Classic Album Review, Bruce Dickinson, The Chemical Wedding

Bruce Dickinson, The Chemical Wedding (Air Raid-1998)

Ahh yes old Brucie is back. And the follow up to 1997s great 'Accident of Birth'. That album was a great come back to the metal world for Bruce as he was toying with the classic rock area for a while. Again produced by Roy Z it is crystal clear and having at the time a former Iron Maiden guitarist in Adrian Smith you know it will be good.

But it was way better than that, so much so this album really did put Bruce back into the eyes of the music press all around the world. When released it didn't have as much press at the previous album but I think that was for a reason, to make the press listen.

The cover is The Ghost of a Flea by William Blake. The Painting was done on a small hardwood panel but musically this album is not small at all. First track 'King in Crimson' reminds me of classic Dio mixed with a more extreme death metal style. Big drums and guitars. The bass kicks in and takes your head off. Then Bruce starts his classic singing style, he needs good lungs for this one as to get over the band he needs them.

Bruce said every track was written like the artwork, a small frame depicting an emotion. The first was about fear (so that's why it is so loud) second track 'Chemical Wedding' is about tragedy and you do feel it with Bruce's voice dipping and almost just talking to you. The music is simple and mixes some loud guitar parts with some nice harmonies that are used to help depict tragedy.

Track three 'The Tower' brings in that guitar player, Adrian Smith is considered the backbone of Maidens sound. More so as when he left the band really went on a downward spiral (He went in 1988) and Maiden albums never sounded the same till his return. Here is the track that proves what has been missing. Theme here is union and what a union of Bruce, Adrian and Roy Z. An idea was made to have bass strings on the guitars, and they did. This song just blasts the speakers out the house, big loud and heavy. Again all very simple with nice little lead guitar parts that flow between the vocals. Telling a story and keeping the great Blake theme going. The song goes into a fantastic solo that shows what we have all missed. the solo is more than a solo, not showing off just the guitar player but the drummer, bass, producers and the studio engineer. It is stunning and up there with the best.

'Killing Floor' starts off and nails the bass guitar sounding riffs so well you could let it go on. And it does. With Bruce shouting "Satan, has left his killing floor" the song feels bluesy and builds up all the time, riffing and interluding to a fantastic end.

'Book of Thel' opens up with some nice clean bass and the album really changes here. The clean bass builds into a nice big full band assault and Bruce again nails it. This song is so spooky and the lyrics just grab you by the throat. Verse two is worth the album alone! It grabs you and will not let you away. This is what metal is and what sabbath wanted scary doom maiden music. The band play so well here knowing when to slow down and/or speed up as if you are in a horror movie. The piano and spoken word narration at the end is so eerie you may just as well check over your shoulder.

'Gates of Urizen' takes back to a classic rock style, no that is unfair as it is more of an operatic feel. It is very melodic and would easily sound great with just an acoustic guitar. but musicians as good as this they make it better.

'Jerusalem' has that classic folk sound to it. I think Bruce and the band have a great sense of humor and all traces of Stonehenge disappear from your thoughts quickly. Building up with mainly vocals and some nice melodic guitar.

'Trumpets of Jericho' and 'Machine Men' offer up the great sounding big hitting guitar from earlier. Still catchy and still kicking you about the room. More nice melodic parts here and great guitar work. You can really feel the guitar sound more in later tracks and it is very addictive.

Final track 'The Alchemist' takes you on a journey of the whole album. Ending as the first started in fear. But uses a more  disorientated feel to confuse and scare you. The vocals change from singing to melodic harmonies to shouting just adding to the fear and feel.

Black Sabbath started this in 69 and it is rare an album can scare you or at least make you feel the eeriness. You listen to this and you feel like you are back in the 1800s and watching William Blake working on a poem or piece of art. What is weird is Blake's work for the best part when he was alive was ignored. Or more so was considered crazy and blasphemous. Even after he died some of his work was destroyed due to it being considered politically radical. Much like Blake's work this album has slipped by the mainstream for too long. And with that Iron Maiden fans who have never heard it. They are the last people that should hear this as they have had there chance.

This is more than just a music album, it is a history lesson, a lesson in story telling and above all a lesson in metal.

Follow me on Twitter @29xthefun

Classic Album Review, Ian McNabb, Head Like a Rock

Classic Album Review, Ian McNabb, Head Like a Rock (This Way Up-1994)

This album from the lead singer of the Icicle Works was a Mercury Nominated album released back in 1994. A straight forward rock album, nothing fancy here ten songs that rock.

Well it has a bit more than that, Ian had made his previous album 'Truth and Beauty' the year before. And I have to say I don't really like it. That aside it was ok but not great, his first album should have been good as the Icicle Works were at the end just him in the studio with hired musicians on the road.

This album is really just a continuation of his debut solo but a little louder. To me it sounds more fun, loose and overall just skillful. The songs are all pretty simple but delivered in fine form. Solos sound great but not over the top. Add in a big backing band...

Crazy Horse. Yes Neil Young's backing band. Apparently after making his last album was wound up by the studio engineer about his rock days are behind him. Returning to Liverpool he made a demo, the record label teased saying it sounds like Crazy Horse. Ian was happy to record with Crazy Horse if the record company could get them. Well a few phone calls later and Ian is on a flight to LA.

Before heading to the US he managed to write three more songs for the recording with Crazy horse. After that the best session musicians in the city played on this. It is rare that an album sounds this good with so many people playing in different songs. It is odd but it just worked, the album runs so well you can not notice any difference in the music.

With limited time Crazy Horse only recorded four songs and the first three and last song is by them and Ian. Album opener 'Fire Inside My Soul' should have been a big hit, it could have been. Big bold sound and guitar riffs all over the place. I love how easy the music is to play but how well its played. It is like making a cup of tea but with the best tea and milk the world has to offer. A catchy song that will stay with you forever, Ian's lyrics will make sure of that. From the heart and not the wallet.

'You Must Be Prepared To Dream' again another single and bad news it missed the top 40. Why, why why!? One listen and you want to buy the album. Quickly written for this the band really show how good they are as it was pretty much all done live. Jamming can at times make some of the best music. Again just some simple riffs that plugs away at you. Ian has one of the most underrated voices in the UK. His vocals here are powerful and all that matters is he means it.

One thing that can be understood in how this was not a chart hit was the song lengths. Track one and two are over that big 3 minute pop song for the radio.

The third Crazy Horse song is over 9 minutes and again as good as the rest. 'Child Inside A Father' was recorded on the strongest cannabis Ian has ever had. The zone the band were in could not be broken and a defining start to a song with Ian standing all over his guitar pedals and then off into a fantastic song, the amp used was destroyed on this song, worth a listen eh?

'Still Got The Fever' takes us back to planet earth and classic McNabb vocals. Big choruses backed up by a church choir and some nice keyboards done again in a church organ sound. Grab a mate for a sing along here.

Some classic acoustic rock in 'Potency' gets you foot tapping into the funky sounding 'Go Into The Light' a song that makes you ask where this was made (LA) oh right thats why its so fun.

Next song is adding into the American sound and some steal guitar (It is actually called a Dobro) adds a nice touch, mouth organ and a great slow number. 'Sad Strange Solitary Catholic Mystic' continues the acoustic feel but the feet is not tapping as much. A very eerie song that is played very slowly with some nice Cello, Violin arrangements to keep the feel.

Last song 'May You Always' is the fourth and final Crazy Horse song. It is a mellow and thoughtful ending to the album. The band show all there skills here, from when not to play and let Ian's voice do the hard work. One thing you should do is listen to Ian's lyrics, they can be very easy to dismiss but at times it really is such amazing lines of poetry.

And again another addition to an album that has been missed. Ian McNabb is still making music and touring but I think this album was his time to break it big. But not so, people didn't buy it even after the music press liking it. As I said it was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize. But back then it was uncool and the winners were M People (I ain't kidding). Ian took his mother to the celebration with a slight hope of winning. It should not matter but now looking back it may have helped. M People may not be around but they did sell a truck load of music (10 platinum awards) in the UK.

Just before this album was recorded Ian helped a mate record a few songs. As he was a mate it was done for a few drinks and a few quid. The mate was Ian Broudie, the album Jollification. Just shows how well he was writing at that point eh?

Classic Album Review, The Sex Pistols, Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols

The Sex Pistols, Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols (virgin-1977)

This blog is for albums I feel people have missed out on and also ones I feel have undersold. This is not so much a review of the album as we have all heard this (I hope). But more info on it.

Out in October 1977 this album had to live up to the hype of what punk rock was. And it did, the fans went out and bought it to the point it got a gold award (100,000) in the UK within a few weeks. The album was a gamble by the record company and well, any record company. The hard work paid off.

Hitting the top of the charts as well in 1977 many kids got this and instantly went on to form bands and learn how to play. For anyone to want to play in a band they must want success, I mean who would want to play a gig to know one? The band wanted more success and also money. This album should have provided this. but the media in the UK had painted them as some sort of terrorist faction. So bad was the heat in the UK the band just could not play. Banned in many towns and cities in the UK it is hard to promote an album if you can't play live.

As a music fan I see a band on record as a totally different entity as a live act. Bands like this who thrive and exist due to live gigs the album can be like a keepsake, a memento if you like of a great live gig. But for many this was not the case banned even in Glasgow where the Lord Provost said "that Scotland had enough hooligans already without importing them from south of the border" Ha ha, what can a band do? banned in Glasgow! John loved it. But even outside the UK. Banned by the Catholic church in Italy and Ireland. The next gig was all the way to Norway.

And now onto why this album is in my blog. A blog for albums you may have missed. And for some who read this you may have heard some of the songs on this album. And liked them but it is a great album well produced and well written. It was so much more than it should have been. It was expected to be loud and noisy and a total mess. But producer Chris Thomas has worked with some of the biggest and best in the business (Floyd, Beatles) and his skills are used well here. Extracting some great music and recording something unknown at the time was to be one of the most influential albums ever made.

Even as the album was being recorded the band had no bass player and also no record deal. And half way through Thomas left the recording to leave studio engineer Bill Price to produce some of it. A band that could not get a gig or a record contract facing an uphill struggle and people wonder why they were full of anger. Contrary to popular belief the band was in good spirits when recording. More to do with not really knowing what they were doing. Add in the sacking of Glen Matlock who was the bands member with any real music knowledge.

As the album was about to be released the record company learned that demos of the same tracks were going to be released in France a week before this album. That other album was to be called 'Spunk' and was easy to get in the UK as the importing of albums was a big seller then. With this in mind Virgin rushed the albums release a week early. In doing so an error in the printing of the album missed out one track that was included on the French LP. Know one would buy an album that was missing a track so the LP was accompanied with a 7" single that had the missing song 'Submission'.

Once in the shops the album sold and thankfully music shops found the sale of guitars, drums and bass guitars wee also increasing. back in 77 the only way to learn was to listen and you need a teacher. This album has that, great songwriting that still means something. Johns voice has such a venomous rasp. He sings what he believes add in Steve Jones a riff machine that could give Toni Iommi a run for his money. Countless bands were formed and all because of this album. I really think if this album was crap or a least sounded bad I think everything could have been different. Even to the point a second album could have been made. Again not to go over old ground but the band fell apart while in America on tour. Missing any real normality the band were hounded everywhere and were pretty much locked out of the UK. This album has had so much of an effect on the band that both Steve and John moved to the US as they just could not stay in the UK.

What happened after this was pretty much called post Punk as many of the band changed there style. More aggressive music came out like Discharge and this in turn would go on to start the Hardcore Punk/Metal, Thrash, Grindcore and on an on it goes...

One thing that is shocking is the album too 11 years to go Platinum (300,000) in the UK. Getting to this in 1988. That means the album slowly sold over time. Kids getting to read about the punks and wanting to hear it. By the 1990s music and the industry had changed. Green Day and the Offspring would sell a shed load of albums (Dookie sold 10 million in the US alone). In a way the band were before there time and also a bit behind. There sound and style is not a million miles away from MC5 but the timing was what made it here.

I have this album here as I think many people have overlooked this album. More so the kids, the album is a history lesson as well as a rock n roll album. Hated by adults and loathed by the establishment. The band and album seem to set up boundaries and it simply would not have happened if it was crap. If you own any of the 90s punk bands albums and not this then seriously get a copy. If you have had it for years give it another spin you may be shocked at how fresh is sounds.

Classic Album Review, Milla, The Divine Comedy

Milla, The Divine Comedy (SBK/EMI Records)

Where to start with this one. Sometimes an artist only gets the chance to do one album before something happens. Much of the time it is the band splitting, record company dropping them or unusually the artist becoming a Hollywood star. This time time it did happen.

Well not quite that fast but it did happen. I am sure you have heard of Milla Jovovich. Ukrainian born and star of films and magazine covers the world over due to a big modeling career.

She is a very good singer and in her early teens made a demo tape that was instantly picked up by EMI. Signing a record deal and starting work on her first album. Produced by Rupert Hine the record company were not messing about here.

She describes the album as a mix of Kate Bush, Sinéad O'Connor, This Mortal Coil, and the Cocteau Twins. And I do agree with that but she really did put something of her own into it. Don't get me wrong this is not the best album made that year or anything. It has its faults but listening to this debut and not many artists can make that good a first album. Add in she was in her early teens when she wrote the lyrics and still upon its release she was only 17. It is a remarkable achievement.

Album opener is a simple look into whats out there 'The Alien Song' has Milla in a real calm relaxed mood. Taking you on a small trip through space. Violin, mandolin, key fiddle and guitar are some of the intuments used on this album and in this song it really builds a nice wall of sound. Swooshing and big air noises make this small trip fun. Next song was a minor hit in America. "Gentleman Who Fell" had two videos made, Milla knows what she wants in her music and in her videos or video art as it turns out. Check out the vido on You tube as it really is amazing. Again watch it and remind yourself she is only 17, so many ideas and such a great understanding of what she wants in not only her music but the whole package. that is something only a handful of bands/artists ever get.

All the songs are heavily influenced by Ukranian folk music at times and this again adds to the albums unique atmosphere. Next single is a little more straight forward. "It's Your Life" is more of a produced song for the record company. It is good still and entertains you with her different ways of singing.

Milla has said she was signed as a dance chart act, expected to have 6 months of chart hits then be out of the music industry for good, it happens all the time. She fought the record company to do this her way. "Bang Your Head" could be a small tribute to the record company and what it must have felt like taking to the suits.

At the end of the day this is a pop album and this is evident on "Clock" a simple synth driven song with nice harmonies to help get her voice into the mind of the listener. Last song "In a Glade" is a classic Ukranian folk song. This lady is classy and knows how to pay her respects, she also nails the song well and can hold her head up high when ever she goes back home.

This album is considered a lost pop classic. And I see why, the record company really did not know what to do with it. Enya and Kate Bush have this side of the market taken. Or did they? This is way different and due to Milla being 17 when it was out a totally different market (Teenagers don't just like boybands).

One gig in the UK then a quick tour of America was the promotion here. But that alone did cause a spark and in America a minor hit single got her onto a support tour. But I think Hollywood was waiting and here film career took over. Milla still writes and records and releases songs on her website. Her latest film Bringing Up Bobby has her on the soundtrack.

Milla Jovovich now kicks the arse of zombies in international blockbuster films. But in her teens she was doing the same to conglomerate record companies. 

Classic Album Review, Reverend Bizarre, II Crush the Insects

Reverend Bizarre, II Crush the Insects (Spinefarm 2005)

And now for something completely different...
Well on paper it does look quite different. But in reality Doom Metal is very close to Black Sabbath and this band were one of the best doom bands about.

This is album number two and what a great album it is. Mixing classic funeral doom and metal while adding in little bits of  classic metal.
In Finland the band were getting a lot of attention, so much that the band had a number one single with "Slave of Satan" a 20 minute single at number one is just not heard of. But it happened and I see why.

The albums first track "Doom over the World" is a classic catchy metal song. A song that could be used to promote doom metal as it is like a small sample of what you can get with the style of music. Track two "The Devil Rides Out" and three "Cromwell" are like the first track. A little faster paced doom metal with more riffs than just all out noise. The first three tracks get you ready for "Slave of Satan".

Now we are talking, big crunching bass guitar that sounds like it has been played by a giant on a giant bass guitar. Big slow guitar chords and operatic vocals will make you look at the cd cover trying to figure out what drugs were taken for influencing this track. But that is what I like about it, the drumming and bass all sounds out of sync and while doing so add in the syncopated guitar you get a real odd feeling that something is going to happen. Like a horror film that builds to the part when the person turns into a victim after opening a door that had growls and screams behind it.

"Council of Ten" brings the album back to a more parallel sounding metal album, still slow and doom as can be. "By This Axe I Rule" contains some great lyrics with the vocalist Albert Witchfinder almost reading out aloud instead of singing. Add into this the down tuned bass and cymbal crashes that blast the speakers each time and you have another song that is over ten minutes long.

"Eternal Forest" would scare you from ever going into the woods again. This track really gives an eerie sound using the guitar to hit really high notes and king of shakes you a bit. To make such a great album with all the emotions and not use keyboards is really amazing. And this is evident in the last track "Fucking Wizard" has so much linking it to Black Sabbath and more so the bands first album. Close your eyes and you can feel Ozzy in the room. There is nothing wrong with paying tribute to another band but when it is done as well as this you have to give the band credit. Every note is perfect as is each hit of the drum. Guitarist Peter Vicar must be the most patient guitarist in the world. It is easy for a guitarist to simply want to shred all the time but his cool calm playing gives this album such a great sound.

Again another album passes much of the music world by and this time the band could be blamed. Albert Witchfinder during recording was having a lot of trouble with depression and the band was just not getting on. This is something you can kind of hear in the album as if each band member is playing while having there backs to each other.

Also the big amount of interest in the bands own country seem to have a negative effect on the band. Three more albums were planed but scrapped and the 3rd and last album was a double LP. The band played some shows in 2006 and split. The style of music is for the very few but I feel they had a little extra to give us. This is the sort of metal album that gets none metal fans interested as well. If the band could have done more touring and more so supporting bigger bands I think they could have done so much more.

 II Crush the Insects is available on Amazon.

Classic Album Review, The Hellacopters, High Visibility

The Hellacopters, High Visibility(Universal 2000)

This is an odd one for me to review as this blog is about albums that were missed and/or did not sell as much as they should. In my eyes this sold well and influenced many people to form a band and play rock n roll music. Just about any rock fan should know of the Hellacopters as many of the bands that were influenced by them would go on to have success. To me this album achived everything it could have done but in the eyes of the music work it did not sell as much.

This band was formed as a side project for Entombed drummer Nicke Andersson. First album was a noisy all out punk rock album, a great one at that 'Suppershitty to the Max' was recorded in what sounds like a minute on a personal stereo and comes out all the better for it. Fast forward to this album (Number four) the band have a deal with Universal and teaming up with producer Chips Kiesbye the sound changed. Not so much commercial rock and nothing like AOR it was a stripped down cleaner sound.

The record company needs something they can sell and I think the band produced a great balanced album that is radio friendly and rocks just as much as AC DC does. Album opener "Hopeless Case of a Kid in Denial" has one of the best intro riffs this writer has ever heard. Simple arpeggiated chords are used and make the album sound £1 million better. Throwing in a little bit of acoustic guitar helps build on the sound and with lyrics as catchy as these you have to sing along no matter what you are doing.

If you like solos you will love this album. It was kind of uncool to have solos back in 2000. and "Baby Borderline" consists of singing "Baby Borderline" and soloing. But that is all you need right?  Chips Kiesbye production is simple but effective, making the band sound tight and clear. All the riffs hit you in the right place and backed up with some nice drumming the band keep the foot taping no matter what they do.

"Toys and Flavors" is so good it should have a video, oh they did make one but like me most people never seemed to see it. Some nice added in piano parts gives that 70s feel and the nod that its OK to wear flairs again. "Truckloads of Nothin'"  shows off how good this band is at using the old six stringer. The riffs are that fast you may have to duck for cover. "A Heart Without Home" adds in what the drummer can do, Robert Eriksson directs the band and shows how to riff.

"I Wanna Touch" sounds like the CD player has been set of fast forward, more made for dancing than air guitar it gives the album that nice all round feel revisiting dance halls of the 50s. Album ends with "Envious" the band seem to know its the last song and jam away for the first 40 seconds and give you the feeling the band have more energy to have done a double album.

To me this is not even the best Hellacopters album but as album number four and at the time limited success outside Scandinavian this album should have taken them to the big festivals and big tours in America. For some reason it didn't happen, even in the UK the band only played London as demand was low. This album did go gold in Sweden and rightfully got them much more exposure there. But everywhere else nothing.

During the albums tour of America the band filmed and released a video Goodnight Cleveland that shows the band playing very small clubs across the USA. Those at the shows get it, but why do so many other people not know of the band? With many artists recommending this band in the press and three great albums before this one this should have been a no- brainer. Again I blame the public here, buying an AC DC album every so often does not mean you like rock music. And there was room for the Hellacopters just look at the joke rock band The Darkness a few years later selling 1.5 million albums in the UK and touring the biggest arenas while pretty much playing the same song over and over. The Hellacopters made two more albums before disbanding in 2007.

Again this band and this album to me achieved so much, influencing countless bands and kids to play and enjoy other rock bands. When I am old and in my rocking chair with my slippers on hand me a guitar and I will play the intro to  "Hopeless Case of a Kid in Denial" just doing that alone means there job is done. 

This band were that good I WANT people to rip them off.

High Visibility is easily available on Amazon.

Classic Album Review, Rainbow, Rising

Rainbow, Rising (Polydor 1976)

Long story short Richie Blackmore left Deep Purple and formed Rainbow. Lead singer at the time is Ronnie James Dio. Two names just about anyone who is a fan of music knows add in drummer Cozy Powell and you have a formidable line up.

So why is it here? Well yes the band did do very well and indeed even this album went gold in the UK. But most people know Rainbow for the cover of  "Since You Been Gone" that was a top ten in 1979 with a different line up. From this album to that single the band changed so much.

Here you have a band who just seem to fit so well, recording of the album was done with the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra, now that adds in something really special.

Most people regard rock fans to just like guitar riffs and that is it. But here opening track starts with a keyboard intro by Tony Carey, he throws the sound from left to right but it is soon followed up by the rest of the band. A simple track that helps you settle into the album. Some nice drumming from Cozy and even nice keyboard accompaniment helps the melody come through. Richie steels the light later on with a fantastic solo.

This album was only six tracks long but first track "Tarot Woman"  clocks in at six minutes. Next up "Run with the Wolf" is more what people are used to three minutes and a catch chorus that uses the songs name. It really shows what Dio can do with his voice, he makes the song sound like Dio. The song does feel rushed but ultimately it may have been a track to please the record company as a single.

"Starstruck" starts to show what Cosy can do, you could set your watch on his timing on the intro. Something that you never really get back in the 70s was BIG drum intros I think it was more to do with producers not really knowing how to record it. But here it is as clear as a bell. Producer Martin Birch has recorded them all and knows a thing or two about getting the drums just right, Dio takes a step back and just lets the band jam on this one and it is a great foot tapper. Feel free to start air drumming as well.  Next song "Do You Close Your Eyes" is a great radio song, Dio makes the most of the vocals and adds in some of his signature volume that would guarantee that all in the room (and next) can hear him.

Flip the album over to the last two tracks and here is the big song "Stargazer". This long, epic track with symphonic influences adds in the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra. Clocking in at over 8 minutes it really needs some attention as it does feel to the untrained ear as if not much is going on. But that is why I think this track is so sneaky. The orchestra has been mixed in as if it is a guitar. Also the keyboards take back a major role in this song and they also beef up the atmosphere. Richie's guitar work here is stunning and never feels over done or too guitar wanky as some may say it. The galloping drums reminds along with the orchestra could have been used in a Hollywood film as it just works so well. Dio indulges in his passion for lyrics in fantasy, swords and wizards. With his voice bellowing over the whole production you would think you were in a concert hall. The skill involved in getting this sound onto one grove of a record is nothing short of a miracle. And it is not over.

Last track "A Light in the Black" shows the band at there metal maximum with Richie riffing like mad and carrying the song away into another world. More amazing Dio vocals and lyrics help make the trip here seem like you have been dreaming of lands far away. This track showcases a solo on the keyboard done again by Carey. This is why the album is so good as Blackmore lets the band do what they are best at, the keyboard solo would make Rick Wakeman blush. It is fantastic and so over the top it needs to be to end the album. Again clocking in over eight minutes it is a stayer.

Back to why it is here, put simply it has been overlooked for too long. I only ever see it in magazines that promote classic rock music and it really should be heard by all music fans. It never really done anything in America and I think the only place it done well was the UK.

Richie would later sack Dio as he refused to write pop songs. Rainbow did do well after this but not musically in my eyes. Dio then went on to sing and write in Black Sabbath and have Platinum and gold albums in America and was regarded as one of the best metal vocalists ever.

I think this album is overlooked is due to the metal movement in the late 70s and early 80s when bands like Iron Maiden, Saxon and Motorhead would be louder and faster. And the fans would then regard keyboards and orchestras as pop music.

When Dio died of cancer many people of the rock and metal world paid tribute to him and his voice and for me this is the best example of what he can do.

You can get Rising on a great remastered 2CD from Amazon but for me get the Back on Black reissue Vinyl as it really shows how great music can be on the old faithful LP.