A beforehand unreleased Ronnie James Dio tune which guitarist Doug Aldrich was engaged on with the legendary heavy metallic singer earlier than his 2010 loss of life will likely be included on an upcoming Dio assortment of never-before-heard and obscure recordings. The observe in query was written through the periods for DIO‘s “Magica II”, a sequel to 2000’s “Magica” that was left unfinished when Ronnie died in 2010. One other “Magica II” observe titled “Electra” made it on to 2012’s “The Very Better of Dio Vol 2”.

Aldrich mentioned the unreleased music he labored on with Dio in a brand new interview with Canada’s The Metallic Voice. He mentioned (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET):  ”Properly, to start with, ‘Electra’ was a part of what was gonna be a subsequent album for Ronnie. He mainly got here up with ‘Electra’ to advertise the tour that he needed to do on the finish of 2009. He was gonna re-release ‘Killing The Dragon’ and a stay present that we did from that tour, and that tune was gonna promote the album and the tour and it was gonna be this entire factor After which he obtained sick; he came upon he had most cancers. So all of it went away. However the tune ‘Electra’ did come out and it was fairly cool man. However previous to ‘Electra’, he had one other tune that — and I am certain he had a number of bits of songs and possibly a couple of that have been accomplished — however he did give me a accomplished tune previous to ‘Electra’ that he needed to be the promotional observe. After which he mainly moved away from that and we went with ‘Electra’ as an alternative. However I had that [other] observe, and I put a solo on it. It did not have a title, however I had it, and I talked to Wendy [Dio, Ronnie‘s widow and longtime manager] about it, and we by no means, she by no means… To be truthful, I did not go over and play it for her, however I did discuss to her about it on the telephone. After which she sort of wasn’t able to take heed to something like that at that time. Years went on. After which I ended up doing a renovation at my home and I took these onerous drives and I put them in storage. So in the intervening time, there’s discuss that Wendy needs to place out some stuff, some unreleased stuff subsequent yr, in ’24, with Ronnie, together with a remake of the observe that he despatched me, which I am nonetheless within the technique of discovering it. And Wendy texted me final week and mentioned, ‘Any luck?’ And I mentioned, ‘I am going to get it, Wendy.’ I simply have dozens of onerous drives I have to undergo to search out it. And as soon as I do, I am going to give her the observe and I am going to both report it along with her and them or any person else will. Nevertheless it was haunting, as a result of it was Ronnie enjoying bass and enjoying rhythm guitar with a drum machine and singing, and the vocal was simply — it was haunting, man; actually loopy.”

Elaborating on how his unreleased tune with Ronnie ended up getting misplaced amongst his private home goods, Doug mentioned: “I did a renovation throughout 2020 when every little thing was shut down. I needed to increase my home a little bit bit and clear it up and get new stuff. And so I needed to pack every little thing up good and neat and get it out of right here. ‘Trigger when there’s building, onerous drives would get dusty and all that. So I [packed everything up], together with that laptop was all backed up on a tough drive. So I am going to discover it. And I hope Wendy has another kickass stuff. I actually do. ‘Trigger that might be fairly cool to listen to an album of unreleased stuff that was unique music and/or some actually cool variations [of previously released songs]. I can solely think about there’s gotta some cool stuff that they did that possibly they did not use with Viv [Vivian Campbell].”

Aldrich, who was a member of DIO for a brief interval between 2002 and 2006, beforehand spoke about his unreleased collaboration with Ronnie in a 2017 interview with Roppongi Rocks. He said on the time: “I’ve a demo of Ronnie, an unreleased tune no one’s ever heard. I supplied it to Wendy and, I do not know, possibly she forgot about it, however I mentioned ‘I’ve this tune. It is actually haunting.’ It was throughout [the] time he wrote ‘Electra’. I simply performed on it. We have been sort of bouncing round a few of his concepts and dealing on a few of them. Earlier than we did ‘Electra’, he had this different one which he mentioned, ‘Can you set a solo on this?’ and he gave me the observe. I had put a solo on it after which, after I introduced it to his home, he goes, ‘No, no, no. I’ve obtained this new thought referred to as ‘Electra’.’ We did not even take heed to it. I do not even assume he ever heard the solo as a result of we have been so centered on making an attempt to get one tune achieved to advertise the tour that we have been gonna do. I used to be nonetheless a member of WHITESNAKE [at the time], however I mentioned to him, ‘Should you work it out with David [Coverdale, WHITESNAKE frontman], I might like to exit on the highway with you.’ As a result of he had requested me to go. He labored it out after which he obtained sick. However there’s this one observe that’s haunting, as a result of the lyrics are… And he doubled his voice, it is simply actually trippy. In some unspecified time in the future, it must come out. I obtained it. I obtained the combination. I even have the recording session, which has obtained Ronnie enjoying bass, Ronnie enjoying rhythm guitar and vocals. After which a drum machine. In the future.”

In a 2015 interview with CrypticRock.com, Aldrich mentioned that he was “solely actually in [DIO] for a few yr, however in that yr, we did do the ‘Killing The Dragon’ [2002] report. I obtained to contribute to that report with a few songs additionally, which was good,” he mentioned. “We did loads in that first yr. We did that report, a bunch of touring, and a stay DVD referred to as ‘Evil Or Divine – Dwell In New York Metropolis’ [2005]. Then I joined WHITESNAKE, however I stored coming again to DIO. There was a few excursions in 2005. Ronnie mentioned, ‘Would you come on tour with me?’ I mentioned, ‘Completely, I simply have to talk to David about it.’ David mentioned, ‘Cool, simply be sure you come again,’ as a result of we had talked about some new music and he didn’t need me to separate.”

Having additionally performed with LION, HOUSE OF LORDS, BAD MOON RISING, HURRICANE and Glenn Hughes, Aldrich joined THE DEAD DAISIES in 2016 and will be heard on that band’s final 4 albums, 2016’s “Make Some Noise”, 2018’s “Burn It Down”, 2021’s “Holy Floor” and 2022’s “Radiance”.

Ronnie James Dio, finest identified for his work with BLACK SABBATH, RAINBOW and DIO, died of abdomen most cancers in Could 2010 on the age of 67.

Again in July 2021, Wendy confirmed that there have been “about three songs” from Ronnie which will ultimately see the sunshine of day. She informed LiveSigning: “Really, there are about three songs that Ronnie was… Ronnie was engaged on a tune with [former DIO and RAINBOW bassist] Jimmy Bain earlier than Jimmy handed away. That was one. Craig [Goldy, former DIO guitarist] have been working collectively on a tune; they have been engaged on some materials and stuff, and it obtained pushed to the facet. And I feel the very last thing Ronnie was engaged on was with Doug Aldrich, they usually have been engaged on a tune.

“All issues are in a vault,” she defined. “I’ve to enter the vault… We’re taking the mandatory steps — we’re having all of it itemized and categorized. And Wyn Davis, who was Ronnie‘s engineer, who liked Ronnie to loss of life and Ronnie liked working with him. He is the one individual I actually belief to do this. So he is going there, going by way of the stuff, and he’ll take heed to these songs and inform me if these are what Ronnie would approve. As a result of Ronnie was a perfectionist, so it must be one thing that Ronnie would put out. We’re not gonna shove one thing out as a result of it is obtained Ronnie‘s title on it; that is not what Ronnie would need, and I might by no means try this to Ronnie. But when the lyrics are there and Ronnie sang the elements, we are able to at all times have the band go in and play the music. However we’ve got to ensure that it is sung correctly.”

Ronnie was famend all through the world as one of many best and most influential vocalists in heavy metallic historical past. The singer was recognized with most cancers in late 2009. He underwent chemotherapy and made what’s now his last public look in April 2010 on the Revolver Golden Gods Awards in Los Angeles.

Ronnie‘s memoir, “Rainbow In The Darkish: The Autobiography”, was launched in July 2021 by way of Permuted Press. It was written with longtime pal of 30 years and esteemed music author Mick Wall, who took up the mantle after Ronnie‘s passing.

“Dio: Dreamers By no means Die”, the first-ever career-spanning documentary on the life and occasions of Ronnie James Dio, will get a DVD and Blu-Ray launch in September.

“Dio: Dreamers By no means Die” had its tv premiere final December on Showtime. Additionally it is accessible to stream by way of the Showtime app.