The Elves (Featuring Ronnie James Dio) - And Before Elf... There Were Elves (1971) (2011)

If you are expecting the Ronnie James Dio on this album that we knew and loved, you might be a little disappointed. This is a very blues-fused album with very early recordings from metal legend Ronnie James Dio. The Elves were formed in the late 60’s and are categorized as a mix between Rock, Honky Tonk and Blues. This album features 12 previously unreleased tracks from 1971 and are collections of both studio and live tracks. I definitely enjoyed the album and it definitely shows a different side of Dio that I never knew.

One of my favorite tracks on the album has to be “Stay With Me”. It is very catchy and very well orchestrated. The album runs a nice strong 53 minutes and delivers pretty strong from beginning to end. The music reminds me of a mix between “The Who” and “Grateful Dead” and a twist of the blues. This album just proves how much range Dio really had and he definitely nails it on this album. Although these tracks are 40 years old, the quality is quite notable especially since Dio’s Wyn Davis remastered from the original tapes. by Mike Gencarelli