THE rockers responsible for an album hailed as the best of its kind for a decade are bound for the Black Country.

Heaven & Earth’s recently released third album, Dig, has won acclaim from the critics and looks set to transport the band to the next level of success.

Guitarist Stuart Smith, who was mentored by the notoriously reclusive rock legend Richie Blackmore, is the driving force behind Heaven & Earth with the band’s current line-up completed by vocalist Joe Retta, bassist Chuck Wright, keyboard player Arlan Schierbaum, and drummer Richie Onori.

The band released their first album, Heaven & Earth featuring Stuart Smith, in 1998 featuring big-name guests including Richie Sambora, Joe Lynn Turner, Glenn Hughes and Carmine Appice.

The follow-up, Windows to the World, came out in 2001 and was the last for more than a decade due to Smith taking out out to concentrate on other projects including the reformation of a previous band – Sweet.

A chance meeting between Smith and record producer Bruce Quarto was the catalyst for the recording of Dig which was released in April 2013.

Heaven & Earth will be playing live at the Robin 2, Bilston, on Tuesday July 15.