Album Review : Dio – The Studio Albums 1996-2004

Review by Rick Eaglestone for MPM

Together for the first time, the four final Dio studio albums are collated together for new bustling boxset.

Where to start, honestly how can you accurately articulate not only the influence of Ronnie James Dio but the talent, passion and everything that made the man, and I don’t mince my words here a literal god!

From Rainbow to Sabbath and back again everything he touched turned to gold – now everyone has there go to releases as do I so if nothing else this boxset has made me go and revisit as least ¾ quarters of this boxset as they are not necessarily my first choices

Up first in the studio albums collections is the aesthetically futuristic Angry Machines which unfortunately even after all this time I still struggle to get through in its entirety without grinding my teeth, fortunately Magica follows so normal service is resumed and yes you could argue that an album that sees in the new millennium would be more in keeping with the futuristic aesthetic but it has way more sweeping melody, yes of course it’s experimental but tracks such a Losing My Insanity still have me singing along

Most definitely the boxset highlights as the final two albums side by side are still phenomenal. Case in point opening track on Master Of The Moon (Also my favourite artwork of the later albums) One More For The Road is still straight up fire. Whereas Master of Moon dabbled in the nostalgia of the late 80’s the gallops that engulf Killing The Dragon are a bittersweet reminder of Dio’s passion and ability for storytelling amongst the heavy metal flame. Atmosphere, solos, the presentation all align to leave the listener in awe of a once in a lifetime influence.

The Studio Albums 1996-2004 Track listing.

Angry Machines’

1. Institutional Man
2. Don’t Tell The Kids
3. Black
4. Hunter Of The Heart
5. Stay Out Of My Mind
6. Big Sister
7. Double Monday
8. Golden Rules
9. Dying In America
10. This Is Your Life

‘Magica’

1. Discovery
2. Magica Theme
3. Lord Of The Last Day
4. Fever Dreams
5. Turn To Stone
6. Feed My Head
7. Eriel
8. Chalis
9. As Long As It’s Not About Love
10. Losing My Insanity
11. Otherworld
12. Magica (Reprise)
13. Lord Of the Last Day (Reprise)

‘Master Of The Moon’

1. One More For The Road
2. Master Of The Moon
3. The End Of The World
4. Shivers
5. The Man Who Would Be King
6. The Eyes
7. Living The Lie
8. I Am
9. Death By Love
10. In Dreams

‘Killing The Dragon’

1.Killing The Dragon

2. Along Comes A Spider
3. Scream
4. Better In The Dark
5. Rock and Roll
6. Push
7. Guilty
8. Throw Away Children
9. Before The Fall
10. Cold Feet

Line-up:

Angry Machines

Ronnie James Dio – vocals

Tracy Grijalva (a.k.a. Tracy G) – guitars

Jeff Pilson – bass

Vinny Appice – drums

Scott Warren – keyboards

Magica

Ronnie James Dio – vocals, keyboards

Craig Goldy – guitars, keyboards

Jimmy Bain – bass

Simon Wright – drums

Master of the Moon

Ronnie James Dio – vocals

Craig Goldy – guitar, keyboards

Jeff Pilson – bass

Simon Wright – drums

Scott Warren – keyboards

Killing The Dragon

Ronnie James Dio – vocals

Doug Aldrich – guitar

Jimmy Bain – bass, keyboards

Simon Wright – drums

Scott Warren – keyboards on “Before the Fall”

King Harbour Children’s Choir — chorus on “Throw Away Children”.

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