HOLY DIVER - Dio

YEAR: 1983

LABEL: Warner Bros.

TRACK LISTING: Stand Up and Shout, Holy Diver, Gypsy, Caught in the Middle, Don't Talk To Strangers, Straight Through the Heart, Invisible, Rainbow in the Dark, Shame On the Night

IMPRESSIONS: Probably Dio's finest hour on vinyl.

MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: Holy Diver, Gypsy, Caught in the Middle, Don't Talk to Strangers, Straight Through the Heart, Rainbow in the Dark, Shame On the Night

FACT SHEET: HOLY DIVER is Dio's first album. Dio was Ronnie James Dio (vocals & keyboards), Vivian Campbell (guitar), Jmmy Bain (bass) and Vinny Appice (drums). The cover art is by Randy Barrett and features the band's mascot "Murray" killing a priest or, as Ronnie James Dio suggested, a priest killing a devil. I'm all about not judging a book by its cover but I don't know if I buy that one.