I prefer the second four Ozzy Sabbath albums to the first four, although I'd rank Paranoid above Technical Ecstasy. But Sabbath Bloody Sabbath, Sabotage and Never Say Die would be my top three.

1. Black Sabbath with Ozzy (Master of Reality is among my favorite albums by anyone)
2. Black Sabbath with Dio


3. Ozzy solo (which I find quite overrated, esp. the first two albums with Randy)

Technically guitar playing on Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman is great for sure, but I never found the songwriting on Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman to be great.
Those two albums get two much love and praise, in my view. Songwriting-wise neither of them is in the same league with Heaven and Hell, let alone Paranoid, MOR and SBS.

Black Sabbath with Ozzy

Black sabbath with Ozzy but I do have BARK AT THE MOON with is a good album..

Ozzy solo>Sabbath w/Ozzy>Sabbath w/Dio

I just feel the length of his career and overall catalog gives him tinest edge over his Sabbath stuff. On side note I'm not saying Randy was better guitarist than Toni but his version of Paranoid is superior (imo).

In 1983 I saw one of the rarely mentioned iterations of Black Sabbath. Ian Gillian (Deep Purple) was the vocalist and Bev Bevan (ELO) was subbing for Bill Ward. Fun show and the opener was Quiet Riot.

No way, I would say, those are 3 totally different bands. Sabbath with Ozzy, especially from Black Sabbath up to Sabbath Bloody Sabath (lets exclude Vol. 4) are the foundations of Doom Metal. Sabbath with Dio is band rooted in Elf & Rainbow, with monstrous, heavy guitars from Iommi. Ozzy Solo is the most fun of the 3, easy to listen to, with biggest ballads hits (lets be bloody obvious, "Mama, I'm Coming Home"), where Ozzy felt most natural.

I'll concede that I'm absolutely useless on the Ozzy vs. Dio years of Black Sabbath.

I'll gladly go on record and say that I love both "eras" equally.

In fact, one would be hard-pressed to find two greater back-to-back incarnations of any recording artist in the history of popular music than Black Sabbath Mach I and II.

In my opinion, nobody else comes even remotely close under that same scenario. :bowdown::tramp:

I don’t know that ever heard any of the Sabbath stuff with Dio singing. I’m a fan mostly of their first three albums. I do remember hearing “Digital Bitch”, with Ian Gillan singing lead, and liking it.

First time I've heard the 'Mach' talk for anybody other than Deep Purple!

What defines a new incarnation? A main vocalist or just a new member?