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Holy Diver

Dio - Holy Diver Audio CD

A fair review of the Dio "Holy Diver" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Dio reviews here, or go back to the Dio tabs.

Band: Dio
Title: Holy Diver
Rating:

Release Date: 2005-10-03
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Stand Up and Shout 2: Holy Diver 3: Gypsy 4: Caught in the Middle 5: Don't Talk to Strangers 6: Straight Through the Heart 7: Invisible 8: Rainbow in the Dark 9: Shame on the Night 10: Ronnie James Dio Audio Interview (2005) [*] 11: Ronnie James Dio Audio Interview (2005) (Continued) [*] 12: Ronnie James Dio Audio Interview (2005) (Continued) [*] 13: Ronnie James Dio Audio Interview (2005) (Continued) [*] 14: Ronnie James Dio Audio Interview (2005) (Continued) [*] 15: Ronnie James Dio Audio Interview (2005) (Continued) [*] 16: Ronnie James Dio Audio Interview (2005) (Continued) [*] 17: Ronnie James Dio Audio Interview (2005) (Continued) [*] 18: Ronnie James Dio Audio Interview (2005) (Continued) [*] 19: Ronnie James Dio Audio Interview (2005) (Continued) [*]

Dio #1 is Timeless, Audial Heavy Head Changing Renaissance Experience
Released in '83, having just graduated from high school, I and this album were not quite ready for one another. Hard Rock (or "Aboriginal Metal") doesn't get much better than this, and the test of time proves everything. "Holy Diver" blew me away. Here was Mr. Ronnie James Dio, a "graduate" of the "Deep Purple" (Richie Blackmore) school, with a CLASSICAL background (french horn player) in his early days no less; he was TOO MUCH, too soon, for me at that precise time, to understand properly and contextually. I thought I knew what "good heavy metal" was. However: Not quite a half century later, I am finally mature enough to appreciate the brilliance which has time and again and even now, defined and redefined the vocal and lyrical genius of Ronnie James Dio.

Often hailed as "one of the very best and most powerful rock vocalists of all time" (with a lung capacity unrivaled by traditional operatic singers) Dio does not disappoint - it was only a matter of time - distancing himself from Elf, Rainbow and even Black Sabbath (where he shined brilliantly enough) - Dio "as Dio," which is to say, on his own and especially, here with his debut album and the followup, "Last in Line," leave the listener speechless with a kind of heavy metal rapture unknown by any other name.

"Holy Diver" the track is a precious gem, and I would NEVER use the term "plodding classic metal" to describe it. Better, I would compare it to the best of the best that Rush, Kansas, Yes or even Styx conjured during their earliest, jamming heydays. I would call this song, "A Classic Rock Treasure," period. A treasure that never grows old, nor stale to the ear. Forever interesting. Fascinating. And forever stimulatingly NEW!

Then of course, "Rainbow in the Dark. " A fitting finale to an altogether priceless debut. It was years before I finally realized that "Rainbow in the Dark" was in fact, NOT a "Rainbow" song at all. But part of the NEW DIO!

Ronnie James just keeps on giving his best, better and better and better. And going strong to this day, circa 2010. Wow!

Interesting trivia: Dio popularized the "evil eye" gestures of fore finger and pinky finger, using both hands with arms out-stretched in a sort of "salute" or "salutation" (valediction), at all his concerts once he became exclusive "Dio. " Yet this should never be construed as any kind of form of "devil worship" or Satanic symbol, per se. On the contrary, Dio is quoted as saying he learned to make this hand "signal" from his grand mother born in southern Italy, where "the evil eye" was a standard trope TO WARD AWAY ALL EVIL! So those who associate Dio with "Satanic Rock," perhaps - should take a deeper listen I think. Dio's a poet, but not necessarily a black magician, certainly not exclusively. One part Aleister Crowley perhaps, two parts William Blake. Perpetually an explorer of hidden realities - light and/or dark. Either way, a master of his time, his music, his genre. Long live the Best that is Dio. Forever mystical and wonderfully mystifying. Here he is in rarest best form. High Amperage. True theatre of the mind. [Dio(s) Mio!] Keep and Forever Enjoy!.

Classic hard rock
great re issue of a classic album remastered,worth the money to repurchase for the updated sound quality and interview with dio.

Split your face wide open
This album will split your face wide open. You want to know what real metal is? Holy Diver. It's that good.

Jump on the Tiger!!!
The title track is one of my favorite songs ever and you can't believe how thrilled I was when I first learned how to play it the whole way through. Holy Diver is a metal classic with absolutly no argument.

We all know the story of Ronnie James Dio, the pint sized vocalist for the bands Elf, Rainbow, and Black Sabbtah, finally struck out on his own and made one of the most memorable albums of all time. I walways wondered if Holy Diver would have been Black Sabbath's next album if Dio stayed with the Fab Sabs.

Besides the title track which is the crown jewel of this album in my opinion, Stand up and Shout, Gypsy, Shame on the Night, and Caught in the Middle are favorites of mine. Vivian Campbell was in top form on this album. His guitar work is amazing. Too bad he turned into such a little wuss after he joined Def Leppard and won't even acknowledge the work he did with Ronnie James.

heavy metal stuff
He seemed like the kind of musician people would forget about as the years went by, and as heavy metal went out of style as grunge and other genres became popular. I'm surprised people remember Dio these days. Nope!

"Stand up and Shout" is classic speed metal. The title song has a long quiet build-up with an eventual LOUD payoff with a screaming guitar riff and Deep Purple-like vocal melody.

"Don't Talk to Strangers" is a great song with another slow build-up, "Invisible" is probably the best song on the album with its catchy chorus, and everybody knows "Rainbow in the Dark" which has become a metal classic in recent years. "Shame on the Night" is the best song on the album though, because the final few minutes are really spectacular and epic.

Overall, solid vocals from Dio (like always) lyrics about rainbows, mountains and hearts (like always) and just a great listening experience (like always) for fans of old school heavy metal.

You can see a complete list of all Dio discography, or go back to the Dio tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.