black Sabbath – Sabotage Super Deluxe Edition


The last of a groundbreaking run of undisputed classics, Sabotage (Vertigo/BMG), often gets overlooked during debates about the studio legacy of legendary metal pioneers Black Sabbath. Considering the seismic impact of the band’s previous five releases, this isn’t entirely surprising but Sabotage has always deserved more time in those conversations.

Continue reading


REVIEW: Black Sabbath – Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules


While Black Sabbath fans tend to agree on most things, the argument over singers Ozzy Osbourne and Ronnie James Dio still rages on. Just who was the better frontman? Most will obviously side with the former but there are still those who insist Dio will always be number one. Ozzy was responsible for six of the finest albums in the annals of heavy metal but Dio rescued that same band (at least temporarily) from total collapse with two hugely important albums of his own.

Continue reading


Listen to A Previously Unreleased 1979 Version of Black Sabbath’s “Heaven and Hell”


The estate of late Black Sabbath keyboard player Geoff Nicholls has released a previously unreleased rehearsal recording of Sabbath rehearsing an early version of their classic song “Heaven And Hell” in 1979 during the pre-production sessions for the album of the same name. The track, which features Nicholls on bass, was uploaded to YouTube by Geoff’s stepson and executor of his estate, Gary Rees. Continue reading


CLASSIC ALBUMS REVISITED: Black Sabbath – “Paranoid” Turns 50


 

With bands taking so much time between studio albums these days, it’s astonishing to believe that in the space of just three years, between 1970 and 1973, Brummie icons Black Sabbath released no less than five of the most important records in the annals of heavy metal.

Continue reading


CLASSIC ALBUMS REVISITED: Black Sabbath’s “Heaven And Hell” Turns 40


Black Sabbath, one of the greatest bands ever, was an act in transition as it entered the 1980s. Less than a year earlier they sacked their legendary lead singer Ozzy Osbourne and replaced him with equally great Ronnie James Dio, previously of Rainbow. The flailing former greats and the hungry vocalist reignited each others passion for Heavy Metal to create something incredible in Heaven and Hell (Vertigo/Warner Bros) The album not only gave the band a shot in the arm, but it also launched their second era with a bang, one their fans would never forget. Continue reading


CLASSIC ALBUMS REVISITED: Black Sabbath’s Genre Defining Debut Turns 50


Black Sabbath in 1970, photo by Warner Brothers Records

On the sleeve: a grainy picture of a woman dressed in black. A stagnant pond. A creepy looking mill house.

And two words. Black Sabbath.

On the record: Rain. Thunder. A tolling bell. Those three notes. That voice.

And just like that, in February of 1970 – appropriately enough on the 13th – the face of music was changed forever.

Continue reading


Ghost Cult Turns 7! Celebrate with Us and Win Our “Mystery Box” Prize!


Way back in 2012, Ghost Cult started as a magazine in The Netherlands, specializing in avant-garde and extreme metal, stoner rock, and doom. We ran 19 issues as a digital magazine, which was fairly successful with wide-spread and acclaimed features on Behemoth, Neurosis, Ghost, Megadeth, Amon Amarth, Dragged Into Sunlight, Dream Theater, Korn, Bill Ward, Anathema, Ihsahn, GWAR, Anthrax, COC, Down, Intronaut, High on Fire, The Atlas Moth, and many more. We’ve improved and grown every year with your help. We’d like to think that we provide news, reviews, interviews and concert, and festival coverage with integrity, and without the drama and BS you see from most other websites out there. We will always do what we do and curate and cover all kinds of rock, metal, punk, hardcore, and indie artists. Now in our seventh year, we move boldly into the future! Thanks for being here and supporting us! As a bonus, we have a gift for one lucky fan! Enter to win below!Continue reading