| CD REVIEW Savatage |
|
|
Band : Savatage Gggrrrr...(very loud but low grumble of discontent)...who needs re-issues, when they've already got the original (vinyl) albums? Oh right...the chance to complete your collection...of for fans of the band who were unable to get the albums back when, to get those wanted items at last, eh? Oh well, after all Savatage was a somewhat important band in the whole US Power Metal scene, so why not commemorate the band with a special box set, the backs of the albums nicely displaying the bandname? One thing I ain't clear about (and don't expect to get any answer to) is the reasons for not bringing the “box set” series in its chronological order of original release. I mean, the series were started with the simultaneous issuing in May 2010 of The Wake Of Magellan and Edge Of Thorns (the original release dates for which respectively go back to 1998 and 1993), to which in July of the same year was added the band's first albums Sirens (original release 1983) and The Dungeons Are Calling (actually a 1984 released mini-album) which were originally part of the same recording session and meant to be Savatage's first album, but found too long to be featured onto one vinyl album. Follow-up to the series came in January of this year, when Streets (original release 1991)was re-issued. Recently the albums Power Of the Night (1985) and Gutter Ballet (1989) were added. So, as you can see, the sequence of re-issue is somewhat erratic, and it makes a goin' over the band's history in relation to the featured albums somewhat difficult as well! Still, we'll do a fast recap here (those needing a more detailed history better check the band's page at Wikipedia, which I used as a template to make the below synthesis from). Savatage was founded in 1978 as Avatar by brothers Jon (vocals, originally the drummer, and later also keyboards) and Criss Oliva (guitar) from the ashes of their former bands (Tower and Alien respectively). To make a long story short, they were joined in 1980 by drummer Steve Wacholz (Jon then picking up bass duties) and in 1981 by bassist Keith Collins. In the early '80s Avatar contributed to a couple of Heavy Metal compilations and being signed to Par Records, the brothers set to frantic writing sessions, eventually finishing several songs while already in the Morrisound Studio to record their first album. Meanwhile copyright issues had arisen, and they were forced to changed their bandname to Savatage, a combination of "savage" and "avatar". With the 15 tracks of the 2-week recordings session too much to be released on one vinyl LP, Par eventually released the Sirens album in 1983, and the 6-track The Dungeons Are Calling a year later. Savatage's break came when they played support to XXXX, whose label Atlantic happened to be at that Tampa venue, and in no time Savatage were signed to the major label. The ensuing Max Norman produced album Power Of the Night saw the band move into their own take on melodic Power Metal, with Jon using keyboards quite liberally. 4th album Fight For The Rock (1986) was a failed attempt at commercialism, forced on the band by their label, and the album was seen by many fans (myself included) as a disappointment, and as a result saw Jon getting into his early alcohol and drug problems. In 1987 Johnny Lee Middleton took over bass duties, remaining with Savatage for the duration of its forthcoming history. 1987's Hall Of The Mountain King became Savatage's first commercial success, and became the basis for the band getting into the mainstream scene, partly thanks to the added Symphonic elements which occurred in the band's music, into which they were influenced by their new producer Paul O'Neill (whom would contribute most of the lyrics for the rest of the band's career). Starting with 1989's Gutter Ballet, the band would make conceptual albums based on O'Neill's short stories. On the side-line, rhythm guitarist Chris Caffery, whom had been playing offstage with Savatage on their 1987 tour, was introduced as a an official 4th band member. In 1991 the band created their first Rock Opera Streets, which did not do as well as expected due to the Grunge explosion in the US at the time. Still, a video to the track "Jesus Saves" got Savatage a new audience to appreciate their music. After a tour in support of the album, Jon Oliva left the band to concentrate on his side-projects (Doctor Butcher, and his Broadway-bound musical Romanov, the latter never finished), but he would continue to write material for Savatage with his brother and producer Paul O'Neill. Jon handpicked his replacement Zachary Stevens (of the band Wicked Witch). Following the recordings of the 1993 album Edge Of Thorns, Wacholz also left the band, and following Jon's lead handpicked his replacement Andy James (ex-Roxx Gang). The album broke the band to the mainstream audiences, increasing not only sales figures and radio airplay, but also seeing the band set out on their first world tour, gaining international press coverage such as "...the best Savatage has ever sounded live..."! However, a new chapter in the band's history was about to open, when on October 17, 1993 Chris Oliva is killed by a drunk truck driver. Jon decided to continue the band to keep his brother's memory going, but he was found admitting later that Savatage was pretty much over after Criss's death. And it's at this point that I would like to stop my Savatage history recap...just to keep something for the upcoming re-issues (there's still XXXX to come). On a personal note, I stopped buying Savatage albums after Hall Of The Mountain King. Although I have gone on to buy the occasional second-hand CD (to the point of only missing 3 albums in the Savatage catalog, including Streets and Edge Of Thorns), and even got myself a copy of the Gutter Ballet LP after the facts, the band's Symphonic aspirations and their attempts to please as many people as possible to get good sales figures was simply too much for me. Preferring their rawer style of the beginnings, and considering that my first Savatage purchase came with The Dungeons Are Calling when Roadrunner Records issued that album in 1985, it shouldn't be surprising that that mini-album, along with the debut album (bought later when the LP was re-issued) Sirens are my favourite items by the band. Admittedly, I was also rather into the more melodic stylings of both Power Of The Night and Hall Of The Mountain King...but with Gutter Ballet my taste for things Savatage had kinda subsided...even more so when Zachary Stevens came into the picture as lead singer (it simply wasn't Savatage anymore to me). Also, you know, my personal life around those days was in somewhat of a turmoil, and new musical genres were asking my attention. Anyway, why would it be interesting for people who own the original albums, to buy this re-issue series ...besides the fact that playing the CD will get you a cleaner sound (all re-issues got a re-mastering) and help preserving your vinyl copies? Especially since each and every one of 'em already hàd one or two re-issues (onto which some of the bonus tracks here present also were featured)? Well, simply because this re-issue series comes with 3 bonus tracks exclusively recorded by Jon Oliva in 2010 and two previously unreleased live versions...ànd the additional liner notes he added to each album in the set! In the case of The Wake Of Magellan, this comes in acoustic versions (recorded during 2010 by Jon) of “Desiree” (this song was initially meant to be featured on the Gutter Ballet album, which was originally conceived as a 2CD record; also appeared on the 2002 SPV re-issues of both Streets and The Wake Of Magellan)and “Stay” (1997 bonus track on SPV re-issue of Hall Of The Mountain King; also featured as one of the 3 bonus tracks on the 2002 SPV re-issue of The Wake Of Magellan). For Edge Of Thorns with the acoustic versions of “All That I Bleed” (original on same album; acoustic version was also available as bonus track on the 1997 re-issue of the Gutter Ballet album) and “If I Go Away” (original on Streets; acoustic version was also on 1997 Edel re-issue of Fight For The Rock). To the combined re-issue of Sirens and the Dungeons Are Calling (released as one album, as it was meant to be), you only get the one acoustic version bonus of “In The Dream” (a completely new version recorded by Jon in 2010 as one of 3 exclusive tracks to the re-issue series; original of which was on Power Of The Night)...and the re-issue of Streets sees the addition of acoustic versions of “This Ain't What We Meant” (original on Dead Winter Dead) and “Morning Sun” (I was unable to ascertain whether Savatage even released that song; at any rate, both versions were newly recorded in 2010 as exclusive bonuses for the re-issue series). The more recent re-issues of Power Of The Night and Gutter Ballet got the additions of “City Beneath The Streets” (original on The Dungeons Are Calling) and “Hounds” (original on Gutter Ballet – both tracks were recorded live in 1990, none of these versions off the band's live album Ghost In The Ruins of 1995 – if you hadn't heard of that album before, that's because it was released through Japanese label Zero Records, whom released a further 3 live albums by the band) for the first, and “Alone You Breathe” (an acoustic version – the same? - of this song already featured as bonus track on the original album's US release of Handful Of Rain, then was again featured on the 2002 SPV re-issues of both Dead Winter Dead and Handful Of Rain) and “Handful Of Rain” (original track also on the Handful Of Rain album) for the second. Re-issues, so no ratings! Uhmm... attentive readers might've ascertained that by purchasing only the re-issues of Sirens/ the Dungeons Are Calling, Streets, and Power Of The Night, (s)he already has all the bonus tracks so far...but you would miss out on the extensive liner notes which might be of interest. Ach, the life of a music fan can be wrought with so many dilemmas...the one of “Do I really need to buy my favourite band's catalog all over again?” being one of 'em! Decide for yourselves...it's a free world after all? Tony. |
