Live - Final Bell/Ghost in the Ruins
Released December 15, 1995
Recorded 1987 - 1990
Genre Heavy metal
Length 63:51
Label SPV/Steamhammer Records
Producer Paul O'Neill
Tracklist
1. "City Beneath The Surface" – 5:39
2. "24 Hours Ago" – 4:48
3. "Legions" – 5:06
4. "Strange Wings" – 4:01
5. "Gutter Ballet" – 6:14
6. "Temptation Revelation / When The Crowds Are Gone" – 7:10
7. "Of Rage And War" – 4:29
8. "The Dungeons Are Calling" – 4:48
9. "Sirens" – 3:37
10. "Hounds" – 7:20
11. "Intro To Madness (Criss Oliva Guitar Solo)" – 1:13
12. "Hall Of The Mountain King" – 6:38
13. "Post Script" (Instrumental) – 1:42
Track 1 recorded at The Ritz in New York City, 1990
Tracks 2-4 recorded at the Spectrum, Philadelphia, 1988
Track 5 recorded at Los Angeles Palace, 1990
Track 6 recorded at Hollywood Palace, 1990
Tracks 7, 10 & 12 recorded at Lamour, Brooklyn, 1990
Tracks 8-9 recorded at Nassau Coliseum, Long Island, 1988
Track 11 recorded at Agora, Cleveland, 1987
Track 13 recorded during sound check, Hollywood Palace, 1990
Band Line-up
Lead vocals & piano: Jon Oliva
Lead guitars: Criss Oliva
Rhythm guitars: Chris Caffery
Bass guitars: Johnny Lee Middleton
Drums & percussion: Steve Wacholz
The release of
Japan Live '94/Live in Japan, while certainly appreciated by Savatage fans worldwide, nevertheless raised many eyebrows. The band captured on both film and record in that release, while certainly a talented group of musicians, was not the Savatage that many remembered. Criss Oliva's absence was only exacerbated by Alex Skolnick's alteration of the late guitarist's epic solos. There were also considerable issues taken with the setlist, which was, understandably, dominated by songs from the
Edge of Thorns and
Handful of Rain albums, with only a mere four songs to represent the entirety of Savatage's 1983-1991 catalog. And while Zak Stevens' performance was considered excellent, it was never forgotten that Jon Oliva hand sung on seven out of the nine albums that had been released prior to the making of
Japan Live '94/Live in Japan. Yet the Mountain King only lent his vocal prowess to one song on the live album, and even that track had been split with Stevens.
Japan Live '94/Live in Japan was a fine live album in it's own right, but in the eyes of many fans it was far from an adequate concert representation then what Savatage deserved.
Perhaps in anticipation of this apparent omission of the band's classic era from
Japan Live '94/Live in Japan, Savatage had prepared a second live release for late 1995. Ostensibly intended as a tribute to the late Criss Oliva, this second (and to date final) Savatage live album was entitled
Final Bell in Japan, although throughout the West it would bear the moniker
Ghost in the Ruins, thus fulfilling a desire by Criss to have one of the band's albums bear the name that had at one time been proposed for the
Streets record. Ironically, however, the material selected for the release included nothing from the
Streets era at all, and was entirely taken from the band's 1987-88 and 1989-1990 tours for
Hall of the Mountain King and
Gutter Ballet, respectively.
In contrast to
Japan Live '94/Live in Japan, which had captured a band during a difficult period of transitory rosters in the wake Criss Oliva's death, as well as Steve Wacholz's departure and Jon Oliva's adaption of a more supportive role while Zak took over frontman duties,
Final Bell/Ghost in the Ruins would offer a retrospective vision of the band in what many had considered to be the prime of their careers. Jon and Criss Oliva and Steve Wacholz were all back in their traditional roles along side Chris Caffery and Johnny Lee Middleton. Beyond the radically different lineup present on the record, though, there is a noticeably different tone in the performances on
Final Bell/Ghost in the Ruins compared to those on
Japan Live '94/Live in Japan. The band from 1987-90 was much more aggressive and energetic then that from 1994. It must of course be mentioned that this is in part a result of the setlist, as the former featured a much more extensive selection from the band's more metal early days. But even taking into account the presence of songs such as “City Beneath the Surface” and “Legions”, one cannot help but sense an enthusiasm on
Final Bell/Ghost in the Ruins that was simply nonexistent on
Japan Live '94/Live in Japan. The reason for all this excess of youthful energy goes beyond the simple disparity of maturity between the two periods of Savatage, but also to their emotional state. The band in 1987-90 had been in their prime and experiencing their first real commercial success, whereas the band from 1994 was reeling from the loss of a beloved bandmate and was essentially in mourning.
Of course, maturity has benefits of it's own. In particular, the performances on
Japan Live '94/Live in Japan were noticeably more polished and, for want of a better word, more professional. The band on
Final Bell/Ghost in the Ruins, being younger and far more reckless, were less concerned with theatrical presentation then they were with rocking as loud as possible. This is most apparent on the more mellow tracks, especially “Gutter Ballet” and “Temptation Revelation/When the Crowds Are Gone”. The tempo of these songs seems somewhat rushed, possibly as a result of all that excess energy. While this increased pace is a welcome element in songs like “Hall of the Mountain King”, it is something of a detriment to tracks like “Gutter Ballet”, which lacks much of the dramatic build up present on the
Japan Live '94/Live in Japan version.
Obviously, the two main selling points on this record are hearing the Oliva brothers together at the forefront of the band's sound, and it is here that
Final Bell/Ghost in the Ruins really shines. Jon's siren shrieks from the days of yore sound as fresh and awe-inspiring as ever, while Criss' immaculate soloing runs wild all over the album. In particular, both “Hall of the Mountain King” and “Hounds” stand as prime examples of the sheer metal mastery that the Olivas could bring to bear in the live setting. Some impatience on the ballads is easily forgiven in light of the excellence of the heavier cuts. “Hall of the Mountain King” and “Sirens” compares quite favourably to their
Japan Live '94/Live in Japan counterparts, reinforcing the assertion that these songs are best served with Jon Oliva on vocals. With all due respect of Zak, a formidable metal singer in his own right, some Savatage songs were just meant for Jon's voice. For the Criss Oliva fan, there is plenty of shred here to enjoy, but perhaps his finest moments on
Final Bell/Ghost in the Ruins are his two solo spots; his intro to “Hall of the Mountain King”, and “Post Script”, the latter recorded over sound-check and seeing it's first, and only release, here on
Final Bell/Ghost in the Ruins.
One side benefit of
Japan Live '94/Live in Japan and
Final Bell/Ghost in the Ruins being from radically different eras of the band is that there is very little overlap in the setlist, with only “Sirens”, “Hall of the Mountain King” and “Gutter Ballet” appearing on both releases. For those who enjoy all eras of the band, it is entirely possible to compose a setlist combining the best of both release with relatively little left out. In that sense,
Final Bell/Ghost in the Ruins perhaps serves best as a companion as well as a counterpoint to
Japan Live '94/Live in Japan, Savatage's two live releases between them covering almost every possible musical angle of a band with a notably diverse and complex discography. Between the two live albums, Savtage managed perfectly so sum up everything they were prior to
Dead Winter Dead, an album that saw at last the solidification of an entirely new lineup. As the new band forged ahead, they saw fit to pay homage to their previous incarnations and former bandmates with two shining examples of live performance mastery. Personal preference aside, if there are any complaints to be made of Savatage's live releases, it is only that they are so few in number.
Topic: The Savatage Discography - Result and cause... (Read 37315 times)
