Dio’s first six studio albums are compiled into a box set
Ronnie James Dio’s sinister howl and wicked songcraft bewitched hard rock fans in the Seventies and Eighties during his memorable stints with Elf, Rainbow, and Black Sabbath. In 1983, the singer formed his own band, launching a successful solo career that culminated in 10 studio albums and sales of more than 10 million records worldwide.
Rhino follows Dio through the band’s early years with A Decade of Dio: 1983-1993, a boxed set that brings together the group’s first six studio albums, with 2016 remastered audio. It includes 1983’s Holy Diver, 1984’s The Last In Line, 1985’s Sacred Heart, 1987’s Dream Evil, 1990’s Lock Up The Wolves, and 1993’s Strange Highways.
Rhino has reissued the 6 LP box set on 140-gram splatter vinyl, and a Rhino.com D2C exclusive, featuring a bonus seven-inch of non-album tracks “Evil Eyes (Original Version)” b/w “Time To Burn.” On the first side is the 1983 version of “Evil Eyes,” originally released as the B-side of the “Holy Diver” single. In addition, this version is different from the one featured on the 1984 album The Last In Line. The flip side features “Time To Burn,” the only studio track on the otherwise live release 1986’s Intermission.
The set includes artwork by Marc Sasso, who was responsible for many of the band’s iconic covers. The 6 LP set is limited to three thousand units, while the bonus seven-inch is limited to one thousand copies.
After two studio albums with Black Sabbath, Ronnie James Dio left in 1982 and formed Dio with fellow Sabbath bandmate Vinny Appice on drums. The group’s platinum-selling debut, Holy Diver, arrived in 1983 and is now revered as a heavy metal masterpiece, including two songs that would become rock signatures: the title track and the epic “Rainbow In The Dark.”
The band returned the following year with The Last In Line, which became the band’s second platinum seller and included the single “Mystery,” as well as “We Rock,” a song the band often used to close its shows. Sacred Heart achieved gold certification and introduced fans to the concert staple “Rock ’n’ Roll Children.” Dio’s fourth studio album, Dream Evil included the singles “All The Fools Sailed Away” and “I Could Have Been A Dreamer.”
In the Nineties, the group released two more stellar studio albums. Lock Up The Wolves arrived in 1990 and featured the single “Hey Angel” and the rocking title track. Following a brief reunion with Black Sabbath in 1992, Dio returned with Strange Highways in 1993. The album featured future fan favorites like “Jesus, Mary and The Holy Ghost,” “Evilution,” and the title track.
Although Ronnie James Dio lost his battle with stomach cancer in 2010, his towering voice and legacy live on. The Ronnie James Dio Stand Up and Shout Cancer Fund, co-founded by Wendy Dio, is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable fund dedicated to supporting cancer-prevention research, raising awareness and educating the public about the vital importance of early detection and prevention when dealing with this deadly disease.
