For years, the Dehumanizer demos circulated exclusively on poorly dubbed cassette tapes, vinyl bootlegs, and underground internet trading forums under titles like The Dehumanizer Rehearsals . However, the historical importance of these sessions was finally recognized officially when Rhino and BMG released the Deluxe Edition of Dehumanizer . This release cleaned up and officially anthologized several rare tracks and live versions, though underground bootlegs still contain rougher, unedited jams that collectors cherish.
The title Dehumanizer was meant to criticize the coldness of technology, politics, and war. Yet, ironically, the demos of that album are the most human thing Black Sabbath has done since the 1970s. They capture four menâaging, brilliant, angry, and flawedâsweating in a Welsh farmhouse, trying to remember why they loved each other. black sabbath dehumanizer demos
Tragedy, however, would strike soon after these demos were laid down. Cozy Powell broke his pelvis in a horse-riding accident and was unable to play. "The only reason Cozy wasn't on the final cut of the album was because soon after these demos were recorded, he broke his pelvis," one bootleg summary notes. As a result, the band ultimately turned to another familiar face, Vinny Appice (who had drummed with Dio in Sabbath on Mob Rules ), to complete the album. For years, the Dehumanizer demos circulated exclusively on
The Dehumanizer demos are more than just a curiosity for completionists; they are an essential piece of heavy metal history for several reasons: The title Dehumanizer was meant to criticize the
This track originated as a song from Geezer Butler's solo project, The Geezer Butler Band. The demos show its transformation from a more straightforward rocker into the complex, multi-part epic that opens the album. "Letters From Earth":
If you are diving into these bootlegs or the official 2011 Deluxe Edition bonus tracks, look for: "Letters From Earth" (Alternate Version) : A heavier, more sprawling take than the album version "Master of Insanity" : This track originally started as a demo for the Geezer Butler Band