Holy Diver (song)#Killswitch Engage version
{{Short description|1983 single by Dio}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2012}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Holy Diver
| cover = Holy Diver Single Cover.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Dio
| album = Holy Diver
| B-side = "Evil Eyes"
| released = August 12, 1983{{cite web|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1983/Music-Week-1983-08-13.pdf|title=Music Week|page=24}}
| recorded = 1983
| studio = Sound City (Los Angeles)
| genre = Heavy metal{{cite web|last=Runnells|first=Charles|date=June 1, 2019|title=Review and setlist: Dio hologram tour opens with fire, dragons and rainbows|url=https://www.news-press.com/story/entertainment/2019/06/01/review-and-setlist-ronnie-james-dio-returns-hologram-tour-fort-myers/3691957002/|access-date=November 2, 2020|website=The News-Press}}
| length = 5:51
| label = Warner Bros.
| writer = Ronnie James Dio
| producer = Ronnie James Dio
| prev_title =
| prev_year =
| next_title = Rainbow in the Dark
| next_year = 1983
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|2lvs2FzF64o|"Holy Diver"}}}}
}}
"Holy Diver" is a song by American heavy metal band Dio. It was released in August 1983 as the lead single from the band's debut album of the same name. Although it only reached number 40 on the Mainstream Rock chart at that time, it is one of Dio's most popular songs today.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}}
Reception
Following the September 11 attacks, the song was placed on the list of post-9/11 inappropriate titles distributed by Clear Channel.
In March 2023, Rolling Stone ranked "Holy Diver" as the 9th greatest metal song of all time.{{Cite magazine |last= |first= |date=2023-03-13 |title=The 100 Greatest Heavy Metal Songs of All Time |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/100-greatest-heavy-metal-songs-1234688425/ |access-date=2023-06-29 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}
Content
Dio said the lyrics are about a Christ figure on another planet who sacrifices himself to redeem his people. When the people learn that he intends to leave them to save people on other planets, they selfishly ask him to stay.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8Ln5GW-3as |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211214/U8Ln5GW-3as |archive-date=2021-12-14 |url-status=live|title=RONNIE JAMES DIO interview on religion and the Devil 2004 {{!}} Raw & Uncut|work=BangerTV|publisher=YouTube|date=December 15, 2015|access-date=November 22, 2018}}{{cbignore}}
Music video
{{unreferenced section|date=April 2020}}
The music video for "Holy Diver", directed and edited by Arthur Ellis, features Dio as a hairy barbarian adventuring through a desolate church (the then recently burnt-out St Mark's Church, Silvertown in east London, which is now a music venue). First he strikes a shrouded figure and his hobgoblin friend with his sword, but instead of killing them he turns them into rats. He later visits a blacksmith who is forging a sword. He throws his old sword away and deftly catches the newly forged one. Walking through a corridor, he encounters three seated hooded figures. As the camera pans across them, the third slowly raises its head to reveal eyes resembling those of a cat. The final shots show Dio exiting the church.
Chart positions
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
!Chart (1983) !Peak |
| {{singlechart|Sweden|60|artist=Dio|song=Holy Diver|rowheader=true|access-date=16 February 2021}} |
| {{single chart|UK|72|date=19830821|rowheader=true|access-date=16 February 2021|refname="uka"}} |
| {{single chart|Billboardmainstreamrock|40|artist=Dio|rowheader=true|access-date=16 February 2021}} |
Killswitch Engage version
{{Infobox song
| name = Holy Diver
| cover = Holy_Diver_(Killswitch_Engage).jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Killswitch Engage
| album = As Daylight Dies (Special Edition)
| released = {{Start date|2007|08|17|df=y}}
| format =
| recorded = 2006
| studio =
| genre =
| length = {{Duration|4:10}}
| label = Roadrunner
| writer = Ronnie James Dio
| producer = Adam Dutkiewicz, Joel Stroetzel
| prev_title = The Arms of Sorrow
| prev_year = 2007
| next_title = This Is Absolution
| next_year = 2008
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|NR7dG_m3MsI|"Holy Diver"}}}}
}}
Killswitch Engage covered the song for the compilation High Voltage!: A Brief History of Rock for Kerrang! magazine. The song was later re-released for the special edition of As Daylight Dies. A live version of the song is also featured on the Special Edition of their 2009 album Killswitch Engage, then in 2014, the song was re-released on the compilation album entitled Ronnie James Dio This Is Your Life. This version of the song as well as the original composed by Dio are DLC for the guitar video game Rocksmith 2014.
=Music video=
The band released a music video for their version. Directed by Brian Thompson,{{cite web | url=http://www.mtv.com/videos/killswitch-engage/167602/holy-diver.jhtml | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081210112157/http://www.mtv.com/videos/killswitch-engage/167602/holy-diver.jhtml | url-status=dead | archive-date=December 10, 2008 | title=Holy Diver {{!}} Killswitch Engage {{!}} Music Video | work=MTV | publisher=Viacom Media Networks | date=August 6, 2007 | access-date=January 3, 2013}} the video features a comical take on Dio's original music video.
=Chart positions=
| class="wikitable sortable"
!align="center"|Chart (2007) !align="left"|Peak |
| {{singlechart|Billboardmainstreamrock|12|artist=Killswitch Engage}} |
=Personnel=
Killswitch Engage
- Howard Jones – lead vocals
- Adam Dutkiewicz – lead and rhythm guitar, vocals, keyboards
- Joel Stroetzel – rhythm and lead guitar, backing vocals
- Mike D'Antonio – bass guitar
- Justin Foley – drums, percussion
=Certifications=
{{Certification Table Top}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|type=single|artist=Killswitch Engage|title=Holy Diver|award=Gold|relyear=2007|certyear=2020|access-date=September 10, 2020}}
{{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true | noshipments=true | streaming=true}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Dio}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Songs written by Ronnie James Dio
Category:Killswitch Engage songs
Category:Vertigo Records singles
Category:Mercury Records singles