Track Listing

1. Killing The Dragon
2. Along Comes A Spider
3. Scream
4. Better In The Dark
5. Rock & Roll
6. Push
7. Guilty
8. Throw Away The Children
9. Before The Fall
10. Cold Feet

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #24686 in Music
• Released on: 2002-05-21
• Number of discs: 1

Album Description
With Killing the Dragon, the majesty and mystery of Dio returns full force. Welcoming new guitarist Doug Aldrich, Dio has crafted yet another timeless and unparalleled gift to the heavy metal lexicon. 2002.

Amazon.com
Somewhere in Ronnie James Dio's attic is a portrait of a decrepit rock star growing old in his place. There's no other explanation; Killing the Dragon proves that the vocalist's career is boundless, as he keeps putting out excellent albums. Unlike his previous release (the excellent concept album Magica), Dio goes for a more straightforward metal approach here. New guitarist Doug Aldrich captures the classic Dio sound on the fast-paced "Better in the Dark" and the title track, with its memorable riffs and blistering solos. "Throw Away Children," which deals with the death of a runaway girl, is as passionate musically as it is lyrically, while the dark anthem "Rock & Roll" is hypnotic and Sabbath-like as it builds at a slow and heavy-handed pace. In all, it's a solid collection of traditional metal rockers, all of which are wonderfully recognizable as Dio standards. Only death and taxes are more reliable than he is. --Gail Flug

Customer Reviews

Dio's BEST since 1984!
Ronnie James Dio's biggest problem is that he started his solo career with two of the best straightforward Heavy Metal albums of all time. Where could he go from there? So with the inevitable decline (which still saw the release of some very good albums) Dio slowly faded from an Arena God to another trooper carrying the banner for Heavy Metal and playing large clubs and small theaters. All the while Dio fans hoped for (and many expected) another GREAT Dio album. Killing The Dragon is that album. With solid (and very memorable) melodies, and great riffs, Killing The Dragon sounds like a combination of Sacred Heart and Dream Evil with bits of The Last In Line and Lock Up The Wolves thrown in. New guitar player Doug Aldrich is a solid and sometimes flashy fret burner, and he adds a lot to the album. Jimmy Bain is solid, as usual, and he contributed as a songwriter to nine of the ten songs on the album. Bain has always been underrated and unappreciated as a songwriter, but Killing The Dragon is proof that he was a bigger part of the early Dio (the band) success than most fans knew. Simon Wright is solid as well, giving the album a very strong foundation. Some of the songs are among the best Dio has ever done, and even the weakest songs on the album are better than most of what Dio has done in the last decade (which hasn't been bad, it just wasn't as good as what he did earlier). Some of the songs on Killing The Dragon lean more towards Melodic Metal or Hard Rock, but there isn't really anything "wimpy" on the album. This is an album that fits in well with the first four DIO albums. If you've ever liked Dio then you should definitely get Killing The Dragon. Now. You won't be disappointed. BUY IT!

"Rock Solid", but not as powerful as MAGICA
DIO shows he is still one of the best, if not the best, hard rock vocalists around with several of his latest releases such as "Last In Line: Live", MAGICA, and this one following a little slump in the early 90s. "Killing the Dragon" is a solid hard rock collection and any of Dio's fans will enjoy it.

I don't think it has the power, emotion, and artistry of MAGICA which included such killer tracks as "Fever Dreams", "Challis", "As Long As It's Not About Love", and "Losing My Insanity" (some of the best pure hard rock tunes of the last ten years by Dio or anyone else); however, "Killing the Dragon" is still a good CD. Keep up the good work, Ronnie !!!

With Doug Aldrich on Guitars... {:o)
After reading many reviews saying that this album is mediocre, I had to add my final word. I own every album Dio has ever made, and in my opinion "killing the dragon" is one of the best. I think it is probably tied for the best, or second best album of Dio's solo career with Doug Aldrich on guitars the sound is fantastic.I think that many Dio fans, if they give this album a chance, will find themselves wanting to listen to this over most of Dio's older material.Believe people, KILLING THE DARGON is a real classic of hard rock with the sound of guitars similiar of OZZY'S album BARK AT THE MOON!!!EXCELLENT >>>> {:o)