Artist: Dio, Ronnie James
Label: Spitfire Records
Release: 2002
Rating: 4/5
With “Killing The Dragon”, the “man from the silver mountain” has finally conjured up the magic of his eternal classics again (from “Holy Diver” to “Lock Up The Wolves”). He just gave its predecessor “Magica” a bit more gas, and the job was done! Alongside the legends in the Dio lineup, Jimmy Bain (bass) and Simon Wright (drums), the band picked up Doug Aldritch (ex Bad Moon Rising/House Of Lords/Lion) on guitar after Craig Goldy’s departure. He was once in the running to work with Ronnie on “Lock Up The Wolves”.
So the opening title track is basically the first sentence of this review. “Alone Comes A Spider”, “Better in The Dark” (which leans toward Rainbow’s “Long Live Rock’n’roll”), “Before The Fall”, “Rock & Roll” and “Push” only confirm it. Going by the riff in the pre-chorus, “Scream” recalls Dio’s work with Black Sabbath (on “Heaven And Hell” — obviously, since the identical rhythm is used and deliberately shoved up front). And one of the most beautiful of Dio’s recent creations is undoubtedly “Throw Away The Children”.
One interesting thing is that in his mature years, Ronnie got the urge to sing in a rougher way, with a slightly dirtier tone of voice, which he gladly uses throughout the whole record. The record is extremely atmospheric, the instruments are well balanced, and the guitar naturally plays the lead role. Production-wise it doesn’t stray from its predecessor “Magica”, but it’s played in a higher gear, which puts it right next to the debut “Holy Diver”. The atmosphere is carried by tasteful backing vocals and cleverly incorporated keyboards that superbly cover Ronnie’s vocals, especially in the choruses, which are each and every one a highlight of their songs. And of course, the prerequisite for the lofty ambient vibe on the record is, once again, Ronnie’s deeply felt and unbeatable singing. That Dio sings like Dio again is clear as day.
I have to single out Doug and his outstanding work on guitar. A guitarist for whom the kind of music Dio makes is literally tailor-made. The varied, hellishly alive solos that fit the music incredibly well are all played “with balls”, and so is the riffing itself. With his guitar work, Doug really shows off all his musical talent and exceptional feel for the music. Dio himself said in an interview that he simply couldn’t have picked a better, more suitable guitarist for his style. I can’t wait to see Doug with Dio live on stage on September 19, 2002 in Graz.
So the new creation of the “singing deity” turned out just the way fans wanted. No matter the years, the indestructible Dio is already cooking up new feats on the path of his musical career. He’s planning a sequel to his concept album “Magica”, namely “Magica II.”, which should then be followed by “Magica III.” Wooow, already now all we can do is “Stand Up And Shout” for joy!
Lineup
Ronnie James Dio – vocals
Doug Aldrich – guitar
Jimmy Bain – bass, keyboards
Simon Wright – drums
Guest musicians:
Scott Warren – keyboards on “Before The Fall”
Production
Ronnie James Dio
Track list
1. Killing The Dragon
2. Along Came A Spider
3. Scream
4. Better In The Dark
5. Rock And Roll
6. Push
7. Guilty
8. Throw Away The Children
9. Before The Fall
10. Cold Feet
Running time: 45:08
