RICKS ROCK REVIEW #5 SAVATAGE - Streets: A Rock Opera (1991) JON OLIVA - Vocals/Keyboards CRISS OLIVA - Guitars JOHNNY LEE MIDDLETON - Bass STEVE WACHOLZ - Drums ROBERT KINKEL - Additional Keyboards Produced by PAUL ONEILL What can I say when I write a review of my favourite band of all time (While guitarist Criss Oliva was alive RIP 1963-1993)....u just know it is going to get a high rating from me..!! Coming off more progressive musical shift that was expressed in Gutter Ballet, Savatage takes the final step, and embraces in a full-on rock opera, entailing the tumultuous journey of a guitar prodigy named D.T Jesus. While the 80s power metal inclinations are still completely intact in several songs, the band clearly takes liberties with several unmetal tracks. Songwriting has always been a strong suit of the band, and this is Savatage at their best. The riffs are incisive, pounding the anger and vitriol of the mood in every chord. The solos are breathtaking as Criss Oliva skewers some of the most memorable and heart-wrenching ever put to record. Every song demands your absolute attention, and Jon Oliva gives a vocal performance of his life. Every note, he sings from the bottom of his heart. Jon Oliva isnt just vocalizing the part of D.T Jesus......... He IS D.T Jesus. The album starts with a haunting keyboard tickle, while you hear memories of children playing in the background as Jon Oliva sings.....AS DARKNESS FALLS, SO HAAAAAAARD....COOOME AND PLAAAAAAAY.....and then the full controlled and composed power of Savatage is unleashed as the mighty CRISS OLIVA soars with his guitar as he does so often, basically saying WELCOME.....and JON OLIVA does indeed start his evil warning....... WELCOME...CHILDREN....FROM THE OTHER SIDE.....mindblowing....!! While all the tracks are spectacular, it would be an injustice not to give special mention to the finale, Believe. Simply put, its the most amazing, incredible, [insert your own exclamatory adjective here], conclusion to any album I have ever heard. Starting off with Jon Oliva and brooding piano chords, the song builds as a guitar riff enters, and Oliva sings one of the most emotional verses ever, the inspiring lyrics lifting your own soul with every word. Criss then enters with a crushingly melodic solo that is,note for note, just perfect, before it runs through the chorus once more and ends. I could babble on and on about the greatness of the song, but it simply wouldnt do it any justice. The album starts powerfully and ends off nuclear . Very rarely do you come across an album so momentous, so emotional, so hard hitting, that it leaves you with an empty feeling after every listen. Streets is that type of album. It’s simply a masterpiece of grand proportions, and like wine, only gets finer with age. It will, without a doubt, always have a place in my heart. I couldn’t recommend this CD enough, so if you havent already, go out and buy this album. If you dont, youll be missing out on some of the most beautiful music ever created. Its your call. Music does not get much better than this...!! In My top 3 albums of all time...!! Ricks Rock Review Rating....10/10
Posted on: Sat, 03 Jan 2015 17:18:55 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015