Dio - Holy Diver

There are three great voices in Heavy Metal, Bruce Dickinson, Rab Halford and Ronnie James Dio. I'm a huge fan of the first one, I respect and enjoy the second one, and the last one is the original Heavy Metal Vocalist God.

The Holy Diver album is one of those albums that is beyond classic. Ronnie James Dio ventured through Black Sabbath and Rainbow, as well as Elf if you really want to go back, to come out swinging solo with a record that is almost considered Gospel. Stand up and shout starts off the album with blinding speed and furious riffing. It's a great song, and it will pump you up. There was no better way to start this album off. If you've never heard the song, please go educate yourself.

The title track follows that up. It's ominously slow, and really creepy. It slithers into your mind, and lays eggs of imagination. "Holy Diver / You've been down too long in the midnight sea / Oh what's becoming of me / Ride the tiger / You can see his stripes but you know he's clean / Oh don't you see what I mean / Gotta get away / Holy Diver / Shiny diamonds / Like the eyes of a cat in the black and blue / Something is coming for you / Race for the morning / You can hide in the sun 'till you see the light / Oh we will pray it's all right / Gotta get away-get away / Between the velvet lies / There's a truth that's hard as steel / The vision never dies / Life's a never ending wheel".

I have to say that Gypsy is probably my favourite song on this album. I love the guitar work, and Dio's voice is so sexy sounding. Some people may consider this a bit stock sounding, because it has a tone and vibe that could easily be mistaken for Heaven & Hell or Rainbow, in a very good way. Also I love when Dio let's loose with, "So I'm ridin' / Yes I'm ridin' / I'm still ridin' on the gypsy / On the gypsy queen".

Caught In The Middle is a good solid rock song, but the part that stands out the most to me is that this song was written by Dio, Vivian Campbell and drummer Vinny Appice. With the exception of Lars Ulrich and Neil Peart you don't find drummers getting writing credits too often.

I know there are many people out there that love Don't Talk To Strangers, and while I acknowledge this is a fantastic song, it's not one of the songs that gets me off. On the original vinyl release, this song finished off the first side of the album. That was a genius idea, because this is a great closer, and would have me running to flip the record, so I could engorge myself on more musical ecstasy.

The second side of the album opens with Straight Through The Heart. This is a big heavy riffing song. I have to say that Vivian Campbell wasted his talents going to Def Leppard. I mean he's done some good music with them, but he was so much better with Dio. Although I'm not a fan of his solo on this song, I find it a bit grating and sloppy.

Invisible is one of those songs that starts all swimmy and ripply sounding, almost Styx sounding. Then it's on to the heavy riffing and Dio howling. This is one of those songs that sounds like three different bands rolled into one. There's the Styx like artsy sound, and performance aspects, a very clear Rainbow/Deep Purple heaviness, and soloing that could easily be taken for Kane Roberts era Alice Cooper. The last example actually came out after this album, but that's not the point.

I don't know if Holy Diver or Rainbow In The Dark is the most popular song on this album. However, Rainbow In The Dark would be my choice. "When there's lightning - it always bring me down / Cause it's free and I see that it's me / Who's lost and never found / I cry for magic - I feel it dancing in the light / But it was cold - I lost my hold / To the shadows of the night / There's no sign of the morning coming / You've been left on your own / Like a Rainbow in the Dark". You can also tell by the music that everyone in the band wrote this song, including bassist/keyboardist Jimmy Bain. It made this song so strong, solid and powerful, everywhere. It wasn't just Campbell doing a wicked solo and Dio giving good voice, it's also a great keyboard riff, and an awesome rhythm section.

Shame On The Night is a perfect album closer. It's such a sexy, dark, creeper of a song. This is Dio's Night Prowler (AC/DC). The groove, and simple musicianship explodes in waves of audio ecstasy. I mean this song really gets into you, and then takes you into the night. "For places Ive been, and what I've seen / For giving me the strangest dreams / You never never never know just what they mean / And ooooohh... Shame on the night / You dont care what youve done / Here I go, Ive got to run....... / Shame on the night / Shame shame on you / Shame on my dreams / Shame on the sun and You / Shame on the night / Well I lost my home on the Magic Flame, but now I know your name / Shame on the night / Shame on you..... / Shame on ALL of you / Shame on the night / ( evil laughing ) / Now im just a worthless Diver... ". What a way to end an album.

Aside from one solo I don't care for and a couple of songs that sound a bit stock, this album is almost perfect. I also feel the need to compliment Dio's production, and when I say that I mean that Ronnie James Dio did an amazing job producing this album.

This album should be in every serious Hard Rock / Heavy Metal fan's collection and if it isn't, shame on you.

10/10 - content

9/10 - production

9/10 - personal bias