Evil or Divine?

After a huge success with “Holy Diver”, Ronnie James Dio and his newly formed solo band had to find a way to match that success and that came into the form of “The Last in Line.” While a strong album in its own right, this album is just a step below the legendary debut. “The Last in Line”, along with the aforementioned “Holy Diver”, and “Sacred Heart” have recently been released as deluxe editions with improvements in sound and loaded with extra content. “The Last in Line” comes with some live b-sides as well as a concert from the Pinkpop Festival in 1984.

“The Last in Line” mainly draws upon the formula from the debut. “We Rock” could be seen as a brother to “Stand Up and Shout” with its empowering lyrics and up-tempo joys. “Eat Your Heart Out” is the child of “Straight to the Heart” and “Egypt (The Chains Are On)” invokes a familiar atmosphere and ends the album on a brooding note like “Shame to the Night” did. Last, but certainly not the least, there is the epic title track slotted as song two.

The main problem with these comparisons is that the “Holy Diver” tracks are superior. That’s not to diminish the merits of these songs because “We Rock” is a sterling opener is a top Dio track and I actually find the song “The Last in Line” better than “Holy Diver.” The lyrics in the chorus are some of the greatest examples of Dio’s writing ability and his use of metaphors is truly impressive.

“Mystery” is the most commercial song and one of the singles off this album. The song remains one of my favorite DIO songs because of the enchanting keyboards provided by Claude Schnell and has one of Dio’s best lyrics with “Is the wise man always right? No, he can play the fool.” The accompanying music video is also worth a look too. Dio gets to fight with a sword again and he makes awesome gestures with his hands.

Rounding out the territory is “I Speed at Night” complete with attitude and some resounding guitar work from Vivian Campbell. Thanks to the improvements in the sound, the jumping notes of Jimmy Bain can be clearly heard as well. “Breathless” stays on the mid-tempo, but floats in the generic realm and “One Night in the City” has a cool riff to keep attention while Dio tells a story about a couple young kids.

The extras piled onto this deluxe edition are live b-sides of “Eat Your Heart Out”, “Don’t Talk to Strangers”, “Holy Diver”, and “Rainbow in the Dark.” All are solid listens that don’t deviate much from the studio versions and it is nice to have a live version of a song that is not talked too much about in “Eat Your Heart Out.”

However, the meat of the extra content is the concert from the Pinkpop Festival. It is an excellent set list, but unfortunately this concert seems to be a bootleg and there is this buzzing, static noise that permeates the sound. It is a big distraction, but if the ambitious listener can look past that then there is a load to latch on to. Dio’s stage banter is in full effect and not cut out and there is a rousing version of “Heaven and Hell” that is over 13 minutes long. The band is in tight form and it is easy to surmise that they are enjoying themselves. A live version “One Night in the City” is on here and that song is not heard much on the live stage and it’s never a bad thing hearing “Man on the Silver Mountain.”

As with all the other deluxe editions, there are extensive linear notes on the development of the album as well as some neat photos of artwork and the band. The sound upgrade along with the bonuses should provide enough nourishment for a DIO fanatic, and while the sound of the extra concert is disappointing, this is still an entertaining deluxe edition. I suggest you don’t be the last in line for a purchase.

Worthy of Classic Status

 

 

Ronnie James Dio has a way of making a first impression. He dazzled listeners when he joined up with Richie Blackmore in Rainbow and then rejuvenated Black Sabbath’s career with “Heaven and Hell.” The man had a lot to live up to when going solo and he did not disappoint with “Holy Diver.” The album is widely regarded as a classic and must have for any metal head and for good reason. This album, along with “The Last in Line” and “Sacred Heart” has recently undergone the deluxe treatment from the Universal Music Group and is loaded with some nice extras. Along with the original album, “Holy Diver” includes some live b-sides and also a live concert from the King Biscuit Flower Hour.

The main upgrade from the original release and as well as the 2005 re-release is the improvement in the sound department. Listening to this deluxe version almost felt as if hearing the album for the first time again. The instruments have a strong clarity and Dio’s voice shines like a bright ray of sun. Vivian Campbell’s riffs have an extra burst and the bass provided by Jimmy Bain have the edges rounded on and is clearly established within in the songs. The classic, iconic songs like the title track and “Rainbow in the Dark” sound just as fresh as they did in 1983.

As for the other tracks, there is not much more to say then what has already been said. Dio has a way of making the listener feeling empowered with his lyrics. No song embodies that more than the opener, “Stand Up and Shout.” Filled with a rich, up-tempo riff, this song is the essence of making even the most pessimistic fellow to rejoice and raise your fist in the air.

The deeper cuts are also done very well as “Straight Through the Heart” shows Dio at his most demanding with a mean riff that slices to the bone. The final track, “Shame on the Night” has some doom qualities and ends the album on a much darker note.

There is only one tune that does not live up to the billing at that one is “Gypsy.” It is the least inspired and has by far the weakest vocal line and guitar playing. After the one-two punch of “Stand Up and Shout” and “Holy Diver”, “Gypsy” drops the bar down.

The second disc of the deluxe edition is where things become interesting. There is an alternative version of “Evil Eyes”, which would appear on the next album, as well as some live b-sides. However, the extras to sink your teeth into are the concert from the King Biscuit Flower Hour.

This concert is the Dio band in its truest form. They are young, hungry, with Dio trying to establish himself as a solo artist. “Shame on the Night” sounds just as devilish as the studio version and serves as a calming effect after an energetic opener with “Stand Up and Shout.” As the band was still in its fledlging stages, Dio dived into his past ventures with “Children of the Sea” and “Man on the Silver Mountain.” The latter stands out because the band breaks into “Starstruck” in the middle and features impressive drumming by Vinny Appice. “Children of the Sea” is my favorite Dio-fronted Black Sabbath track and Campbell does a stellar job capturing the somber spirit with his guitar work.

Besides the concert are the song “Evil Eyes” and two live b-sides in “Stand Up and Shout and “Straight Through the Heart.” With “Evil Eyes”, there is not much difference in the version that would appear on “The Last in Line.” There is a little more run time with the riffing on this take, but overall there is not much being missed. The live tracks are steady versions with “Straight Through the Heart” retaining its nastiness and “Stand Up and Shout” is similar to what is heard from the concert provided here. This is luckily such a great song that it is not an annoyance hearing this song twice on the same disc.

This is the definitive version of an iconic album and is certainly deserving of having a deluxe edition. The advancement in the sound and the live concert are enough reasons to warrant a purchase. “Holy Diver” is a classic for a reason and this edition is the perfect opportunity to re-experience this great album.