The heavy metal world is still mourning the passing of legendary vocalist Ronnie James Dio earlier this year to stomach cancer, but thanks to the folks at Eagle Vision you can now experience the excellent 2005 live release Holy Diver-Live on high-definition Blu-ray disc. Dio in hi-def you say? Absolutely!!
For long time followers of this iconic star, Holy Diver-Live, in this presentation, will be as enjoyable as it is bittersweet. The quality here on Blu-ray is superb, as the listener feels like they are in the front row at the London Astoria, or even on stage with the band, and the sound is crisp and clear. Speaking of the band, Ronnie is joined by former AC/DC drummer Simon Wright, ex-Ozzy/Quiet Riot/Whitesnake bassist Rudy Sarzo, current Whitesnake guitar wizard Doug Aldrich, and keyboard player Scott Warren. The group runs through a host of classics from Dio's days in Rainbow & Black Sabbath, as well as the entire Holy Diver album from start to finish, and two gems from The Last In Line. Though Dio didn't quite have the range he had back in the early 80's, here he is still a magical freak of nature, belting it out like a man 20 years younger than his 60+ years. Highlights are many, but it's the Rainbow classics "Gates of Babylon", "Tarot Woman", "Man on a Silver Mountain", and "Long Live Rock and Roll" that really shine, as well as a monstrously heavy version of Sabbath's "Heaven and Hell". Hearing the Holy Diver album played in its entirety like this only confirms just what a great album it remains to this day. Big props here to Aldrich, who apparently flew in at a last minute notice to replace Dio's then regular guitarist (I'm guessing Craig Goldy), and puts in a superb performance, hitting every riff, lick, and solo originally performed by Campbell, Blackmore, and Iommi. After seeing this performance, you'll agree that Doug is one of hard rock/metal's most underrated guitar players.
There's some fun interviews with the band members as they talk about the 2005 tour, but you'll wish there was more of Ronnie himself. Each time he's on camera, you can just get a sense for how great of a human being he was, and how he loved the music and his fans so much. Once again, kudos to Eagle Vision for delivering this live set in the best possible presentation possible-it's a fitting tribute to the late, great, Ronnie James Dio.
Track Listing
- Tarot Woman
- The Sign Of The Southern Cross
- One Night In The City
- 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 Light
- Gates Of Babylon
- Heaven And Hell
- Man On The Silver Mountain
- Long Live Rock And Roll
- We Rock
- Interviews - bonus
Printer Friendly Page
Send to a Friend
