Dio
Magica

THE REVIEW

When (almost six years ago) this disc came out, I remember that quite a few metal and hard rock magazines announced the miraculous return in great style of the little sprite Ronnie. It was certainly a return to the past, as "Magica" revives a certain type of sound that had been completely abandoned during the nineties. The great Ronnie's style, however, is only partially present in these grooves. Ronnie Dio is still today a veteran of metal and hard rock, and as a good survivor from the golden years of these genres, he rode the nostalgic wave that hit Europe starting from the late nineties. "Magica" was the first step towards this operation aimed at rallying old fans (and beguiling the younger ones). That said, we also understand the return to fantasy themes, which from this album on have pedantically characterized the works of the Italian-American singer.

For heaven's sake, "Magica" also offers some excellent tracks you don't expect, but the creativity of Ronnie Dio, the father of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal, the progenitor of the seminal "Holy Diver" (1983), was not recycling ideas twenty years old. Personally, I didn't view favorably even the return of Craig Goldy as a co-writer (he was the guitarist for Giuffria who recorded with Dio "Dream Evil", 1987). Too "Blackmore-esque" and refined, nothing to do with the aggressive six-string axe of the talented Viv Campbell.

This concept opens with the cadenced notes of "Lord Of The Last Day," a track that, in its intentions, evokes the doomiest Ronnie Dio of the first half of the eighties, the one from "Shame on the Night," to be precise. Nothing new, yet not to be despised. Among the most successful tracks is certainly the following "Fever Dreams": aggressive verses, engaging bridge, nice solo. Very engaging also "Feed My Head," where halfway through the track, the most classic and enthralling melodic interlude emerges. On these notes, as well as on those of "Losing My Insanity," the singer objectively gives his best. Still in a doom key, the next "Eriel": some of the track's riffs are really spot on. Here the positive notes stop and boredom begins. "Challis" tends to overrepeat some already overused stylistic elements. Same goes for "Turn To Stone." The ballad "As Long As It’s Not About Love" has never thrilled me, although as a good fan I tried to appreciate its melodies. Work done with heart, a bit less with inspiration. Highly recommended for nostalgic rock fans of yesteryear.