Timed to arrive in sync with what would have been the late rocker’s 80th birthday on July 10, the “Holy Diver” Super Deluxe Edition delivers two versions of the project: the first is a new mix of the album from the original analog tapes by Joe Barresi (Tool, Queens of the Stone Age, Slipknot); the second is a newly-remastered version of the original 1983 mix.
The package will also include a previously-unreleased recording of Dio captured live in a 1983 show at Selland Arena in Fresno, CA during the Holy Diver Tour – and unreleased outtakes for several album cuts, including unheard takes for “Invisible,” “Straight Through The Heart,” and a version of “Rainbow In The Dark” that boasts an alternative guitar solo. There’s also an early version of “Evil Eyes,” a song that would resurface on Dio’s 1984 follow-up album, “The Last in Line.”
A selection of rarities rounds out the new collection with mono and stereo 7” single edits for “Rainbow In The Dark” and a version of “Evil Eyes” that was released in 1983 as the B-side to “Holy Diver.”
The 2022 reissue will be available in multiple formats, including 4CD and 2LP sets.
Dio recorded “Holy Diver” following his 1982 exit from Black Sabbath, putting together a lineup that included drummer Vinny Appice (Dio’s Black Sabbath bandmate), bassist/keyboardist Jimmy Bain (Dio’s Rainbow bandmate) and guitarist Vivian Campbell.
The album delivered two singles – the title track and “Rainbow In The Dark” – that delivered significant airplay in the US and helped push the record to sales of more than 2 million copies in the region.
Dio passed away in 2010 at the age of 67 after a battle with stomach cancer.
The official Ronnie James Dio documentary, “Dio: Dreamers Never Die”, premiered earlier this year at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, TX; directed by Don Argott and Demian Fenton and executive produced by Wendy Dio, the project traces the singer’s legendary career, which included stints with Rainbow and Sabbath, among others, alongside his solo years.
See also:
Ronnie James Dio documentary to world premiere at SXSW Film Festival
Tony Iommi comments on unreleased Black Sabbath song leak Unreleased 1979 Black Sabbath song surfaces online
Black Sabbath stream 1982 performance of Heaven And Hell
Search Black Sabbath at hennemusic
Search Ronnie James Dio at hennemusic
