The cover to this is pretty much classic Dio. A demon holding the moon...way over the top, incredibly cheesy, yet still sort of cool. The booklet has all the lyrics, some artwork, band photos, and thanks. A class act all around.
I never really liked Dio...sure I knew the major songs like “Rainbow in the Dark” and “The Last in Line” but I never felt compelled to buy anything of his. That is until I saw him live, opening for Iron Maiden. It sort of clicked at that point. The man has a phenomenal voice even after singing for forty some years. He has a great reputation for being appreciative and accommodating his fans (ex band members have said bad things, but hey...I don’t work for him.)
So, I guess the combination of my respect for the man plus the incredible live show sold me on Dio and I am not officially a fan.
The new album “Master of the Moon” is excellent. A definite improvement over the previous record “Killing the Dragon” most Dio fans should be very pleased with this one. Of course, it’s not as good as the 1980s stuff...“Holy Diver” and “The Last in Line” will always be classics that he may or may not ever top but the fact is he’s still putting out quality music after all these years.
The music is pretty much what you expect...classic metal with powerful vocals. The musicianship is excellent and the production is top notch. There really aren’t very many fast songs on here other than the great opener “One More For the Road.” For the most part we’re looking at dark, slower songs with all sorts of fantasy related lyrics. I think many people confuse Dio with the parodies of Dio...there are no songs about dragons or wizards on here...sure there is “The Man Who Would Be King” but he didn’t become a king by slaying a dragon or anything (rumors have it that song is about George Bush, but I haven’t been able to confirm that, it’s an interesting interpretation either way).
One way I can tell an album is good is when I continually reach for it. Let’s just say, I don’t grab the Kiss album “Animalize” often...but you better believe “Hotter Than Hell” is something I almost instinctively listen to. I don’t reach for “Virtual XI” by Maiden often, but “Seventh Son” gets played a lot. It’s not a conscious choice really, it’s just...I know I want quality metal and I know what albums are strong. This one, even after just a few listens, stuck with me that this was a great album that is fun to listen to.
Some may complain there are no fast songs, but “The Eyes” though midpaced, packs a pretty good punch as it’s so dark. “The End of the World” is another slow one, but it’s heavy musically, somewhat depressing lyrics, but a catchy tune. That’s what matters, the songwriting and Dio has it.
If you’re a fan of Dio or any classic metal, this is a must have. If you are new to Dio, I’d have to suggest you pick up the double disc anthology “Stand Up and Shout” first to get a good overview of his career, but if you’re starting with albums this wouldn’t be a bad one to pick up. Long time Dio fans who were letdown with “Killing the Dragon,” fear not...true metal is back.
