The Very Beast of Dio

This excellent collection proves that few bands bled pure metal like Dio in the ’80s and early ’90s. Helping kickstart the power-metal movement, the early anthem “Holy Diver” is a testament to their gift for fantasy lyrics and ornate melodies rooted in ancient lore, and “We Rock” boasts operatic exclamations and fierce, riff-powered gallops. They also dished out plenty of hard rock: “Strange Highways” is a doom-inspired lumberer with meaty riffs reaching back to the ’70s.