Finding The Sacred Heart

The same day that I pick up the new Sabbath album, I also find a new live album from Dio in the record bin of my local store. Pretty nice coincidence, considering how I'd been thinking about how amazing Black Sabbath's new album would have been with Dio's voice at the mic. Hey, Ozzy did an great job, but he pales in comparison to Ronnie.

Recorded on the Sacred Heart tour back in 1986, shortly after Vivian Campbell was replaced by Craig Goldy on guitar. I actually saw Dio on this tour in September of '85, when Viv was still in the band. It was my third concert at the time, following Iron Maiden's Powerslave tour by about four months. The one two punch of Powerslave and then Sacred Heart shows, set high expectations in my 15 year old mind as to how a stage show should look. With a giant Eddie as a backdrop for Maiden, and then a sword fight with a fire breathing dragon from Dio...some of that may seem cheesy these days, but, man, back then it was awe inspiring.

While I could do without the drum, keyboard, and guitar solos...Finding The Sacred Heart does a great job of capturing Dio live from that period.