{"id":49679,"date":"2015-06-14T07:42:56","date_gmt":"2015-06-14T12:42:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/?p=49679"},"modified":"2015-06-14T07:42:56","modified_gmt":"2015-06-14T12:42:56","slug":"a-light-in-the-black-a-tribute-to-ronnie-james-dio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hardrockhaven.net\/online\/2015\/a-light-in-the-black-a-tribute-to-ronnie-james-dio\/","title":{"rendered":"A Light in the Black (A Tribute to Ronnie James Dio)<\/em>"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Justin Gaines<\/span>
\n– Senior Columnist —<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"ABecause you’re just not a proper metal label until you’ve done a Dio tribute album, Massacre Records has served up A Light in the Black: A Tribute to Ronnie James Dio<\/em>. Yes, another Dio tribute album, this one arriving around the same time as the fifth anniversary of the Metal icon’s death. Massacre’s offering features 20 songs performed by their stable of Heavy and Power Metal bands, including Crystal Ball, Messenger, Gun Barrell, Gloryful, The Order, Metal Inquisitor, Circle of Silence, Burden of Grief, Love.Might.Kill, Rebellion, Iron Fate and Wizard.<\/p>\n

Honestly, the Metal world really didn’t need yet another Dio tribute album, and no one has ever managed to top Nuclear Blast’s 2000 tribute Holy Dio<\/em>, but Dio covers are always interesting and there are some good bands on this collection. For the most part though, these are basic, workmanlike cover versions of the well-known Rainbow, Black Sabbath and Dio songs. All enjoyable, but precious few that are really remarkable. Burden of Grief’s spin on \u201cNeon Knights\u201d is the most interesting, if for no other reason than their Melodic Death Metal style is such a departure from the original. Love.Might.Kill turned in a couple of better than average performances. On the second half of the set, both Iron Fate and Wizard stand out.<\/p>\n

We’re five years past the death of Ronnie James Dio, and in that time we’ve seen tribute albums, live albums and untold bits of memorabilia. It’s going to take something special to break through the fatigue that a lot of fans have, and A Light in the Black<\/em> probably doesn’t cut it. The lack of \u201cA-listers\u201d and the relatively unremarkable cover songs make this a set that’s really only going to interest the most die-hard Dio fans or serious fans of the bands involved. It’s not a bad collection by any means; it’s just not a really necessary one either.<\/p>\n

Genre: Heavy Metal<\/p>\n

Track Listing:
\n1.\tCrystal Ball: Sacred Heart
\n2.\tMessenger: Kill the King
\n3.\tGun Barrell: Evil Eyes
\n4.\tGloryful: Heavy Metal Will Never Die
\n5.\tThe Order: I Could Have Been a Dreamer
\n6.\tMetal Inquisitor: King of Rock n’ Roll
\n7.\tCircle of Silence: One Night in the City
\n8.\tBurden of Grief: Neon Knights
\n9.\tLove.Might.Kill: Stand Up and Shout
\n10.\tRebellion: I
\n11.\tIron Fate: Light in the Black
\n12.\tMessenger: Don’t Talk to Strangers
\n13.\tCrystal Ball: The Sign of the Southern Cross
\n14.\tLove.Might.Kill: Hungry for Heaven
\n15.\tThe Order: The Last in Line
\n16.\tGun Barrell: Voodoo
\n17.\tCircle of Silence: Time Machine
\n18.\tRebellion: Kill the King
\n19.\tGloryful: Holy Diver
\n20.\tWizard: Caught in the Act<\/p>\n

Label: Massacre Records<\/p>\n

Hardrock Haven Rating: 6\/10<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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