Savatage: Poets and Madmen

Poets and Madmen mark the final chapter for Savatage. This comes at a time when Zak Stevens departed to form Circle II Circle and Trans-Siberian Orchestra was beginning to gain a lot of momentum. With Jon Oliva returning to vocal duties, many were left wondering both, what was left in the tank and what the future would hold for the band? Would Oliva be able to focus of creating an album that would do the Savatage name justice, or was he more focuses on TSO (Or Jon Oliva’s Pain, which was right around the corner)?

This album, which by looking at the cover one would have assumed would be a horror themed, Poe inspired concept. Instead, it tells the tale of a South African Journalist, whom struggles with morals and his own conscience. I suppose it makes sense, but being a fan of horror, it was a bit of a letdown. However, the songwriting more than makes up for the iffy concept. There are a number of excellent tracks, many that vary between progressive, power and even more of an old school speed metal. The emotion Oliva puts into his writing is still on display, which in my opinion, stays true to the Savatage mantra.

As for the actual music, I will start by saying, I enjoyed the Zak Stevens years of Savatage and although they can’t compare to the likes of “Hall of the Mountain King” nor “Gutter Ballet”, I loved “Edge of Thorns” and “The Wake of Magellan”. With Stevens exiting and Oliva back on vocals, I’ll admit that a part of me was hoping for a little classic era sound, even though I knew ultimately they would never be able to fully capture the magic without Criss (RIP) by Jon’s side. Nonetheless, Jon’s vocals are indeed back and although they are not delivered with the same pedigree they once were, they still have the Oliva touch I loved as a kid. His wails still have the ability to capture the listener’s attention and his shrieks, while not as harsh as they once were still carry plenty of energy. His range still allows him to take on deep, heavy rooted vocals, as well as softer low tones to help balance things out. Simply put, this is still Jon Oliva on vocals and yes he’s still has the magic. But, understand that this is Jon Oliva 2003 not 1987.

As for the guitars I will say, there’s no point in trying to compare Chris Caffery to Criss Oliva. It simply is pointless. Criss Oliva was a legend that created music for the gods. A once in a lifetime guitarist. Now, that’s not meant to cast shade on Chris Caffery, who, I feel is a very excellent guitarist. I’ve enjoyed his time on Savatage and have heard some of his solo act (as well as TSO), but if we’re being honest, he’s no Criss Oliva. But, then again, no one is. Caffery’s sound is a little more reigned in if you will, compared to Oliva. What I mean is that, Oliva had seemingly endless spectrum of riffs, leads and solos at his disposal and you never quite knew how magical each would be until you heard them first hand. Caffery on the other hand, although very competent with his skills, seems to deliver a more modern, clean sounding riffs and solos. They are good in their own right and they are very catchy and fit the music on this album quite well, but they feel much more rehearsed and formulaic. With that said, I enjoyed the majority of riffs and solos on “Poets and Madmen”. I felt they were well designed and timed nicely to fit with Jon’s voice and although they don’t carry the same magic as with past Savatage albums, they do carry own sound and identity with some thick and groovy sounds to their structure.

As per usual with Savatage, the drums tend to take a bit to the back seat on this album. Although they are present and never feel washed out, their presence feels more like a supporting role. The bass, at times really pops and delivers a nice heavy and crunchy sound which can really be heard on the track “Awaken”, Of course, Savatage wouldn’t be complete without Jon playing some of his keys and piano, which always gave the ban a little flair, which is exactly what they do on this album. They keys offer an almost industrial vibe at times such as the beginning of “There in the Silence”, while the pianos on “Surrender” help add to the sullen mood of the song. Always a welcome addition to Savatage’s sound, yet never feel forced or over redundant.

With “Handful of Rain” up to “Poets and Madmen”, I had to take a stand on how I would view these albums. At first, I was always trying to compare these albums to their predecessors, which ultimately left me feeling unsatisfied. However, over time, I decided to view these albums through the ears of what a new fan of Savatage might hear, which allowed me to appreciate the music on albums such as “Poets and Madmen” to a much greater degree. Sure, this album has a few blemishes and is not as glorious as “Hall of the Mountain King”, but at the end of the day, I felt it was a nice slab of progpower that still holds up well to this day.

Highlights: "Stay with Me Awhile" “Drive” “I Seek Power” “Man in the Mirror”

Rating: 4