I have to say that I was never a big fan of Dio's solo work when he was huge in the 1980s. I realize now that was a mistake, and have been playing catch up.
The Last In Line has always felt like “Son of Holy Diver” to me. It’s a great album from start to finish, and even a filler here or there does not distract from the overall record.
Few musicians have had a longer or more storied career than Ronnie James Dio. The pixieish vocal powerhouse has lent his immense lungpower to bands like Elf, Rainbow and, of course, Black Sabbath.
Dio - We Rock DVD Review by Greg Olma Do you remember when metal was fun? Well if you need a reminder, pick up this DVD and be transported back in time to 1983-1984.
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Concert Reviews
Dio - Live In Chicago, 2000 Review by Gary Hill There was a time when Ronnie James Dio was one of the most well-known and respected vocalists in the heavy metal genre. His fame may have faded a bit, but several things have not.
Various Artists - Bang Your Head 2007 DVD Review by Gary Hill I have to admit that sometimes I get put off by a lot of modern metal festivals. I’m not a big fan of growling death vocals (there are some I can deal with, but few) or other forms of extreme voice tactics.
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Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell Review by Gary Hill I was a huge Black Sabbath fan when this disc came out. I suppose I should clarify that by admitting that I still am.
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Girlschool - Legacy Review by Gary Hill In the last issue of Music Street Journal I reviewed the latest Bang Your Head DVD and it featured Girlschool. I saw the band years ago and their performance on that DVD was every bit as potent as they were in their early years.
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Black Sabbath - Live at Hammersmith Odeon Review by Rick Damigella While the reformed Dio-era Black Sabbath (under the moniker Heaven & Hell) are touring to packed venues across the country right now, Rhino Handmade (the short-run, collector’s edition division of Rhino Records) has just released, and sold out of, Black Sabbath Live at Hammersmith Odeon to a rabid Sabbath following.
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Heaven and Hell - Live from Radio City Music Hall Review by Rick Damigella Next year may be the 40th anniversary of Black Sabbath, but 2007 will be forever known in the lore of heavy metal as the year of Heaven & Hell.
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Heaven and Hell - Live in Hoffman Estates, IL, September, 2007 Review by Greg Olma For those of you who don’t know who Heaven and Hell is, it is basically Black Sabbath Mk III. Although the original lineup is considered the best (not by this writer), this version definitely has a high regard among all heavy metal fans.
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Rainbow - Live In Munich 1977 Review by Greg Olma A Rainbow show from the Dio-era is always a welcome addition to any collection. There have been a couple of live albums put out, On Stage and Live in Europe, but this one is the first with the Daisley/Stone line-up.
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Rainbow - Live in Munich 1977 DVD Review by Gary Hill In my opinion the quintessential Rainbow album is Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll. Well, this DVD opens with “Kill the King” from that album and we also get the title track.
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Queensrÿche - Operation Mindcrime II Review by Gary Hill History - in many ways this album (and this review) is all about history. For my money the first Operation Mindcrime album is a true masterpiece that is unmatched by any album by any artist in terms of power and execution.
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After Roger Glover had left Deep Purple, he was looking for a new project and came upon about titled "The Butterfly Ball." He decided to create an album based on the book.
Black Sabbath - The Rules of Hell Review by Rick Damigella Like the opening of an arcane tome of eldritch and forbidden knowledge, Black Sabbath’s The Rules of Hell have been put forth. After a seeming eternity of a wait, every album from the Ronnie James Dio-era of Black Sabbath have finally been given a proper re-mastering and re-release in this must have box set.
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This retrospective box set from Girlschool really captures the various flavors of the band. I know I said, "box set," but it is called a book set because it comes in a cool book, rather than a gravitational box.
