On the way to eat turkey and I said to myself... Savatage?

Edge of Thorns (1993)

"Edge of Thorns"
"He Carves His Stone"
"Lights Out"
"Skraggy's Tomb"
"Labyrinths"
"Follow Me"
"Exit Music"
"Degrees Of Sanity"
"Conversation Piece"
"All That I Bleed"
"Damien"
"Miles Away"
"Sleep"

This is not a review, just a recount of my day yesterday. I just got a chance to remember how every song on this album is awesome, even though I hit skip once, but still. Then I got to think how can I let a month or more go by and not listen to this band? I should never be to busy to sit for a while and listen to one song at the least in a nice full month.

I also thought about what song and where I was when I found this band. I was with an old friend in his car and saw "Handfull of Rain" and said who is this... he put it on and I was blown away at the title track then "Chance" came on and I fell in love with this band. So perfect for my first experience. I borrowed that album for about 6 months.

So, what song/album was your first Savatage experience, and what got you hooked on this band?

Man, you are speaking to my heart now! I especially like how you ask yourself how you can let months pass by without listening to this awesome band! I've done the same on many occasions.

I discovered Savatage thanks to Headbanger's Ball. Watching this show was close to religion back in the late 80's and early 90's. After all, this was the only televised metal show available here in Norway. One day Vanessa Warwick was talking about a new Savatage album, and played a clip from "Hall of the Mountain King". Wow, that was a cool tune. Then she played the entire new music video, the title track from the new album, "Gutter Ballet". I was floored. Never had a band showed this mix of metal, REAL metal, and broadway/operatics. The piano intro, the build of intensity, the goadly guitar-playing, it was all just amazing. I fell in love with the band, and it will be a love affair for life

"Edge Of Thorns" is one of few album I have actual physical memories with. I can remember one specific incident, when we learned the tragic passing of Criss, where we almost locked us in a friends apparment, and listened to this album, over and over, not even talking to eachother, just letting the music absorb us. I can still feel the "fluffy" carpet in that appartment under my toes, whenever I hear this album!

Fall of '88, I was a freshman in college and I was only vaguely familiar with Savatage. I'd probably heard "The Dungeons are Calling" or "Sirens" on a metal radio show but that was about it. But I went to a party in a friend's dorm room one night and his roommate was playing this awesomely crushing music in the background that caught my ear, so I caught up with the guy and asked "Who the HELL is this? It's f**king AWESOME!" He informed me that it was Savatage, and handed me the cassette box (POWER OF THE NIGHT) to look at. He then threw on HALL OF THE MOUNTAIN KING afterwards and I sez to him "Wow, I think I just found my new favorite band," haha. The rest is history, as they say...

The following school year, that guy and I became roommates and we went to see Savatage together when the GUTTER BALLET tour came through NYC.

I never even heard of Savatage before I started coming here. Then I bought Power Of The Night and I like it. It's still the only one I have by them.

And that's my entire Savatage story.

around 2005/2006 ish I heard wake of magellan on one of the sampling station thingys at a local department store. Later I was at a record store and picked it up new for 9 bucks and imediately fell in love with all the ballads on that album. I used play songs like the magellan version of "alone you breathe" and "anymore" on the high school radio hour I was on. My friends would always be like "God, you're in one of your f#cking sappy moods?" hahahaha.


Even though magellan is nowhere near being close to the best of sava that was my entry record of theirs, and I still love that album a ton.

I first heard Savatage on Headbanger's Ball with the music video of Edge Of Thorns. The combination of heavy metal, piano, and the mezmerizing guitar solo of Criss Oliva and I was hooked. I got the album with Columbia Record's # of CDs for a penny and listened to the tape until it wouldn't play no more. I read about Criss' death in Metal Edge several months later and couldn't believe it, I had just fallen in love wiht his playing and now he was dead. It wouldn't hit me how much of a loss it was until several years later when I availed myself of more Savatage albums. Not much after the tragedy I found Hall Of The Mountain King at a used tape store and and got introduced to the Jon side of things and while Zak had already solidified his place in my top vocalits spot, I was amazed at the power and strength of Jon. Lattter when I started collecting CDs and discovering used CD stores I came accross Streets: A Rock Opera which became my favorite Jon CD and I listened to it so much, in one year's time I knew all the lyrics. That album also showed me that despite his harsh screaming, Jon could also sing passionate ballads beautifully. I have owned every Savatage album since 2000 (I lost Dungeons-Fight but have recaptured them in the past 8 years) and I enjoy every single one of them-yes, even Fight For The Rock. Edge Of Thorns remains my favorite Savatage album.

@kmorg... I am glad I hit a good spot. I think it's safe to say Savatage has brought many of people together lol... Hall of the Mountain King was so raw and awesome. They really do have such a great way of bringing metal and Broadway into one unique world. My life changed when I heard them. It made me realize you can successfully mixed the two things I love so very much. It's what inspired me to take a chance writing and performing the music I do now.

"I can still feel the "fluffy" carpet in that appartment under my toes, whenever I hear this album!" Dude, I totally know what you mean man. How I can still feel my eyes opening up to the lyrics on "Handful of Rain" as I listened and read.

@Fat Freddy... I would have loved to see that tour. I have only seen Savatage once in NY at the old Village Pub in Port Jefferson. Though I did have a chance to open up for Jon Oliva's Pain and that was well worth a second seeing of him.

@Schbopo... lol hey any story is good enough as long as it has Savatage in it. You should really get "Edge of Thorns" It really is a great album.

@Stender... I agree that Magellan isn't close to being the best, but it does have some of the best songs on it. In whole the album doesn't hold strong against other albums. IMO of course.

@DallasBlack... Fight for the rock... nice man. Hey each album as a special spot in all our hearts I'm sure.

Never heard of this band are they new?

First song I ever heard was "Edge of Thorns". They played the video constantly on Headbangers Ball and I hated it. I always thought pianos don't fit in metal haha (at the time). I hated the video too. Why bring your band into the swamp to make a video, all your equipment will get dirty. I just didn't like anything.

Fast forward a few years later I was listening to a college radio station from Connecticut called WNHU. A lot of the DJ's would play music that I like. Well one of them played this song that blew me away. The guy had this raspy voice, the music was heavy and catchy, I couldn't believe my ears. Later on when they went back down the playlist they revield it was none other than Savatage. Only problem was they didn't say what song it was or what album it was from. I wondered how in the hell that was possible. It definetly wasn't the same back I saw years earlier in that stupid swamp video (which I actually think I still hate to this day haha). I set out a search in finding that song which ended up being Hall Of The Mountain King. I forget which album I got first, it might have been Dead Winter Dead. When I got that home I was a little dissapointed, but it wasn't that bad. I eventually found the album Hall Of The Mountain King and I was happy again haha. I've been a fan ever since and I even grew to love Edge Of Thorns even so where its my top favorite even though I find it extremely over played. The opening keyboards give me chills.

First song I ever heard was "Gutter Ballet" in the video on the old MTV Headbanger's Ball with Riki Rachtman. Bought that album and every Sava album after that and I came to the conclusion that the albums with Jon Oliva on lead vox just don't appeal to me very much. Face it, the guy can't really sing (at least IMO).

24 hours ago was not the first time I heard of them, it was the first song I heard by them. Hall of the Mountain King is the only album I own by them, but I do like it alot. I know, I suck, but I do plan on expanding my collection at some point.

Phoenix Reign Drummer wrote:

Never heard of this band are they new?

The opening keyboards give me chills.

So does the toilet bowl seat right before your butt warmth eats it away.

Edge is such a great album, but I agree with you. it is over played. Though it's hard to turn it off once it starts.

An acquaintance (or a friend of a friend, if you like) had namedropped the band a few times when we were out drinking. This must have been '98 or '99 or something, but anyway way after I was already into metal. So I didn't hesitate when I saw a cheap Streets secondhand CD on sale at this small record store I used to frequent.

To be honest, it took me awhile to fully appreciate that album. I was expecting something heavier and faster. But after awhile I got past my teenage metalhead prejudice and started appreciating the songs for what they are - melodic metal masterpieces. And now it's one of my favourite albums ever.

I'm not just a big hardcore Savatage fan (they are my shared #1 all-time favourite together with Maiden and Priest), but I'm also a big fan of all those spinoff bands. Circle II Circle's new one will surely be in my top ten albums of the year again.

And I 100% disagree with anyone who claims Magellan isn't great. It's probably my favourite by them. You just don't understand it! /angry fanboy

Seriously, it's in my top ten all-time. Come on, Hourglass, Anymore, Morning Sun!? Absolute perfection. And the rest of the songs are right up there, too. Really, how can anyone not think it's a classic.

Quote :

@Fat Freddy... I would have loved to see that tour. I have only seen Savatage once in NY at the old Village Pub in Port Jefferson. Though I did have a chance to open up for Jon Oliva's Pain and that was well worth a second seeing of him.

Ohhh dude, you have no idea what a quasi-religious experience it was. some of the folks here are probably sick of me going on about how it was the BEST...SHOW...EVER, but it really truly was. I get a six foot erection with a cheeseburger on the end of it whenever I even THINK about that gig.

Around five years ago, a friend introduced me to the songs 'Gutter Ballet' and 'Sirens'. I loved them and he leant me Ghost In The Ruins. I was hooked on Savatage since then. Ghost remains one of the greatest live albums I've ever heard, as far as I'm concerned.

Smindas wrote:

Around five years ago, a friend introduced me to the songs 'Gutter Ballet' and 'Sirens'. I loved them and he leant me Ghost In The Ruins. I was hooked on Savatage since then. Ghost remains one of the greatest live albums I've ever heard, as far as I'm concerned.

Two of the tracks on Ghost In The Ruins were recorded at the show I was at (Brooklyn, NY, 1990)... my main goal in life is to find a recording of the entire gig.

Wow, totally jealous. I've never even seen Savatage live! The closest I got was Progpower UK a few years back, when Jon Oliva's Pain headlined. Me and a mate were on the barrier, right in front of Jon, and they played nearly all of Streets. We also got Jon to play 'Edge of Thorns', which was awesome. It's a shame they haven't been back since!

Yeah, I haven't seen Savatage live either. I have seen Jon Oliva's Pain and Circle II Circle, but it's not really the same thing.

Lari wrote:

Yeah, I haven't seen Savatage live either. I have seen Jon Oliva's Pain and Circle II Circle, but it's not really the same thing.

I didn't even get to see CIIC or JOP. When they did their shows, none of them where in Dallas or Ft. Worth. I did get to see TSO twice and meet Johnny Lee Midleton, Jeff Plate, and Chris Caffery though.

They are from Tampa and when I was 12 coming up to 13 saw them play live at the local station's 95ynf sponsored concert where they releasing an album filled with local unsigned bands, and one of the bands was Avatar.

I was really young but I do remember I was not impressed with any of them but Avatar, the bass player Keith Kollins stopped me as I was hoping on my 3 speed and talked to me and gave me a tape filled with a few of their tunes.

I no longer have that tape, but I did have a new band and the kindness he showed some snot nose kid was very cool and he made a fan for life.

I kept up with them as I grew older, the following year they became Savatage and somewhere along the line Keith Kollins was dropped from the band but I remained a fan.

In truth when I was that young the music I heard that day did not stand out much and I would give anything to still have that tape, what stood out that day is that Keith Kollins who to me seemed like a star ( the reality was far from that ) took time to talk to some little kid.

BTW when my parents found out why I was home late I was grounded.

Fat Freddy wrote:

I get a six foot erection with a cheeseburger on the end of it whenever I even THINK about that gig.

Is it ga-hey that I want to see a six foot erection with a cheeseburger on the end of it to believe it really could happen?

That's funny man. I really bet that show was awesome. Too bad you didn't film it. Well, I hear they are putting another album together and touring once the Christmas season is over. So I hope it happens.

DallasBlack wrote:

Lari wrote:

Yeah, I haven't seen Savatage live either. I have seen Jon Oliva's Pain and Circle II Circle, but it's not really the same thing.

I didn't even get to see CIIC or JOP. When they did their shows, none of them where in Dallas or Ft. Worth. I did get to see TSO twice and meet Johnny Lee Midleton, Jeff Plate, and Chris Caffery though.

TSO are doing their first UK gigs next year. If I can afford it, I will be there with bells on.

I purchased an album while hanging out in Arlington, Tx. (late 84' or early 85' ?) It was called "Welcome To The Metal Zone" a double lp comp put out by Music For Nations. (still own it) anyways a Savatage tune was on it and I was hooked. A bit later down the road, they came to Dallas and I saw them with some of the local musicians I had come to know while playing the various Texas circuits.

I like pretty much every release by them. Criss was a very phenomenal player/writer and under appreciated.

Yeah, I've definitely always felt that Criss Oliva is one of the most underrated guitarists in metal. Soulful but technically proficient. Really, quite a phenomenal talent.

DallasBlack wrote:

Lari wrote:

Yeah, I haven't seen Savatage live either. I have seen Jon Oliva's Pain and Circle II Circle, but it's not really the same thing.

I didn't even get to see CIIC or JOP. When they did their shows, none of them where in Dallas or Ft. Worth. I did get to see TSO twice and meet Johnny Lee Midleton, Jeff Plate, and Chris Caffery though.

Chris Caffery solo band is probably my favourite of the spinoff solo projects. I would love to see him play live - and to meet him for that matter!

I'm a member of his official forum and got an autographed copy of House of Insanity.

Smindas wrote:

Yeah, I've definitely always felt that Criss Oliva is one of the most underrated guitarists in metal. Soulful but technically proficient. Really, quite a phenomenal talent.

Criss is my favorite guitarist of all time (nobody comes close) and most of his guitar solos are etched in my brain. I was recently able to aquire a Criss Oliva tribute shirt from Ebay (I barely wear it though because it is white and none of my white shirts have escaped ugly permanent stains).