Ride The Rainbow The Ultimate Tribute to Rainbow Review
Ride The Rainbow
The Ultimate Tribute To Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow
Cleopatra Records
2026
Cleopatra Records has been back in the laboratory once again, cooking up another tribute album that not only celebrates its own legacy but honors one of Hard Rock's most beloved bands. This has become one of the label's greatest strengths - preserving musical legacies while paying tribute to the artists who helped shape the genre. This time around, they've turned their attention to Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, and it's about damned time.
I haven't spent a ton of time searching, but there doesn't seem to be many dedicated Rainbow tribute albums out there. Sure, you'll occasionally stumble across a cover song here and there, but full-scale tributes to the band are surprisingly rare.
The title says it all: “Ride The Rainbow – The Ultimate Tribute To Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow”. And the word "ultimate" isn’t marketing hype, it’s earned.
Rainbow's history is a fascinating one, marked by a revolving cast of exceptional vocalists. While Ritchie Blackmore was always the centerpiece, Ronnie James Dio remains the most important figure in the band's history in my eyes. That era was relatively short-lived, however, and Rainbow would go on to feature the talents of Graham Bonnet, Joe Lynn Turner, Doogie White, and Ronnie Romero. Depending on who you ask, only the Dio era matters. Years ago, I might have agreed. But the more time I've spent with the albums that followed, the more appreciation I've gained for those later incarnations, particularly the Graham Bonnet years, which remain my favorite outside of the Dio era.
Thankfully, this tribute doesn't play favorites. It covers nearly every chapter of Rainbow's history, giving each era its due while still placing a deserved emphasis on the classic Dio years. After all, some songs are simply too legendary to ignore.
The guest list alone is enough to make any Rainbow fan grin. Six former Rainbow members appear throughout the album, including Graham Bonnet, Doogie White, and Ronnie Romero. Beyond that, the collection reads like a who's who of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal, featuring Carmine Appice, Vinnie Appice, Paul Shortino, Marty Friedman, Tim "Ripper" Owens, Sebastian Bach, Doug Aldrich, Mike Tramp, and many others.
So where does this tribute land?
Squarely in the bullseye.
It doesn't miss. Not even a little.
Tribute albums are notoriously inconsistent. There's usually at least one track that leaves you scratching your head and wondering what happened. Not here. All fourteen songs land with confidence and, more importantly, genuine respect for the originals. Nothing feels forced. Nothing feels gimmicky. The performers understand these songs and approach them with reverence rather than ego.
Picking favorites isn't easy, but my heart naturally drifts toward the classic Ronnie James Dio material. Those songs possess a certain magic that refuses to fade, no matter who's standing behind the microphone.
One of the biggest surprises for me was Mike Tramp's take on "Rainbow Eyes." Not because it's Mike Tramp, I expected quality, but because of how deeply he disappears into the song. If you're not paying close attention, you might not immediately recognize his voice. Rather than leaning on the familiar trademarks that made him famous with White Lion, he delivers a heartfelt and vulnerable performance that feels rooted in admiration for the original. It's a beautiful rendition, and proof that Tramp still has plenty left in the tank.
Another standout comes from the legendary Glam Rock icons Angel with their version of "Lady Of The Lake." If I'm being honest, I never would've picked this song for them. I probably would've handed them a ballad. Good thing nobody asked me. Angel absolutely grabs this track by the throat and shakes every ounce of life out of it. It's muscular, energetic, and impossible not to enjoy. Every time it comes on, I find myself throwing fists in the air and mean-mugging.
Ronnie Romero also deserves major praise. He appears on multiple songs, but his performance on "Stargazer" is pure magic. You can immediately hear why Blackmore chose him to front Rainbow. There's a distinct Ronnie James Dio quality to his voice here, not an imitation, but a shared spirit. Add Marty Friedman's blistering guitar work to the mix, and you've got one of the album's defining moments. Friedman's tone is absolutely killer.
Then there's Graham Bonnet revisiting "Since You Been Gone." Listening to Bonnet tackle a song he helped make famous decades ago is a surreal experience. Time may have passed, but the fire is still there. The man remains a vocal powerhouse and a reminder of why he was the perfect choice to follow Dio all those years ago.
Joe Lynn Turner's return to "Stone Cold" is another highlight. Some voices simply belong to certain songs, and hearing Turner reconnect with that material feels like catching up with an old friend.
My final stand out is "Street Of Dreams," featuring Paul Shortino of Rough Cutt, Quiet Riot, and King Kobra fame. Shortino has always been one of my favorite Rock vocalists. His voice carries a rough-hewn soulfulness that few singers can match. When I saw his name attached to this song, I was instantly intrigued. "Street Of Dreams" has always been my favorite track from the Joe Lynn Turner era of Rainbow. Something about it grabbed me the first time I heard it and never let go. Shortino sounds tailor-made for it. Every note feels natural, every lyric sincere. Somewhere, I like to imagine Blackmore hearing this and thinking, "Damn, he would've sounded great in Rainbow."
One of the true signs of a successful tribute album is that it sends you back to the originals once the final note fades. That's exactly what happened here. The moment this record ended, I found myself reaching for my Rainbow vinyl, eager to revisit those classic albums and reconnect with the songs that first sparked my imagination.
Cleopatra releases a lot of tribute albums, and I know some listeners occasionally roll their eyes and think, "Not another one." This isn't one of those situations. “Ride The Rainbow” is a direct hit.
The album arrives at the end of June on double LP and CD, and if you're a Rainbow fan, this is one release you won't want to overlook. There simply aren't enough Rainbow-related releases in the world and this tribute does a remarkable job honoring one of Hard Rock's most enduring legacies.