Heavy Maytal-Dio's "Master of the Moon"

 

This is the 10th and final Dio solo album, and also features the return of  Craig Goldy, who is clearly Ronnie's Zakk. Jeff Pilson also returned for these sessions, which capture a very classic sound that ironically opens with "One More For the Road". The title track is a little darker and more deliberate in its doomy syncopation. "End of the World" riff-wise almost feels more like an AC/DC song, with his vocals keeping it from falling into that place."Shivers" is driven by a more metallic riff, though in 2004, it was marginally considered metal based on where music was heading by this point.

They bring more menace with "The Man Who Would Be King, " which carries a more ominous power. "Eyes" is darker and has a cool robotic effect haunting it. Its climax is very effective. I like the vocal production on "Living the Lie," it helps showcase a powerful vocal preformance that sells the song. I like the creeping palm muted riff leading into the guitar solo. 

"I am" carries the slow gallop true to the era he is embracing again, almost coming full circle in some ways. We are back to gypsy queens on "Death By Love." So you know he is back in his rocking sweet spot with wishing wells and sacred hearts thrown in for good measure.  'In Dreams' has big shoes to fill as the last song on the last Dio album, though it's not likely he knew it was his last, though he does own a few crystal balls. It is pretty deliberate and carries what you probably want from him. I'll round this up to a 10 as he feels like he grew comfortable in his own skin again right in time for the curtain call. 

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Heavy Maytal- Dio's"Magica"

 By 2000, I was pretty much jsut listening to hardcore shit like Converge or at the other spectrum the Cure, so this fell between the cracks and I have never listened to this album before. Craig Goldy returns for Dio's concept album. Jimmy Bain from Rainbow also showed up for bass duties."Lord of the Last Day" is the first actual song. It is slow and deliberate, bordering on doom, but not too anchored in nostalgia. It is interesting to hear Dio reach down and pull some lower notes out. "Fover Dreams" has more of a "Man on Silver Mountain" feel to its groove. It works for what they are doing here. 

It feels like they are jamming their way into "Turn to Stone," which would work well live. There are some soulful vocal embellishments by Dio in places on this one. Not the strongest chorus, but not opposed to this song either. Part of the concept is the robot voices, adding narrative, so maybe the theme is robots vs magic? "Feed My Head" is a little darker with great lyrics. "Eriel" has more of a "Holy Diver" gallop, but it does not feel too recycled. 

"Challis' takes modern drive and applies it to a more 80s rock sound. The riff carries echoes of "Cat Scratch Fever".  There is some interesting guitar work that opens up "As Long as it's not about Love."It starts off as more of a ballad, Dio showing off the more tender colors his voice is capable of capturing while retaining power. It never takes off but stays in a more dramatic, expressive place. There is a folkish intro to "Losing My Insanity," but with that song title, it would be too muh of a Spinal Tap moment for them not to kick into metal at some point. It's not the heaviest song on the album, but it has more of a swing to it. He has obviously become aware of folk metal by this point in time. 

"Otherworld" carries the typical not quite doomy throb that his solo work is known for, then the album takes a turn. There are two pieces called reprises before launching into the 18-minute of Dio's book on tape entitled. "Magica Story" so for the purpose of this album I am not going to include it nor was I really interested in story hour myself. I will give this one a 9 as despite it's ambitions and story telling it feels the least inspired .    But Dio is singing that elevates it over most metal albums from this period.

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Heavy Maytal -Dio's "Lock Up the Wolves"

It's been thought that this album is where Dio fell from his peak popularity. I remember being unsure of the line-up change spearheaded by the inclusion of 18-year-old Rown Robetson, who has a blues-rock feel to his playing rather than the more overt style. Yngwie keyboardist Jens Johansen and AC/DC drummer Simon Wright were also part of this new line-up. The main difference lies in the guitar tones, as Robertson is a great guitar player with ample chops displayed in "Born on the Sun".  It plays off many of the typical Dio tropes, but they still have gas in the tank. 

"Hey Angel" was the lead single, which leans more in the direction of where commercial metal was going, particularly with the layered vocals on the chorus and the drum sound here. But the songs is pretty good, and hold up to Dio's standard. After this, Dio would need to get his batteries recharged by reuniting with Sabbath for the heavier "De-humanizer" album, after which his solo albums would be more on track with where metal was heading, but when it comes to the transitional records going into the 90s, he fared better than many of his peers, though this is a far cry from "Painkiller". 

"Between Two Hearts" follows the Dio "power ballad' formula with the softer melodic intro, but this time a blues-based verse that modulates into a creeping palm-muted groove that snakes around the sparse almsot doomy drumming. It's his best vocal performance so far on this album, as it is very soulful. There is some interesting guitar playing going on in "Night Music." They default to the more typical dynamic ebb and flow on this one, but it still works thanks to Dio's magic pipes. I think what I sensed back when this came out in high school was that it wasn't as heavy as what he had done up to that point, though I saw him on this tour, and it worked for me live. 

While the lyrics are a little silly, the title track has to be my favorite song on this album, as it's the one I have returned to the most over the years, thanks to the vocal hook on the chorus. It is also darker and heavier than the previous songs. The bluesy swagger of " Evil on Queen Street" benefited from Rowan's playing. A song like "Walk on Water' works in this context, but it goes to show that if Dio had not done a reset and kept making albums, he would have gone to the well too many times going into the 90s. "Twisted" certainly helps to cement this as Dio's most blues-based rock n roll album.  

"Why Are They Watching Me" is more of a return to form with a great vocal performance from Dio, despite revisiting many 80s metal tropes. "My Eyes" closes the album. The verse riff is more like classic Dio before it ebbs back down, but his softer vocal performance is pretty stunning, so no omplaints about this formula. Which could apply to this album as a whole, sure it's a shift in a more rock direction, but when I was combined with Dios raw vocal talent and Rowan's enthusiasm, they made this work, so I will round it up to a 10, as the songs that come close to fillere were better than where hard rock was heading during this time. 

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Heavy Maytal- Dio's "Dream Evil"

Since I have already reviewed 'Sacred Heart" just last year, I am skipping ahead to this album, which I wore out when it came out. It was darker than bands like Twisted Sister and Judas Priest were doing at this time. Craig Goldy replaced Vivian Campbell on this album, which factors into a shift in sound.  The opening track is pretty heavy on guitar solos and your typical Dio uptempo opener. But lyrically brilliant as he asks questions like "do you come alive with neon kills the sun shine?" Why yes, I do. The title track is one of his all-time strongest songs. The verses are pretty typical for him, but the chorus is perfectly produced and performed. There are moments in "Sunset Superman" that remind me of his Sabbath years, though the chorus is certainly the kind of anthem Dio was known for cranking out. 

Dio's take on power ballads was different from others from this era. There was a more mystical atmosphere to them that can be felt in the languid melody that leads off "All the Fools Sailed Away".  In some ways, it is not unlike some of Ozzy's work in this regard. Though this feels more menacing when it kicks in on the verse. Lyrically, there is also more depth than Ozzy's solo work, though the subject differs greatly. I had totally forgotten about the keyboard solo leading into the guitar solo on this song. 

"Naked in the Rain" sounds like it could have been left over from the "Sacred Heart" sessions. Craig Goldy's most impressive playing is on "Overlove". "I Could Have Been a Dreamer' shows the more emotionally sentimental side to some of Dio's anthems. It is consistent with who he is, but balanced out by songs like "Faces in the Window". The last song, "When A Woman Cries" has more groove to it and despite the shredding leans towards the shadow side of Dio though the darkest song on the album. I will give this underrated album a 10 as it has held up over the years, even with the synth prescence carrying over from "Sacred Heart". 

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Heavy Maytal -Dio's "the Last in Line"

 

The 1984 sophomore album feels more aggressive than it's predcessor, with more uptempo proto thrashers balanced out with Dio's commitment to melody, but a song like "I Speed at Night" almost feels like Judas Priest, but with flashier Motley Crue-like drumming. The anthemic opener 'We Rock" finds strong vocal melodies flowing over the faster riffing, driving it. The title track is one of the most recognizable songs outside of Dio's fanbase. Despite being more dynamic and melodic than "Holy Diver", his previous hit is just too infectious to be beat, despite this being the highest charting album for him.

They reach a more deliberate middle ground with "One Night in the City." This is one of the rare lyrical moments that brough things into the more modern urban landscape, despite some of the medieval metaphors that he could not shake. The guitar gives him more room to flex his powerful pipes on this one. It's the first song that I really noticed the synths on. Vivian Campbell has established himself as a guitar hero on this trip to the studio. "Evil Eyes" is another uptempo rocker that follows what we now know of as the typical Dio formula, but it was fresh when this album came out. 

"Mystery" is a more radio-friendly anthem that sounds like it was the precursor to 'Hungry for Heaven". It's catchy enough, so it works for me.  "Eat Your Heart" is more deliberate and powerful. Lyrically mroe typical of the times in certain ways, but it was more fun in those days, so there is that. "Egypt" is a darker song, with lyrics that encapsulate what Dio does. I will give this album a 10, it's a great metal classic. 

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Heavy Maytal- Dio's "Holy Diver"

Ok, now it's time to dig into Dio's solo album. Sure, Dio is also what he named the project, but it's clearly his band. This album is perhaps his best. I guess we will uncover that as I tackle his work, the only album I won't be reviewing again is "Sacred Heart," which I already covered last November. "Stand Up and Shout " is a faster, more aggressive anthem that serves as a suitable anthem. His calling card for his solo work is, without a doubt, the metal classic and title track.  The vocal is perfect, the lyrics mysterious, though he has gone on record saying "ride the tiger" which comes from a Chinese proverb that states 'he who rides the tiger is afraid to dismount. Not sure where the stripes being clean come into play. 

"Gypsy" is more of a straightforward rocker that works off its energy. Dio belts it out with more grit but the vocal hooks are not as memorable as the first two songs. "Caught in the Middle" has more groove and gives his vocals a clearer space to occupy, thus a better vocal performance from him. It is more upbeat musically and the chorus more melodic. He adapted to the 80s well. "Don't Talk to Strangers" is darker , is more subdued vocal tone sets this up for when things take dynamics shift that is foreshadowed in the lyrics. This shift makes it even more sinister. "Straight Thru the Heart" sounds like it could have been written during his Black Sabbath days. The melodic middle section is a staple in the Dip songwriting formula, but it also showcases some nuance in his voice.

It's cool going back and listening to these albums as I was 12 when I first got this album, and had almost forgotten about the song 'Invisible' which taught me how melodic metal can be while still packing a punch. Lyrically there is a lot going on here with the story it tells , which Google might not want me to lay out in detail for you here with it's abuse themes. If the keyboards were not present on "Rainbow in the Dark' were not present, I might like it more. Dio's vocals are great but the synth sound ruin the chorus for me as it makes it too happy.  

"Shame on the Night' has a darker creep to it. His lyrics are great , and vocals runs remarkable. This album is a classic but I am going to give it a 10 which is a perfect score, but it does not quite hit the 11 mark like some of Maiden's albums, but that does not mean it's not in the upper tiers of classic metal, someone the sound might just be a product of the time but it's flawlessly performed. 

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The Top 10 Albums of 1975

If you aren't hip to the fact that Reza Mills from Clean Sheets and Sleeping Shaman has been breaking down the decades with me to uncover our top 5 songs in the pivotal anniversaries for these years, then you uare missing out, and you should check out our insights here...

 

Here I am taking my top 5 choices and expanding them into the top 10 albums of 1975, and also ranking them in order of their impact and staying power, so here are my top 10 albums of 1975. Be sure to check out the episode above for a more in-depth look at the top 5 here. 

10-Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow- "S/t"

Some of Dio and Blackmore's best work. 

 

9-Aerosmith-"Toys in the Attic" 

The radio hit might have worn out this one , but the deeper tracks are gold. 

8-Fleetwood Mac- "s/t'

 Lyndsey Buckingham steals the show on this classic.

 

8-the Grateful Dead -"Blues For Allah."

Not a Dead head but developed a deep enough appreciation for these guys, and this is my favorite album from Jerry and the Boys, as it is like free-form prog. 

 

7-Roxy Music- "Siren."

The pulse of this album proves that not only was love a drug, but also drugs were drugs. 

 

6-Elton John-"Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy."

John's most epic songwriting is dramatic and passionate, while almost going prog.

 

5-Pink Floyd- "Wish You Were Here'

Not Sure how I overlooked this one in the top 5 originally, though it's neck and neck with John's stellar songwriting, but the pristine guitar tone edges the Rocket Man out.

   

4-Alice Cooper - "Welcome to My Nightmare." 

Cooper's creepy cabaret beats out David Gilmore's pristine guitar tones

 

 3-Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti

If you ever doubted Jimmy Page, this is the album to set things straight as the scope of his guitar mastery is broader than you think.

 

2-Black Sabbath "Sabotage"

I regard this album as Sabbath's best work, as it hits with power while bringing the trippy experimentation that had begun to dabble in

1-David Bowie -"Young Americans." 

Bowie recreates soul music in his own image and brings more sensual grooves to the party with his best vocal performances yet. 

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Looking Back in Anger at Dio's "Sacred Heart"

 Was working on a Top 5 albums of 1985 podcast episode and have fond memories of this album, so going to take a listen to see if it holds up. This is the last album with Vivian Campbell playing on it and marks the peak of the Dio solo years. There was tension in the studio during these sessions, but the album is better for it. It opens with a rocker in "King of Rock' N Roll". Other songs on this album might get more recognition, but the title track might be my favorite. Vinny Appice's playing works well to give this album drive, and he keeps things very deliberate on this one. 

"Another Lie' is everything I wanted from a Dio song; it has hooks and grit in equal measure while being darker than most of the other more commercial metal at this time. "Rock N Roll Children" has Journey-like Keyboards, and even as a kid, I could tell this was more accessible than his other songs, but it works for what it is. "Hungry For Heaven' was the other big single from this album, and while it is a more streamlined version of what he does, it is a great songwriting. "Like the Beat of a Heart" is heavier and the kind of metal Dio fans wanted delivered.

There is more of a Judas Priest-like swagger to "Just Another Day." As a kid, "Fallen Angels" was lyrically my favorite song on this album; it's also the darkest of those tracks. In today's culture 'Shoot Shoot" would have never worked lyrically, since everyone is afraid of guns. I will give this album a 10, as it's my favorite metal album of 1985. I am posting a link below to the episode if you want to heaqr more about it's place in 80s metal at the time. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PlyTC5YDUYo

 

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The Top 100 Greatest Metal Albums: 30 to 21

We continue counting down these numbers of the beast in our Top 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time.
30- Motley Crue- Shout At the Devil

The most metal of all the hair metal albums. Anthems of the 80's.



29- This is Spinal Tap Soundtrack

While a brilliant parody, they also made some great songs by mistake.



28-Solitude Aeturnus- Through The Darkest Hour

Epic doom with soaring vocals, the song are catchier than you would expect from a band this ominous.



27-Angkor Wat-Corpus Christi

Members of this band would eventual populate the ranks of Nine Inch Nails, this album saw the industrial elements begin of sprout from the the Texas thrash.



26-Ministry-Filth Pig

Other albums might have sold better, but this is the densest and ugliest , which are the elements making this one inarguably metal.



25-Godflesh -Street Cleaner

This album came out in 1989 so to say it is way ahead of it's time is an understatement, considering the influence it has had on bands today.



24-Rainbow- Long Live Rock n Roll

This seemed less like a Ritchie Blackmore solo project and more like it's own concept that stood against  any Deep Purple album and Dio's voice shines like a rainbow in the dark.



23-Killing Joke-Pandemonium

After influencing the industrial genre Killing Joke came back in 1994 to reclaim their crown and make one of their  heaviest if not best albums to date.



22-Tool- Ænima

At one time this album might have made it to the top ten but over the years as the bar gets set higher for heavy, this power of this album wanes, yet the songs are still great.



21-Deep Purple- In Rock

Ritchie Blackmore blisters on this album, which takes hard hitting blues jams and blows them up to epic proportions for Ian Gillan to have some of his finest moments on.