Dio - Strange Highways
What is there to be said about Ronnie James Dio, that hasn't been said? Not much eh?
To me Dio is one of the biggest voices in heavy rock and heavy metal along with Jorn Lande, David Coverdale and Daniel Gildenlöw. One thing about Dio; He's been there from the start of hard rock/metal with Elf, later on Rainbow and Sabbath, only to form his own band DIO who made one of the most influential albums with the debut Holy Diver, and he still rocks on. Anyone who has seen him live lately will know that for a fact.

When talking about DIO, Holy Diver along with Last in Line will be the two albums that always will be regarded as the DIO classics, and that is understandable, but for me Strange Highways is the best and most heavy album that DIO has ever made. Dio's voice has never sounded this evil or divine.
The guitar work, like on all DIO albums deserves to get a special spot in any review, and on Strange Highways Tracy G is the 6-stringed hero, and what a magnificent job he does. Tracy G uses a lot of effects in his sound, but he makes good use of them, he's just a joy to listen to.
But also the great Vinny Appice on drums and Jeff Pilson on bass make the music a treat for the ears.

Jesus Mary & the Holy Ghost kicks off this the hardest of the DIO crusades in true DIO manner; a quick one, but with it's ultra heavy verse the tune is kept all dark and mean. The track sort of has two parts: The verse and chorus is part one, but then there's this other piece with a little bit of neo classic tendencies and a super solo, only to get down and dirty again when they unleash the beast and goes back into the verse.

Firehead continues in true DIO manor, a slow monster heavy one, that just rocks, and man it rocks!

Strange Highways is the heaviest and darkest DIO tune to date. Strange Highways has an atmospheric Holy Diver type beginning, and when Dio sings with passion: "It's a crazy world we live in, and I'm leaving it today, for another institution, where crazy people pray. Every time I climbed a mountain and it turned into a hill, I promised me that I will move on, and I will...", you just get the feeling that something very evil is lurking underneath all this prettiness, and that is exactly what is lurking, pure evil heavy heavy metal! This is just such a huge track, big, slow and mean the way only DIO can.

With DIO you just have to have a rock n' roll track, there's no avoiding it, and though it's very heavy Hollywood Black sure is a rocking tune, in the classic DIO way.

In Evilution you hear the best screaming, while Tracy G creates the feeling of a new beginning, and from time to time this sort of has a Whole Lotta Love (Led Zeppelin) feeling to it, but it never looses its evilness. This tune has a little bit of a different feel to it, because just like with the Zeppelin thing, DIO experiments a little more with different sounds and sections.

Pain is just what the title suggests another one that hurts, and you really feel the pain in Dio's vocals.

One Foot in the Grave is another rocker and perhaps not as heavy as the past 6 tracks, but good none the less. A new thing in this tune is that Dio uses effects on his vocals in the chorus, and oddly enough it doesn't sound cheesy, it just works.

The quiet beginning and very passionate singing lets you think that Give Her the Gun is a DIO ballad, and well, so is the verse that builds up, but to what? Well I wrote in the beginning that to me this is DIO's most evil and divine album, and this track just has tons of both, because Give Her the Gun just has one mean chorus where Dio really opens up and lets his amazing voice ring out. The tune is very slow and heavy but picks up a bit for the solo, where it gets up and rocks, but then it gets back down and starts to build up again. You can compare this tune to Last in Line, but it has way more chunk and balls, just amazing!

Blood from a Stone is another great DIO tune, the way only DIO does it. It doesn't stand out but it just gets the job done, and it's a great job!

Here's to You, well here we go another quick one, and this time with the reminiscence of the 80's and hair metal with a call and reply chorus.

Bring Down the Rain is the final track on this massive album, and DIO closes in style with another classic sounding tune. DIO doesn't let you go easy, because this is one of those tunes you cannot escape, so if you haven't succumbed to Strange Highway yet then Bring Down the Rain will bring you down, and all there's left to do is rock along!

To sum it all up, I just cannot to save my life understand why this isn't one of those classic DIO albums you hear people talk about. I said in the beginning, and I'll say it again, to me this is the best DIO album to date. Unlike other DIO albums you get the feeling that some tunes are filler, to keep the album above 40 min. On this album you just don't get that feeling, it may not have hits like Holy Diver, Rainbow in the Dark, The Last in Line or Don't Talk to Strangers but it's strength is in its darkness and heaviness but also in the quality of each track. So which two words describe this album the best? Yes you got it, evil and heavy!

Written by Morten
Thursday, July 28, 2005
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Ratings

Morten: 7.5/10

Members: 5/10 - Average of 1 ratings.



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This profile has not added a picturehardrockfanatic

Rating: 5/10
I love Dio and most of his stellar work. However, this one didn't quite do it for me.... · Read more ·

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RevelationZ Comments


Comment by Christopher (Anonymous) - Friday, July 29, 2005
Very solid Dio album.

I particularly like Jesus Mary and The Holy Ghost, Strange Highways, and Evilution.


Comment by ***pipsqueak*** (Anonymous) - Friday, July 29, 2005
I always dug this album too, but why only a 7.5/10 if you think it's such a classic? I heard that Dio conceived this album as the follow-up to "Dehumanizer"--even down to the album artwork. Personally, I never thought Vivian Campbell was all that great. He was very basic.


Comment by Morten - RevelationZ (Anonymous) - Friday, July 29, 2005
@pipsqueak

Hehe had a feeling that the 7.5 would get a reaction, well for me it just has'nt got that one last nudge to make it a 8.0 or more.
For me it is the best DIO album, and if I had to compare it to an album such as the classic Holy Diver album, H.D. would get max. 7.
You are right about the "follow up" for Dehumanizer, the super heavy sound should be a good hint... ;-)

Cheers for now!

Morten


Comment by Little Drummer Boy (Member) - Thursday, August 4, 2005
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Comments: 166
Ratings: 46
This is my Fav. release from DIO. High lights for me were Evilution and the ultra dark Give Her The Gun (though I enjoy every track on this release). Muscianship is bang on and surly enjoy the fact they all had a hand in the writing process (Malmsteen sould take a page out of DIO's book and give that a try). These vet's knew what they were doing when they put this one together.
As for the Sabbath era Dehumanizer and the Mob Rules are probably my favorite B.S. releases. (ouch...stop throwing those stones...). Talk about getting a reaction...

Posted by Little Drummer Boy
Thursday, August 4, 2005

Review by hardrockfanatic (Member) - Thursday, May 6, 2010
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Comments: 1
Ratings: 10
I love Dio and most of his stellar work. However, this one didn't quite do it for me.

Rating: 5/10

Posted by hardrockfanatic
Thursday, May 6, 2010










Review by Morten
None

Released by
Phonogram LTD - 1993

Tracklisting
1. Jesus Mary & the Holy Ghost
2. Firehead
3. Strange Highways
4. Hollywood Black
5. Evilution
6. Pain
7. One Foot in the Grave
8. Give Her the Gun
9. Blood From a Stone
10. Here's to You
11. Bring Down the Rain


Style
Heavy Metal

Related links
Visit the band page

Dio - Official Website

Other articles
Band information - (Mads)

Holy Diver - (Tommy)

Stand up and Shout - The Anthology - (Hashman)

Live At Lille Vega, Copenhagen - July 2th, 2003 - (Tommy)

Evil or Divine - (Hashman)

Master Of The Moon - (Tommy)

RevelationZ Top 20 Dio Tracks - A Tribute - (Stuart)



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