Search - Dio :: Dream Evil

Japan Remaster is MUCH MUCH better than the 'tinny' USA rele

Tuco | Phoenix, Az USA | 10/25/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Great overlooked album by DIO - especially for those who like 'fast' Dio.



This review is to recommend the HARD N HEAVY 24 bit remaster release out of Japan. Yes, it is more expensive, but be assured that the remastered recording is VERY FAR SUPERIOR to the current and past US release they are pawning off for $5.00 NEW all over the place.



The US release is a tinny-sounding muffled, distorted, mess while the Hard n' Heavy Japan release (available here on Amazon) returns this recording to what it should have always been. Strong bass, clear cymbals and no muffled Ronnie vocals.



Usually I am not impressed enough by remasters to warrant the upgrade and extra bucks, but DREAM EVIL was a botched recording from the start and this Japan release sounds more like the standard set by the original Holy Diver/Last in Line CD releases.



Well worth the extra money for fans looking to appreciate this recording to the fullest!!!!"

Dio Rebounds From Sacred Heart With "Dream Evil"

A. Jerkins | Tallahassee, FL | 04/16/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After 1985's "Sacred Heart", the ensuing tour, and the 1986 release of the "Intermission" EP, Dio had released four recordings in four years, and seemed to have "jumped the shark" in terms of repetitive lyrical content (dungeons, dragons, fire, stone, rainbow, etc.), pop-metal compositions ("Shoot Shoot", "Hungry For Heaven", "Mystery", "Rock And Roll Children"), and an overly elaborate stage show (Ronnie James Dio battling a dragon!). Not to mention that original Dio guitarist Vivian Campbell, a wonderful player, defected in 1986. What would become of Dio?



The answer comes in the form of this dark, slightly decelerated collection of songs featuring new Dio sideman Craig Goldy, previously of Rough Cutt and Giuffria. "Dream Evil" is a sophisticated Dio record that is more than the sum of its parts, with songs that are all at least very solid, some spectacular, and certainly the most impressive Dio collection since 1983's seminal "Holy Diver".



The mood of the album is dark, with little reprieve, beginning with "Night People", the album's standout track; a furious bit of machine-gun riffing and effective keyboards from Claude Schnell. "Dream Evil" features a guitar riff that is first cousin to that in Rainbow's "Man On The Silver Mountain", a mid-paced rocker. "Sunset Superman" carries a ferocious groove, while "Overlove" is a fast track with a thirty-second opening showcasing Craig Goldy's ability to play it fast and fluid.



The songs that begin to veer toward pop territory, "All The Fools Sailed Away", "Naked In The Rain", "I Could Have Been A Dreamer", and "When A Woman Cries", are all cut short of that point either thematically or musically, leaving tracks that ache with regret and anguish.



Individual performances are all excellent on this record, with RJD delivering his typical, high-caliber metal vocals, Craig Goldy turning in an impressive debut (although his playing certainly lacks something of Vivian Campbell's pyrotechnics), Jimmy Bain and Vinny Appice ably locking down the rhythms, and Claude Schnell supporting all of it behind the scens with tasteful, unobtrusive keyboard work. The only track that sounds dated perhaps is "When A Woman Cries", the one song in which keyboards are featured prominently and lend that peculiar "80s" quality.



In summary, if you're a fan of classic heavy metal, or a Dio fan who hasn't yet purchased "Dream Evil", do so now! If you're new to Dio, this is a good place to start, as well. At Amazon "Dream Evil" is currently priced under $6.00, which you just can't beat."