Savatage
Poets And Madman

The eleventh studio album by Savatage is without doubt one of the most discussed in their history. Masterpiece or total flop? Simple answer... neither! In fact, the album in question is a perfect middle ground among all their most recent works. We are light years away from the masterpieces that all their fans know such as "Streets," "Gutter Ballet," "Hall Of The Mountain King," etc. But we are quite close to the sound that characterized their latest albums like "Dead Winter Dead," "The Wake Of Magellan."

Let’s be clear, from a compositional point of view, the above-mentioned albums are undoubtedly more substantial, but the common points are different. First and foremost, this album is also a concept like all Sava albums since "Streets." The story tells of three young people entering an abandoned asylum, "to escape," but they feel that something is hiding in the shadows, something is lurking around the corner. In the asylum, a poet who has gone mad and no longer recognizes even himself is indeed trapped. Another strong point is undoubtedly the use of Jon Oliva’s magical piano, which most often serves as an introduction.

As for the lineup, we certainly have many surprises, one of which is sensational in my opinion. In fact, singer Zachary Stevens leaves the group citing exhaustion from the grueling tours and wanting to spend more time with his family. The most unexpected news is certainly that which confirms the "mountain king" Jon Oliva taking on the role of vocalist! This is the first album since "Streets" where he sings all the songs. Indeed, in the later albums, Zak Stevens was always the singer except for some occasional appearances by Jon. The problem is Jon's voice, which is no longer the warm, enveloping, and compelling one of the past. But it was known, it was inevitable, because Jon used his voice to the limit, straining his vocal cords, and not only that, Jon had problems with alcohol and drugs, risking losing his voice completely.

But let's start talking about the album in question. The first track, we begin with "Stay With Me Awhile", a song very suitable for the role of opener in my opinion, as it best outlines the subsequent trend of the album. Indeed, the song opens with a very beautiful piano intro and Jon’s voice almost whispering before becoming tense in the chorus. Result: a very respectable song. The second track "There In The Silence" is opened by a lightning-fast guitar and piano riff. Simply chilling! And here is where Jon's voice brings us into the story, the young people have entered the asylum, but there is something in the air, something is not certain... something is lurking around the corner.
The first two technically very good tracks have nothing to do with the third, "Commissar", the first gem of the album, very engaging and evocative of Savatage's old times, Jon seems very comfortable in this piece, and the role of the madman talking to an imaginary policeman works very well for him. Guitarist Chris Caffery delivers an excellent performance here, as does the whole band, indeed offering solos of the best Criss Oliva without making us miss him too much. The next two tracks "I Seek Power" and "Drive" are nostalgic for old fans like me. They indeed reclaim the rocky and granitic riffs of the past, especially from the first two albums, "Sirens" and "The Dungeons Are Calling." Essentially, they are two beautiful and not boring tracks that work very well as a bridge halfway through the album. And here we are at the masterpiece of the album "Morphine Child", which I continue to consider the third most beautiful song by Savatage after "Gutter Ballet" and "When The Crowds Are Gone". Simply incredible, it is practically a summary of what Savatage have been, are, and will be. There is truly everything. The beginning with the semi-acoustic guitar is splendid and spine-chilling. Then Jon sings progressively, starts slowly then accelerates slightly, explodes in the chorus, and then the cycle starts again. The song ends with an incredible 4-voice overlap, which very much reminds me of the intricate "Chance" present on "Handful Of Rain." All of this after a full 10 minutes of song! The following track would have been the third gem of the album if Zak had sung it! Because Jon seems uncomfortable, (to be honest, from here on Jon will appear quite awkward in the interpretation, also because, as he said at the time of the album release, "many tracks were written for Zak, not for me, so in some I will not be at my best." Indeed, here Jon offers a slightly below par performance, but his companions offer an excellent performance in my opinion (Chris Caffery's solo in the central part is splendid). In the eighth track, "Man In The Mirror", Jon returns to his ease in the role of the madman looking in the mirror not recognizing himself anymore and continuing to ask himself questions about himself and why he ended up in that place undergoing undeserved punishment, in the chorus Jon offers us a splendid screaming from the old times screaming "The man in the mirror is meeeeeeeeeeee!". The next two pieces "Surrender" and "Awaken" are, in my opinion, two slightly boring pieces lacking bite, absolutely not up to the previous ones. In these two pieces, Jon sings terribly (I hate to admit it but alas, it is so), it is too evident that these tracks are not for him but for Zak, unfortunately absent. The last track "Back To A Reason" is a sweet and engaging track, (these tracks are Jon’s specialty) the piano is very much used and acts as a guide for the other band members, the bass line in the central part is very beautiful, performed by the old Johnny Lee Middleton.

The album is finished, it's time to add things up. In conclusion, "Poets And Madman" is a more than good album that could have been much better with a few more "ingredients." These ingredients are undoubtedly, as I have already said, the presence of Zak who would have sung the tracks suited to him, or perhaps would have dueted with Jon on some track, and then the biggest absence, that of the legendary Criss Oliva, a performer of, in my opinion, incredible performances in the albums where he was present. But what's done is done, there's no use crying over spilled milk!

Criss R.I.P.