It may have been one of the most overdue reunions in heavy metal, and Los Angeles learned why Wednesday night (4/25).

No doubt without the blessings of original lead singer Ozzy Osbourne (why else would the band not be billed by their true name?), the reunion of "Dehumanizer"-era Black Sabbath under the Heaven and Hell [ tickets ] moniker proved well-worth whatever red tape frontman Ronnie James Dio may have hinted at in his between-song banter. Such was evidenced by the 14-song, 110-minute set at The Forum, a fitting tribute to what many hail as Sabbath's most potent musical lineup.

"After All (The Dead)" opened the night with a diabolical grind, and set the tone early for a night of technical savvy and pristine musicianship. While guitarist Tony Iommi and bassist Geezer Butler were customarily low-key, their play spoke volumes, the left-handed guitar god demonstrating the fleet fingers that mark the band's recordings, and Butler punching his bass and forging a penetrating bottom end alongside hard-hitting drummer Vinny Appice.

But it was Dio that brought the most magic to the table.

If the earliest incarnation of Sabbath sold their souls for rock and roll, as the album title suggested, the spritely Dio sold his soul for a set of eternally golden singing pipes, his vocals delivered with pristine clarity as if he hadn't aged a day since his first go-round with Sabbath in 1980. The chorus to "Children of the Sea" rolled like gentle waves slicing through rough and choppy waters, and "Lady Evil" vaulted through the near-capacity arena not like a metal standard, but like a hard-rock classic, the buoyancy of the vocals swirling atop the arena-rock sound like lightening splashing color amidst rolling thunder.

Including new tracks "The Devil Cried" and "Shadow of the Wind," all 14 songs performed are included on the newly-released "Black Sabbath: The Dio Years" compilation, with equal representation given to each of their three albums: "Heaven and Hell," "The Mob Rules" and "Dehumanizer." Despite the fact that "Dehumanizer" was released to little acclaim in 1992, both "Computer God" and "I" were standouts during the Los Angeles performance.

On a brick-backdrop-adorned stage flanked by two massive castle doors that were left ajar, gothic fencing, lanterns and three stained-glass window video screens, Iommi looked at home in his long black jacket and customary cross necklace, his solos on "Computer God" and introducing "Die Young" eliciting an uproar from the crowd.

The sludgy dirge that launched "Falling Off the Edge of the World" bled into racing guitars and Dio's powering vocals, giving the track a progressive bend that slammed through the arena, harkening back to the earlier "The Sign of the Southern Cross," which had the packed floor pumping their fists in unison as the distorted guitar lent an ambient swagger to Butler's monolithic crunch.

Title track "Heaven and Hell" started slow (almost too slow), forayed into a blues-hued instrumental breakdown, and then erupted into a blitzing sprint to end the 15-minute run. Whether called Heaven and Hell or Black Sabbath, most of the crowd agreed on one thing, as chants of "Dio" echoed through the arena until the band returned for their "Neon Knights" encore.

Megadeth and Machine Head offered support, providing a back-to-back billing of twin guitar leads that, while they didn't mimic Iommi's influence, proved exceptional in offering a dose of modern metal to an otherwise nostalgia-driven night. Classic Megadeth offerings including "Wake Up Dead" and "Peace Sells" hit hard, while new single "Washington is Next" proved just as potent. Megadeth's "United Abominations" will be released May 15, while Machine Head's "The Blackening" was released March 27.

Setlist:
"After All (The Dead)"
"The Mob Rules"
"Children of the Sea"
"Lady Evil"
"I"
"The Sign of the Southern Cross"
"Voodoo"
"The Devil Cried"
(drum solo)
"Computer God"
"Falling Off the Edge of the World"
"Shadow of the Wind"
"Die Young"
"Heaven and Hell"
(encore)
"Neon Knights"