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Savatage

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Savatage is a heavy metal/progressive metal band founded by the brothers Jon and Criss Oliva in 1979. The band is known for recording many concept albums. Although they are currently considered a progressive power metal band, their origins could be attributed to thrash metal as expressed by their debut album, Sirens.

Contents

Biography

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Jon and Criss Oliva formed the band in Florida with the name Metropolis, but changed the name shortly thereafter to Avatar. Under this name, the band released an EP called City Beneath a Surface in 1982 and took part in some heavy metal compilations, most notably "The YNF Pirate Tape", a promotion by Tampa rock radio station WYNF for local Florida bands.

However, the band had to be renamed once more (because another band had the same name), and so Savatage (a mixture of Avatar and Savage) was born. Jon Oliva was the lead singer; Criss Oliva was the guitarist; Steve Wacholz was the band's drummer; and Keith Collins was the bass guitar player.

The first works by Savatage were strongly influenced by bands such as Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath and Deep Purple[[Citing sources citation needed]]. Their first two albums, Sirens and The Dungeons Are Calling, were released on Par Records, an independent label. In 1985, they signed a contract with Atlantic Recording Corporation and released their third album Power of the Night. Power of the Night showcased the band's unorthodox approach to metal, which included Jon's liberal use of keyboards on songs like "The Fountain of Youth" and Broadway-style song structures like the kind employed on "Warriors". It was well-received by critics but fell short of sales expectations. Atlantic budgeted to provide funds to make a video for "Hard for Love", on the condition that it be retitled "Hot for Love" for broadcast purposes. The band refused to change the song and consequently a video was not released.

In 1986, after the release of their fourth album, Fight for the Rock, a failed attempt at a commercial approach imposed by the record company which the band themselves called Fight for the Nightmare, Savatage toured with Metallica, KISS and Motörhead. Many Savatage fans resent the making of the album and view it largely as a disappointment. The band themselves were not happy with the record, with pressure from the label to include two cover versions. Jon Oliva had been retained to write material for other artists on the Atlantic lavel, such as Jon Waite and other pop-rockers. Later, the label turned around and demanded Savatage record the material themselves. In a show of youthful naivete, the band agreed. Not only did it destroy them in the press, it nearly destroyed the band and sent Jon into his early alcohol and drug problems. During this time, original bassist Keith Collins left the band, and Johnny Lee Middleton joined the band. Since 1987, Johnny has been the only consistant member of Savatage, peforming on every album.

In 1987, Savatage released their first commercially successful album, Hall of the Mountain King, which became the base for the band being catapulted into a more mainstream arena. The band recorded their first music video for the album's title song, which received extensive air play on MTV's Headbangers Ball and this was followed up a by video for the song 24 Hours Ago. This album introduced a new musicial style, featuring symphonic instrumentals strongly influenced by their new producer, Paul O'Neill — that would shape the band's future recordings. O'Neill contributed most of the lyrics for the rest of their career, and gave them a more conceptual edge starting with their next album, Gutter Ballet, which could be considered the band's true turning point, as since that point, the band have turned into a more progressive outfit, writing longer songs with more complex melodies and differing vocal styles, rather than a more straight forward Power Metal style that seemed apparent in earlier works. The change to a more progressive, operatic style was also precipitated by Jon, after seeing a performance of Phantom of the Opera in Toronto. The songs "Gutter Ballet" and "When the Crowds Are Gone" are examples of this influence from that album and their next album would follow a more operatic style, saying so in it's title.

Chris Caffery, who had been playing with Savatage on their 1987 tour as a second rhythm player offstage and out of audience sight, was introduced as a new band member in 1988. A message to him appears in the liner notes for the album , wishing him "luck in whatever roads in life he goes down." He left after the Gutter Ballet tour (prior to the recording of Streets), but would later return to the band.

In 1991, the band created their first rock opera, Streets. However, after their tour, Jon Oliva was forced to step down from his position of lead vocalist citing increasing vocal problems[[Citing sources citation needed]]. Zachary Stevens took over the position, and the band recorded their next album Edge of Thorns. For the first time, Savatage began to enjoy the fruits of mainstream success and recognition, including increased radio play and a world tour. However, tragedy struck when Criss Oliva was killed in a car accident by a drunk driver on October 17, 1993Tony Green, "Associates mourn Savatage star", St. Petersburg Times (Florida), October 19, 1993, p. 6B. The loss of their lead guitarist nearly signaled the end of the band, but during the earlier years, the Oliva brothers made an agreement that if one of them were to pass away, the other should continue the band in memory of the other (although some ex-members of the band contest that story)[[Citing sources citation needed]]. Jon chose to continue the band.

Alex Skolnick temporarily joined Savatage for the release of their ninth album Handful of Rain, written by Jon Oliva and Paul O'Neill. Although the album is technically a Jon Oliva solo album, with Jon handling all instrumental duties except for vocals and lead guitars, the album was released under the Savatage name with bass and drum credits given to Middleton and Wacholz, respectively. Criss Oliva was commemorated in a number of the songs including the personal tribute "Alone You Breathe". After the tour, Skolnick left the band, but angered some fans by not playing Criss Oliva's solos correctly whilst on tour with the band. One person who was extremely annoyed at this was former guitarist Chris Caffery, who returned and wanted to play Criss's lead parts correctly. He made good on his vow and re-joined the band. Atlantic Records did want a new, more well-known guitarist to join the band, and Al Pitrelli was selected, having recorded with Alice Cooper and Asia in previous years.

In 1995, Savatage released their second rock opera Dead Winter Dead, an even more ambitious undertaking than its predecessor, Streets. They achieved cross-over success with "Christmas Eve Sarajevo 12/24", which received heavy rotation on radio formats during the Christmas season. While they toured Europe and Japan, the group forewent an American tour to work on their new project, Christmas Eve and Other Stories, recorded by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO), comprising Savatage and a large orchestra.

Their eleventh album, The Wake of Magellan, was released in 1998, and dealt with such concepts as the worth of a life, suicide and drug abuse, drawing on real-life events such as the Maersk Dubai and the murder of Veronica Guerin. Savatage parted ways with long-time label Atlantic after this release and eventually signed on with a much smaller organization, Nuclear Blast (although Trans-Siberian Orchestra albums would in the future remain on the Atlantic/Lava imprint). Jon Oliva said that this was a good move, as Nuclear Blast "loved the band and they know our songs and everything!".

By this time, Savatage was taking as much fire for their "Broadway-Metal" aspirations as they were praise; while there was no doubt that Trans-Siberian Orchestra albums had found an audience, many older, more long-term Savatage fans complained of a lack of any real difference between the sounds of Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Savatage. Many members of the fanbase felt alienated due to a lack of extensive Savatage touring in America (often-times Savatage played only a handful of shows on the east coast, with European fans also feeling alienated due to their lack of shows in that area) and the turn from a decidedly metal approach to a more symphonic base. Reviews of their material either praised their genius or berated their pretentiousness; there seemed to be no middle ground, and to this day the fan base and critics are still split.[[Citing sources citation needed]]

Savatage continued to focus on their Trans-Siberian Orchestra project for a while, releasing The Christmas Attic, but the release of Poets and Madmen in 2001 was highlighted by Jon Oliva's return as lead vocalist (after Zak Stevens left the band citing family reasons and Al Pitrelli accepted an offer to join Megadeth) and another very limited US tour supported by Fates Warning. Their latest release is TSO's The Lost Christmas Eve, and they are working on another TSO release, Night Castle. Jon Oliva is also about to release another album with his band Jon Oliva's Pain called Maniacal Renderings sometime this year on AFM Records. Jon Oliva's Pain's first CD entitled, Tage Mahal, was released in 2005. Zak Stevens' Band Circle II Circle is also about to release a new Concept album based on the DaVinci Code.

In an interview with a Dutch Magazine in June 2006, Jon Oliva announced that he wants to record one more Savatage album, with a live CD and DVD to follow it, before ending the band that way. He did not specify a release date to a new album, however.

Personnel

Current Line-Up

Former Members

Discography

Studio albums

Album Cover Date of Release Title Label Chart positions US sales
1983 Sirens Par Records
1984 The Dungeons Are Calling Par Records
1985 Power Of The Night Atlantic Records
1986 Fight for the Rock Atlantic Records #158
1987 Hall of the Mountain King Atlantic Records #116
1989 Gutter Ballet Atlantic Records #124
1991 Atlantic Records
1993 Edge of Thorns Atlantic Records
1994 Handful of Rain Atlantic Records
1995 Dead Winter Dead Atlantic Records
1998 The Wake of Magellan Atlantic/Lava Records
2001 Poets and Madmen Nuclear Blast Records

Live albums

Compilations

References

External links

Savatage
Jon Oliva | Damond Jiniya | Chris Caffery | Al Pitrelli | Johnny Lee Middleton | Jeff Plate
Criss Oliva | Keith Collins | Steve "Doc" Wacholz | Zak Stevens | Alex Skolnick | Jack Frost
Discography
Studio Albums: Sirens | The Dungeons are Calling | Power Of The Night | Fight for the Rock | Hall of the Mountain King | Gutter Ballet | | Edge of Thorns | Handful of Rain | Dead Winter Dead | The Wake of Magellan | Poets and Madmen
Live Albums: Japan Live '94 | Final Bell / Ghost in the Ruins
Compilations: From the Gutter to the Stage | The Best and the Rest | Believe
Related articles
Trans-Siberian Orchestra | Megadeth | Jon Oliva's Pain | Circle II Circle

 

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