"Savatage Gutter Ballet"

Hard rock. Anthem rock. Heavy rock. A combination of experience, intelligence, and meticulous attention to detail, this is Heavy Anthem Hard Rock. Wave the flag of victory. Wave the flag for the righteous. Wave the flag for Tampa Bay's native sons. All hail and wave your flags for the men of Savatage:

     The music on this disc courses with more intensity than the blood in the veins of an enraged pit bull. It can be beautiful and gentle (as in the acoustic guitar instrumental "Silk and Steel") or vicious and brutal (as in the electric guitar-soaked "The Unholy"). This is a feast waiting to be consumed by the masses; a veritable cornucopia of ear candy. One look at the transcriptions is enough to provoke envy in even the most dedicated guitar student. But hey, let's not get bogged down with all this "heaviness." If you think you know everything about the music of Savatage, you're in for a big surprise.

     One of the first things you'll notice on this release is brother Jon's piano playing. Besides having one of the most distinctive rock voices in the business (a cross between a polished Bon Scott screech and a husky Freddy Mercury wail), he's a fairly accomplished ivory tinkler, offering yet another new dimension to the band's growth and maturity. His piano intros on "Gutter Ballet," "Mentally Yours," and "When the Crowds Are Gone" recall Queen's better majestic rock offerings. I can think of very few bands in this genre that incorporate keyboards so effectively. And coupled with the technical wizardry of guitar terror brother Criss, this lethal combination stalks the jungle like a panther in need of fresh victims - a beauty and danger so enticing that it leaves me in awe. How is such subtle synergy avhieved? As Criss puts it, "It's an understanding; an intuition. I've got my little setup at home and Jon's got his home studio where we lay down our ideas, and then we exchange tapes. Once we get together, I add to what he has and he adds to what I have. Maybe a change here and there. It's a very effective way for us to work together."

     To understand Savatage's duality, one need look no further than the instrumental "Temptation Revelation." The intricate melody is played by both Jon and Criss, and additional keyboards supply sampled orchestral timbres. The result is a balance of sublime beauty and razor-sharp intensity.

     Pay close attention to Criss' Carlos Santana-like searing, soaring solo flights departing throughout. His Charvel-Jackson guitar lifts off from his stack of Marshalls like the NASA Space Shuttle leaving its launching pad.

     Or marvel at the galloping guitars "She's In Love" intro. Don't let the title mislead you - this is full-throttle rock 'n' roll, uptempo and brutal - another tour de force featuring Criss' blazing static guitar solos. Eddie Van Halen's fingers must ache when he hears stuff like this.

     Paul O'Neill, often referred to as the sixth member of the band, returns as the production wizard and inspired co-writer. The man behind the board for other heavies like Aerosmith and Badlands has worked with the cream of the crop. About Criss' guitar heroics, he said, "There is no question in my mind that Criss is the most underrated guitar player in the business today. He just amazes me with the things he consistently comes up with. Besides being so innovative, he's extremely melodic. And he's the first guitar player that I've worked with who uses counterpoint. He's not following any trends. He is a genius."

     Check out Criss' axe work on "Summer's Rain," which contains his favorite solo on the record. "I actually did that solo at four in the morning. Sometimes when you're so tired and you've set yourself on automatic pilot, the track will just click in. You're locked on it and you find yourself all over the fretboard. You're in another dimension."

     But let's not get bogged down with all this rhetoric. It's time to face the music. It's time to take out your guitar. It's time to clear your throat and sing. It's time to rock with Savatage. It's their world - all the pain and ecstacy. You can hear it from cut to cut or within the same song. And if you think this release is a monster, wait until the next one. Criss promises it will be a "mind-blower," maybe even a double record.

     Until then, keep cranking.

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