Dream Evil
is by no means a departure from the
Dio
formula that was so successful for his first three solo albums. All of the elements that made them so successful are yet again retained here. However, what makes things different this time around is that
has more of a melodious side to him, which he puts use here rather than relying on the riffs and delivery he learned at the school of
Sabbath
. He even touches on the
power ballad
(a sure sign that the style had fully infiltrated
metal
) with
"All the Fool Sailed Away."
The title track and
"Sunset Superman"
also proved to be two of
's most well-known, and most loved songs in his massive catalog. Not an essential release, but one that diehard fans will be sure to want in their collection. ~ Rob Theakston