Savatage song battle - Final Round

So this has turned out to be a fitting final - two of Savatage's best songs up against each other.

Hall Of The Mountain King vs Gutter Ballet

Gutter Ballet.

It has the better video. I guess that's something to separate two great songs. Better lyrics, too.

Hall Of The Mountain King. Their best song as far as I'm concerned.

Hard decision but I'll have to go with my first Jon Oliva song, Hall.

Hall of the Mountain King. This is where it all began for me on Headbanger's Ball in 1987.

the sentinel wrote:

Hall of the Mountain King. This is where it all began for me on Headbanger's Ball in 1987.

It began with Headbangers Ball for me as well but the song was Edge Of Thorns in 1993. However, Hall was my first Jon song. Even thought the song isn't until the middle of the album, I bought it from a used tape store and started on side two. So Prelude was actually my first Jon song, but since the two always went hand in hand, I consider them together.

DallasBlack wrote:

the sentinel wrote:

Hall of the Mountain King. This is where it all began for me on Headbanger's Ball in 1987.

It began with Headbangers Ball for me as well but the song was Edge Of Thorns in 1993. However, Hall was my first Jon song. Even thought the song isn't until the middle of the album, I bought it from a used tape store and started on side two. So Prelude was actually my first Jon song, but since the two always went hand in hand, I consider them together.

Oh, yeah, Mike, they are inseparable to me as well. When the wife and I saw TSO last December, they played "Prelude" and it was weird not hearing the thunder clap and then Criss' riff to the Hall.

Hall of the Mountain King.

A most immortal song. Decades later and it still sounds fresh. One of the few.

"My friends..."

the sentinel wrote:

DallasBlack wrote:

the sentinel wrote:

Hall of the Mountain King. This is where it all began for me on Headbanger's Ball in 1987.

It began with Headbangers Ball for me as well but the song was Edge Of Thorns in 1993. However, Hall was my first Jon song. Even thought the song isn't until the middle of the album, I bought it from a used tape store and started on side two. So Prelude was actually my first Jon song, but since the two always went hand in hand, I consider them together.

Oh, yeah, Mike, they are inseparable to me as well. When the wife and I saw TSO last December, they played "Prelude" and it was weird not hearing the thunder clap and then Criss' riff to the Hall.

Yes, they must be played together. It just isn't quite right if they're separated.

The toughest thing about the HotMK album--other than the shoddy production--is actually getting to the title track. It's the damndest journey. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE every single song on that album. But no matter what, whenever I throw it on, I get this anxiety while excitedly anticipating Prelude to arrive. I think I need to start listening to it starting at Prelude and the title track, then navigating back to 24 Hours Ago.

I really take my CD listening sessions seriously lol.

corplhicks wrote:

The toughest thing about the HotMK album--other than the shoddy production--is actually getting to the title track. It's the damndest journey. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE every single song on that album. But no matter what, whenever I throw it on, I get this anxiety while excitedly anticipating Prelude to arrive. I think I need to start listening to it starting at Prelude and the title track, then navigating back to 24 Hours Ago.

I really take my CD listening sessions seriously lol.

I don't know why, I guess I didn't look at the tape correctly, but for several years, I thought Prelude was the first song. It wasn't until the upgrade to CD that I realized I had been listening to it the other way. Even to this day, it feels weird listening to it the proper way.

And yes, the production is pretty weak. Even at top volume it isn't very loud.

DallasBlack wrote:

corplhicks wrote:

The toughest thing about the HotMK album--other than the shoddy production--is actually getting to the title track. It's the damndest journey. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE every single song on that album. But no matter what, whenever I throw it on, I get this anxiety while excitedly anticipating Prelude to arrive. I think I need to start listening to it starting at Prelude and the title track, then navigating back to 24 Hours Ago.

I really take my CD listening sessions seriously lol.

I don't know why, I guess I didn't look at the tape correctly, but for several years, I thought Prelude was the first song. It wasn't until the upgrade to CD that I realized I had been listening to it the other way. Even to this day, it feels weird listening to it the proper way.

And yes, the production is pretty weak. Even at top volume it isn't very loud.

You know, you may have been hearing it the best way that whole time. Looking at the track listing, switching sides would make for a wicked experience, ending with Strange Wings. I'm gonna give that a shot later today.

corplhicks wrote:

DallasBlack wrote:

corplhicks wrote:

The toughest thing about the HotMK album--other than the shoddy production--is actually getting to the title track. It's the damndest journey. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE every single song on that album. But no matter what, whenever I throw it on, I get this anxiety while excitedly anticipating Prelude to arrive. I think I need to start listening to it starting at Prelude and the title track, then navigating back to 24 Hours Ago.

I really take my CD listening sessions seriously lol.

I don't know why, I guess I didn't look at the tape correctly, but for several years, I thought Prelude was the first song. It wasn't until the upgrade to CD that I realized I had been listening to it the other way. Even to this day, it feels weird listening to it the proper way.

And yes, the production is pretty weak. Even at top volume it isn't very loud.

You know, you may have been hearing it the best way that whole time. Looking at the track listing, switching sides would make for a wicked experience, ending with Strange Wings. I'm gonna give that a shot later today.

Cool! Yeah, Strange Wings works much better as an album closer than as a mid track IMO.

I'm going to buck the trend and pick Gutter Ballet.

I'm actually more a fan of later Savatage than their earlier style, and as good a song as Hall Of The Mountain King is, Gutter Ballet edges if for me.

But unless there are a flood of votes for Gutter Ballet (which seems unlikely), it looks like Hall will be the winner. I did suspect that would be the case right from the beginning, but I though that Savatage would be an interesting band to do given how their sound changed, and as I hadn't listened to them in a while, this spurred to go back and just enjoy some great music.

And thanks to everyone for taking part!

I always enjoyed this live version, too

I could see the album beginning with Prelude/ Hall and ending with the amazing "Strange Wings" as I feel that songs with an atmosphere or ambience should start off the album. I think we are on to something here:
Turbo starts with "Out In The Cold"
Ram It Down starts with "Blood Red Skies"
Holy Diver switch "Stand Up And Shout" with the Title Track

Hall Of The Mountain King

the sentinel wrote:

I could see the album beginning with Prelude/ Hall and ending with the amazing "Strange Wings" as I feel that songs with an atmosphere or ambience should start off the album.

I tried it out; it kinda works and kinda doesn't. I think the issue is 24 Hours. It is my second favorite track here, but it's a little different from the rest. I think it may be the attitude and the outro or something. So when I hit that track in the middle of the sequence, it's a little jarring.

However, getting the title track out of the way was a magnificent start (god that song never gets old) and made the rest of the album more enjoyable. Getting Devastation a little earlier was nice, that's probably my #3 track, and closing with Strange Wings made for a nice finish with its more commercial vibe. Overall, I'll probably be doing this from now on.