Master of the Moon
Master of the Moon is the tenth and final studio album by American heavy metal band Dio. It was released on August 30, 2004 in Europe through SPV/Steamhammer and on September 7, 2004 in the US through Sanctuary Records. It was produced by Ronnie James Dio. Background. The album marks the return of guitarist Craig Goldy, who also performed on Dio's "Dream Evil" (1987) and "Magica" (2000). It also features Jeff Pilson on bass, Simon Wright on drums and Scott Warren on keyboards. One song, "Death by Love", was partly written by former "Magica  touring bassist Chuck Garric. There are no writing credits provided in the album's liner notes. On the supporting tour for the album, Dio went on the road with Fireball Ministry and Anthrax opening. As usual, he reached into his catalogue and played songs from various stages of his career, including Rainbow and Black Sabbath songs. Due to other commitments, Pilson was unable to tour the album and Rudy Sarzo took over the bass guitar duties. Reissue. In 2019, Master of the Moon" was remastered and announced for reissue in 2020. The first disc is identical to the original North  American release. The reissue includes a second disc containing four live tracks recorded during the "Master of the Moon" tour as well as "The Prisoner of Paradise" track originally included on the Japanese pressing of the album. Track listing. The bonus track "The Prisoner of Paradise" is on the Japanese pressing of the album. The song would later be featured on the compilation "The Very Beast of Dio Vol. 2" and included with the 2020 reissue of the album.