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Class 6(66)
Dio: The last in line
08/07/11 || sly
Introduction
I never got to see Dio perform. I could hold onto that as a source of disappointment and regret. But as soon as I finish building my TARDIS I am going to travel back 70 million years and grab myself an allosaurus before that damn asteroid destroys them all. Then I will travel forward to 1984 and ride my allosaurus bareback into a Dio concert where it will eat all the fans and RJ and I will sally forth into the sunset. But until that day comes (I am waiting on some parts for my chameleon circuit) I will simply have to be content listening to the albums and pretending.
Songwriting
9. I guess most people deem “The last in line” as something of a step down from “Holy diver”. I’ve gone back and forth with this, trying to draw my own conclusion. No doubt “Holy diver” is a killer debut album, making it damn difficult for any successor to live up to it. However, I almost think that if “The last in line” had been released first, “Holy diver” would possess a similar stigma. Each time I think I’ve decided which is my favourite, I read the impressive track list of the other and my conclusion dissipates once more into uncertainty. Everything you loved (or will come to love) about “Holy diver” is manifested once more in “The last in line”.
RJD’s songwriting remains brilliant in another collaboration with Campbell, Bain, Appice, and now features Rough Cutt’s Claude Schnell on keyboards. Every last ounce of the geeky, fantastical ingenuity of “Holy diver” flows straight into the veins of its descendant.
Production
8. “The last in line” was produced by Signor Dio himself. (Goddamn, this man was efficient). It is a fairly typical ’80s heavy metal sound, but still reminiscent of ’70s production. It is a nice crisp sound and each instrument is audible.
Guitars
8,5. Vivian Campbell may have a girl’s name but he’s more of a man than you’ll ever be. This prominent musician’s career really took off in Dio, then he went on to play in Whitesnake, Def Leppard, Thin Lizzy and others. He filled this album with so many blood-rushing, fist-pumping, head-banging, falling-on-your-face riffs, you’d have to take your shoes off to count ‘em.
Vocals
10. And by 10 I mean 10 billion. Ronnie James Dio is a vocal god. He is also a god of short people. So for myself, who is short and loves to sing, He is the quintessential diety. I pray to Him. On my personal list of the five best vocalists ever, He’s in my top two. Jesus also prays to Him.
Bass
7,5. It’s there. It’s audible. It’s well played. Bain is obviously a stellar bassist, albeit in an era and a genre in which the bass doesn’t often come forward. But he remains an indispensable asset to the indestructible fortress that is Dio’s rhythm section.
Drums
8. The other indispensable asset being Vinny Appice. Appice demonstrates his stalwart skills once again by giving “The last in line” the vintage Vinny treatment: solid, straightforward, and heavy. Fuck yeah, this guy can play!
Lyrics
9. Legend has it that Ronnie’s songs were inspired by a giant mutated Malacovian creature who goes by Murray. He’d tell RJ tales about when the Earth was young. You know, when the world was milk and honey, and the magic was strong and true. This was the golden age, when the Malacovians ruled. The lyrics of “Egypt” are a good example of what happened.
Cover art
9. Like many other Dio albums, Murray graces the cover of “The last in line”. An endless crowd of humans and other creatures are assembled before him, possibly to find out if they are evil or divine. The original painting was done entirely with acrylics. I’d be interested to know where it hangs out these days.
Logo
8. I think the logo is pretty cool. It is enticing, decipherable, and classic.
Booklet
3. Unfortunately, yet unsurprisingly, my particular booklet isn’t very exciting. It has some small black and white photos… That’s about it. No lyrics, no little write-up about the band or album. It’s pretty dull.
Overall and ending rant
If you’re not a Dio fan, fuck you. I don’t even know why you’re reading this. Go listen to some Norah Jones. I hate you. But if you are a fan, a brother, a disciple, and have not yet given this album a fair trial, I encourage you to do so. This will become a staple of your record collection, like beer probably is to your refrigerator. Go. Purchase. Join the dark side.
- Information
- Released: 1984
- Label: WB/Mercury
- Website: www.ronniejamesdio.com
- Band
- Ronnie James Dio: vocals
- Vivian Campbell: guitar
- Jimmy Bain: bass
- Vinny Appice: drums
- Claude Schnell: keyboards
- Tracklist
- 01. We Rock
- 02. The Last in Line
- 03. Breathless
- 04. I Speed at Night
- 05. One Night in the City
- 06. Evil Eyes
- 07. Mystery
- 08. Eat Your Heart Out
- 09. Egypt
