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

Savatage: Hall of the Mountain King

When it comes to metal, not just power metal, “Hall of the Mountain King” has to be one of the shining moments in metal history. There’s no doubt in my mind that this particular album is one of those landmark albums that helped shape my mind to the world of metal as I know it and if I had to guess, you might feel that way as well. Aside from being Savatage’s magnum opus, this album epitomizes what it means putting your heart and soul into an album. They say, you only get out what you put in. Well, it won’t take long to realize that the guys from Savatage put every ounce of their metal souls into this album, as the output is simply a masterpiece.

First and foremost, this is far and away, the best vocal performance of Jon Oliva’s career. I’ve enjoyed every piece of work of his, be it Savatage, his solo work or even TSO, but nothing will ever live up to “Hall of the Mountain King.” His trademark wails and shrieks once again, share center stage as the driving force of this album. Now, if you’ve listened to Savatage, this is nothing new, but the amount of emotion and passion Oliva poured into his vocals on this album can truly be heard as he belts out his haunting shrieks on “Hall of the Mountain King”. Of course, Jon’s vocal range is very diverse and there is seemingly no limit to his ability. Whether it’s clean singing, deeper raspy vocals or his harsh shouts, his voice sounds perfectly in tune with the atmosphere of the album; dark, dynamic and powerful.

I mentioned that Jon’s vocals shared the spotlight as the driving force. That is because the second of this two headed giant of power metal brilliance belongs to his brother, Criss’ guitar work. Now, I have mentioned Criss Oliva’s magnificent guitar work before, so I won’t heap too much praise that I have for this man’s ability. Criss plays a wide variety of riffs that are simply exuberant, creating a powerful and robust sound, but also maintains a melodic touch that gives each song its own unique characteristic. The guitar tone set on this album is what I would say, the purest definition of heavy metal. It’s a sound that energizes its listener and captivates your attention while sticking with you long after you listen. The solos on “Hall of the Mountain King” erupt with such fluidity and power, yet are not simply bouts of shredding madness. Yes, there are some speedy solos, but others rely on tempo shifts and melodic sounding chords that help showcase both Criss’ songwriting and ability to wield his axe.

I’ll admit, that due to the Oliva’s musical magical they share, that Doc Wacholz’s drums can almost seem lost within such majesty. That may hold true on many Savatage albums, but on “Hall of the Mountain King” they are just as magical and every part as important to the overall sound. The pounding on the titular track sets the tone of the song, establishing a forceful rhythm and energetic pulse that accentuates the Oliva magic. The same can be said for the bass, which is given more than enough spotlight to showcase it’s heavy, yet playful grooves (see the opening of “Legions”), while the keyboards and pianos help create an enchanting sound that only adds to the already mythological atmosphere of the album.

From start to finish, “Hall of the Mountain King is a Tour de Force. Each song carries it own story, one that adds an additional layer to the album as a whole. From the Iron Maiden sounding “Devastation” to the speed metal laced “White Witch” and the cover of Edvard Grieg's "Prelude to Madness". Everything, from the songwriting, musicianship, producing, mastering, hell even the cover art is top notch. When you excel at every facet of creativity, you produced an album such as “Hall of the Mountain King” and you produce one of the pinnacles of heavy metal history.

Highlights: “Hall of the Mountain King” “White Witch” “Beyond the Doors of the Dark” “The Price You Pay”

Rating: 5

Savatage: Edge of Thorns

Savatage. This is one of those bands that had a very big impact on me when I was just getting into heavy metal. I can remember many a Savatage tapes being played on long car rides with my folks, jamming out to the likes of “Hall of the Mountain King”, “Gutter Ballet” and “Handful of Rain”. Another album that was played often was “Edge of Thorns”, one that I know often marks a separate era for the band, one that is rather polarizing among the fan base.

It was “Edge of Thorns” that we saw Jon Oliva take a step back from the musical side of the band (although he did add some work on the pianos and drums on a couple tracks) and focus more on the creative side. Although, Oliva’s voice might be absent, I feel his creativity is still very much on display throughout “Edge of Thorns”. This would also mark the beginning of the Zak Stevens era on lead vocals, another reason this era tends to divide fans. Now, it is very tall order to have a new vocalist step in and take over for a long time singer. This transition does not always go over well, but there have been noticeable successes in the past such as AC/DC or Black Sabbath when it came to passing the torch as to speak. With that said, I prefer Oliva over Stevens, but I’ve always enjoyed the Stevens era of Savatage. “Edge of Thorns” would also and sadly, be Criss Oliva’s final work, as he tragically died in an auto accident less than a year after the release of “Edge of Thorns”. Some point to this very moment as the beginning of the end of the band, as I can’t imagine how I would feel if either of my brothers were taken from me earlier, but the effect it had on Jon would resonate for years.

Now, I will say that this album tends to suffer from a lack of the theatrics that the band had been known to conjure up such on albums such as “Hall of the Mountain King” or “Gutter Ballet”. The bombastic passages the Oliva created with both his voice and songwriting are not as present as previous works, while the overall sound is akin to what Zak Stevens would continue on with Circle II Circle. That being said, I understand the divide that this album created among fans, as the trademark sound of Savatage has shifted to a more accessible sound that seemed to fit the sound in the early 90’s metal scene. On the other hand, if you enjoy Stevens’ voice, “Edge of Thorns” is still be a very enjoyable album.

Staying on the subject of Stevens, let’s talk about his singing. Personally, I’ve always been a big Zak Stevens fan. I enjoyed his work with Circle II Circle, which of course, would mean I enjoyed his time with Savatage. I don’t view “Edge of Thorns” as a Savatage album without Jon Oliva, but rather a Savatage album with a different approach. Yes, I miss Oliva’s wailing, but Stevens has a strong voice, one with enough rasp and grit to carry a heavy vibe, but also a melodic tone as well. This allows Stevens to sing with the power that Savatage generally brings to the table, but also gives him the freedom to showcase his midrange vocals as well as his softer side to his voice.

Criss’ guitar work over the years leading up to “Edge of Thorns” was nothing short of magical. I can’t recall how many catchy and memorable riffs the man created in his career, but the number is staggering. His ability to hook the listener with interesting time shifts and sublime leads is nothing out of the ordinary for his legendary ability. Such ability is easily detected on “Edge of Thorns” as there are countless riffs that create both heavy and melodic characteristics, which stick in your mind well after the song ends. His solos are excellently timed and fit perfectly with structure of the songs, often giving them an almost progressive nature to their overall structure. The rhythmic groves and his ability to harmonize them with the rest of the instruments creates a very complete sound the overall atmosphere, but also allows Stevens’ vocals to come to the forefront of the music. That is quite possibly, what I admire most about the songwriting is how they all for Stevens’ vocals to shine, all the while keeping the instruments center stage each and every song.

Doc Wacholz, once again, displays his drum mastery on this album. The pounding beats enhance the guitars and pianos, while carving out their own powerful niche from song to song. They too, have the ability to shift speed and tempo to allow for both the proper harmony within a song, but also, take hold of a song and become its driving force. The bass fits nicely in the overall sound, lending a loud, crunching tone that compliment many of the guitar leads.

My biggest complaint with “Edge of Thorns” would be the excessive amount of ballads present. I understand that power ballads were still big in the early 90’s, but I felt this album would have been stronger as a whole with simply one ballad, which would have complimented the two instruments. Songs such as “Sleep” and “As I Bleed” feel like unnecessary filler, that neither add or take away from the atmosphere of the album, but rather seem to just be there for the sake of being there.

At the end of the day, “Edge of Thorns” despite the excessive ballads, is a solid addition to the Savatage legacy. I can see both the praise is disdain this album draws and while everyone is entitled to their personal tastes and opinions, I’ve always enjoyed “Edge of Thorns” not for what it could have been, but for what it is: a catchy, talented showing of power metal.

Highlights: “Edge of Thorns” “Miles Away” “Degrees of Sanity”

Rating: 4.5