There had never been a singer like Ronnie James Dio and neither there will be anyone like him. A vocalist of fantastic abilities, a composer and lyricist par excellence, and one of the nicest persons this scribe chanced to meet among artists, Ron would have celebrated his 80th anniversary on July 10th, 2022 if he didn’t leave the world 12 years ago, that’s why, one year short of its own 40th anniversary, his band DIO‘s 1983 debut “Holy Diver” is to see a super deluxe edition on July 8th, reissued as a 4-disc box set and 2LP, clear vinyl versions, as befits the great album which helped define hard rock golden standard of the ’80s.
The box set will contain two versions of “Holy Diver”: a newly remastered original 1983 mix and a new stereo mix by Joe Barresi who also worked on some outtakes that are featured on CD4 alongside single variants. In its turn, CD3 contains the entire concert recording of the previously unheard show the quartet – rounded off with Dio’s former RAINBOW colleague Jimmy Bain on bass, his ex-BLACK SABBATH sidekick Vinny Appice on drums and young Vivian Campbell on guitar – played in California soon after the platter’s release. This edition can’t replace one from 2012, where bonus disc had different live cuts – yet, accompanied by a solid booklet, the latest reissue looks much better. Read the review.
Holy Diver:
Super Deluxe Edition
CD1 – Holy Diver (2022 Joe Barresi Mix)
CD2 – Holy Diver (2022 Remaster):
1. Stand Up And Shout
2. Holy Diver
3. Gypsy
4. Caught In The Middle
5. Don’t Talk To Strangers
6. Straight Through The Heart
7. Invisible
8. Rainbow In The Dark
9. Shame On The Night
CD3 – Live at Selland Arena, Fresno, CA, 1983:
1. Intro
2. Stand Up And Shout
3. Straight Through The Heart
4. Shame On The Night
5. Children Of The Sea
6. Holy Diver
7. Heaven And Hell – incl. guitar solo
8. Rainbow In The Dark
9. Man On The Silver Mountain
10. Starstruck
11. Man On The Silver Mountain – reprise
12. Don’t Talk To Strangers
CD4 – Outtakes, Singles & B-Sides:
1. Evil Eyes – Wyn Davis remix
2. Don’t Talk To Strangers – Take 1 (Joe Barresi mix)
3. Invisible – Take 1 (Joe Barresi mix)
4. Invisible – Take 3 (Joe Barresi mix)
5. Rainbow In The Dark – alt. guitar solo (Joe Barresi mix)
6. Straight Through The Heart – Take 2 (Joe Barresi mix)
7. Straight Through The Heart – Take 3 (Joe Barresi mix)
8. Rainbow In The Dark – 7″ mono edit
9. Evil Eyes – 1983 version, B-side of “Holy Diver”
10. Rainbow In The Dark – 7″ stereo edit
