Dio
“Angry Machines” (Re-Issue)
BMG
Released: March 20, 2020
Dio’s “Angry Machines” begins heavily and ominously.
We can feel Dio’s incredible talent for thought provoking storytelling as he sets the dark tone with his signature writing style on the opening track: Institutional man. A greatly crafted song that reminds us how good Vinnie Appice’s drumming really is. His beat carries you through the song and really stood out to me as one of its highlights.
Dio’s “Angry Machines” is the least of Dio’s commercially successful albums with sales estimated at 36 000. It was first released in Japan on October 4th, 1996, 11 days ahead of the US release. Not altogether unusual for Japan to receive a release before anywhere else, however. I think this probably makes all the difference in that particular market that adores unique and ”special things”. Line-up wise, the only difference from 1993’s Strange Highways is the addition of Scott Warren on the keyboard, relieving Jeff Pilson of this task.
The album continues it’s journey with “Don’t Tell the kids” – the groove on this track is sick! We get a good dose of speed and the lyrics and simply crafted to fit the fast pace. Quite frankly, one of the album’s top tracks for me: it really tickles my metal fancy! “Black” is a track that was written almost as if Dio was incarnating a robot in the future in a Terminator style setting. Apocalyptic, it’s a track that leads up to “Hunter Of The Heart”, which continues down Dio’s obvious dystopian description of a world where trust is non-existent. It leaves us hanging as it fades out to the haunting Stay out of my mind with its circular, downward spiral rhythm.
See Also : No Fun At All “Grit” Review
For the next track, “Big Sister”, I’m going to break off on a Warhammer 40K tangent. I’m by no means hyper knowledgeable about this VAST universe but I am aware of the Adepta Sororitas. The so-called Sisters of Battle. This track reminds me of those bad ass ladies in power armor! “Double Monday” is good but not as good as the track that follows it in my opinion – “Sunday school”. “Dying In America” is a strong track, at least lyrically. It tells the tale of America, the ugly, the land of the thrill and I really felt the sense of loneliness that countless people feel as they lose themselves in the land of opportunity’s dark places.
This appropriately leads to the last song of the album, “This Is Your life”. Which sets the tone for the inevitable closing of this album’s musical curtains.
This is also the double album, which includes an entire other vinyl of live tracks. Such as “Don’t Talk To Strangers”, “Mob Rules” and other Dio hits. It’s great and exactly what you’d expect from a solid performing god of metal such as Ronnie James Dio. And the musicians that form the band Dio. Also, this is not the Japanese album, which has an extra track: “God Hates Heavy Metal”.
While I don’t think Dio is capable of making ‘’bad’’ music, this album probably failed to generate any timeless hits on the level of the previous albums. Not because the album isn’t good, far from it, but because it lacks a drop of the legendary magic that some of the previous albums had. Metal in the 90s was a tough place for all the old gods but Dio will forever remain a classic. “Angry Machines” is still a great album to throw onto the turntable.
For Fans Of: Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden
Track listing :
Disc 2 – Bonus and live on Angry Machines Tour 1997
