Dio Dream Evil Deluxe Edition 7 / 10 Record Label: Universal
Released: 4 March 2013
Highlight of the album: I Could Have Been A Dreamer Website: http://www.ronniejamesdio.com/
On the 16th of May 2010 one of rock music’s most iconic figures was taken from us when Ronnie James Dio sadly passed away. The ‘Deluxe Edition’ of ‘Dream Evil’ is the latest in the line of re-releases of Dio’s great work. Originally released in July 1987 ‘Dream Evil’ marked the 5th album that RJD released as part of the ‘Dio’ band and had the misfortune of being the last of the classic era ‘Dio’ albums to feature drummer Vinnie Appice. I have always felt that ‘Dream Evil’ never quite achieved the level of success that it really should have done, and didn’t reach the dizzy heights of albums such as ‘Holy Diver, ‘The Last in Line’ or ‘Sacred Heart’ previously did, perhaps this was due in part to the ever changing face of the music scene at the time, as it was passing through a metamorphosis where the older, classic bands was gradually being replaced by the emerging thrash scene, but I feel a lot of the blame was due to a lot of the songs on the album being not really too great to be honest, don’t get me wrong there are some great songs on there such as ‘Dream Evil’, ‘All The Fools Sailed Away’, and the anthem ‘I
Could Have Been A Dreamer’ but on the whole the remaining songs were pretty average for Dio’s high standards. The second cd features a selection of tracks mostly taken from Dio’s appearance at the legendary Monster’s Of Rock festival in 1987, where the band played on an all star line up consisting of Cinderella, W.A.S.P, Anthrax, Metallica with Bon Jovi headlining. While it is nice to be able to experience a live show recorded while the ‘Dream Evil’ album was still being pushed as part of Dio’s live performances this live recording has fairly recently been released so I feel slightly disappointed by its inclusion as part of this release and wonder if other material would have been better suited. Overall the ‘Deluxe Edition’ of ‘Dream Evil’ is exactly what it says on the tin and will certainly appeal to the Dio collectors out there, but as an album ‘Dream Evil’ didn’t impress back in the day and unfortunately still fails to impress now so the jury is still out on this one I’m afraid. Lee Walker
Mortiz SOS Record Label: Harmony Factory
10 / 10 Released: 16th March
Highlight of the album: Gonna Lose Her Website: https://www.facebook.com/moritzblitz
When this album began to drift out track by track to the station, I was not only impressed, well actually … damn impressed….but also a little worried. Why? Well … could the band possibly live up to the promise the tracks I’d heard alluded to? In short .. Oh yes …. And not only live up to the hype but surpass it.
subject matter (which I shall not divulge) made all the more poignant by the production treatment at the end of the song.
From the opener ‘Fire’ to the closing ‘SOS’ this album shows Moritz to be one of the most exciting bands around at the moment, this album, a follow up to 2011’s This album not only moved the goalposts, it picked up the ‘Undivided’ (and if you don’t have that one … go find it) ball and ran off with it! The single ‘Gonna Lose Her’ show development in just about all areas and to my ears opened the gates to this album and gave us a taste of the is just a superb slice of AOR …long may it continue. merchandise, immensely catchy with huge sing along The proof of the pudding as they say is, but can they do it hooks and the funkiest guitar sound this side of Bootsy live? Well … with appearances at Hard Rock Hell AOR in Collins. Once heard I predict you will be singing it for April and Skyfest in September this year we shall have weeks. The album doesn’t just contain the kind of classy ample opportunity to find out .. Watch this space .. But AOR that will make some bands weep with jealousy but ladies and gentlemen … the signs are very very good …. also includes magical auditory moments , one of my favourites being ‘Caught Between Life And The Light’ it’s Paul Nichols
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Firebrand Magazine