Original Dio guitarist and current Def Leppard axeman Vivian Campbell talked about the final album he recorded with the original lineup of Dio, 1985’s “Sacred Heart,” writing on Facebook:
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“I can’t believe it’s been 33 years since ‘Sacred Heart’ was released. To be honest, I don’t have many happy memories from the making of this record.
“On both ‘Holy Diver’ and ‘Last in Line,’ there was a real sense of camaraderie in the band and everyone would hang out at the studio, even when we were done with our own parts, just because we were excited to hear every new development – we were all invested.
“On the first two albums, I felt like we belonged to a team, but by the time we got to ‘Sacred Heart’, things were different. Ronnie’s mood had darkened considerably following his breakup with [wife] Wendy.
“Furthermore, it had become increasingly clear to me that Wendy (as Ronnie’s manager) was determined to separate Ronnie from the band. She didn’t see Dio as one creative unit.
“Ronnie knew better, but I suspect that in an effort to win back Wendy’s love, he was willing to bend to her whims. Thus began the beginning of the end for the original DIO band.
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“When I separate my emotions from it and listen to the album solely on its musical merit, there are many significant highlights, the title track being perhaps the most impressive.
“However, listening now after so many years, I can also hear the emergence of more keyboards in the songs and a more polished production – further steps away from the kinetic energy of the original band and the raw appeal of the earlier two albums.”