Dream Child
– Until Death Do We Meet Again
‘more
Dio than Dio!’
Dream Child
is a band comprising of some 80s heavyweights in Craig Goldy (ex-Dio,
Guiffria), Simon Wright (ex AC/DC, Dio, Operation:Mindcrime) and Rudy Sarzo
ex-Quiet Riot, Ozzy, Whitesnake and Dio). Along for the ride are Wayne Findlay
(ex-MSG) and Diego Valdez (Helker). As you can see these guys all have form.
Craig Goldy says, "the band Dream Child was conceived during a
brainstorming session with Serafino (President of Frontiers) and I one day
while discussing other matters. I had been listening to my favorite bands a lot
recently, Deep Purple and Rainbow's “Rising" album, among others in
that style and had noticed that many people who also love those bands often
have the very same comments as one another: "They don't make music like
that anymore!" Even though I said that in passing, Serafino asked me a
question that would forever shape my future. He simply asked, "Well, can
you?" and I said.....”YES!!!"
During the very first public memorial for our most beloved Ronnie James
Dio, I had mentioned that whenever I do start writing original material again
that I would utilize everything that I had learned from working side by side
with the Master for so many years in such a way that I would hope to make him
proud....and here it is! The name is inspired by one of his lyrics on the
"Dream Evil" album and the nickname he gave me at the time, Dream
Child!
The video for opener ‘Under The
Wire’ has been available for some weeks now, and it just hammers home the Dio
legacy that they are aiming for. Spookily the opening tinkles are very close
indeed to a part of Tubular Bells, or many may know it as the theme to The
Exorcist. ‘You Cant Take Me Down’s’ opening draws on Dio’s Sabbath era and is
very ‘Sign Of The Southern Cross’ before Valdez wails and channels his inner
Ronnie. If you try to write an 80s classic sounding album in 2018 then the Dio
references will come thick and fast due to him having three of the best albums
of this period. I can even see Valdez in my minds eye spinning his mic stand as
he bangs it out. The guy is a very decent Dio foil indeed. Goldy goes straight
for the Strat and the solo is typical Rainbow! So far, so good by me.
‘Games Of
Shadows’ does what it says on the tin, another Sabb-Di-bow construction. My
ears prick up at the 2:15 point in ‘It Is What It Is’, and I’ll tell you what
it is, it’s the exact same riff from Rough Cutt’s ‘Take Her’. Its not even
‘tweaked’ to sound similar. In fact, bands have been sued for less. ‘Playing With Fire’ is the first deviation where
the vocals are at a higher register, and with its decent riff and drumming make
it different from the norm. The title track ‘Until Death Do We Meet Again’ is
Dio by any other name, its like a mix of the ‘big number’ that Ronnie had on
all of his albums – Last In Line, Sunset Superman, All The Fools Sailed Away,
and is the meat in this sandwich and is huge in sound, scale and length.
The next three songs leave me a
bit perplexed – ‘Washed Upon The Shore’ has a lengthy into but doesn’t lag for
it, but when the vocals do kick in, it’s the one song where they don’t match
the high standard of the riff. It’s a
song that doesn’t quite know if it wants to be an epic length instrumental
(which it should have been) or a song. I could have done without it. ‘In A
World So Cold’ is standard fare for them now, but is nothing special.
‘Weird World’ is a bit of a, well, ‘weird’ song compared to the rest of what’s
on offer here. Then finally we are onto another lengthy 9 minuter, in ‘One Step
Beyond The Grave’ where they redeem themselves from the last few songs. Its got
Sarzo’s pounding bass, atmospheric keyboards, and a punchy riff similar to
‘Egypt (The Chains Are On)’. It climaxes with Craig Goldy wringing every last
note out of his guitar to the fade out.
As an album there’s nothing new
here for you, but as a sound harking back to the great days of the 80s, it
nails it smack in the middle, and I think that’s what Goldy wanted to do. It
transported me to the early 80s. Ronnie would be proud at Goldy’s sentiments,
as aside from them doing a tribute album covering his songs, an album produced
in a ‘classic rock sound’ doesn’t get much better than this. I could have done
with 2-3 fewer tracks towards the end as I feel as if they wanted to fill every
second available to them on a CD.
Fair dues to all the guys here as
lets face it, they could have phoned in their bits from the old rockers care
home in Hollywood. Thankfully they have all stepped up to the plate and made it
one hell of an enjoyable album, and isnt that what music is all about?
Score 8/10
Tracklisting –
Under
The Wire
You
Can’t Take Me Down
Games
Of Shadows
It
Is What It Is
Playing
With Fire
Light
Of The Dark
Midnight
Song
Until
Death Do We Meet Again
Washed
Upon The Shore
In A
World So Cold
Weird
World
One
Step Beyond The Grave
BAND
MEMBERS:
Craig
Goldy – Lead and rhythm guitars, keyboards and bass
Rudy
Sarzo – Bass
Simon
Wright – Drums
Wayne
Findlay – Keyboards
Diego
Valdez – Lead Vocals and background vocals
PRODUCED
BY : Alessandro Del Vecchio & Craig Goldy
Special
honourable mention to Rudy Sarzo, Diego Valdez and Wayne Findlay who engineered
the studio recordings of their own amazing performances captured on this album!
Simon
Wright’s drum recorded at:
STUDIO:
The Boom Room
RECORDED
BY: Christian Hogan
MIXED
BY: Alessandro Del Vecchio & Craig Goldy
MASTERED
BY: Alessandro Del Vecchio
Links:
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