Rainbow – Rainbow Rising (1976) Review | A Tower of Stone to Take Us Straight to the Sky
Kronomyth 2.0: Rising and shining.
Ritchie Blackmore and Ronnie James Dio retooled Rainbow with an entirely new lineup for Rainbow Rising. The goal was to give Rainbow a heavier, more proggier sound, and that turned out to be a very good idea. Rainbow Rising is Blackmore’s best album since Deep Purple Mk. II. Ironically, Blackmore may be the album’s weakest link. His solos often feel more interested in showing off than serving the songs, occasionally breaking the spell the rest of the band works so hard to create. If you can look past those solos, there’s a lot of great music on here, including a pair of mini-epics at the end, Stargazer and A Light in the Black. Side one features four tightly wrapped rockers that mix fantasy, sex and some of the heaviest hard rock this side of purple’s mountain majesty. Musically, this version of Rainbow feels like an even split between the styles of Blackmore and Dio: hard, heavy and steeped in fantasy-fueled excess. Credit goes to producer Martin Birch, who tightens their sound and gives the mix plenty of depth. The album’s fierce structures are largely built on Blackmore’s guitars and Powell’s drums; Bain provides the nuts and bolts, Carey adds ornamentation and Dio is the electricity that brings it all to life. Calling Rainbow a progressive rock band might raise a few eyebrows. Even so, Rainbow Rising makes the strongest case for it. The extended synthesizer passages, dynamic arrangements, and fantasy-driven scope—especially on side two—push the band well beyond conventional hard rock. It’s at least as progressive as anything I’ve heard from Uriah Heep.
The Product
A1. Tarot Woman (6:11)
A2. Run with the Wolf (3:48)
A3. Starstruck (4:06)
A4. Do You Close Your Eyes (2:58)
B1. Stargazer (8:28)
B2. A Light in the Black (8:12)
All selections written and arranged by Ritchie Blackmore and Ronnie Dio.
The Players
Jimmy Bain (bass), Ritchie Blackmore (guitar), Tony Carey (keyboards), Ronnie James Dio (vocals), Cozy Powell (drums) with Munich Philharmonic Orchestra (conducted by Rainer Pietsch). Produced by Martin Birch.
The Pictures
Painting by Ken Kelly. Art direction & photography by Fin Costello.
The Plastic
Released on elpee on March 25, 1976 in the UK (Polydor/Oyster, 2490 137), the US (Oyster, 1601), Japan (Polydor/Oyster, MWF-1004) and Mexico (Oyster, 16200) with gatefold cover. Reached #11 on the UK charts and #48 on the US charts.
- Re-issued on elpee in 1980 in Japan (Oyster, MPX-4024) with gatefold cover.
- Re-issued on elpee in 1982 in Japan (Polydor, 20MM-9226) with gatefold cover.
- Re-issued on elpee in Japan (Oyster, 23MM-0022) with gatefold cover.
- Re-packaged as 30 Anos de Musica Rock on elpee in 1984 in Mexico (Polydor, 822 314-1).
- Re-issued on remastered compact disc in 2005 in Japan (Universal, UICY-95034).
