Ronnie James Dio was one of heavy metal's most talented and instantly identifiable vocalists, and to celebrate his life and work, you can now get hold of some exclusive deluxe editions of his legendary Holy Diver, Last In Line, and Sacred Heart releases this March.
It seems like only yesterday that the world of Rock and Metal lost one of its most gifted musicians, but back in May 2010, the death of Ronnie James Dio shocked fans and friends alike. In his career, Dio held some of the highest ranking positions in Heavy Metal, including the lead vocalist for giants like Rainbow, Black Sabbath and of course his own eponymous band for almost three decades! Dio helped to create some of the most genre-defining works, with timeless classics like Holy Diver, representing and setting the standard for the future of Metal music.
Dio's performances were also a spectacle in their own right, paving the way for frontmen to come, and with his incredible vocal range, few equalled him. Millions of fans worldwide witnessed the many memorable shows he was part of, creating a Rock community where fans worshipped his every move.
Holy Diver was Dio's debut release in May 1983 and later became a seminal work for him. It was hailed by critics as some of his best work and was awarded silver certification three years later. The second album, The Last In Line, came out in 1984 and was their first release to reach platinum status, and number four in the UK charts. The album showcased some of their anthemic, hard rock songwriting with tracks such as We Rock, and I Speed At Night and the seven-minute long, Egypt (The Chains Are On).
1985 saw Dio's third release, Sacred Heart, again, reaching number four and went on to achieve Gold status. Some say that this was Dio's most well-known record, featuring classics like Hungry For Heaven and Rock N' Roll Children. Sacred Heart was also the last record to feature guitarist, Vivian Campbell.
Due for release on the 12th of March this year, the re-mastered and reissued CD's will contain bonus CD's with exclusive booklets, endorsed by Ronnie's window, Wendy Dio.
The track-listing for Holy Diver is as follows: (the others are available online)
Disc one:
- Stand Up And Shout
- Holy Diver
- Gypsy
- Caught In The Middle
- Don't Talk To Strangers
- Straight Through The Heart
- Invisible
- Rainbow In The Dark
- Shame On The Night
Disc two:
- Evil Eyes
- Stand Up And Shout
- Straight Through The Heart
- Stand Up And Shout
- Shame On The Night
- Children Of The Sea
- Holy Diver
- Rainbow In The Dark
- Man On The Silver Mountain