Dio - Holy Diver review
| Band: | Dio |
| Album: | Holy Diver |
| Style: | Heavy metal |
| Release date: | May 25, 1983 |
| Guest review by: | tomeku |
Disc I
01. Stand Up And Shout
02. Holy Diver
03. Gypsy
04. Caught In The Middle
05. Don't Talk To Strangers
06. Straight Through The Heart
07. Invisible
08. Rainbow In The Dark
09. Shame On The Night
Disc II [Deluxe edition]
01. Evil Eyes
02. Stand Up And Shout [live]
03. Straight Through The Heart [live]
04. Stand Up And Shout [Live King Biscuit Flower Hour 30th October 1983]
05. Shame On The Night [Live King Biscuit Flower Hour 30th October 1983]
06. Children Of The Sea [Live King Biscuit Flower Hour 30th October 1983]
07. Holy Diver [Live King Biscuit Flower Hour 30th October 1983]
08. Rainbow In The Dark [Live King Biscuit Flower Hour 30th October 1983]
09. Man On The Silver Mountain [Live King Biscuit Flower Hour 30th October 1983]
Ronnie James Dio - one of very few musicians who was always doing what he wanted to do. He always created music he loves. He's never gone commercial and always been independent. When listening to his songs you can feel that the music flows straight from his heart. Dio is surely one of the best vocalist of all time and he also wrote great lyrics for his songs. But instead of adoring him I'll go straight to the main part.
Holy Diver is Dio's first solo album. For the first time he didn't have to think about what do other band members think about it. He was 100% free in what he was creating. While listening to the album it is easy to notice that while singing Dio is actually having fun! That's something that is very rare. Mostly when you hear music you hear that vocalist is trying to concentrate himself on what he's singing and Dio is the true metal-lover who enjoys singing! It's really fascinating.
Actually there is no point in telling you details about each single song because they all are great. In each song you can feel bands involvement in the music their playing. Surely it is not the heaviest , fastest neither most technical album in the world but it has something that very few albums have. I can't explain it. When you listen to it you just feel how the music flows through your body, how it takes your mind away from the world.
Now maybe some more details. On album there are 9 tracks - maybe it's not much but quality is what counts. Variety of tracks is really big. There are some pretty fast songs like "Stand Up And Shout" but also calm and very moody tracks like "Don't Talk To Strangers". Music on the album is very nice. Even after listening it 3 times in a row I wasn't bored. I would say something about vocals but I think that there is no need because Dio is really great and there is no way to explain how clean his voice is. You just have to listen to him and I assure you that you will fall in love with Dio's voice.
I think that after reading this you'll start to listen to Dio (of course if you haven't done this earlier). Dio is the true Metal Voice - I have no doubt about it.
Writing about something that you love immensely is really hard - and that's what I feel about this album. I hope that I persuaded you to buy this album because it is something that is very nice to hear whether you're on top or currently going through hard times. Everybody will find something interesting for him in this album. You don't even have to be a metal-head to like it. I have few friends that mainly listen to other music genres and enjoy Holy Diver as hell. So what are you waiting for? March to a music store and buy it! You have no choice.
Written by tomeku | 12.02.2004
Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
Comments
Comments: 17
Visited by: 264 users
| Tron Posts: 102 |
I don't like this band at all...I don't know, but I've been listening to them for many years and yet I can't get myself to liking them.  Dio's voice is great, of course, and the title track rocks, but all the rest is just forgettable IMO. I actually think that the intro of "Rainbow In The Dark" is the most anti-metal keyboard line ever written 
---- After each game, the king and the jester go in the same box.
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| Sunioj Posts: 3894  |
Written by Tron on 04.08.2007 at 22:00 Thats even Dio said himself in an interview Ive heard....he said that he never wanted that song put on the album in the first place because it sounded too 'poppy' or smth. Nah, I love this album...great to sing to when drunk!  Quote: Thats the beauty of Dio, the music has so much character that you don't notice how simple and flowing the music is, indeed this album has got me through albums as well.
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| Rusher Posts: 69  |
I like it a lot, album full of great classic songs. For me, the best song is "Caught in the Middle", just amazing! 
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| Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Staff Posts: 9718  |
Totally right! even though the recording is a little weak you can still hear the high energy level. And your right, you can hear him having fun.
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck." - George Carlin
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| Syk myspace/bonerama Posts: 1504  |
Heh, I think Caught in the Middle is my least favourite track... maybe even worse than Rainbow in the Dark  My favourite songs if I recall are 1, 2, 7 & 9, I got the remaster + interview for a great bargain, well worth it. Though it is forgettable to a degree, I would score it around a 9
---- death ? thrash ? death/doom/prog ? Hail Zoldon! he's not the kind you have to [url=../bands/album.php?album_id=28982]wind up[/url] on Sundays
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| Syk myspace/bonerama Posts: 1504 |
And of course Don't Talk to Strangers is just as great, I don't know how I forgot to mention that... I bought this album's follow-up, The Last in Line, about a month ago and it is nowhere near as good. Decent, but nothing more... I think Holy Diver may be this band's only truly great album - but it really is a classic
---- death ? thrash ? death/doom/prog ? Hail Zoldon! he's not the kind you have to [url=../bands/album.php?album_id=28982]wind up[/url] on Sundays
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| NortheRnmost Posts: 55  |
I too think that "Caught in the Middle" is the best song. Or maybe I've just heard enough (is that even possible) the more popular "radio songs" on this one. Production seems to follow the same line with every 80's Dio album, not very crisp or detailed, more like 70's muddier sound. Of course this is classic album, and it's hard to say which is the best because they are quite equal, but technically "Last in Line" and "Sacred Heart" are better. Vivian Campbell learned a lot during these couple of years. Even though he shreds like crazy here, the playing f.ex. in "Breathless", "Another Lie" and "Fallen Angels" is more stylish, and he sounds so much better also. That might be because of slightly better production overall or the equipment he switched after Holy Diver.
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| Son of Odin Posts: 144  |
Dio - one of the greatest singers in the world of Metal. Dont talk to Strangers is my fav song from this fantastic album.
---- METAL UNITES US ALL!
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| diorocker93 Account deleted |
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| Muhannad Saleh www.jorzine.com Posts: 125  |
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| Grave_Digger1 Account deleted |
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| AiwiAstwihad AiryanaKhvarenah Posts: 1421  |
Holy Diver Rocks but i actually have no idea what the song "Holy Diver" means, i've heard Tiger is slang for heroin...
---- You who will come to the surface
From the flood that's overwhelmed us and drowned us all Must think, when you speak of our weakness in times of darkness That you've not had to face
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| DayFly Posts: 383  |
Written by [user id=35311] on 07.10.2008 at 17:51 Agreed. That song was my gateway to metal, been listening to hard rock previously.
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| Nergal Posts: 25  |
One of the best albums in Heavy Metal history... I've read in the booklet that this seems a "best of" rather than a debut... that's so true!!! 
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| SatyriconChick Posts: 248  |
I adore this album; listened to it earlier today. So many amazing songs. "Don't Talk to Strangers" is still playing in my head more than 2 and a half hours after the album finished playing. "Shame On the Night" is another big standout for me. Ronnie's voice is simply amazing in that one. But all in all, this entire album is just amazing. Classic. <3
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| Numbskull Posts: 97  |
This album rules. So many great songs. Dio's vocals have just the right amount anger, which gave this album a little meaner feel than his next couple that would follow. I got this when it came out and have listened to it thousands of times. Most of the songs are warnings and troubled experiences.
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| Bad English Tage Westerlund Posts: 62012  |
IMO whole 80's albums was commercialized in all metal scene, specially USA based, only good underated, even new wave came from Germany and England at that time, even Ger was heavier in some way, inspired but English, take own sound ...
---- I stand whit Ukraine and Israel. They have right to defend own citizens. Stormtroopers of Death - "Speak English or Die"  I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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