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DIO – “Master of The Moon”
(SPV)
Running Time : 45:50
Sometimes, it’s not easy to do a review. Anticipation grows, especially if you’re going to review a well known artist, more the less if he is as iconic as Ronnie James Dio, dubbed by many as “The Voice” of metal. Lets get some things out of the way first. Compared, to “Killing the dragon”, DIO’s last album, this one is a lot slower and far heavier affair. As a result it’s less appealing, after the initial listening, but given a couple of spins, it grows on you and grabs your attention, hands down a better and more rewarding record than its predecessor. It will remind to the listener, the days of Ron, with the SABS, especially the “dehumanizer” era.I was quite nervous as I pushed , the play button. Only to be greeted by “One for the road” a quite pacey song with a very familiar galloping rhythm, and the VOICE, as glorious and rich, as silky and smooth as ever. I shouldn’t forget to mention the blistering SOLO, courtesy of Mr. Craig Goldy, who might not be the best guitarist technically speaking in the whole world, but has a LOT more feeling, than his predecessor, Dough Aldrich and especially here, appears to be just as good as he is. Surely a good way to open the records. Onwards to the title piece, “ Master of the Moon”, one immediately notices the drop in pace. A towering, doomy composition, rich in melodrama, and heavy as hell. There’s a grandiose, almost gothic atmosphere, in these song, that manifests itself on consecutive tracks, down the road. By saying gothic, I mean, heavy, majestic and dark, not wimpy, whiny and sorrowful. It’s sweet torture listening to the verses, until the superb, melodic chorus, allows for a release and relief from all the tension and suspence. Track number three, “The End Of The World” follows a similar path, but is a bit rockier, with a very dark refrain and a haunting guitar melody. Next up is “Shivers” which I thought, I ‘d hate, but I have grown to quite like, mid temp, territory again, and here, the new kid on the block, keyboardist Scott Warren, injects a wicked little melodic line on the keys, that makes the song really appealing. Onwards to
“The Man Who Would Be King” which is about Dubya. Another slow number, with a really crushing, rhythm and lots of twists and turns. Ronnie seems to be quite political on this album, and there are a lot of references to actual facts, that the listener will extract, further pleasure by, when he or she actually realizes what they ‘re all about. The song fades out in to “The Eyes” another surprise, surprise, mid tempo composition. Really rhythmical and sinister it’s riff slightly reminded me of MANOWAR’s “Warriors of the world”, strange as it may seem. I suspect and I think I ‘d be justified, it’s all about the total invasion of privacy, and defilement of peoples personalities, by the governments with the often, false and overtly misused reasoning about security issues, or anti terrorism. I could be wrong, but I might just be right. “Hey the big brother is watching you, while you watch the human menagerie, in a pig brothel, on your TV”, “Living The Lie”, which amazingly enough, is a fast song. Hurray. If you have taken a nap by now, prepare to be awaken. Isolation and the frustrations of modern life, are what this song deals with. Another nice little solo, in the land where to play a solo, is now considered a felony and is punishable by 5 years in the poverty line and 10 years parole, in the underground.
“I Am” has an interesting intro that reminded me a little of “Die Young” - the song itself is completely different though. An almost anthemic tune, another fine example in the fine tradition of DIO songs. “Death By Love” that follows “I am” is a mid tempo rocker, that never quite explodes into something faster, but has a wicked solo and a very nice chorus, with a very nice interplay between the vocals, and the guitar that paeans an early “scorpionesque” riff. Another quality tune. The album’s closer comes in the form of “In Dreams”, which is another crunchy mid pacer, with another remarkable solo, and a preety epic feeling, not a miles away from IRON MAIDEN, especially in its climactic end.
Well I may still haven’t figured out, “who” the “Master of the moon” is, as the lyrics are open to a lot of interpretations, but I can really tell you this, Ronnie James Dio has been, still is and will forever be, a true “Master of Metal”. My utmost respect flies out to uncle Ron and the boys.
Ps.But please make the next one faster :P ok ?
Ps2. Well people easily give top marks to mediocre releases because of their fanatism (px o varouxas sto shitnot ktl... sorry manos dhladhs alla), and I ‘m prone to do the same, but I will over come this and try to be as “professional and unbiased” as I can. Although I ‘d like to introduce a 7/6 I will give MOTM a....
5/6
Dimitrios “Rockavlon” Fatouros
