|
|
|
|
Savatage has been rather quiet since the release of the stellar album "Poets And Madmen" in 2001 but all along main man and founding member Jon Oliva has been working on new material. A bunch of these songs that he didn't see fit to bear the Savatage banner are now being presented in the form of Jon Oliva's Pain. Joining him in his new band are guitarist Matt LaPorte, bass player Kevin Rothney, keyboarder John Zahner and drummer Christopher Kinder, all who were previously in former Savatage vocalist Zachary Stevens' new band Circle II Circle but who seemingly left to join Jon Oliva instead. Naturally, this album sounds similar to Savatage as Jon Oliva is the sole songwriter but in several aspects it also differs from the traditional Savatage sound. The symphonic parts are less protruding and evident and the songs are generally slower, slightly darker and less upbeat than usual. Sadness is a frequently returning feeling on this album and perhaps it has some relation to the fact that Jon Oliva decided to choose the title "Tage Mahal" which was also the title his brother Criss had chosen for the instrumental solo album he was planning at the time of his tragic death in 1993.
"Tage Mahal" features some pretty impressive solo guitar work from Matt LaPorte but it also has quite a lot of a "left-over Savatage material" feeling that I just can't get rid of. The only thing that really sticks like glue is the highly emotional intro to "Walk Alone" which is quite strange to me as I am not exactly a big fan of hard rock ballads. Most Savatage releases has a few songs that lift the album above an average standard but that is what is lacking here. Awaiting a new Savatage release most big fans will probably buy this one no matter what but I can't help but wonder if "Tage Mahal" comes from a desire to release material unfit for the main band or if Mr. Oliva has simply not been able or had a strong enough will and ambition to come up with good enough songs for a new Savatage album? "Tage Mahal" is not bad at all and works well as background music but you tend to lose interest quite often with the exception of the very heavy track "No Escape" which is one of the unfortunately few sparkling highlights and that is not very convincing as there is over an hour of music here.
| Tracklist |
| 1. The Dark |
| 2. People Say - Gimme Some Hell |
| 3. Guardian Of Forever |
| 4. Slipping Away |
| 5. Walk Alone |
| 6. The Non Sensible Ravings Of |
| The Lunatic Mind |
| 7. No Escape |
| 8. Father, Son, Holy Ghost |
| 9. All The Time |
| 10. Nowhere To Run |
| 11. Pain |
| 12. Outside The Door |
| 13. Fly Away |
: 62.37
| Buy other Jon Oliva's Pain albums |
