After Rainbow and Black Sabbath, vocalist Ronnie James Dio assembled his own band with previous accomplices Jimmy Bain (bass) and Vinny Appice (drums), then recruited unknown Irish wunderkind Vivian Campbell. In 1983, they released Holy Diver, one of the finest examples of ’80s metal. This four-CD box set includes the original album, a new remix, previously unreleased live material from the tour, and unreleased outtakes and B-sides.

Holy Diver is a roaring statement of purpose. The title track thunders with Campbell’s monstrous power-chord riff. The catchy centerpiece, “Rainbow in the Dark,” includes his blazing solo, which cuts like razor blades attached to a circular saw. Remixing is a slippery slope; fortunately, it isn’t overdone here. In the liner notes, engineer Joe Barresi says he was cautious and added only slight boost to the drums and solos. The live material includes a pummeling 20-minute version of Sabbath’s “Heaven and Hell” with a nearly four-minute Campbell shredfest.

Notable outtakes include “Rainbow in the Dark” with an alternate solo (inferior to album version, but interesting), the B-side “Evil Eyes,” and a remixed version. This box is essential for Dio and heavy metal fans.

This article originally appeared in VG’s October 2022 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.