Angry Machines in Bloomington, MN

Originally released on
Mayhem
in 1996, then reissued by
Spitfire
in 2000,
Angry Machines
was
Dio
's first effort away from
Warner
/
Reprise
, and it does find
Ronnie James Dio
looking for subtle ways to push into new territory. The lyrics mostly avoid
's familiar medieval-fantasy D&D obsessions, instead directing their attention to more real-world concerns (albeit with the same sense of drama). Similarly, there aren't many of the gothic neo-classicisms present on the band's best-known output; and while there are a few progressive sections,
is more of a straightforward metal record, full of pounding rhythms and guitars along with plenty of wailing by
. The main problem is that the band often seems to concentrate on sound more than songwriting -- the album sounds good while it's playing, but not enough of the riffs or melodies stick with the listener afterwards to judge it a complete return to form. Yet there are enough moments here to make it worth the time of
diehards. ~ Steve Huey