KILLING THE DRAGON REVIEWS

KILLING THE DRAGON REVIEW FROM DIO'S RECORD LABEL, SPITFIRE RECORDS

Ronnie James DIO
The term “legend” is tossed around too often but it certainly applies to Ronnie James Dio, who during an unparalleled career has fronted such influential acts as Elf, Rainbow, Black Sabbath and Dio. Following the success of Magica (2000), heavy metal’s greatest voice returns with Killing the Dragon, arguably the best album released under his surname.

Dio’s long-time fans laugh at critics who referred to Magica as a comeback. While many of the enigmatic vocalist’s would-be peers continue to make excuses about their declining, spiraling careers, he has nary lost a step. Dio has accomplished so much during the last 30 years that his latest creation is drawing comparisons, not to the works of other heavy metal heroes, but to his own classics, including Holy Diver (1983) and The Last In Line (1984). To those in the know, however, Killing the Dragon just might be the most valuable of jewels to be set in this king’s crown.

Although Dio describes Killing the Dragon as a “collection of songs,” he explains that the title track refers to “those who perpetrate injustices and what the world is doing to stop them.

“In fantasy tales, dragons were notorious for stealing children and feeding them to their babies,” he says, flashing an evil grin. “During the first part of the song, I sing ‘Someone has taken a child.’ The second part is about a cruel feudal lord. The third part is about ‘electronic serfdom.’ Dio believes that the computer has become a god in modern society. “It is a small god with an electrical heart,” he says. “It is time to rebel against it.”

“Along Comes a Spider” joins the long Dio tradition of songs about manipulative women. “Spiders eat their young and their mates,” the vocalist laughs. “The song is about guys who believe that they’ve gotten over a relationship but are inevitably dragged back into it.”

In addition to such trademark Dio rockers as “Better in the Dark,” “Push” and “Cold Feet,” Killing The Dragon features “Scream” and “Rock & Roll,” anthems that are soon to become staples of Dio’s live set.

“We put movie stars, athletes and rock stars on pedestals,” explains the vocalist of “Scream.” “When we look at these celebrities, we see only the good; only their happiness. When they go home, however, they are exactly as we are. Behind their smiles, they scream.”

“Rock & Roll” was inspired by the aftermath of the tragedy of September 11th Like all Americans, Dio was devastated by terrorist attacks. A native New Yorker, he wanted to reach out to its residents, to let them know that he “would be there in anyway for anyone who needed me.” When he phoned an area radio show to express both his outrage and condolences, he was informed that “Holy Diver” and songs by Black Sabbath had been temporarily pulled from the airwaves.

“Our rock and roll had been banned because some terrorists from a little place had committed these heinous acts against us,” he roars. “How can you be castigated for something that had nothing to do with you? This is America As soon as something bad happens, we want to bring the warriors in - the firemen, policemen, and the soldiers, who have gone off to a foreign land to fight for our freedom. It is as if these warriors are being told, ‘You have to go off and fight, but I forgot to tell you, we are going to take your rock and roll away from you.’ It was important for me to say ‘How dare you try to take our music away.’

It was also important for Dio to express his somber emotions in “Throw Away Children.” The vocalist originally composed the song for The Children of the Night, a charity that Dio is closely associated with, whose mission is to rescue children from the ravages of street prostitution. Although he originally intended the song to be recorded in the same fashion as “Stars” [heavy metal’s answer to “We Are The World”], with various vocalists sharing the verses and guitarists sharing solos, “the powers that be deemed the song too depressing.”

Killing The Dragon


Killing The Dragon
Along Came A Spider
Scream
Better In The Dark
Rock And Roll
Push
Guilty
Throw Away Children
Before The Fall
Cold Feet
“The song has to portray the truth and the truth is that children are out there being pimped, getting addicted to drugs, and dying of AIDS,” says Dio. “It is a heartfelt song that I had to include on the album.” The song includes an appearance by the King’s Harbor Church Children’s Choir. “When they began singing, the hair stood up on the back of my neck and our drummer Simon Wright, had a tear in his eye,” admits Dio.

In addition to Wright, the current Dio line-up includes bassist and long-time comrade Jimmy Bain and guitarist Doug Aldrich, who recently replaced Craig Goldy. Dio, who first played with Bain on Rainbow’s Rising (1976), believes the long-lasting relationship is a result of the bassist’s attitude. Besides being one of “top five bassists I have ever heard, he is as steady as a rock,” says the vocalist. “He is the backbone of this band. He leaves his baggage at the door and never arrives wearing a sour face.”

Aldrich, who joins a legacy of gunslingers that includes Vivian Campbell and Craig Goldy, previously worked with House of Lords, Hurricane, and Lion. He was first approached in 1990 about joining Dio, but declined because his loyalties remained elsewhere.

Dio next met Aldrich five days before he joined his band. After drinks at a local watering hole, he met with the vocalist and Bain to hear the songs they were working on for Killing the Dragon. He was again offered the guitar slot. This time he accepted.

With energy, drive and determination that would fatigue those a third of his age, Ronnie James Dio not only refuses to slow down, he will not look back on what he has achieved. Like a master chess player, Ronnie James Dio is already contemplating his next series of moves. The dragon slain, Dio and his bandmates will soon begin an exhausting touring schedule that begins in the United States with the dream line-up of Deep Purple and The Scorpions. After which, he already has ideas brewing in his mind for his next two albums.

ELECTRIC BASEMENT.COM REVIEW 4/30/2002

In 2000, DIO released Magica, a return to the sound of the glory days, or so it was touted. And, for the most part, it was better received than Angry Machines, a hit and miss attempt and modernizing the Dio sound. In actuality, many critics and fans adored the concept album about a futuristic battle for a book of amazing power. Yet, perhaps due to the lumbering rhythms and Craig Goldy's dry playing, many fans were expecting something more spry and immediately melodic. Magica simply demanded too much for the impatient ones. It seemed very few were willing to give it the extra and needed listens it deserved. Okay, its 2002 and Goldy is out with Doug Aldrich (Burning Rain, Hurricane, lion) taking over the guitar duties. Jimmy Bain (ex-Rainbow), thank God, is still on bass and writing as well. Simon Wright (ex-AC/DC) is back, growing even more comfortable behind the kit, while Scott Warren remains a pseudo member as do many keyboardists it seems. Well, he made the publicity shot this time around! The difference? Killing the Dragon is, arguably, the most Dio sounding record since Dream Evil and the most forcefully so since Holy Diver. While Magica dipped into the past, it held onto a modern Sabbath sound more often than many seemed to acknowledge. "Killing" simply lets the whole 80s "Guitar shop" paradigm hang out there as if Dio has decided to shrug his shoulders and give us what we really want. Yet those expecting a carbon copy of 1983 will be surprised. Instead, this is a collection of ten songs giving subtle nods to different periods of the Dio band, mostly pointing to the 80s lineups. The title track charges out of the gates with a galloping riff similar to Maiden meets "Light Out", wrapping itself around a defiant team assault from the band. Dio is dramatic and gruff, giving the song a special legitimacy. "Along Came a Spider" is a tasteful, up tempo piece that, though ignoring the chorus (save for a repeat of the song title) is a solid track that could have made the "Lock up the Wolves" album with its bluesy yet powerful groove. The highlight it is the stellar solo work by Aldrich who infuses a subtle organic flare amidst the speedy soloing. He is precise yet human enough to give us a little adventure. "Scream" is the obvious choice for the single and live set. A massive gothic riff and perfect Dio vibery leading up to the titanic chorus makes everyone happy, even if Dio sounds pissed! Very much a piece worthy of the 83-84 period. "Better In the Dark" has a fun, frenetic path with Dio riding the rhythm like it was a long time anthem. A bit silly when he talks of monsters but it is wide-eyed throwback to his commercial yet still respectable side. "Rock n Roll", frankly, might take some getting used to for those expecting a surging assault or cheap thrill. It is a dark, chugging song with a splash of progression, making it the only track similar to the Angry Machines period. Yet, upon repeated listens, one accepts the unexpected take and should find much to like about it. The restrained power is rather impressive. "Push" is breezy fun at its best. Quick but not frenzied, it relies on a huge chorus and good time riff. Completely surface based, this is one you jog to. Could have made "Sacred Heart" a better album. "Guilty" recalls early Dokken but slower and simply not very involving. The only true filler track here. Even Dio sounds like he's going through the motions. It is as if they needed one song at this tempo for balance, so they through it together and sandwiched it between two great tracks so no one would notice. The other great track is "Throwaway the Children", a moving and impressive epic, siding with the ballad yet willing to give the big guitar sound a moment in the spotlight come the chorus. Sort of like "Stars" yet more serious. The song deals with the issues of youth being ravaged by street prostitution. "Before the Fall" has a meaty riff and flurry of action for all involved with a special highlight being the Hammond solo that simply steams it up a notch. While the riff isn't easily memorable, the energy is prime Dio. "Cold Feet" is a strong finisher, stealing the playful swagger of ELF and "When a Woman Cries", melding a fun riff with some keyboard ambiance. A little long in the tooth and in search of a crescendo, but still fun to hear because Dio hasn't done something like this in ages. Dio hasn't let down his hair like this in a long time and its refreshing in its retro nature. Wright's drums sound a tad compressed but the production, overall, is more vibrant than Magica. Everyone's work is done with meticulous love for the song at hand, letting each stand on its own. In many ways, more enjoyable than other DIO records because of the variety and festive spirit. - The Rock Devil

EDITORIAL REVIEW OF KILLING THE DRAGON BY AMAZON.COM

Somewhere in Ronnie James Dio's attic is a portrait of a decrepit rock star growing old in his place. There's no other explanation; Killing the Dragon proves that the vocalist's career is boundless, as he keeps putting out excellent albums. Unlike his previous release (the excellent concept album Magica), Dio goes for a more straightforward metal approach here. New guitarist Doug Aldrich captures the classic Dio sound on the fast-paced "Better in the Dark" and the title track, with its memorable riffs and blistering solos. "Throw Away Children," which deals with the death of a runaway girl, is as passionate musically as it is lyrically, while the dark anthem "Rock & Roll" is hypnotic and Sabbath-like as it builds at a slow and heavy-handed pace. In all, it's a solid collection of traditional metal rockers, all of which are wonderfully recognizable as Dio standards. Only death and taxes are more reliable than he is. --Gail Flug

METALUK.COM REVIEW

metalUK.com reviews Dio - 'Killing The Dragon' Spitfire (May 2002)
metaluk.com score: 9 / 10 review by: Chris C


Strip away any signs of electronic experimentation, down-tuned jackhammer guitar-work, childhood abuse stories and you've picked up the essentials of `Killing The Dragon', the brand new album from Dio. No surprises here, just good old-fashioned heavy metal – and boy, do we need it. For everyone truly sick of hearing Slipknot belch out `Wait And Bleed' for the 50th time – meet your saviour. From the opening title track, it's clear that Ronnie James has one thing in mind – old school melody, blistering guitar-work and a huge chunk of his always-impressive vocal talents. It could be 1984 again, just listening to this little gem of an album. `Along Came A Spider' and `Rock N' Roll' are all suitably well equipped with more melodic metal than you can shake a leg at – and the guitar-work is truly outstanding. It's on a catchy, yet rough-enough track like `Rock N' Roll' that you can really believe that metal has made it's long- awaited comeback. What we're hearing is three decades of honing the craft and tweaking the sound – and Ronnie has never sounded better as a result. The first single `Push' is absolutely first-rate, representitive of the style and quality of the album. It is perhaps a blessing that Ronnie has now abandoned his attempts to adapt to 2002, instead, choosing to bombard us with a finely crafted set of metal songs. Never too hungry for commercial viability, yet pleasingly vibrant and energetic, `Killing The Dragon' is a stomping disc. The odd dud track remains pinned to the disc – `Guilty' for example, simply chugs along without any direction or goal. However, perhaps the most striking element of the album is that the quality material overtakes the dull, uninteresting offerings – a testament to the group's dynamic and experience. `Thowaway Children' is possibly the best track here. The chorus is simply meaty and catchy enough to ram the whole point home. All in all, you've got what you've come to see. `Killing The Dragon' is not revolutionary but it could just possibly be Dio's best album to date and everyone should be thankful for that. If only I had my mullet replica. Bugger.