Unpopular opinion: I don’t like Dio as a vocalist

[npiazza91]

I know this is like sacrilege to a lot of metal fans, but I can’t take any song with him seriously. His vocals cringe me out really bad. I have never felt this way about a vocalist so I’m really trying to get into him, but I just can’t. It sounds like a parody, like he takes what he’s saying way too seriously, and his tone is just...cringey as hell. It sounds like a cheesy 80s videogame villain, that’s the best way I can describe his voice. I know he’s seen as a metal icon, but I just can’t tolerate him, even for one song. I can’t even enjoy his Sabbath albums because his singing just ruins it for me. Idk guys, I just don’t feel it. I can’t even properly explain why I feel this way, but it is what it is. Maybe someone else agrees with me, idk. I listened to The Last in Line album today and now I’m listening to Heaven and Hell and I just can’t do it.

[jammindude]

“Well, my time of not taking you seriously is coming to a middle.” - Captain Malcolm Reynolds from Firefly

[bl5150]

I can understand it................never bothered me but I can understand that you might find his vocal inflections overdone.  Early days I thought the same way about James Hetfied.......................ahhh! and struggled to enjoy Metallica until I got used to it.     I always loved the humourous aspect of DLR in Van Halen but can understand why people would find his vocals cringey too.

[Elite]

Wow, I almost could have written that OP! Apart from the part about Black Sabbath, because I have never heard those albums.

You seem to be fairly more negative than me though. I can tolerate it just fine, but I don't enjoy it and wouldn't turn on a Dio track myself. That said, I only know the most well-known tracks, so I'm hardly an expert.

[Stadler]

I don't agree, but I DO see the point.  I would only offer that it depends on WHEN you hear him.  While you can always tell it's "Ronnie James Dio", his voice is a bit clearer, a bit cleaner on the Rainbow records.  Live, and I'm specifically referring to the German shows from '76, some of his vocals on Catch The Rainbow, Stargazer and Mistreated in particular are very strong.   When he went to Sabbath, there was a slight... roughening of his voice, but on certain songs on Heaven And Hell - Die Young, Children Of The Sea, Walk Away - there was still that clarity.  With Mob Rules, he started to sing in more that gruff-y, metal voice, and that continued on to his solo stuff.  The later Sabbath records (and teh Heaven And Hell record) TO ME suffer, in that it seems that Dio was trying to be that "metal icon" and Iommi was the "Riff Master General" and it became very "same-y" to me.   Perhaps understandable given the amount of touring he did (whether you like it or not, his voice stood the test of time about as well as any big-time vocalist. 

TL;DR:  I agree with that in the later years of his career, I agree with that less and less as you go back in time.

[WildRanger]

I don't agree, but I DO see the point.  I would only offer that it depends on WHEN you hear him.  While you can always tell it's "Ronnie James Dio", his voice is a bit clearer, a bit cleaner on the Rainbow records.  Live, and I'm specifically referring to the German shows from '76, some of his vocals on Catch The Rainbow, Stargazer and Mistreated in particular are very strong.   When he went to Sabbath, there was a slight... roughening of his voice, but on certain songs on Heaven And Hell - Die Young, Children Of The Sea, Walk Away - there was still that clarity.  With Mob Rules, he started to sing in more that gruff-y, metal voice, and that continued on to his solo stuff.  The later Sabbath records (and teh Heaven And Hell record) TO ME suffer, in that it seems that Dio was trying to be that "metal icon" and Iommi was the "Riff Master General" and it became very "same-y" to me.   Perhaps understandable given the amount of touring he did (whether you like it or not, his voice stood the test of time about as well as any big-time vocalist. 

TL;DR:  I agree with that in the later years of his career, I agree with that less and less as you go back in time.

Also Bruce Dickinson's singing doesn't appeal to everyone. Some people don't dig his vocals because they find them kinda operatic, so it's off-putting to them.

[bosk1]

Dio is hit and miss with me, both as a singer and a songwriter.  I like some of his work, and dislike some.  And I don't really care for his live performances.  He plays too loose, and I don't like that.

[Zantera]

I can actually see that point OP is making and somewhat agree though not as extreme perhaps. I'd say I'm fairly neutral on Dio (He has a good voice but it doesn't necessarily tickle my fancy) but there's something about his delivery of "HOLY DIVAH, SOUL SUVIVAH" that does have that 'cringe' factor to me at least.

[hefdaddy42]

I don't like him either.

[bosk1]

I'll be careful.

[Elite]

"HOLY DIVAH, SOUL SUVIVAH"

RIDE THE TIGAH!

[lonestar]

And you're totally allowed to think that. I don't like Tom Englund, Daniel Glidenlow or the dude from Leprous. Even a good deal of DT fans dislike JLB.

Taste, we all got em.

[Dublagent66]

There are certainly worse vocalists to complain about.

[hefdaddy42]

There are certainly worse vocalists to complain about.

True.

Of course, I'm not complaining.  And I don't LOATHE him as a vocalist.  I don't like any of his music, so I don't listen to him.  No skin off my nose. 

[Stadler]

I can actually see that point OP is making and somewhat agree though not as extreme perhaps. I'd say I'm fairly neutral on Dio (He has a good voice but it doesn't necessarily tickle my fancy) but there's something about his delivery of "HOLY DIVAH, SOUL SUVIVAH" that does have that 'cringe' factor to me at least.

How about his introduction to "Man On The Silver Mountain" in Nurnburg in '76:   "This next one will knock you silly!"

[LudwigVan]

My problem isn't so much with Dio himself, as much as the fact that he has spawned dozens upon dozens of imitators that have turned the sound of his voice into a kind of heavy metal cliche. 

[EPICVIEW]

Love Him   love his wonderful wife too  .   Great voice, Great Man.   God Bless RJD.

[ProfessorPeart]

And you're totally allowed to think that. I don't like Tom Englund, Daniel Glidenlow or the dude from Leprous. Even a good deal of DT fans dislike JLB.

Taste, we all got em.

That's me! (including the JLB part)
Don't know Leprous so I can't comment on him.

Love Dio. I have all of the Elf albums, Rainbow albums, Dio albums, Sabbath albums. The man is awesome. 

[jjrock88]

Dio Rocks 

[Architeuthis]

I really like his clean vocals the most.   A good example is the intro to "Don't Talk to Strangers",  he sounds amazing and I wish that part of the song would have drug on for a few more measures before the heavy raspy part kicks in.
I like most of his singing, but I get why some people may be put off by the tone.

[CrimsonSunrise]

Love Him   love his wonderful wife too  .   Great voice, Great Man.   God Bless RJD.

+1.....  Dio is a metal god.

[kirksnosehair]

I love his vocals but really never cared that much for his music to be honest.  I thought his best performances were with Black Sabbath where the whole evil-sounding schtick kind of fits like a glove.  I agree with others who have said his clean vocals are his best work.   

[TAC]

No one can argue if someone does or doesn't like Dio's voice. That's a matter of personal taste.

With Dio's voice, you get an iconic image. He was a fantastic singer and performer.

Dio's lyrics about wizards and rainbows seemed to work a lot better with Blackmore, Iommi, and even a young Vivian behind him.
With, Goldy or Aldrich, not so much.

He was really beholden to his guitarist.

[pg1067]

He was really beholden to his guitarist.

That's a really good point.

It really worked with Blackmore and Iommi.  The first three Dio albums were great, although I suspect it's a "you had to be there" sort of thing.  Dream Evil was just ok, and Lock up the Wolves sucked hard.  I lost interest after that.

But Dio as a singer and a frontman was great every time I saw him, including with Heaven & Hell in 2007ish.

[lonestar]

And you're totally allowed to think that. I don't like Tom Englund, Daniel Glidenlow or the dude from Leprous. Even a good deal of DT fans dislike JLB.

Taste, we all got em.

That's me! (including the JLB part)
Don't know Leprous so I can't comment on him.

Love Dio. I have all of the Elf albums, Rainbow albums, Dio albums, Sabbath albums. The man is awesome. 

I'm indifferent to Dio, though I do respect his work tremendously. I do agree with what someone above stated that he tainted the metal vocal stylings of a generation for better or worse.

[wolfking]

Wow, more negative views in here than I expected.  I too can see the point most of you are making, but I love him.  His live performances have always been wonderful to watch because you can really see he loved what he was doing.  Seemed grateful every time he was on the stage.

Some of his discography is hit and miss for sure but yeah, seemed to work better with specific guitarists.

[HOF]

I like Dio as a vocalist more than I like Dio’s music in general. Think he has an amazing voice, but I don’t really listen to his music ever. Rainbow in the Dark is great though.

[The Realm]

Absolutely love Dio! Just an amazing vocalist. However, like others have said above I can also totally understand why someone wouldn't like him. I think some of what makes him 'cringy and cheesy' to some is that he does have the tendency to so clearly annunciate his vowels that it really sounds overdone, kind of like he is trying too hard. However the guy just had awesome technique and tone.

[KevShmev]

I can't say I dislike Dio as a singer, but he is not a favorite.  Sabbath's Heaven and Hell is the only work of his I ever listen to, and that is a damn fine record.  Nothing else I have ever heard has interested me, and I am honestly not sure if it is his voice or the songs just not being good enough (for me).

[SalvadorDalisDilemma]

Stargazer has the most jaw-dropping heavy metal vocal performance of all time.  Each and every time I hear Dio's voice there, I am shaken to my core.  The only other song that even comes close to doing that is Child in Time.  For those two songs alone, Dio and Ian Gillan rank as my favorite singers.  For Dio, All the Fools Sailed Away, Last in Line, and Heaven and Hell also eclipse 99 percent of all other heavy metal performances.  Needless to say, I very much disagree with OP's sentiment.

[SalvadorDalisDilemma]

My problem isn't so much with Dio himself, as much as the fact that he has spawned dozens upon dozens of imitators that have turned the sound of his voice into a kind of heavy metal cliche.

That's how you know he's a legend. 

[The Realm]

Stargazer has the most jaw-dropping heavy metal vocal performance of all time.  Each and every time I hear Dio's voice there, I am shaken to my core.  The only other song that even comes close to doing that is Child in Time.  For those two songs alone, Dio and Ian Gillan rank as my favorite singers.  For Dio, All the Fools Sailed Away, Last in Line, and Heaven and Hell also eclipse 99 percent of all other heavy metal performances.  Needless to say, I very much disagree with OP's sentiment.

Love this post. Totally agree.

[LudwigVan]

My problem isn't so much with Dio himself, as much as the fact that he has spawned dozens upon dozens of imitators that have turned the sound of his voice into a kind of heavy metal cliche.

That's how you know he's a legend. 

Of course, he's had a stellar career. Who gets to play with Blackmore AND Iommi? (aside from Ian Gillan, but Born Again was kind of an anomalous blip).

The thing that kills me is that those first two DIO albums were SOOOO good, but then after The Last In Line, everything simply fell off a steep cliff.

[Stadler]

He was really beholden to his guitarist.

That's a really good point.

It really worked with Blackmore and Iommi.  The first three Dio albums were great, although I suspect it's a "you had to be there" sort of thing.  Dream Evil was just ok, and Lock up the Wolves sucked hard.  I lost interest after that.

But Dio as a singer and a frontman was great every time I saw him, including with Heaven & Hell in 2007ish.

I'm on this train as well.   I'm a Blackmore fanboy, so there's that.   The first album is good, but Rising and LLRnR are legendary.   I'm not an Iommi fanboy, but I like him a lot, and the more progressive he is, the better (I love the last four Ozzy-Sabbath records).  So that's Heaven and Hell and Mob Rules.   I have diminishing returns on Dehumanizer and Heaven and Hell.   I loved the freshness (I WAS there at the time) of the early Dio records, so that's Holy Diver and The Last In Line.  I like Craig Goldy, but there are diminishing returns on the Dio records after TLIL, and I'm not sure I own anything after Dream Evil except for Magica, and even less desire to do so.