February 18, 2021  ·  The complete Dio career sampler

The essential starting point — a deep dive into the entire Dio universe from Elf and doo-wop roots through Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and his solo career. Tracks covered: Elf — Hoochie Koochie Lady ("can you hear all that early vocal potential?") / Rainbow — Man on the Silver Mountain (the starting point for many), Stargazer ("Bolth Dream Theater and Metallica covered Stargazer") from Rainbow Rising (#FutureAlbumDive), Run with the Wolf / Black Sabbath — Children of the Sea (Live Evil edition), Neon Knights (#killeropener), Falling off the Edge of the World ("kinda pre-Reign in Blood Reign in Blood"), Heaven & Hell, The Mob Rules, Sign of the Southern Cross (#stonervibes) / Dio solo — Stand Up and Shout, Shame on the Night, The Last in Line, I Speed at Night, Breathless, Just Another Day (Sacred Heart), Sunset Superman (Dream Evil), Killing the Dragon. Also: the Dio Hologram Tour. Did anyone see it? #shinydiamonds #cleantigers #caprisuns #nutterbutters. HAIL.

2024  ·  Released April 25, 1980  ·  The beginning of everything

The album that introduced Ronnie James Dio to the Black Sabbath universe — and proved the band could reinvent themselves completely without losing their identity. Produced by Martin Birch, who was brought in because he'd already worked with Dio. Neon Knights: the branding difference between Ozzy's peace sign and Dio's metal horns. Children of the Sea: "one of the prime examples of how powerful the Dio era truly was." Wishing Well. Die Young. Heaven and Hell — the title track has undeniable similarities to Rime of the Ancient Mariner. Lonely Is the Word. "Ever notice how any band that Ronnie James Dio joins automatically sounds like Dio?" "Does Tony Iommi ever impress himself?" Also see the full Black Sabbath page for more Dio-era Sabbath coverage.

May 2024  ·  Released November 4, 1981

"The most Ronnie James Dio sounding Black Sabbath album in heavy metal history — it almost sounds like it could pass as a Rainbow, Black Sabbath, OR a Dio record." Produced by Martin Birch. "Is this the Good Sabbath or the Bad Sabbath?" "It's DIFFERENT Sabbath." Turn Up the Night (#killeropener). Voodoo — "sounds like Deep Purple… sounds like Rainbow." E5150 as an instrumental opener to The Mob Rules (listen as one piece). The Sign of the Southern Cross: "maybe one of the finest songs EVER by Black Sabbath — stoner metal ASMR." "It almost feels like you're hovering high in the air in the misty morning on the edge of time." The difference between hot ranch and "the smell of" hot ranch. "The gravy's got no giblets in it." #speedupthebrown

2024  ·  Released January 1983  ·  40th Anniversary Edition

The first official live album from the founding fathers of metal — and the last album featuring Ronnie James Dio until 1992. The 40th anniversary remixed and remastered edition. A setlist blending classic Ozzy-era tracks with Dio-era tracks from Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules. "Whatever version of a given song you hear first, THAT will be THE version all others are compared to." Children of the Sea: one of the prime examples of how powerful the Dio era truly was. Heaven and Hell: one of the greatest examples of crowd work in rock and metal — Tony Iommi's guitar solo is "cool as shit." The sing-along. RJD reminding the crowd "our next album will be, finally, a live album." #thedance. "Get ready for mouthshapes in 3-2-1."

March 2025  ·  The complete Dio era overview

The complete overview of all three Dio-era Sabbath albums — Heaven and Hell (1980), Mob Rules (1981), and Dehumanizer (1992). "Ever notice how any band that Ronnie James Dio joins automatically sounds like Dio?" Neon Knights — the branding difference between Ozzy's peace sign and Dio's metal horns. Children of the Sea. Turn Up the Night. The Sign of the Southern Cross. The Mob Rules. Slipping Away. Fast forward to the early 90s — Dehumanizer, Wayne's World ("We're not worthy!"), and "Why are you driving a horse?" The Dio Years compilation. #speedupthebrown. Also includes the full Sabbath history context — Vinny Appice learning songs on stage with notes on the floor, the Heaven & Hell sub-band era, and the full member timeline.

December 30, 2021  ·  Metal Nerdery New Year's Eve Eve Special  ·  Released May 25, 1983

One of the greatest debut albums in all of metal — if not in all of existence. After fronting Rainbow and Black Sabbath, it was time for Ronnie James Dio to forge his own masterpiece. The 33rd Floor I.U.B.P. Studios New Year's Eve Eve celebration. One of the best album covers ever in metal — does anyone have the blacklight poster? Tracks: Stand Up and Shout (#cantbeloudenough — "kinda thrashy, almost NWOBHM") / Holy Diver ("about three things: clean tigers, shiny diamonds, and fucking SWORDS — go watch the music video!") / Gypsy ("all this time I thought he was saying 'Yay! JUICY!'") / Caught in the Middle (Murray co-wrote this but wasn't credited since he was the album's cover model — "That Murray is a blessing") / Don't Talk to Strangers ("one of the most perfect DIO songs ever — early power metal or early thrash?") / Straight Through the Heart / Invisible / Rainbow in the Dark ("go watch this video" — one of the most iconic keyboard melodies in metal) / Shame on the Night ("that laughter at the end… priceless"). "If you do NOT own Holy Diver, you should REALLY reconsider continuing to live your life without owning it."

December 12, 2024  ·  40th Anniversary  ·  Released July 2, 1984

40 years later and still perfectly plausible to be blasting at a gas station. "Think about the music from 40 years before 1984 — there is absolutely NO WAY anyone was listening to Bing Crosby ANYWHERE in 1984, yet here we are still blasting The Last in Line in 2024." The first album with full-time keyboardist Claude Schnell. "This WAS on 96 Rock in the Daytime back in the day." Tracks: We Rock (best version is the MTV music video — "that laser costs $1 Million Dollars") / The Last in Line ("When they played this on the radio it was a special treat" — "We are coming… HOME!!!") / Breathless ("Use those headphones — don't panic, that's just the intro") / I Speed at Night ("almost early thrash… or speed metal" — "it could be about driving fast at night… or cocaine… or bolth") / One Night in the City (the power ballad — Murray might do backing vocals near the end) / Evil Eyes (#killeropener for Side 2) / Mystery ("the power metal infused ballad for D&D nerds who just want to find love like everyone else") / Eat Your Heart Out / Egypt (The Chains Are On) ("like Heaven and Hell meets Shame on the Night" — #killercloser). "This album is the bridge between Holy Diver and Sacred Heart."