DIO re-issues

March 18th, 2012 by jason

Holy Diver (2CD) 5/5

The Last in Line (2CD) 5/5

Sacred Heart (2CD) 4/5

Universal

At long last the first three Dio albums get the proper remaster treatment and what a joy to behold. Really.

After Elf, Rainbow and Black Sabbath, singer Ronnie James Dio had already been involved in some iconic and influential albums, but when he set out with his eponymous band in 1982, the debuted in 83 with a straight metal album that is about as Iconic and classic as anything he’d done before, or since.

With Dio handling occasional keyboards and most of the song writing, his band was completed by drummer Vinnie Appice (they struck up a longtime working relationship in Sabbath), former Rainbow bass player Jimmy Bain and former Sweet Savage guitarist Vivian Campbell (later of Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake and Def Leppard).

Holy Diver the album is crunchy and full of crunchy riffs and hooks. From the opening “Stand Up And Shout” and the classic title track, the pitch and pace of the metal is just perfect – no thrash, no glam, no FM sell out, just classic classic metal. “Caught In The Middle” carries a melody, and the album amplifies the fantasy themes of Rainbow and Sabbath combined, exploring both light and dark, and various contrasts between. The lighter intro to “Don’t Talk To Strangers” works well, before the heavier riffs come in. And the solos aren’t too shabby either. I could go through each track, but they’re all classic, it’s a well-balanced and truly iconic album. Dio’s vocals are strong, clear and ranging throughout.

Comprehensive sleevenotes add to a decent package, as does the second disc, featuring 3 single b-sides and 6 live tracks from the King Biscuit Flower Hour October 1983.

The following year’s The Last In Line followed a similar direction, a lot more so, and proved the band were a team, not a solo project. Adding keyboard player Claude Schnell, opener “We Rock” is a hard edged statement of intent. The title track is a solid number, and from “Breathless” through to “Eat Your Heart Out”, it’s more classic Dio. Then there’s the closing number, the truly epic “Egypt (The Chains Are On)”, a slower solid rhythm that nods back to “Heaven And Hell”, but the moody riff in a heavy minor key adds an extra edge.

Another superb album, and the second disc adds 4 b-sides and a further 8 live tracks that include Stargazer and Heaven And Hell. Now that’s worth the price alone!

The third and final album to feature guitarist Campbell was 1985’s Sacred Heart, a rift between Dio and Cambell starting during the recording; the sound here is more polished, a progression, more prominent keyboards, it’s as solid and melodic as the previous two but, certainly in terms of the guitar, it’s a lot less crunchy, less fiery. “Rock’n’Roll Children” is an anthemic classic – in fact that describes the album in being more anthemic and less straight metal. “King Of Rock And Roll” and “Hungry For Heaven” stand out too. It’s not really a more commercial direction, but it’s definitely different, a move on from the earlier albums.

The second disc includes 4 single b-sides (also making up the Dio EP) and the more that make up the Intermission mini album.

On all three albums the sound is improved, the packing is superb and all the bonuses are rounded up. My only gripe on the sound is that the guitar on the 3^rd album (and mini album) was always low in the mix and it would be nice a hear a complete remix to balance it with the first two albums where the mix is a lot more guitar oriented.

But some classic and essential metal, classic Dio, and decent packaging at last.

Def worth forking out for.

Joe Geesin

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