Many people hated tribute albums, but nobody hates Dio (well, maybe nobody except Vivian Campbell)… Massacre Records honors the greatest singer with a double CD tribute album featuring the label’s bands paying their tribute to Ronnie. Crystal Ball, Messenger, Gun Barrel, Rebellion, Wizard and the rest compile a “reserves” roster that play some of the classic songs from Dio, Rainbow and Black Sabbath.
Every cover is decent, but what’s missing is that extra something that will make you buy an album like this. Most of the songs are faithfully identical versions of the originals, except from “Neon Knights” by death metalers Burden Of Grief, while as far as the songs on the album’s tracklist we are treated with the “usual suspects” except “Dehumanizer” era Sabbath “Time Machine” and “Metal Will Never Die”, one of the last songs Dio recorded which was included on his cousin’s, and also band mate in Ronnie Dio & The Prophets, The Electric Elves, Elf, and later leader of The Rods, David Feinstein, “Bitten By The Beast”. On the other hand, there is two versions of “Kill The King” from Messenger, and Rebellion which have nothing different to offer and really makes you think if there weren’t any more Dio songs to choose from… at least the second CD closes with my favorite “Caught In The Middle” by Mystery…
This release is for Dio fanatics who want to have everything and collectors.
P.S.: To this day the best ever Dio tribute album is “Holy Dio” (2000), with no different version of songs, but with big heavy metal names included…
