Heaven & Hell/Tokyo, Japan 2007

“October 22, 2007: Tokyo International Forum” was Ronnie James Dio’s last performance in Tokyo. The world’s first public master is now available. Three new excavated masters related to BLACK SABBATH will be released at the same time, two of which are 2007’s HEAVEN & HELL. First of all, let’s check the show’s position from the schedule at the time of Ronnie’s last visit to Japan.・October 20th “LOUD PARK 07 SAITAMA SUPER ARENA” ・October 22nd: Tokyo International Forum [This work] ・October 23rd: Osaka Castle Hall ・October 25th: Nagoya City Public Hall [Super intense Base Album] Above, all 4 performances. This is the second performance of this work, but the latter part of the schedule will be held in western Japan. In other words, this “October 22nd” was the last Tokyo stage of Ronnie’s life. This work, which records such a show, is a superb and super unique audience recording. All three works together with “LOUD PARK 07 SAITAMA SUPER ARENA” and “OZZFEST JAPAN 2013″ released simultaneously this week are original recordings by legendary masters, but this work is by far the best in terms of surprise. The impact explodes from the beginning. When the guitar riff of “The Mob Rules” roars through the “E5150” that announces the start of the show, it makes you say “Wow! That’s amazing high sound quality!!”, but the real shock came after that. Geezer Butler’s bass, which directly competes with that riff, is top-notch! It’s already Goringorin’s buckin buckin. From the first note, a melodic bass run pops out with a tremendous impact. Since it was 12 years ago, the detailed recording position is not known, but it was probably right next to Geezer’s PA. It’s stupidly huge and super clear, and it’s a super vivid sound that you can feel the fingerprints of Geezer’s fingers. Moreover, it’s not just big and direct, it’s beautiful. The vibe created by the clear lines is so strong that you can feel it shaking the floor and walls of the venue, and it even has an elegant, velvety sheen. The wah-wah effect of “The Sign of the Southern Cross” is amazing. Is it possible for an instrument called a bass to produce such a beautiful sound? It’s a sound that even lets you breathe. [Superb soundboard quality recording of the whole band] I was so shocked that I couldn’t help but write, but this work is not the type where you can only hear the bass. It feels like the balance between guitar and bass is reversed in a normal recording. Although the bass is the main character, the guitar is also clearly and firmly recorded. And the vocals are actually amazing too. Even though the balance between guitar and bass is the opposite of normal, the vocals are normal and fiercely direct. Ronnie’s singing voice approaches with the delicacy of a breathing level, and even the stereo effects and panning that are applied here and there are super vivid. In addition, there is almost no audience noise, so I’m afraid. This work is definitely a 100% pure audience recording, but the vocals are also a great sound that can only be called “like a sound board”. Although it is a more convincing sound to be called “Geezer’s IEMs sound source” than “audience recording,” this work still has the flavor unique to audience recording. In fact, there were real IEMs sound sources at this show, and matrix discs were also on the market, but this work is overwhelmingly more natural. Balance is a characteristic, but it depends on the position. The sense of reality of “being in that seat” is overwhelming, and there is no artificiality in combining the sound sources or the sense of incongruity that the position is unknown. Anyway, the best sound with super individuality. This show is Ronnie’s last Tokyo performance above all, and this work is its highest peak live album. However, at the same time, it is also an overwhelming “Geezer album”. There are no two recordings in the entire history of BLACK SABBATH that have such a beautiful and powerful impact on Geezer’s bass. Moreover, Ronnie’s last singing voice that echoes in Tokyo is sound board level for the whole band, and there is plenty of reality because it is 100% pure. It’s hard to believe that this recording was never heard by anyone for 12 years… A superb and highly unique masterpiece that even the fact that it was released for the first time in the world pales in comparison. ★This is an original high quality master appearing for the first time. Live at Tokyo International Forum, Tokyo, Japan 22nd October 2007 TRULY PERFECT SOUND(from Original Masters) Disc 1 (49:07) 1. E5150 2. The Mob Rules 3. Children of the Sea 4. I 5. The Sign of the Southern Cross 6. Voodoo 7. Drum Solo 8. Computer God Disc 2 (42:48) 1. Falling Off the Edge of the World 2. Die Young 3. Heaven and Hell 4. Neon Knights Ronnie James Dio – Vocals Tony Iommi – Guitar Geezer Butler – Bass Vinny Appice – Drums