Review by Sonny for Rainbow - Rising (1976)

Rainbow may not be the first name that comes to mind when discussing 70s metal but I believe Rising cetainly stands as one of the best metal albums of the decade. Let's face it, how can any album that features Ronnie James Dio not be considered metal, the guys a metal legend and, in my opinion, this is also Ritchie Blackmore's finest hour, even eclipsing his work with Deep Purple. Side one features four anthemic numbers including the classic Starstruck and great opener Tarot Woman, but the album really shifts up a gear on side two that features only two tracks, the epic Stargazer and my personal favourite A Light in the Black. Stargazer is an early precursor of epic doom, with it's tale of a megalomaniac sorcerer compelling slaves to build a tower to the heavens and is probably stolen by Dio's amazing vocal performance, but Blackmore holds his own with some great soloing. However, Ritchie really lays it out on Light in the Black, with a fast and frenetic performance that helped influence countless thousands of metal "shredders" for decades to come. Finally, I have to tip a nod to Cozy Powell's thunderous contribution, hammering his drum kit into submission in a way few could ever replicate. Rainbow went into a steep, terminal decline after this record, mainly due to Blackmore's desire to emulate David Coverdale and score Top Ten hits in the US, but this stands as a fitting monument to a short-lived partnership of amazingly talented musicians at the top of their game.