Dio - Killing The Dragon Review

Posted by Evocator Manes on 09.09.2002

A solid, if not particularly overwhelming, effort from a metal legend.

Ok, so Dio’s solo stuff sounds really not very Sabbath-like, closer to the more classically-oriented works he did prior with Rainbow, but he was in Sabbath, not once but twice and the joining of forces between the two practitioners of heavy metal was a force to be reckoned with, yes. Everyone knows Black Sabbath did not invent heavy metal – Andrew Lloyd Webber did that – but they were easily the most pervasive avatars and purveyors of the art.

After Dio parted ways with Tracy G. (www.tracyg.com), one of the most phenomenally gifted guitarists ever as well as all around nice guy and quality individual, over what basically amounted to a label dispute, Dio picked up Craig Goldy, for a return to more mystical songwriting themes, the same Craig Goldy who left after Dream Evil because he didn’t like touring. Dio, it seemed, – and his label agreed – wanted to go back and get medieval on all our asses. So, Goldy does the Magica album, then bails again, leaving Dio holding the bag on half a tour and another album. Enter Doug Aldrich, a guitar-slinger of underrated regale.

Goldy stuck around long enough to write about a third of the album, including the first single, Push, and one of the best tracks on the disc and of Dio’s career, Rock And Roll. The remaining songs are a mixed bag of sorts. Nothing here is as bad as anything on Lock Up The Wolves, but outside of Rock And Roll, there is nothing here to compete with the upper echelon of established Dio classics, such as the entire Strange Highways album, most of Holy Diver, half of Dream Evil, about a quarter or so of Magica and anything he did with Rainbow and the aforementioned Sabbath. It sounds essentially like what it is, a hastily written and completed album after a major key writing figure disappeared into the night, back to wherever it was Dio found him for Magica.

Dio’s voice is still as strong as ever. This guy is unreal, one of the premier vocalists of all-time and unlike former vocal he-men Ian Gillan or Brian Johnson or Ozzy Osbourne or the other wheezing and farting geezers out on tour who have long overstayed their once warm welcome, Dio delivers on his end every single time, without fail. No matter how shitty the material – and some of Dio’s earlier lyrical catalogue is downright embarrassing – it is always delivered with conviction. Ronnie James Dio is a guy who refuses to half-ass his job of singing.

Dio continues to search for the record that catapults him back into the rungs on the highest reaches of the ladder where once he used to dwell and his search will go on because this album ain’t it. Still, this album is worlds beyond Ozzy’s newest puddle of shit and the purchase will enjoy more repeated spins on your CD player. Even the album art is better. Dragons, fuck yeah, though they are used much more metaphorically than literally. This album is better left to bigtime Dio fans, which everyone should of course be. If you happen to be not, this is not the album to introduce you to the legend. Moderate recommendation