OFF: Savatage

[BREVARD, Adrian R.]

>OK I'll help ya out here as I am a Savafanatic.  Little shaky on >the order
>of the first two as they were releaesed from vault tapes on >Metal Blade
>Records.  Not sure which is first chronologically.

> 1. Sirens

>Had the above for years and years and still listen to it regularly.

I like this one but Dungeons Are Calling is sooooooo much better, thats just
me though.

> 5. Hall of The Mountain King (Has the song Stange Wings, sounds >like Al
and BOC circa T&M era)

>That's the other one I like.. very heavy and don'tya just love that singer?

There is a live album called (what else) Ghost in the Ruins.  Songs from
shows the band did between say 83-85.  24 Hours Ago, Legions, Strange Wings
and Hall of The Mountain King all made it from this album.  This one is big
with Sava die-hards. Jon Oliva (Criss lil' brother) does all vox all the way
up through the Streets album.

>7. Streets a Rock Opera (some great songs but the order just >isn't quite
right.  Songs should be heard individually.  My sig >comes from this album
"Ghost in The Ruins")

>Wasn't too thrilled with this one.. The songs seem a bit on the generic
side
and they rely on the shock value of the lyrics too heavily. I like their
older, more melodic sound better.

Well this started out as a script for a Broadway play and was later
translated into a rock opera.  I can't really listen to it as a story.  Some
of the songs just drag while others if placed on a non-theme album would
rock.  Jesus Saves, Ghost in the Ruins, Agony and Esctacy and the power
ballad Believe are all pretty good by themselves.

>8. Edge of Thorns (sentimental fave.  First album for Zak >Stevens on vox,
and the last album Guitarist Cris Oliva made before his death)

>Wasn't aware of the death.. accident? OD? New singer? Is he as good as the
first?

Unfortunately Criss' flame was extinguished a few years back, victim of a
drunk driver.  This album was the debut of the new singer Zak Stevens.  Now
some folks love the older Savatage and some rave over the newer sound.  I
love them both.  Zak has a classicly trained voice with tremendous range, he
can sing literally anything.  Jon has the classic metal voice however has
been known to belt out a great power ballad.  Its kinda apples and oranges
about who's better.  I've heard Zak live sing some of the older stuff
originally sung by Jon and he does it with ease.  He can't add the
"sinister" to Sirens the way Jon could but he can do the songs pretty damn
good.  Conversely on the latest album (Wake of Maggellan, US version) there
are some bonus tracks recorded during sound checks, warm ups and stuff.  Jon
sings some of Zaks ballads and they smoke.  Closest comparision I can come
up with is Sabbath with Ozzy (Jon) and Sabbath with Dio (Zak).

>I'll have to try some of these others. I had given up after trying
"Streets". Do you know the year of the first album?


Well the Metal Blade version has like 1994/1995 date on it.  I belive these
tracks go back to 1980-82 sometime as these releases (Sirens & Dungeons) are
the only studio albums not on Atlantic.  Some of them may have been recorded
when the band was known as Avatar.  Since you like the early sound I highly
recommend Dungeons, Power of Night and Gutter Ballet.  I'd add Jon's side
project Dr. Butcher to that list.  Same great power metal but with todays
production values.

One other point about Sirens, Dungeons has a live version sung by Jon.  Its
not that great as he was obviously drunk singing this one in Germany.  A
better live version can be found on Ghost in the Ruins. Zak sings Sirens on
Japan Live '94 and it too is quite good.  The two live ones are pretty
expensive imports but its a great way to compare Zak and Jon's vocal styles.
If you'd like to try on some of the new style start with Dead Winter Dead,
its brilliant.  Zak does most of the songs but Jon sneaks in I Am and
Dosen't Matter Anyway.  Wake, the new one is also quite good, especially
Jon's Paragons of Innocence.

Ghost in the Ruins
NP: Saigon Kick - Lizard