'Ronnie James Dio' is always best heard live and he certainly doesn't disappoint here. This cracking disc was recorded on the back of one of his weakest and poorly received albums 'Angry Machines'. This however makes little difference as the band rip through 'Rainbow', 'Black Sabbath' and 'Dio' classics with abandon. For this release the band takes the form of, stalwart drummer 'Vinnie Appice', young guitar wiz 'Tracy G', bass player 'Larry Dennison' and keyboard man 'Scott Warren', this isn't really considered an established lineup, but all credit due, they really pull out all the stops for an excellent performance.

The dark brooding intro makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, if 'Slipknot' think there're scary they ought to listen to this. Leading on sweetly is the opener 'Jesus, Mary and the Holy Ghost', the only track present from 'Strange Highways' and this live rendition blows the album counterpart away. Next up, are a couple of classics from 'Holy Diver', in total their are five tracks from this album, and they are all magnificently performed. The mute point of this cracker is 'Vinnie Appice's' dreadful drum solo, that is repetitive, long winded and lacks imagination. Thoughts of this are soon forgotten when we roll into the audience heavy rendition of 'Heaven and Hell', this simply rips, a masterpiece that sounds as good today as it did over 20 years ago. Only two tracks from 'Angry Machines' feature, 'Double Monday' which isn't one the 'Dio' finest but 'Hunter of the Heart' sound brilliant live, a dark and brooding version, with plenty of menace and top calibre vocals and guitar work to boot.

The second disc should please all 'Rainbow' fans as it features full versions of 'Man on a Silver Mountain', 'Long Live Rock and Roll' and also 'Deep Purple's' 'Mistreated' obviously covered by the aforementioned group. These are all great renditions, which sound all the better for updated guitar work and brilliant production, which incidentally this album has. The young axe man 'Tracy G' is a skilled musician and this shows with his elaborate guitar solo, although not the most suitable guitarist for an old school act like 'Dio', you can't take anything away from the lad, he's a magnificent player. Next up is 'The Last in Line' one of my favourite fist punching songs, and this version doesn't disappoint, 'Ronnie' shreds through this vocally challenging number with ease- an absolute belter. Can this album get any better, the simple answer is yes, with the classic 'Rainbow in the Dark' and then the ultimate 'Metal Anthem' 'Mob Rules', both of which are stellar performances. The pace drops slightly for the two 'Rainbow' numbers, but closes with a superb cut of the gutsy favourite 'We Rock'.

If this release had been recorded on the back of a better album, and with the addition of a few more tracks to fill both CD's, this disc would have the potential to be one of the best Metal live album ever. As it is, it's still a modern classic that any self respecting fan of 'Traditional Metal' should not be without!