DIO - Killing The Dragon

I liked all of DIO's post Dream Evil albums, but they were all a bit disappointing in one way or another. They weren't as solid from beginning to end as DIO's first 4 solo albums.

But Killing The Dragon is damn close.

The album is a Melodic Metal masterpiece. Great riffs, strong/memorable vocal melodies, great performances (new guitar player Doug Aldrich is AWESOME) - it's got everything a fan of straightforward Hard Rock or Heavy Metal would want.

KTD sounds like DIO took elements from all the albums he's done - including Rainbow, Elf, and Sabbath, and put them together on one album. It is (IMO) the best DIO album since The Last In Line, and most fans seem to agree that at the very least it is the best since (the underrated) Dream Evil.

If you don't believe me, check out my latest show - I play two songs from KTD on show #37 of Erik's Metal Shop. I've also got a VERY comprehensive review of KTD up now!

So far about 90% of the reaction I've seen online, and heard in person, has been very positive. That hasn't been true of a DIO album in a long time - even though most (if not all) of them have been good (some VERY good).

We still have Def Leppard & Bon Jovi albums coming this year, so don't proclaim an award winner just yet

...and you just had to work in another plug for your show, huh?

I'll vote for The Jelly Jam.

Hmm....does Jethro Tull have a new album coming out this year?

Well, come on. Leppard hasn't had a GREAT album since 1987, and Bon Jovi? Mr Lightweight bubblegum fluff rock? Sure, he's co-written a lot of solid, catchy Hard Pop-Rock songs, but he'll never have the "Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album of the year." (Maybe I'm being hard on Jon & Co. But seriously, even Slippery When Wet was just fluff compared to most other Hard Rock/Metal albums. I thought some of the stuff off of the last Bon Jovi album was pretty good - but not "album of the year" caliber.)

Killing The Dragon has everything - great melodies, strong hooks, great riffs, good production, and GREAT performances.


Well, of course I did. It takes about 3 - 4 hours of work to put each show together. Why wouldn't I plug it?

And in your case you SHOULD listen to the show so that you can hear some of the new DIO songs.

Besides, the show is good for you.

(And the review of Killing The Dragon is VERY comprehensive.)

But, to be fair, I will review my pick for "Hard Rock/Metal Album of the year" in December...


(I do want to check out the Jelly Jam CD, I just haven't had the chance yet.)

while the Dio album is a great album, it's not going to budge Dream Theater's Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence from the top spot, IMO

Now I'm curious.

I haven't bought a Dio album since "Dream Evil."

Then now would be a good time. Killing The Dragon is CLASSIC DIO.

This is the album that DIO should have put out to follow up Dream Evil.

Amazing album from DT

<small></small>I haven't yet looked too closely - and my memory may be letting me down - but did you ever give us your rundown of the top hard rock albums for 2002?

I don't think he did.

FWIW, my pick for heavy metal CD of 2002 is "Dragonslayer" by Dream Evil, with "Crimson Thunder" by Hammerfall a close second.

So far, The Devin Townsend Band 'Accelerated Evolution' gets my vote. But there's still a lot of the year left.

I personally thought that the last DIO album was crap, its not classic DIO to me, I only liked maybe 2 songs on the whole thing.

<small></small>How about naming the two you liked and what in particular you disliked about the remainder: it might make for an informative, constructive post!

Actually wasn't the Dio album released last year... then released this year with bonus tracks? "Killing The Dragon" was a Great album but I am sick of the trend of rereleasing an album shortly after with bonus tracks. Alice Cooper did the same with "Dragontown" It's like dissing your loyal fans who buy the CD when it first comes out and rewarding those who are less loyal and wait.

Dio's KTD was last year. Great CD though, my only compaint was that it seemed too short. Magica was probably better. He gave a damn good show on the KTD tour too! \m/ \m/

Im going to vote for Opeth - Damnation as the best release so far. Followed by Nightingale - Alive Again

The year aint over though. Theres still Iron Maiden, Nevermore, Iced Earth, Type O Negative....

I'm totally with you there. Evilized is very high up on my list for 2003 as well.

Mordred

So far it's the Supersuckers "M***F**ers Be Trippin'"

Still got new releases by the Wildhearts, Dragons, and Hellacopters coming up in the near future.

<small></small>Both true.... but we were supposed to be talking about 2002

What? Were in 2003 dammit!

Oh well, I wasnt the only one who got mixed up

Now I have to try and recall what was released in 2002.
Opeth - Deliverance gets my vote.

Me too. Best album of 2002: The Donnas "Spend The Night"

A few come to mind...

Blaze - The Tenth Dimension
Paradise Lost - Symbol of Life
Jerry Cantrell - Degradation Trip
Audioslave - s/t

Rob Halford - Crucible.... Enough said!

Fine, I liked the title track (Killing The Dragon) and Push (the single).

IMO all the other tunes seemed to all sound too much alike, the album didn't flow well from song to song, and the song Rock & Roll was such a blatant rip on Zep's Kashmir too. I mean if you're going to get a new guitarist at least get somebody thats not in Whitesnake, geeze.

I like Dio and everything but to me he's hit and miss on the later albums, my favorite album of his was Heaven & Hell (with Sabbath) I think it was his best music top to bottom.

Looking forward to the DIO dvd on June 17th, all you Dio-ites pick her up.

To get back to topic my favorite album of 2002 was umm.....possibly Black Label Society's 1919 Eternal.........bone crunching riffs galore.

If it counts as metal:

ISIS - Oceanic