10 More Perfect 1980s Hard Rock Albums With No Bad Songs
5. Holy Diver - Dio (1983)
Raise your chalice of rock to the one and only, Ronnie James Dio. This guy had quite a career. His musical exploits started way back in 1957, when he was a lowly bass player. He progressed through the musical ranks to front the group, Rainbow, during the '60s. Eventually, going on to replace the Prince of Darkness himself. After a brief stint with Black Sabbath, Dio formed his own group. This gave him the opportunity to prove himself as a creative force, as well as a great frontman.
Before Vivian Campbell joined Def Leopard in the early '90s he was cutting his teeth, playing biting guitar for Dio. Although we could spend hours praising the axe work on this album, that time is better spent fawning over the power of Ronnie James Dio's voice.
His range and absolute control, allowed him to sing ballads, like Don't Talk To Strangers with a fragile tenderness. But he could deliver the kind of theatrical resonance required to give Holy Diver the authority it deserved. Although Killswitch Engage injected a little more oomph into their cover of the track, the original never fails to impress. The guitar lurches along like a steam train as Dio snarl's like a tiger.