Let’s set the record straight right off the bat: the idea of replicating world-famous vocal melodies with an instrument whose signature timbre is very far from the way the human vocal cords produce sound does not, by default, go down very well with me; perhaps I was traumatized as a kid when I had my delicate ears exposed to such an absolute atrocity as a pan-flute rendition of one of those famous rock classics from time immemorial in some moronic game show on TV. Ever since that highly traumatizing event, I’ve had a hard time adjusting my brain around the very concept of an instrumental cover of a rock or metal classic that originally featured vocals. So, when I realized what the upcoming album release by Paul Gilbert was all about, my mind did a double-flip and almost exploded. The thing is: on April 7th, 2023, (today!) this world-famous guitarist is releasing an instrumental homage to Ronnie James Dio‘s haunting discography via the Mascot Label Group subsidiary, Music Theories Recordings. The album includes some of those most celebrated songs from RAINBOW to BLACK SABBATH, along with a few choice tracks from this legendary singer’s solo endeavors. Gilbert‘s previous outing, “Werewolves of Portland,” released in 2021, was quite a treat, even for those of us who aren’t that into instrumental guitar madness, so I was rather perplexed about what to make of this peculiar move. As we say in Finland, I really wasn’t sure whether this selection, bearing the chaste title, “The Dio Album,” was “a threat or an opportunity.” There was only one way to find out – dig in and hope for the best.
As far as the song titles go, this selection is a haunting run-down of metal classics that have stood the test of time as monuments of pure musical magic. A substantial fraction of that magic stems from Ronnie James Dio‘s vocal sorcery because, quite frankly, the vocal melodies in and of themselves aren’t really that magical; they are, in fact, quite simple, if not almost nursery rhyme -like. This, obviously, places quite a stress on anyone wishing to replicate this magic without the aid of the lyrics or Dio‘s sublime vocals. Paul Gilbert is a master of story-telling when it comes to his original material. However, after a few spins, it becomes painfully clear that these particular metal classics are not to be tampered with – at least not with this sort of instrumental approach. Sure, the idea of paying homage to your long-time heroes must have been a fun endeavor for Gilbert but I’m afraid that these instrumental renditions do not bring forth any new nuances of these songs. That said, Gilbert does pay a nice homage to the guitarist legends featured in the original versions: Tony Iommi of BLACK SABBATH, Richie Blackmore of RAINBOW, and Vivian Campbell of DIO. It’s just that you probably need to be an aspiring guitarist, or at least have a fetish for guitarism, to fully enjoy this sonic trip.
If truth be told, the human voice does not come much more magical than that of Ronnie James Dio‘s, so Gilbert has embarked on a crusade here – one that he could not really win – to begin with. Then again, some hardcore fans of old-school heavy metal, let alone Gilbert‘s most devoted fanboys, probably welcome this offering without batting an eye – and I can sympathize with them. I used to be like that in terms of Jimi Hendrix, back in the day: I hoarded every obscure bootleg I could get a hold of as long as Hendrix‘s name was printed on the sleeve-notes somewhere. Now, I’m unsure whether I find all of those recordings worth my time, but they did serve a purpose once. The same philosophy applies here, I guess: Paul Gilbert‘s new endeavor, “The Dio Album,” will be invaluable for the completist fanboy or the heavy-metal historian, whereas the occasional elderly music snob with a childhood spent in the 1980s, severely traumatized by, say, pan-flute rock covers, might do well to pass this one. Then again, this could be worse – it’s not a pan-flute tribute, for goodness’ sake!
Written by Jani Lehtinen
Tracklist
- Neon Knights
- Kill the King
- Stand Up and Shout
- Country Girl
- Man on the Silver Mountain
- Holy Diver
- Heaven and Hell
- Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll
- Lady Evil
- Don’t Talk to Strangers
- Starstruck
- The Last in Line
Lineup
Paul Gilbert – guitars, bass
Bill Ray – drums
Label
Music Theories Recordings / Mascot Label Group
