Audio CD review:
Savatage - Dead Winter Dead

Savatage - Dead Winter Dead

Band: Savatage Title: Dead Winter Dead Rating: Release Date: 16 September, 2003 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Overture 2: Sarajevo 3: This Is the Time (1990) 4: I Am 5: Starlight 6: Doesn't Matter Anyway 7: This Isn't What We Meant 8: Mozart and Madness 9: Memory [Dead Winter Dead Intro] 10: Dead Winter Dead 11: One Child 12: Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24) 13: Not What You See

Customer Review A True Masterpiece We got hints of what the O'Neill/Oliva combination was capable of on Streets: A Rock Opera, and what the new Savatage lineup was capable of on Edge of Thorns and Handful of Rain. Savatage's 1995 album Dead Winter Dead is the perfect example of what happens when a band exceeds everyone's already high expectations. Dead Winter Dead is the perfect synthesis of concept, songwriting, and musicianship. It's the kind of album that shows you just what a metal album can aspire to when all of the stars are in perfect alignment. Like Streets, Dead Winter Dead is a concept album, this time about the conflict in Sarajevo. O'Neill and Oliva weave a tale of life and loss, war and peace, while the band (which now featured Al Pitrelli and Chris Caffery on guitars) makes the story come alive. This is easily Savatage's most progressive album to date, as emphasized by everything from the powerful instrumental tracks to the intricate vocal layering. Dead Winter Dead also marks the return of founding member Jon Oliva on vocals. His voice is perfect on those tracks where a little extra aggression is required, and serves as a nice counterpoint to regular (but never ordinary) vocalist Zak Stevens. While the album was extremely strong from start to finish, there are some standout songs that rank among Savatage's best, including the title track, This Isn't What We Meant, One Child, and Not What You See. There really isn't a weak moment on the whole album, and I find that I'm still in awe of Dead Winter Dead more than a decade after its release. Perhaps the most noteworthy aspect of Dead Winter Dead is the song Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24). This heavy metal take on the classic holiday tune was an immediate hit, and launched the enormously successful Trans-Siberian Orchestra project. Dead Winter Dead has not been remastered, but the 2002 SPV reissue does have a few extras that might make you consider replacing your older version. It features 2 additional tracks - One is an acoustic piano version of Alone You Breathe by Jon Oliva that sound so much like a eulogy to his brother Criss that it may just bring a tear to your eye. The other is an acoustic version of Sleep. The real bonus is that the liner notes have been expanded to include several pages of very detailed information about the band during this particular stage of their career. When added to the chapters from the other SPV Savatage reissues, you'll get the real story behind one of the best (and most underrated) metal bands of all time. . You can see a complete list of all Savatage discography, or go back to the Savatage tabs