"Holy Diver"

Ronnie James Dio- "Holy Diver" (1983)
Killswitch Engage- "Holy Diver" (2009)

Covering songs, believe it or not, is a very complicated thing to do.  Being an active musician, I can somewhat understand the process.   When covering any song, most bands today try and put their own flavor and taste into a very popular song.  It is hard to do so without “ruining” the original.  Since music is vastly different then it was back in say the 80’s, many techniques and styles have been generated since then, and incorporating a specific style into a song that is already reputable is difficult.  My favorite cover to this day is the cover of  “Holy Diver” re-mastered by Killswitch Engage, a present day notable Hard Rock/Metal band. Ronnie James Dio originally wrote the song in 1983 on his debut full length, and it quickly became one of his most famous and relatable songs. When first listening to the cover of “Holy Diver” by Killswitch Engage, it is noticeably different but the comparable in many ways.  The first thing that I noticed upon hearing it was the pitch.  Killswitch Engage drops the pitch (or tuning) down to the key of Drop C, which is significantly lower then the original composed in 1983.  The second thing I noticed was that Killswitch Engage kept the same melody for the song (just dropped lower to match the tuning).  This is crucial when covering a song.  If you intend to use the song as a tribute you must keep the basics the same.  The intensity of the song reflects Killswitch Engage's style which is "harder" or an "in-your-face." feel. The rhythm is kept to its original tempo in the cover as well.  Any faster or slower might diminish the songs feel, but a more modern sound and with the different style, it helps give the song a contrasting feel.  The timbre in the song is moderately the same as well.  The song was originally recorded with the basic rock elements: electric guitar, bass, and drums, but again with Killswitch Engage’s modernized sound helped give it a more “noisy” effect.  The last thing to notice is the lyrics.  With “Holy Diver” being a song of such magnitude, the lyrics are very catchy and memorable.  I think Killswitch Engage did an outstanding job on keeping the lyrics the same but adding their own grungy vocals to let the fans of Dio and Killswitch Engage understand that this was a tribute song but imitated in their own way.  Musicians and listeners appreciate what Ronnie James Dio (R.I.P) has done for the Hard Rock and Metal of today.  With out Dio, the Rock music we hear today could be significantly different than what we know and love in this decade.  I think that is the reason Killswitch Engage has covered the Dio classic “Holy Diver”.  After watching interviews of Killswitch Engage regarding this song, it seems that if this song was re-mastered more for tribute to Ronnie James Dio, even before his death, rather than just another band covering a song just because they like it, and that is why I this is my favorite cover. Killswitch Engage has done an outstanding job of covering “Holy Diver” without diminishing or ruining the classic, and I think the cover will also start a trend of modern musicians covering their influence’s classics to pay tribute to the Hard Rock we hear today.