Dio Week on Maidenfans (July 27 - August 2, 2009)

[SinisterMinisterX]

This week, Maidenfans invites all members to post about Dio in this space.

Again, next week's band will be chose by the poll above.

Other pending nominations:

• Iced Earth (cornfedhick)
• Rush (Forostar)

Please remember, nominations are closed. We will go through all of these bands before any new ones are chosen.

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While I have all the Dio albums, the only ones I've listened to more than once or twice are the first few: Holy Diver, Last In Line and Sacred Heart. The first is great from start to finish, the next two are fairly strong with a lot of good songs. But now I have to go and listen to them again, and see what I think of them these days.

 

[Onhell]

I only have Holy Diver from his solo career. I have Heaven And Hell which many Black Sabbath fans call Dio and Black Sabbath and those who like the Ozzy Era don't really enjoy it or the other Dio albums. I for one LOVE Dio led Black Sabbath and really enjoy Holy Diver. Haven't heard it in a while so this is a nice opportunity to give it a solid listen.

 

[Perun]

I only have Holy Diver from his solo career.

I always thought Holy Diver, The Last in Line and Sacred Heart were salt, pepper and sugar to any metalhead's household...


They really are the holy trinity of 80's metal. Dio (the band)'s unique blending of unashamedly poppy vocal melodies and trve f'cking R1FFZ created the very essence of classic heavy metal, no less. Add to that Vivian Campbell's insane guitar wizardry and Dio's no-less-than-divine vocals and you have even more than that: You have some of the very best music ever made.

Holy Diver is so full of classic moments that you've got to pause for a moment and think about what moments aren't classic. And there are none. It's got great riffs that get stuck somewhere in the back portions of your brain and come out every once in a while and occupy your entire thoughts. I'm talking about Holy Diver, Caught in the Middle and Shame on the Night. The title track alone should have been enough to bring the entire Eastern Block down back in '83, even if nobody has a clue what the lyrics mean. And if you need proof that Dio's lyrics don't only revolve around rainbows, check the none-too-subtle chorus of Gypsy: 'Cause I'm riiiiiding.... yes, I'm riding on my Gypsy Queen!

The Last in Line is everything that Holy Diver is, and, I may get crucified for saying this, perhaps a tad more. It's got R1FFZ, it's got melodies and all the same that the predecessor had, but maybe, just maybe it is a little bit better. I blame it on Egypt (the Chains are on).

Sacred Heart is very poppy in comparison, and it's definitely got the most accessible songs. I don't mean to say that it is one bit worse than the previous two albums, but perhaps it is a little watered-down on the epic department. If I'd take on the world on my own to Holy Diver and declare myself immortal Pharaoh to The Last in Line, then maybe I'd 'only' have the world's biggest party to Sacred Heart. But then again, that is pretty good, isn't it.


I hate to separate these three albums, and I think they should be regarded as three parts of one masterpiece. Unfortunately, the higher you rise, the deeper you fall, and if these three albums are the Holy Trinity, then the next batch is, well, only very good. I'll get to them in time.

 

[LooseCannon]

Want to see someone get crucified?  Ask me what my favourite Dio album is.

 

[Perun]

What is your favourite Dio album, Loosey?

 

[LooseCannon]

Magica.

 

[Perun]

[me=Perun]crucify LooseCannon[/me]



Jokes apart though, Magica is a great album, and my second favourite of the post-Trinity ones. As Long as it's not about Love is one of the most poignant ballads out there, and the rest of the album is grand as well.


EDIT: Alright, who programmed that part in red? I typed in "/me crucify LooseCannon"

 

[LooseCannon]

The thing about Magica is that while it doesn't have my favourite song, or even my second favourite Dio song, it has most of the 3-10s.  And every song is really, really good.  Plus....I like the theme.  A lot.

 

[Deleted member 7164]

Actually, my favourite is Killing The Dragon, which everyone failed to mention.

 

[LooseCannon]

I have not listened to that one in awhile.  I'll put it up next (after Master of the Moon).

I really do love all Dio's work.

 

[Albie]

I really don't have much knowledge of his solo stuff aside from the odd track from Holy Diver and Last in Line. His stints with Sabbath and Rainbow, as I'm sure I've said before, are amongst the best eras for both bands, so why do I not seem to want to know about Dio on his todd? He's an excellent songwriter and a superb lyricists and as for his vocals...

So, as a sort of homage to the man, I'll stick on Rainbow's debut.

 

[Forostar]

I don't like all his work. I like all his work apart from two albums:

Strange Highways & Angry Machines which are imo pretty different from the rest.

Later, I'll try to get back to this topic, to explain this a bit better. Also I'll pick my favourite albums and songs.

 

[Onhell]

I always thought Holy Diver, The Last in Line and Sacred Heart were salt, pepper and sugar to any metalhead's household...

I've been looking for Rainbow instead of focusing on his solo stuff. Can't find it though, my record store officially sucks for forcing me to resort to ordering online... *sigh*. but I'll get to them in time... Like when I get a job.

 

[Forostar]

Wow, I have never seen this video. No, actually I never knew Dio performed this tracks live!

Stars (live in Japan, 1987)

Beware, it's a shorter version, without the shitload of guitarists and singers, just the Dio band.

 

[Cornfed Hick]

I always thought Holy Diver, The Last in Line and Sacred Heart were salt, pepper and sugar to any metalhead's household...

I always thought Sacred Heart was a substantial drop-off in quality from the first two Dio albums, and that things went downhill from there -- so much so that I stopped paying attention entirely after Dream Evil.  I had never even heard of the Magica album until LC mentioned it just now. 

I did see Dio on the Sacred Heart tour, though.  The stage set featured a giant dragon that Dio fought with a lighted sword.  Pretty comical, but the band kicked ass.  I wore that concert t-shirt until it fell apart in the wash.  

As an aside, I had no idea how old Ronnie James was until I saw/heard his '50s rock-a-billy recordings on iTunes. Astonishing.  He is 67.  Still, can't wait for the Heaven & Hell concert on August 11. 

 

[Genghis Khan]

Holy Diver -- There is not a weak song here.  The title track is a heavy metal anthem for anyone interested in classic metal.  Dio not only manages but excels in creating catchy vocals with melodic guitars and great riffs.  Other songs that fit this category are Gypsy and Rainbow in the Dark.  Unusually for me, I really enjoy the keyboards on the latter.  The album also has great rockers with incredible riffs like Invisible and Shame on the Night.  Don't Talk to Strangers has one of the most beautiful intros, yet the song changes to heavy throughout giving the listener best of both worlds.

The Last in Line -- While not as good as its predecessor, this album still contains some great rockers, such as Breathless, I Speed at Night and Evil Eyes.  The latter has a noteable poppy influence in the vocal delivery.

Sacred Heart -- While following the same formula as the prior two albums, I feel this album has more mainstream feel to it, probably because there is more poppy songs and elements.  It is still a good album though.

Dream Evil -- My second favourite after the debut.  There are ballads here (Sunset Superman, When a Woman Cries, All the Fools Sailed Away) that I'm really into.  They gripped me from the first time I've heard them and I still enjoy them.  The album also has great rockers like Night People, the title track and Overlove, the last song has plenty of blues influences IMO.

I've listened to all the other individual songs from other albums, and I liked many on the first few listens especially from Killing the Dragon album.  However, I cannot write a full opinion on the rest of them.  I'm trying to contain my listening to a CD or two at a time, as I enjoy the discovery of a new CD even if it is decades old.  If I hear them all at the same time, the music doesn't really surprise me and it kind of feels diluted, a mistake I made with Maiden.  (Not that I don't love Maiden -- of course I do; it was just too much too soon to hear twelve albums all at once).  The only Dio album I did not enjoy on the first couple of listens is Magica, but I have not given it a fair chance to be honest.

 

[Cornfed Hick]

Is Sacred Heart still available commercially?  Not available on Amazon or Best Buy websites, or on iTunes, which isn't a good sign.  It sold more than all the other albums but the first two, yet seems the hardest to find. 

 

[Forostar]

I always thought Sacred Heart was a substantial drop-off in quality from the first two Dio albums, and that things went downhill from there -- so much so that I stopped paying attention entirely after Dream Evil.  I had never even heard of the Magica album until LC mentioned it just now. 

It was mentioned more often on this forum. The last time was when Genghis and I had a fine discussion about it. 
Starting here and ending here. (naturally read everything in between as well)

Is Sacred Heart still available commercially?  Not available on Amazon or Best Buy websites, or on iTunes, which isn't a good sign.  It sold more than all the other albums but the first two, yet seems the hardest to find. 

Well, in Europe it is. Three different CD versions (cheapest is 8 euro) can be purchased from the biggest Dutch online media store.

 

[Natalie]

Actually, my favourite is Killing The Dragon, which everyone failed to mention.

I like Killing the Dragon as well. Then again, I haven't really listened to all his work (I have Holy Diver, and that's about it).

 

[Cornfed Hick]

It was mentioned more often on this forum. The last time was when Genghis and I had a fine discussion about it. 
Starting here and ending here. (naturally read everything in between as well)

Interesting discussion, and for what it is worth (off topic) I completely agree with Genghis Khan's critique of the lyric from To Tame a Land...