Rank the Savatage spin-off albums

I'm sure there's been at least a few 'favourite Savatage album' topics here on the board, but since I'm new here, I'll start off something similar, but with a twist. What are your favourite post-Savatage albums, or 'spin-offs' if you like? I'm talking about Jon Oliva's Pain, Circle II Circle and Chris Caffery. You can include Trans-Siberian Orchestra too, I guess, if you like, but I never really got into it so I'll skip it. Oh yeah, and Johnny Lee Middleton has an album coming out, but I didn't hear anything off it.

Anyway, here's how I'd rank them:

1. Jon Oliva's Pain - Global Warning
2. Jon Oliva's Pain - Maniacal Renderings
3. Chris Caffery - Faces
4. Circle II Circle - Burden of Truth
5. Chris Caffery - Pins and Needles
6. Jon Oliva's Pain - 'Tage Mahal
7. Circle II Circle - Delusions of Grandeur
8. Chris Caffery - House of Insanity
9. Circle II Circle - Watching in Silence
10. Circle II Circle - The Middle of Nowhere
11. Chris Caffery - W.A.R.P.E.D.

The last two JOP albums have been absolutely awesome and I think better than quite a few Savatage albums even.

Caffery has been solid, too. I probably shouldn't have ranked House of Insanity yet, since while I do have it on the mp3 player, I barely gave it a listen. I'm actually waiting for the CD release so I can get into it 100% and play it on the hifi and all. As for Warped, it kind of suffers from the fact I originally picked up the 2 disc version of Faces with 'God Damn War', so WARPED didn't really have all that many original tracks. I ended up not liking it that much. This is really a very biased, personal list, instead of a definitive ranking based on quality.

About Circle II Circle - they've had a very good run, too, but does anyone think Zak Stevens actually sounded a lot better when he was still singing with Savatage? I mean, where's the vocal delivery we heard on He Carves His Stone, for instance? The musicianship is awesome though - and there are some real good tracks scattered around those CIIC albums. Especially Burden of Truth is excellent, every track is a highlight. The Pantera worship is also kind of funny. See 'Sentenced' from Burden of Truth - Cemetary Gates, anyone? How about that riff from "Cynical Ride" off of Middle of Nowhere - Cowboys from Hell?

Looking forward in seeing what you guys think. House of Insanity will for sure go up or down from where I ranked it now. But the ranking is all for fun anyway, so don't into it too much. I'm just more interested in seeing what's your favourite album and hearing your thoughts on the compared successes of Savatage band members gone solo.

JOP is my favorite.

Others had this to say:

http://www.heartofmetal.net/heart-of-metal-f1/fave-savatage-offshoot-t8391.htm

Doctor Butcher > Everything else.

Havent heard any post-sava material besides TSO so I can't really say...

Yeah, I didn't see that thread. I saw two with favourite Savatage albums. I'm reading it now though.

Someone mentioned Doctor Butcher. Yes, I'd definitely rank that Doctor Butcher album higher than anything I listed here, but I was more like thinking of post-Savatage projects. Would love to get another Butcher album though. That was a spectacular CD.

I think Circle II Circle blows them all away. Can't quite rate them individually, though, so: Circle II Circle > JOP > Chris Caffery.

Jon Oliva albums go first
then Doctor Butcher
Circle 2 circle
TSO
But I can't get into Criss, I even have 2 cd's from him, and don't listen to them

I could never really get in to Circle II Circle for some reason. Love JOP though, and some of Caffery's stuff is pretty awesome. Still need to check out Doctor Butcher, though.

I like both Jon Oliva's Pain and Circle II Circle - especially "The Middle Of Nowhere" is a great CD! Doctor Butcher is also made of awesome.

Smindas wrote:

I could never really get in to Circle II Circle for some reason. Love JOP though, and some of Caffery's stuff is pretty awesome. Still need to check out Doctor Butcher, though.

You are going to love Doctor Butcher, it is heavier than savatage stuff, it reminds me to the early albums from savatage but heavier

If Criss Oliva lived and released a solo album it would kill everything else but out of the choices Dr Butcher by far.

Fat Freddy wrote:

Doctor Butcher > Everything else.

I'm sure he would've ranked that one pretty high if he knew about it

So is the new Chris album out on CD yet?

kmorg wrote:

So is the new Chris album out on CD yet?

You mean "House Of Insanity"? If yes I think it is recorded but not out yet. At least I have not seen it.

Zdan wrote:

kmorg wrote:

So is the new Chris album out on CD yet?

You mean "House Of Insanity"? If yes I think it is recorded but not out yet. At least I have not seen it.

I know he released it for downloading, but the CD version was to come out later.

It was originally supposed to be released in February but got postponed. Apparently he wants major retailers to get it (I don't know if the original plan for the physical copies of the album was to have a small scale release only), so I guess it takes more time to either press more copies or negotiate the details.

I find myself checking his MySpace, website and board almost daily for updates.

I hope for a good CD. His solo records have been stellar so far and he obviously has BIG songwriting skills. I hope for the best and I am interested in that Bob Marley cover.

JOP slightly edges out Circle II Circle.