Every Dio Album Ranked Worst to Best

The origins of Dio can be traced back to of all things a mixing disagreement for a live album. Band namesake Ronnie James Dio and drummer Vinnie Appice, both the ‘new kids’ of iconoclasts Black Sabbath at the time, were unhappy with the mix Sabbath’s “Live Evil,” and decided to start a new group with more freedom and less bullshit.

Despite having a golden singing voice Dio, who had spent years working under Sabbath, Rainbow and a host of other groups, had never quite had a chance to use his creative voice. Now with a virtuosic trio behind him in Appice, bassist Jimmy Bain and wunderkind guitarist Vivian Cambell backing him up, Dio would finally get some limelight. There would be highs and some very low lows, and no, that isn’t a joke about Ronnie’s height. Anyway, Dio would prove to be a tentpole of Ronnie James Dio’s legacy by his death in 2010. Here’s every Dio album, ranked.

10. Lock up the Wolves (1990)

“Lock up the Wolves” has a case of the Mondays, likely from a mix of ‘80s burnout and a looming sense of doom for the coming decade. The omens were already bad for Dio thanks to changes in the band’s lineup and the public’s music taste. All that aside though, the worst thing a Dio album can be is not fun (and to a lesser extent have a shite snare sound). This album feels like a colonoscopy, so keep these wolves locked up because they suck!

Play It Again: “Between Two Hearts”
Skip It: “Lock Up The Wolves”

9. Angry Machines (1996)

The only real “hot take” you’ll see on this list is that “Angry Machines” isn’t the dumpster fire it’s marked as by the angry Reddit machines. Ronnie and the boys make an honest pass at some new ideas, but unfortunately everything still feels caught in purgatory. All of the hard rock numbers have energy, but none of the great direction seen in Dio’s early work. That said, do yourself a favor and stay (or skip) to the end for closer “This is Your Life.” The surprise piano ballad is a genuinely moving reminder of why RJD’s voice ruled the metal world and beyond.
Play It Again: “This is Your Life”
Skip It: “Black”

8. Strange Highways (1994)

Being an ‘80s metal holdover in the ‘90s must have been soul-crushing. The kids had dumped perms for flannels and metal songs about goblins for grunge songs about gobblin’ prescription medication. Much like that last joke, “Strange Highways” depends on your tolerance: in this case a tolerance for a decent but not electrifying mid-90s swings at reigniting Dio’s zhuzh.

Play It Again: “Strange Highways”
Skip It: “Evilution”

7. Sacred Heart (1985)

Though well-clad in the same Tolkien-drunk sword and sorcery trappings as its two older brothers “Holy Diver” and “The Last In Line,” “Sacred Heart” fumbles the trilogy by playing it too safe. Dio is a bit too sacred with what’s worked on “Sacred Heart,” which can kind of feel like a collection of B-sides for its predecessors. Part of this could be owed to the loss of guitar virtuoso Cambell, who jumped ship to join Whitesnake after rising tensions within Dio. David Coverdale was likely too busy scoring with everything that moved to notice the new guitarist, though.

Play It Again: “Sacred Heart,” “Fallen Angels”
Skip It: “Hungry for Heaven”

6. Killing the Dragon (2002)

Ronnie James Dio’s hatred of dragons is nothing short of admirable. Don’t give us that ‘oh you don’t get it they’re a metaphor for personal adversity’ bullshit. Dio wanted to kill dragons so bad he wrote an album about. Like, the “If I Did It” for killing dragons. And the album’s pretty decent, too! The band’s ‘00s revival period was still in full swing, with several tours and one more solid LP still to come.

Play It Again: “Killing the Dragon,” “Rock & Roll”
Skip It: “Better In The Dark”

5. Master of the Moon (2004)

Dio’s last studio album caps off an exceptionally productive period that began with 2000’s “Magica.” Though projects like Heaven & Hell would keep Dio the man busy even up to his death in 2010, “Master of the Moon” would be the last studio album in line for Dio the band. It’s a strong sendoff with great moments like “The Eyes.” You can debate the quality of each album into oblivion, but it is incredible how consistently badass Dio’s voice is on every song and every album, even toward the end.

Play It Again: “The Eyes”, “In Dreams”
Skip It: “Death by Love”

4. Dream Evil (1987)

“Dream Evil” is a great Dio record all the way through, with perhaps one of Ronnie’s strongest album openers in “Night People.” It succeeds where “Sacred Heart” fails thanks to more precise songwriting and a tactful use of ‘80s production wizardry. It also has on the whole more energy than “Heart,” which felt like a doom-metal precursor in all the wrong ways. The album would also see the departure of Appice, Bain and keyboardist Claude Schnell, effectively ending the classic lineup. But none of them were named “Dio” so ultimately it was fine.

Play It Again: “Night People”
Skip It: “Better In The Dark”

3. Magica (2000)

Everyone loves a comeback record, and 2000’s “Magica” is a great one. This album has everything; killer tracks, a spooky concept about interdimensional demons, a dumbass made-up word for the title, Dio’s ‘90s malaise was officially over. The return of Bain and Schnell helped the band resemble something closer to the classic lineup. It’s a shame the planned “Magica” trilogy never panned out, as it would have been great to hear “Magic 2: The Streets” and “Magica 3: Tokyo Drift.”

Play It Again: “As Long As It’s Not About Love”, “Eriel”
Skip It: “Magica – Reprise”

2. The Last In Line (1984)

Still high off the success of “Holy Diver,” Dio struck another metal home run with “The Last In Line,” an album that proved lightning was more than happy to strike twice for Ronnie and co. Featuring a barrage of songs just as confident and crazy as the first batch, including arguably Dio’s greatest song in the title track, “The Last In Line” had no problem matching the stratospheric heights of its predecessor. Dio’s sound was expanded with the addition of Schnell on keyboards, but Cambell’s guitars and Dio’s voice still rule the record with an iron fist. Props also should be leant to the album sleeve artist, who perfectly depicted what it’s like to stand behind a tall person at a concert.

Play It Again: “The Last In Line,” Breathless,” “We Rock”
Skip It: “Mystery”

1. Holy Diver (1983)

Brimming with ideas while still tightly focused, high concept yet fully accessible, goofy but still badass, “Holy Diver” defied all of the odds and tore the metal world a new asshole when it dropped like an atomic bomb in 1982. Dio seemed to forgo any of the standard growing pains a new band would normally feel, instead entering a wildly productive period right out of the gate. Videos for chart-toppers “Holy Diver” and “Rainbow In The Dark” played around the clock on MTV, further solidifying Dio’s metal world takeover. After years under the thumb of bigger egos, Ronnie James Dio was finally on top. Ride the tiger!

Play It Again: Yes.
Skip It: No.