RhinoBefore going solo in the early ’80s, Ronnie James Dio had already established himself as one of the most powerful singers in heavy metal thanks to his stints with Elf, Black Sabbath and Rainbow. Now a new box set titled A Decade of Dio: 1983-1993 will gather together remastered versions of the first six studio albums by the late frontman’s band Dio.
The CD version of the compilation will be released on July 22, and will include Dio’s classic 1983 debut, Holy Diver, 1984’s The Last in Line, 1985’s Sacred Heart, 1987’s Dream Evil, 1990’s Lock Up the Wolves and 1993’s Strange Highways. The discs come be packaged in a box boasting new artwork by Marc Sasso, who designed the covers of many Dio releases over the years.
A vinyl edition of the box set will hit stores on October 4, featuring the same six albums, as well as a bonus seven-inch single. Side one of the single features a 1983 version of the song “Evil Eyes” that originally was the B-side of the “Holy Diver” single, while side two boasts the track “Time to Burn,” which was the only studio recording included on the 1986 live album Intermission.
Holy Diver and The Last in Line were both certified platinum for sales of more than 1 million copies in the U.S., while Sacred Heart was certified gold for 500,000 sales.
Ronnie formed Dio in 1983 with drummer Vinny Appice after both musicians left Black Sabbath. The band’s lineup during its early years also included future Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell, guitarist Craig Goldy and bassist Jimmy Bain.
Dio died of stomach cancer at the age of 67 in 2010.
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