Last In Line - Dio

Last in Line is Dio's 2nd album released in 1984 by Vertigo Records, it retains the catchiness and upbeatness of the 1st album but the only issue here is that to some extent it doesn't evolve a great deal, harder and more recognisable bass lines are added as is Claude Schnell's keyboard playing. Dio's voice occasionally goes into overdrive particularly on tracks like "We Rock" where the fact that is so loud could easily soften the effect of the superb musicianship. Another difference is the occasional quieter track such as "The Last in Line" which is one of those Led Zeppelin going nowhere type smoochies which despite an outburst of metal ...  Read the complete review

Dio's second solo album is equally as impressive as its better-known predecessor, and stands above the majority of material the various incarnations of this band would record later. The title track is perhaps the finest song Dio ever recorded, beginning deceptively calm before increasingly escalating to further extremes of heaviness and power, dominated by a guitar line and chorus that are catchy as Hell, a location featured in both the album art and the song's astoundingly cheesy music video that you really owe it to yourself to check out on YouTube. Dio's performance is always exceptional, and his vocals are the driving force here, something that ...  Read the complete review