Strange Highways
Studio album by
Dio
ReleasedOctober 25, 1993
RecordedRumbo Recorders (Los Angeles)
GenreDoom metal, heavy metal
Length53:36
Label
ProducerMike Fraser
Dio chronology
Lock Up the Wolves
(1990) 		Strange Highways
(1993) 		Angry Machines
(1996)
Ronnie James Dio chronology
Dehumanizer
(1992) 		Strange Highways
(1993) 		Angry Machines
(1996)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal8/10[2]
Entertainment WeeklyB−[3]

Strange Highways is the sixth studio album by American heavy metal band Dio. It's also their first album since Ronnie James Dio and Vinny Appice's reunion tour with Black Sabbath. The European release was on Vertigo, in October 1993; the U.S. release was on Reprise Records, in January 1994.

After the short-lived reunion with Black Sabbath for the recording of the album Dehumanizer (1992) and the subsequent tour, Dio and Appice returned to Dio's solo group, hiring Tracy Grijalva as new guitarist. Former Dio bassist Jimmy Bain was to make a return to the band, but he was soon sacked by Dio and replaced by Jeff Pilson.[4] It is considered Dio's heaviest and darkest album.

"Hollywood Black" was demoed by Black Sabbath during the Dehumanizer sessions. "Whether it's the same, I don't know…" Tony Iommi remarked of Dio's version (before hearing it). "Could be the same lyrics – probably is. I wouldn't think he would use the same music."[5]

Track listing

All lyrics written by Ronnie James Dio.

All music is composed by Dio, Vinny Appice, Tracy Grijalva, and Jeff Pilson, except where noted.

Strange Highways track listing
No.TitleMusicLength
1."Jesus, Mary & the Holy Ghost"Dio, Grijalva, Pilson4:13
2."Firehead" 4:06
3."Strange Highways" 6:54
4."Hollywood Black"Dio, Grijalva, Appice5:10
5."Evilution" 5:37
6."Pain"Appice, Dio, Grijalva4:14
7."One Foot in the Grave" 4:01
8."Give Her the Gun"Dio, Grijalva, Pilson5:58
9."Blood from a Stone" 4:14
10."Here's to You" 3:24
11."Bring Down the Rain" 5:45

Personnel

Dio

Production

Charts

Chart performance for Strange Highways
Chart (1993) Peak
position
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[7] 79
US Billboard 200[8] 142

References

  1. ^ Anderson, Jason. "Strange Highways - Dio". AllMusic. Retrieved March 18, 2012.
  2. ^ Popoff, Martin (August 1, 2007). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 3: The Nineties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 121. ISBN 978-1-894959-62-9.
  3. ^ Sinclair, Tom (January 28, 1994). "Strange Highways Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 6, 2012.
  4. ^ Metal Rules - Jeff Pilson interview
  5. ^ Southern Cross No.19, March 1997
  6. ^ Saulnier, Jason (March 24, 2012). "Vinny Appice Interview". Music Legends. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
  7. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Dio – Strange Highways" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  8. ^ "Dio Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
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