Band: Savatage
Album title: Still The Orchestra Plays (Greatest Hits Vol. 1&2)
Label: Edel
Distributor: V2 Records
Release date: 08/03/2010
Release: CD

Savatage is an American progressive metal band founded by the brothers Chriss and Jon Olivia in 1978 at Astro Skate in Tarpon Springs, Florida. Chriss and his Jon formed their first band together in 1978, called Avatar but In 1980, the duo met up with Steve Wacholz and jammed in a shack behind the Oliva home.

The first works by Savatage were strongly influenced by bands such as Judas Priest, Deep Purple, Iron Maiden, Accept and Black Sabbath and are combined with various speed metal elements like fast and powerful riffs to give you an idea for what to expect. Now unfortunately Chriss passed away and there have been some line up changes like Alex Skolnick (Testament) and Chriss Caffery that filled up spots in the band. Now this greatest hits album is just a MUST HAVE. If you’re a fan or even never heard of them, this album you must have. It contains every hit from every Savatage album from “Sirens” until “Poets and Madmen” and even the all time favorite Hall of the Mountain King. A piece of history that everyone should have and with a total of 23 tracks, you can’t go wrong. The only bad thing about this album is that it’s still to short for every Savatage hit.

96/100

Jeroen.