Hall of the Mountain King

A long time ago, there was a period of many years when Rock Hard in Germany hyped Savatage ad nauseam. Until then I thought the combo was okay, but this media darling existence made me dislike them. From today's point of view, my desire for opposition was perhaps a little exaggerated, but I can't claim that the band distinguished itself through any particular feats of brilliance.

This does not mean that there are absolutely no moments of brilliance on “Hall of the Mountain King”. The variable opener shows bulky, slightly progressive, very memorable riffs, a remarkable chorus and a proper dose of force. Things even get better with “Beyond the Doors of the Dark”. Jon Oliva is in top form, there are no (high-pitched) screams which miss their effect, and the clearly defined guitar work explains the essence of the power metal genre in a matter of minutes. Needless to say that the neckbreak chorus hits the mark impressively. But…

...unfortunately, Savatage are not able to keep this quality level. Thank God, the cheesy “Strange Ways” with its kitschy, radio-friendly vibes, remains an exception. This track is only recommended to metal masochists. Yes, the metal history knows even much worse songs, but this overly clear aiming for commercial success is - as always - an attack on the rebellious core of metal. The affected exhaling (“Aaah”) during the verses alone annoys me. I accept that the song does not totally fall victim to the mainstream, there is at least a little dose of metal / hard rock in it. Nevertheless, it is the acoustic equivalent to the softly drawn faces of the musicians on the back cover of the vinyl.

Am I the only one who thinks the mix sounds dull? Moreover, it lacks edges and corners. This is neither a high-gloss production nor a noisy experience that hurts the ears of occasional listeners. The extra-class of Jon Oliva is identifiable, but that’s it. And by the way, why did the band refer to Grieg? I am naive, but I think that the creation of something (more or less) new is a higher artistic challenge than picking up an old theme. Regardless of this, the title track marks a great, majesty composition (if we ignore the short section with the “a” - “a” - “a” screams of Jon) and makes much more sense than the Grieg-copying “Prelude to Madness”. Certainly, this naming is a hidden act of irony. Believe me, there is absolutely no mad element on this album, but a lot of controlled, thoroughly defined rhythms. No, I don’t say that we enter a lifeless surrounding here, but the album is not so far away from sterility.

There are some songs I did not mention so far. In short: they are acceptable, but neither the slowly rolling “Legions” nor the comparatively fast “White Witch” grab me by the dirty collar. Thus, I do not understand the enthusiasm of many reviewers concerning “Hall of the Mountain King”. But okay, tastes differ and please keep in mind that this kind of metal is generally not my favourite style. So maybe the Rock Hard was right? Okay, then I greet you from the opposition.

Let me get something off my chest right away: by no means am I a huge Savatage fan. I enjoy plenty of their early stuff, but even back in the 80’s the band wasn’t exactly a force to reckon with. That’s not to say that this group couldn’t write great songs, but when we talk about great album…Savatage just don’t come to mind. Fight for Rock was the band's first album to hint disaster, but fortunately the band got back on the right track one year later.

Of course, Savatage were mainly about the Oliva brothers and just like on most of the band’s early stuff, the performances are fine for what they are. Jon Oliva has always been more of a rough-throated screamer who had his obvious limitations and Criss Oliva has always been more of a fancy shredder than a top notch riff writer to me. But hey, credit is given where credit is due, wouldn’t you say so? Jon Oliva’s getting somewhat more neurotic once he attempts to scream higher than he perhaps should, but his tone is still appealing enough – sounding like a maniacal storyteller who hasn’t seen the light of day since decades. His brother, Criss Oliva has the fortune of equipping himself with a sonorous guitar tone and it does wonders! It’s so weighty that it even makes the most static chugs turn into heavy-load of palm muted riffs, yet Criss has rarely been a one trick pony and it shows. ‘’Strange Wings’’ almost kicks off with an accessible rock riff, not unlike that of Scorpions’ ‘’Rock You Like a Hurricane’’ and the vibrant, yet galloping stomp of ‘’Devastation’’ sounds like an Iron Maiden/Black Sabbath hybrid. Oh and who could forget that raw riff opening of ‘’The Price You Pay’’? I can’t be the only one who thinks that it sounds like one of those slow-cutting riffs that you’d expect out of early Varathron. Who knew that Greek black metal owed a thing to Savatage?

So, Hall of the Mountain King sees the band getting back in touch with their earlier, metallic identity. Stylistically speaking I’d almost argue that this album sounds like a spiritual successor to The Dungeons Are Calling in terms of epic grandeur and songs that tell a story (not to be confused with anything from the horrible opera called Streets). The addition of acoustic guitars and keys were nothing new for Savatage, but yet again, the band knew how to incorporate these tastefully into their music. I envision a foreboding realm that resides underground and if you think that my imagination is getting ahead, the title track would surely make you think otherwise. With its hauntingly beautiful riffs and blizzard leads, it’s easily my favorite of Hall of the Mountain King. The aptly titled ‘’Beyond the Doors of the Dark’’ is another great song and it opens up with Jon Oliva crooning over some antique acoustic passage before reaching out for his throaty yells underneath his brother’s onslaught of rough-crafted riffing. ‘’Devastation’’ makes a killer finale and somewhat feels like a logical successor to ‘’Midas Knight’’ from The Dungeons Are Calling. It’s an apocalyptic tune that’s as much about Jon Oliva’s sense of imagination as it is about Criss Oliva’s ferocious guitar chops.

As usual, there’s some lesser special material on the record, but I wouldn’t expect anything else of Savatage. ‘’Strange Wings’’ was one of the singles and sounds out of place on Hall of the Mountain King. With a lightweight rock riff that alternates with some elegant acoustic passages and a welcoming vocal duet circa its chorus, it's not too impressive stuff, even if I enjoy hearing how Jon Oliva’s ugly screams contrast with Ray Gillen’s angelic soars. ‘’White Witch’’ is one of those been-there-done-that speed metal songs that Savatage had a thing for and I think it stinks. Criss Oliva was at his best at playing weightier riffs that sounded resonant and left an impression behind. Unfortunately, his speedy riffs sound far too unimaginable here. I also don’t get the appeal of ‘’Prelude to Madness’’ - perhaps these classical-inspired instrumentals were special in the 80’s, but to me Hall of the Mountain King doesn't benefits from it.

Hall of the Mountain King doesn’t fall into the classic category in my book, but when all is said and done, it's a fine example of atmospheric power metal that also happens to be one of Savatage's better records.

This review was originally written for antichristmagazine.com

Savatage is a classic American progressive/power metal band which possess what I believe is their finest work and a great image to the genre of power metal, in terms of the fiction in the themes it presents, with Hall of the Mountain King. While I was never a fan of power metal, this album strikes me with awesome, heavy and shredding guitar riffs, Jon Oliva’s insane vocal range, groovy bass lines, and fantastic drum work. The record itself is pretty balanced between all the instruments, while it's perfectly mixed.

Just by listening to that awesome intro in 24 Hrs. Ago, it blew me away! Empowering guitar riffs and Jon’s operatic screaming delivered one massive song. Songs like Legions and Strange Wings offer excellent rhythm work and beautiful melodies from both the guitars and vocals. Everything’s combined in the title track, when not only it’s the longest song on the album, but it features fantastic work from the band that encompasses melodies and Jon ranging from his lows to his highs in almost a dramatic way. There's a music video for the title track, too.

People should recognize the instrumentation in Prelude to Madness, which the band impressively executed. Even the short Last Dawn was melodically atmospheric. But these two instrumental tracks didn’t interest me that much. The rest of the songs were also not that great, compared to 24 Hrs. Ago, Legions, Strange Wings, and the title track. Sounds to me like these songs took some bits from the aforementioned liked four songs, instead of coming up with something even fresher...

I honestly picked this album just to find out what would I like, though there’s no denying that it’s a solid power metal record. It’s very enjoyable to listen - in every sense of the word. It’s energetic, catchy, on point, and obviously would be a perfect pick for anyone who’s interested in the band or similar bands in style because they know how to deliver a record. Hail to the Great King remained a classic.

Depending on the era, Savatage is either the most classy of the first generation US power metal bands or the vehicle for producer Paul O’Neill’s rock opera ambitions. The first album O’Neill produced for the Floridians, however, screams eighties power metal. Often literally. Everything worthwhile about American heavy metal in the eighties can be heard here. Jon Oliva combines high-pitched screams with raw, surprisingly theatrical vocals which fits the dramatic progressions of the music and the at times overblown lyrics perfectly. If you want to know what Savatage originally was all about, ‘Hall Of The Mountain King’ is your record.

In retrospective interviews, O’Neill often pointed out that Savatage needed to be re-established as a heavy metal band before they could move forward. The band had just been pressured into pandering to the commercial rock market with the staggeringly weak ‘Fight For The Rock’ a year prior. It would not be their commercial breakthrough and alienated their fan base. ‘Hall Of The Mountain King’, by contrast, sounds like a more refined ‘Sirens’ or ‘The Dungeons Are Calling’. Criss Oliva’s Judas Priest-ish riff work and wild, mildly neoclassical soloing is all over the record, as are brother’s characteristic vocal histrionics.

Sure, the first seeds of O’Neill’s bombastic vision are sown here in the shape of ‘Prelude To Madness’, which features Criss Oliva interpreting the song from Grieg’s Peer Gynt suite that would eventually become the album title, but the majority of ‘Hall Of The Mountain King’ is classic heavy metal. The title track in particular is about as perfect as USPM can get. Even past the standard talking points – Jon Oliva’s evil laughter and impassioned shrieks – there is still plenty to love. The main riff is perfect, as is the one in the middle section before the guitar solo and as heavy as it is, it’s also catchy as the flu.

Aside from that eternal classic, there is a lot to enjoy on ‘Hall Of The Mountain King’. Personally, I really like the idea of a jamming metal band on the end of ’24 Hrs. Ago’, especially after the tight aggression of the first half. ‘Legions’ is an easy to shout along midtempo metal anthem with some awesome riffing and the fast and aggressive ‘White Witch’ is borderline thrash. There are subtle shades of experimentalism here and there that make the songs just a tad better than the highlights on ‘Sirens’. The piano backing the main riff on ‘Devastation’ for instance, is almost unheard, but does give the whole thing an almost gothic vibe. The same goes for the keys on the dark monster ‘Beyond The Doors Of The Dark’.

Even during its most poppy moment, ‘Hall Of The Mountain King’ convinces. The highly melodic ‘Strange Wings’ is a duet between Jon Oliva and Ray Gillen of Badlands and Black Sabbath fame. At first it may seem like Gillen was only brought in for the harmonies in the chorus, but his acrobatics in the climax are incredible. Combine these factors and you have a heavy metal record that is equal parts elegant, aggressive and memorable. It’s also relatively progressive at times, though it may seem a little primitive compared to what would follow with ‘Gutter Ballet’ (1989) and afterward. It is certainly some of the most well-written primitive stuff, however.

Recommended tracks: ‘Hall Of The Mountain King’, ‘Legions’, ‘Beyond The Doors Of The Dark, ‘Strange Wings’

Originally written for my Kevy Metal weblog

When it comes to metal, not just power metal, “Hall of the Mountain King” has to be one of the shining moments in metal history. There’s no doubt in my mind that this particular album is one of those landmark albums that helped shape my mind to the world of metal as I know it and if I had to guess, you might feel that way as well. Aside from being Savatage’s magnum opus, this album epitomizes what it means putting your heart and soul into an album. They say, you only get out what you put in. Well, it won’t take long to realize that the guys from Savatage put every ounce of their metal souls into this album, as the output is simply a masterpiece.

First and foremost, this is far and away, the best vocal performance of Jon Oliva’s career. I’ve enjoyed every piece of work of his, be it Savatage, his solo work or even TSO, but nothing will ever live up to “Hall of the Mountain King.” His trademark wails and shrieks once again, share center stage as the driving force of this album. Now, if you’ve listened to Savatage, this is nothing new, but the amount of emotion and passion Oliva poured into his vocals on this album can truly be heard as he belts out his haunting shrieks on “Hall of the Mountain King”. Of course, Jon’s vocal range is very diverse and there is seemingly no limit to his ability. Whether it’s clean singing, deeper raspy vocals or his harsh shouts, his voice sounds perfectly in tune with the atmosphere of the album; dark, dynamic and powerful.

I mentioned that Jon’s vocals shared the spotlight as the driving force. That is because the second of this two headed giant of power metal brilliance belongs to his brother, Criss’ guitar work. Now, I have mentioned Criss Oliva’s magnificent guitar work before, so I won’t heap too much praise that I have for this man’s ability. Criss plays a wide variety of riffs that are simply exuberant, creating a powerful and robust sound, but also maintains a melodic touch that gives each song its own unique characteristic. The guitar tone set on this album is what I would say, the purest definition of heavy metal. It’s a sound that energizes its listener and captivates your attention while sticking with you long after you listen. The solos on “Hall of the Mountain King” erupt with such fluidity and power, yet are not simply bouts of shredding madness. Yes, there are some speedy solos, but others rely on tempo shifts and melodic sounding chords that help showcase both Criss’ songwriting and ability to wield his axe.

I’ll admit, that due to the Oliva’s musical magical they share, that Doc Wacholz’s drums can almost seem lost within such majesty. That may hold true on many Savatage albums, but on “Hall of the Mountain King” they are just as magical and every part as important to the overall sound. The pounding on the titular track sets the tone of the song, establishing a forceful rhythm and energetic pulse that accentuates the Oliva magic. The same can be said for the bass, which is given more than enough spotlight to showcase it’s heavy, yet playful grooves (see the opening of “Legions”), while the keyboards and pianos help create an enchanting sound that only adds to the already mythological atmosphere of the album.

From start to finish, “Hall of the Mountain King is a Tour de Force. Each song carries it own story, one that adds an additional layer to the album as a whole. From the Iron Maiden sounding “Devastation” to the speed metal laced “White Witch” and the cover of Edvard Grieg's "Prelude to Madness". Everything, from the songwriting, musicianship, producing, mastering, hell even the cover art is top notch. When you excel at every facet of creativity, you produced an album such as “Hall of the Mountain King” and you produce one of the pinnacles of heavy metal history.

Highlights: “Hall of the Mountain King” “White Witch” “Beyond the Doors of the Dark” “The Price You Pay”

Into the Abyss of Oblivion

If you don't know who Edvard Grieg is, then quite frankly after listening to this album, you're probably still not going to know because you'll be circling back round to play '24 Hrs. Ago' again. The Norwegian composer, for whose piece the album is named, might have got a bit of free publicity back in '87 (although it's a shame he had been dead for 80 years), but nothing is going to take away from one of the finest hours of US heavy metal. The inimitable style of Savatage is stamped all over the 10 cuts from this release, happily sounding like few others back in the day and still having barely any competition in the same realm. You can pretend all you like that this sounds like Metal Church or Helstar or Virgin Steele, yet there's no band who ever managed quite such a provocative strut as this Floridian four-piece, nor another group who have ever managed to make mid-piece feel totally frantic.

I've already poured jizz all over my review for Sirens, so I'll try to stick to the facts. Criss Oliva, who had already turned in some intoxicating riffs earlier in the band's career, here proves that his touch for memorable, exciting, and unique solos far outclasses almost every other guitarist of the time, a fact made all the more obvious by opening his inventory 16 seconds into the opener and bringing that song to godlike levels of drama and resonance. The riffs remain the trademark lurch, brooding wonderfully in low, sexy fashion, while also ensuring that the listener has hooks to hang onto. The rhythm players don't have so much time in the spotlight, but the maintenance of that impulsive groove is their real triumph, supporting the two lead men in terrific style. The other of those lead men is Jon Oliva, who doesn't do anything quite as insanely brilliant as his shrieks on 'Sirens', though sings in a high register with more than a hint of visceral energy on 'Beyond the Doors of the Dark' and the title track, a performance made increasingly vibrant by the frequent use of vocal double-tracking.

The reason why Beyond the Hall of the Mountain King is such a great album is because - aside from Criss Oliva - none of the members are technically brilliant yet don't let that hold them back from ripping into most of the songs like their lives depend on it. There's very little wasted time in the likes of 'White Witch' and 'The Price You Pay', while even the longer songs don't seem to have a dispensable moment. The balance is mildly upset by 'Strange Wings', which is more power ballad than power metal (though the guitar tone is still pretty ballsy), allowing the energy and drive of the other songs to fall just as 'Legions' was beginning to let the foot off the gas. That means that the middle part of the album, including the introduction to 'Prelude to Madness' represents the greatest period of downtime; however, with a 40 minute runtime, that spot does prove the most vulnerable even if 'Prelude to Madness' climaxes in a second half that is an astounding neo-classical redo of Grieg's original theme. The close of the album is likewise a tad off the boil, 'Devastation' sounding for the first time like someone else (it's Iron Maiden) and the brief 'Last Dawn' feeling a rather unnecessary addition.

Now comes a brief moment of self-gratification where I say how wonderful everything else is, so if you are wary of graphic content look away now. There are three absolutely monolithic riffs in this album, the earthquaking opening of '24 Hrs. Ago', the barnstorming verse of 'Beyond the Doors of the Dark', and the simply unforgettable hook to the title track. It doesn't matter that Savatage repeat the shit out of the latter because you will never get tired of hearing it and I would suggest you give it about 20 listens before writing to me in agreement. The way that the Oliva brothers take it in turns to amaze is very useful too, vocals getting the upper hand on the slower 'The Price You Pay' and 'Legions', while 'Beyond the Doors of the Dark' and 'Prelude to Madness' are dominated by guitars. The real genius, of course, is when they both go at it hammer and tong, which is when they pull out the electric songs that make this an essential release. Honestly, the excellence of the two openers and the 'Hall of the Mountain King' sequence make everything else look a bit naff by comparison, regardless of the fact that it isn't the case.

If you've never heard Savatage before, I would advise you to listen to the first minute of this album to see if you'd be interested (you would), though I reckon that Sirens slightly gets first place by virtue of better consistency and album structuring. However, there are several songs here that show the absolute best of what the US had to offer in the '80s (yes, including all those bands) and would probably make it into the time capsule thing that we're supposed to send aliens to tell them about our culture. The aliens might be worried but, whatever, we'll teach them how to headbang at the very least.

Looking back at the career of Savatage up to this point, the release of the Hall Of The Mountain King may come as a surprise. After their first two releases the band showed some certain commercial proclivities both in Power of the Night and, more clearly, in Fight For The Rock. And then came this here masterpiece, Savatage's finest hour, an album that brought back the darkness and rawness that characterized their earlier works. Listening to this, I always thought that it could be the logical continuation of The Dungeons Are Calling. It evokes the same kind of atmosphere but the songwriting is more mature and more diverse. In addition, here someone can hear these fine musicians in the top of their form. Each member of the band stands out in his respective field, we're talking about top notch musicianship. Moreover, anyone who'd want to talk/write about this album, couldn't do without mentioning Paul O'Neill. This was the first Savatage album that involved him as a producer and that definitely played its role in the sound of this album and of course the future of the band. Say what you will about O'Neill, the man surely had his share of faults but his was a visionary and he knew how to do his job expertly. Anyway, this isn't the place to analyse the whole Savatage career, so I'm dropping this thing now and I'll focus on the album.

What we have here is the perfect example of heavy/power metal. This is how you get it done. The album kicks in with "24 Hours Ago" and takes no prisoners. A delicious, crunchy riff by Criss Oliva takes you by surprise and the deed is done, you are captured in the dungeons of the mountain king for the next fourty minutes. First things first, I have to confess that Criss Oliva is my favorite metal guitarist and, along with Mark Reale, he is the most underrated, skilled, inventive guitar player in this thing we call "heavy metal". His guitar sound is instantly recognizable, he can solo like no other and writes riffs that stuck in your head forever. Here he puts perhaps his best performance. The guitar tone is insane, it is a combination of power and feeling of unparalleled intensity, the damned guitars sound alive! The perfect example is "Legions". A murky, vicious, groovy riff drives the song before it erupts in a solo that is destined to own you forever and ever. I can't properly describe what Criss is playing here, it's one great mystery; he truly stands in the top alone. Ok, ok, he has a handful of worthy companions, don't shoot. Mind you, despite me being a fanboy and all, I firmly believe that I'm talking objectively here and when I say that Oliva's playing is something special to grace your ears, I really mean it.

Of course, Criss is only one part of the equation. His brother delivers a stellar performance behind the mic and he is the most significant factor as to the brooding atmosphere this album emits. Hall of the Mountain King takes you for a ride in a land where darkness and madness reign, and John is the perfect guide for this trip. His voice is impressive and he can use it to bestow nightmares upon any unsuspected listener. His vocals range from threatening, infernal shrieks and deranged, raspy, hoarse curses to high pitched screams brimming with emotion. For instance, listen to the classic self titled song of the album, a manic power metal assault that features Oliva at his best. It doesn't take long to understand that you hear an insane, unbalanced king governing a rather hostile realm and not some typical human being singing a typical song. But that's just one side of his Majesty and like all Jekyll and Hyde characters, Oliva is also extremely capable of displaying highly emotive performances. "Strange Wings" and "The Price You Pay" prove just that. They are both the "tamer" pieces of the record, with incredible hard rocking leads and more personal, intimate words. Here, John showcases his versatility as a singer and reveals us his human side, sharing his pain and wisdom. I'll always have a soft spot for "Strange Wings", which is as simple, and catchy, as it gets but it is executed so passionately that it breaks me every time; plus the climax is otherwordly and, to top it off, Ray Gillen shares the microphone with John at the end, something that takes the song to a whole other level, resulting in what I'd characterize as a profound experience.

Last but not least the rhythm section. Middleton is delivering the goods, the bass is audible, you can hear heavy, tasty licks in every song. He never disappoints but here he provides something more. The sweet bass solo in the intro of "Legions", the groovy and playful breakdown in "24 Hours Ago", it is obvious that the bass isn't just decorative. Combine this with the powerhouse behind the drum kit, aka Steve Wacholz, and you have yourself a fine example as to how a rhythm section should function in a band. Creative playing, with power and imagination. That is something that sadly many metal bands lack, it's kind of rare to find a rhythm section that provides something beyond the basic stuff. There are of course many bassists and drummers that stand out on their own but only rarely you'll stumble upon a tight combination of those two. Here you have two very good musicians and the chemistry between them works wonders and that is apparent in each track of Hall Of The Mountain King.

All things considered, what we have here is US metal at its finest, truly a monumental example of the genre. The songwriting is exceptional, varying from raging speed metal tunes like "White Witch" to mid tempo pieces like "The Price You Pay" or the apocalyptic "Devastation"; there is a little bit of everything this music has to offer and everyone here performs his duty superbly. It doesn't get better than this folks, just press play and get ready for one hell of a ride.

You are alone.

The darkness is stifling, all-encompassing. You take a few steps, and bump into a rough wall of stone. Somewhere far away, you hear the sound of laughter beginning to tear itself from someone's throat. It's a cruel laugh, a maniacal laugh. The laugh of a madman.

You walk toward the laughter.

Welcome, friend, to the Hall of the Mountain King.

This album, the fourth from Tampa Bay band Savatage, is, in my mind, a classic. It's undoubtedly the strongest vocal performance frontman Jon Oliva has ever given, and his characteristic voice is what lends the album a quality of darkness and insanity that makes it such strong work. His growly midtones and shrieking wails are the main forces at work driving the album onward, although the man utilizes a veritable arsenal of vocal techniques. He can sing cleanly, deeply, or produce mad peals of laughter upon command to give a song an extra element when necessary, and doesn't shy away from it here. This is perhaps most evident in the songs "Beyond the Doors of the Dark" and "Devastation," the latter being possibly his greatest vocal performance ever.

Fortunately for this album, a howling madman of a singer is not the only weapon the band has at their disposal. Jon's brother and axe-wielder Criss Oliva provides a meaty slab of heavy and fast classic metal riffs for the songs, but he really shines when soloing. His distinctive solos are some of the most poignant and memorable in heavy metal, and this album is no exception. Following in the wake of an epic buildup riff, his solo in the title track is both full of searing shredding and great feeling and phrasing. What I love about all of Criss' solos is that he doesn't rely on a solid block of shredding or a series of long bends to get the job done, but rather mixes it all up, to the point where the solo is both fast and soulful in the same moment. His tone is also excellent, especially considering this album was released in 1987.

What can be said about the rhythm section, consisting of Johnny Lee Middleton on bass and Steve "Doc Killdrums" Wacholz on drums? They effectively do their jobs, playing competent rhythm as needed, but really take the back seat to the Oliva brothers. Johnny's bass does stand out in the intro of "Legions" and the outro of "24 Hours Ago" but while solid, his performance is nothing remarkable. Doc Killdrums, likewise, uses effective fills where needed, but for the most part relegates himself to pumping out the beats needed to back up Criss's riffs and Jon's howls.

This album is not only significant in terms of the Oliva brothers' performances, but also the shift in their music towards a more progressive approach. While the vast majority of the work sticks to classic heavy/power metal, a few classical roots jump out in the instrumental "Prelude to Madness," which echos such classical works as Edvard Greig's "In the Hall of the Mountain King" (which is where the album gets its name, obviously) and Gustav Holst's "Mars." Savatage would later take this idea and run with it, eventually metamorphosing into the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, which almost exclusively deals in heavily classically-influenced hard rock and metal.

An almost universal theme of darkness permeates this album, and manages to mostly convey this effectively and without any of the cheese you'll find in many similarly themed albums (although "Legions" does stray ever so slightly into the realm of corniness with its fist-raising metal-worship lyrics). If I were forced to choose the weakest track here, I'd have to point to "White Witch," a fast track that sadly has a very repetitive riff (although the chorus is definitely catchy!). "Strange Wings" ventures towards commercialism but doesn't quite get there, and manages to remain relevant within the album even if Jon's voice isn't quite suited to it.

All in all, this album is a stunner, a must-have for any metalhead and probably the best within the confines of Savatage's discography. It does have a few minor flaws and a few weak points, but the twin attack of the Oliva brothers is more than enough to make up for these. It's both hard-hitting and emotionally evocative, and still relevant nearly 30 years after its release. It's got a touch of insanity to it that drips from every riff, solo, lyric, and maniacal laugh that will forever trap you in its spell.

Madness reigns.... in the Hall of The Mountain king!!

Not only one of the best 'rebound' records in metal history, but one of the most poignant and memorable excursions of all the US power/heavy efforts I've ever heard, through the 80s and beyond. Savatage might have just written up another Fight for the Rock, pursued the path of extinction in vain, for a market penetration they were unlikely to achieve; but they turned everything around and gave us their heaviest album yet, surpassing their earliest works Sirens and The Dungeons are Calling with ease. While the Floridians might not have had the same pull as a Slayer, Megadeth or Metallica, Hall of the Mountain King was a pretty popular album where I came from, enough that it slipped across the bounds of the 'mainstream metal' culture and was a topic for much discussion. Frankly, though, this deserved far more than even that, because it is damn near perfection and has that rare ability to transport the listener straight back to wherever he or she was the first time listening.

Sheer escapism cloaked in fantastic themes, and yet tethered to the deeply personal traumas of reality through hymns of addition, lost love and suicide. Hall of the Mountain King might have transformed Savatage into a Jefferson Airplane for my generation if only a few hundred thousand more people had been paying attention, instead of stroking and hairspraying themselves, adjusting their shoulder pads in the mirror while they listened to "Wanted Dead or Alive" and nervously anticipated prom drama. The writing is intelligent, tortured, and sounded like no one else out there at the time, unless we're counting Savatage themselves. I don't think I've ever heard Jon Oliva traipse along the margin of sanity and sorrow so closely, not even on the more 'emotionally' driven, accessible rock opera albums that followed this one. He's actually using a lot of higher pitched screams and howls through this record, more than the earlier works, and does a lot of double tracked barking in tunes like "Legions", which only adds to the pervasive asylum aesthetic dominating the overall atmosphere. I'm not saying he's got the range or capability of the more popular English royals in the field, but when he sustains a shrill shriek it will chill you like a morning mist in November. When he and guest Ray Gillen partner up for the chorus of "Strange Wings", try not to cry!

Hall of the Mountain King has, hands down, one of the best guitar tones I've heard on ANY metal album, rich and rustic in both power and feeling, like chopping wood out back of a cabin on the mountainside. He brings forward a lot of the hard rock grooves that were prevalent on Sirens and Power of the Night, but they sound far nasty in the context of "24 Hrs. Ago", where the muscle the listener immediately into submission for the remainder of the runtime; or the estimable bad assery of "Legions". At the same time, he also lets the chords air out through a more tender, melodic number like "Strange Wings", and the chugging sounds intense without any unnecessary level of overdrive. Clean, harmonic picking also sounds ripe in the intro to "Beyond the Doors of the Dark". The leads burn throughout with this feral, bluesy emotion, but Criss Oliva also flexes his classical shredding chops in the cover of Edvard Grieg's "Prelude to Madness", the setup for the title track (also created in tribute to the Norwegian composer). And as we all know, that very metalization would later inspire the band's Dead Winter Dead concept album, and the ensuing, groan-inducing Trans-Siberian Orchestra, which would make them a LOT of money.

Perhaps I'm just a dick, but the rhythm section never exactly stood out to me in Savatage, probably due to my rabid Criss worship. That said, I fucking love the production of the drums on this record. You can feel each of Wacholz' kicks on your spine, and the guy has such excellent restraint, placing only the most minimal, effective fills on the stopping/starting phrases in cuts like the speed metal "White Witch". I couldn't always make out the bass very well in places, but in others like "The Price You Pay" it thumps along like a champ. Johnny Lee Middleton shows a lot more technique here than Fight for the Rock, and I almost wish I could hear the coiled, open power of the low strings even more. Hall of the Mountain King also has what must be the best use of synthesizers ever, performed by Robert Kinkel; quaint and subtle in support of the meaty rhythm guitar chops. There are a lot of ambient effects, bells and quiet choirs dispersed throughout the record to give it that sense of utter grandeur, and yet as soon as the guitars bluster out some manic riff like the intro to the title track, Savatage brings you straight to ground and then beats you in the spleen with a warhammer.

Unlike Sirens, Power of the Night and Fight for the Rock, there is absolutely ZERO stupidity to be found on this record. Granted, "Legions" and its 'metal storming masses' does mirror the whole 'metal children' anthem that the band had used a few times in the past, but it feels so much more serious and aggressive through the riffing delivery. But in terms of hooks, choruses, and lyrical delivery, this is nigh on spotless, and the band even goes above and beyond excellence when they escalate into Jon's screaming refrain in the "Hall of the Mountain King" bridge, or the bass-driven progressive rock grooves cutting through "24 Hrs. Ago". The topography of the songwriting is gorgeous, with peaks and valleys, glories and depressions that keep each track interesting throughout. The one possible exception is the closer "Devastation", which has some tremendous grooves and melodies coursing through the verses, and a very Maiden-like discourse of guitar and bass tucked into it, but seems a fraction less revelatory than the rest of the music (still better than most of the Savatage material not on this album, though).

I'd note that this is really where Paul O'Neill became heavily involved with Savatage; the man who would essentially become one of the visionaries behind their development, not merely a producer. This is easily the best album he's ever produced. The Gary Smith cover art is incredibly iconic, its bare-chested, bearded overlord firing off lightning bolts into a pair of flanking braziers, while a goblin jester looks on from the shadows. As a role-playing freak eagerly awaiting the 2nd edition of AD&D, I really wanted to travel this world, to fight this guy, to swipe up that axe, that dagger, and the chest of treasure here; but make no mistake about it, Hall of the Mountain King is no dweeby, laughing matter. It's an ageless phenomena, an album I never grow tired of hearing, and the clear summit in their body of work. The biggest downside to this record is following its lines of succession, watching everything slide downhill as the band took its interest in rock opera narrative to new heights, and then suffered an unimaginable tragedy. But this one album, this one place, this one time, this one statement, is eternal, and how could I ever truly look down on a band that gave me such a gift?!

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com

This is easily the best of what Savatage has to offer. Producer Paul O'Neill makes his debut with the band, and this is the first time that Gary Smith's artwork graces the cover of a Sava album.

What makes Savatage good? I'd say Jon's screechy vocals that have just enough melody in them to keep them from being ridiculous, and Criss' majestic yet extremely dark riffing. Paul O'Neill brought out the dramatic element of Jon's classical training just enough to give this album a larger than life feel. On later albums, the operatic stuff would really mess up anything sense of metal credibility, but here it works to create one massive, epic slab of dark power metal.

This is one hell of a dark album. On any given Savatage album, there is a lot of gloom, but Hall of the Mountain King is the most murky of all. Not in an evil way, but more in a cold, desolate way. They type of feeling you'd get on the bottom of the ocean, watching a sunset in Antarctica, or on some distant mountain top, shrouded in clouds. This is helped the massive amount of chorus on Criss' guitars. Even the catchy, radio ready songs like "Strange Wings" and "The Price You Pay" have a healthy dose of melancholy to them.

But those radio friendly hits are only the tip of the iceberg. The rest of the material here is all winning, and much darker. "Beyond the Doors of Dark" is probably the most sinister sounding of all, with that eerie intro, and off kilter shuffling main riff. I'm not too big a fan of "Prelude to Madness," but in context it works, leading up to the title track. And that's an epic tune! The midsection, with it's melodic breakdown is quite possibly the highlight of Savatage's career...there are not many riffs as haunting and pensive as that one! "White Witch" turns up the speed, showing that Savatage was indeed a thrash metal band at one point. Amazingly, this is their weakest moment on here, but it's far from actually weak.

Hall of the Mountain King reminds me a lot of another nearly perfect album of power metal, aptly called Power Metal by Pantera. The production and quality of song writing on both this and Power Metal are very, very close, with this being more grandiose, and Power Metal being more straightforward. And of course, this does have kick ass solos oozing out everywhere. Criss never played a bad solo. Technically perfect and chock with feeling...goddamn, was he good!

It's not a stretch to say that this is Savatage's best album. Nothing else sounds like this--it is unmistakably Savatage. This is epic without the lameness of gnomes and trolls, and operatic without the frilly shirts.

I met some songs coming from this album during the listening to “Ghost In The Ruins” album, which I consider as the best heavy metal live performance ever recorded. These songs which enslaved my senses for good and all were: “24 Hours Ago”, “Legions”, “Strange Wings”, and the title track “Hall Of The Mountain King”. Finally, after several years I bought the album, which is re-edition of course, but fortunately with no sound mastering and extended booklet recounting vicissitudes of the band in those days. It is really fine and interesting reading. And after all these years I decided to write some words of wisdom about the fourth album of Savatage, about the album which is the true treasure in my metal collection, about the album which is one of the best metal releases. So let the heavy metal feast begin…

Sooth to say it is really great feeling to write about such an unusual and unique metal album. “Hall of The Mountain King” became a synonym of heavy metal music in the twinkling of an eye. That was my first feeling after listening to it. The next fact is that composing and releasing of this great album wasn’t certainty. It was the result of the previous album called “Fight For The Rock” (1986), where band smuggled some pop elements in compositions structure, everything was no-heavy for metal standards and fans were totally disappointed and frustrated. No wonder! For sure it was a back step and this situation determined Jason Flom (guy from Atlantic Records who signed a deal with Savatage) to contact with Paul O’Neill who was producer and manager. He flew to Florida to see the band in action. Although Savatage recorded new album, they didn’t play hardly this poor stuff on live shows because they were sure one thing: their old stuff was the real face of the band. O’Neill didn’t hear even their newest effort, and when he saw them, he was spellbound. He knew Savatage was unique and absolutely amazing band. And after some meetings they decided to collaborate. The first songs they composed together were the title track from upcoming album and “24 Hours Ago”. They felt it would be something spectacular in band’s career. And they were right…

With this album musicians of Savatage enter a new chapter. They were at the cross-roads after two weak offerings, fortunately the person of Paul O’Neill vitalized musicians. The first breath of new life is “Hall Of The Mountain King”. Paul is also producer of it – and the production is just great – sharp, raw and vivid sounds, I mean everything is audible without exception. And beyond doubt, impossible to hear today! Musically this album is a work of Oliva brothers with some help from O’Neill, it is no wonder of course, but here we have small contribution of bass player Johnny Lee Middleton in two songs (title track and “24 Hours Ago), and drummer Steve Wacholz (“The Price You Pay”). In addition the musicians introduced some new elements and proposed two instrumental pieces also, one of them is reference to the classic music, the second is only one minute gauzy Criss performance of acoustic tunes.

All right, let’s get off the ground. I wrote earlier about these four songs I had met before, so this album isn’t surprise for me. I expected only excellent effort from this band, and they didn’t fail. Even if the two previous albums retained, “Hall Of The Mountain King” refreshed my mind. When I listen to the opening track “24 Hours Ago”, one thing comes to me: Savatage returned finally! And I have an impression that the band unleashes its fury and full energy accumulated deep inside, it’s like a wild animal left the cage and started to haunt. This song becomes a true heavy metal flag. It is not a fast song, but the guitars work is a really knockdown here. This song is like a synopsis of entirety to come. I have known this “24 Hours Ago” for many metal years of mine and always there is something magic during each listening to it. Criss Oliva masterly guitar performance: his colossal riffs, solo leads and unique guitar (semi-leads) ornaments, is paralyzing indeed. Beside his play is full of hypnotizing light, vivid and pulsating like a heart, from the other side it is very mysterious (still through all these years!) and secret. I always flush crimson when I start to listen to this album, so I sincerely can write about it as SOMETHING UNIQUE. And with the very first seconds I flow in this warm lava of heavy metal music. But there is a place for a moment of breathing time when the song reaches 3:25, at this juncture pulsating bass enters the stage, it is an introduction to the next guitar attack and solo lead. During session time Middleton honestly said that this piece of music was one of Criss’ best leads. And I have to admit right. After almost five minutes the real treasure gives place to the next one called “Beyond The Doors Of The Dark”. This song is written by Jon himself, opening is completely different to the previous track, because of sinister introduction with calm Jon singing. The guitar work seems to be more simple yet atmospheric, also there are some keyboards patches in the chorus, in the middle Savatage slows down a bit and another excellent guitar Criss lead takes place. I found here a quite interesting thing concerning these unmatchable voices of Jon, namely when the song reaches approximately 3:52, I can hear some blackish-like kind of voice lasting only three seconds as well. It proves that potentiality of Jon’s singing is simply infinite. The irrefutable fact is that the second track of this record keeps this masterly level of the opener. Writing about “Beyond The Doors Of The Dark” I have to explain one thing. Clay Marshall, the author of the booklet, wrote that this track had been a staple in band live show. Unfortunately for me I have no live record with this song, maybe there are bootlegs (which are very hard to buy or record in my opinion) with this forgotten pearl. I think Clay wrote about promotional gigs. Five minutes runs extremely fast and the third song enters the stage. And this is definitely pure metal killer called “Legions”. It starts with pulsating Johnny bass, then drums and guitar solo with ominous Jon scream completed the beginning of this bone crusher. Yes, this is an ode to the metal fans like booklet says. In a moment “Legions” became the basis of each live show. Don’t expect furious speed here, but very memorable riffs and one of the best guitar solo I have ever heard (it lasts one fabulous minute from 2:48 to 3:48!), absolutely miraculous, excellent and unearthly Criss show… Nothing more to say about it, but when the song reaches 4:25 another solo appears for about twenty seconds and unfortunately all disappear in silence…

Of course, silence isn’t immortal when “Strange Wings” starts to conquer my soul. This is another classic one from this band, another brick in the wall called heavy metal. Lyrics are notation of Jon’s dream. Music – another metal hymn for me. Beside it is one of the shortest songs on the album, again very memorable riffs attack the listener just like another mind crushing solo. In turn the stanza has a milder, even almost balladic atmosphere and the proper riffs are heard in powerful chorus. In this song Jon Oliva is supported by Ray Gillen and it really works here. The main guitar lead is shorter here comparing to “Legions”, but it also very characteristic. The end of “Strange Wings” lasting about fifty seconds is another mark how great band Savatage is: these guitars, vocals (Oliva with Gillen) and devastating rhythm section. The next admirable moments to adore…

The next two tracks I treat just as one: “Prelude To Madness” and the title song. Something definitely new in band’s career. Why? Let’s explain it. When musicians started to work with new songs on the album, one day Paul O’Neill suggested performing a metal interpretation of Edvard Grieg’s “Peer Gynt Suite”. He always loved this piece of classical stuff and finally has found the right band and musicians able to perform it. Although Jon was hesitating (having in memory very bad previous album effort), all the things saw the light of day. This prelude lasting about three minutes is the first song recorded with symphonic and classical tunes. It lasts about three minutes, but also contains Criss masterly guitars work. As always I can easily write. Amidst the sounds of the thunderstorms and gusty winds, the title song enters the stage. It is opened by very characteristic riff and short yet melodic guitar lead. When first seen it is maintained in mid-tempo, but this boundless energy coming straight to my mind is like a nuclear explosion. This song has also specific horror-like atmosphere, listen to especially Jon’s screams and shrieks (“Madness reigns…”), by the way he shows accomplished skills from traditional form of singing to psychotic screams, sinister sighs and chants and totally maniacal laughs. In view of such varied style of voice this track is a really heavy metal killer. When it reaches to 2:22, Mountain King jumps into another layer: genius riffs, vocals (!!!), bombarding rhythm section and this excellent solo lead… Then the hero returns to the first path from the beginning. At 5:20 only calm guitar ends this absolutely brilliant heavy metal feast… And after these tunes another song “The Price You Pay” strikes the short moment of silence. And what can I write about it??? Just another classic Savatage performance. On the beginning Jon shows next kind of his incredibly voice, this one is rather ‘sensitive’ and ‘warm’, even quasi-balladic. The song is based on simple yet very memorable guitar work. It is full of guitar ornaments, beautiful two lead solos, especially the second one which ends the track is one of the best guitar leads I’ve ever heard (and well, do I start to repeat myself writing such words?). Like the previous one was rather in mid-tempo, here we have something really fast. It is called “White Witch” and this is real tornado on the album. At once the first album “Sirens” comes to my mind, I mean these few minutes of madness perfectly fits to the beginning of the band. Lyrics tell about cocaine addiction, subject known not only for this band. Musically Criss shows here speedy, rapid, stabbing solos with galloping rhythm section, but definitely noteworthy are the last seconds of it. Total musical insanity: Criss devastates all around by his incredible guitar!

Yes, hurricane left me behind, but there is another shiny pearl in sight. “Last Dawn” is breathless Criss’ song, here with only some superb acoustic tunes this Musician once again conquers my soul. It lasts merely 75 seconds (too short for pity’s sake!) but when I look at the title… Is it some kind of ominous prophecy for Criss’ life? For sure it is good thing to end the album, but band decided to put one more song and entitled it “Devastation”. As Jon said the first structures of it were really old. The idea and riff appeared about ’79 or ’80 years, so during the session Oliva brothers just added some fresh blood and new track was ready to close the album up. And for certain I can place “Devastation” in the first Savatage release. The same atmosphere, the same great enthusiasm, the same feelings, the same… band! Maybe the title can lead into error some laics, but don’t expect here furious tempo, it is not the same like track number eight “White Witch”. The mid-tempo reigns here, I have an impression that there are some similarities to the first two Iron Maiden albums, but believe me, this is not disadvantage. In fact this song is some kind of synopsis of band’s spirit, I can find here everything in Savatage true metal style: memorable riffs, masterly solos and guitar ornaments and top-notch metal vocals. And with the words coming straight to my mind “… prepare yourself to die, the world’s insane”, this ominous prophecy strikes my senses once again…

Yes, many free-spoken words are written just above, so it’s time to finish this review. This album was recorded in 1987, so we can say about musical archeology, but definitely it doesn’t look like decaying fossil remains. What is more, in these awful days of digital, soulless recordings, I can grasp the power of the old metal spirit. Nothing is meaningless, nothing is useless, some tunes are played in simple way, some in complex and this whole metal piece is just fresh and vivid like a river head or even youth fountain. That’s true the eighties were the best years for heavy metal and the best album of this genre has been already recorded. To be honest “Hall Of The Mountain King” is exactly this treasure I wrote in the previous sentence. Maybe this statement is rather strange, because I reviewed some other classical releases of the band and marked them also to a maximum. But you know, with this piece of best music, Savatage enters really unique stage of metal by releasing Mountain King and the next three albums: “Gutter Ballet” (89), “Streets – A Rock Opera” (91) and “Edge Of Thorns” (93). I call this: The Big Four where only the successor of Mountain King is a continuation of the style. The rest is completely different in band’s creativeness. Unfortunately the death of Criss Oliva broke almost everything off. His brother decided to continue this piece of music and without Criss (physically, not spiritually) released another classic band’s albums. It proves Savatage has an inner strength, as the fourth album I consider like resurrection. After two weaker longplays they offered absolutely timeless classic. Simply, Savatage ascended the throne of heavy metal. And when somebody will ask me about heavy metal I will answer: HALL OF THE MOUNTAIN KING!!!

Savatage’s album Fight for the Rock was a big disappointment for their fans and didn’t have the success Savatage had hoped for. Thank God they soon realized this wrong movement and returned to their old well-known port, heavy/power metal. The music decline they had fallen into had now passed. Keith Collins left the band and Johnny Lee Middleton joined in. Now the “fresh” and renewed Savatage were ready to erase for good all rumors and whispers of a sell-out. And they did!

In 1987 Hall of the Mountain King exploded like an atomic bomb amongst the metal community that helplessly watched it spread its killing force. Many ears ached and many heads were banged to the death. Hall of the Mountain King is dark, strong and imposing. In here there is everything you want to hear in metal. Melody, harshness, power and passion co-exist harmonically on the verge of madness and artistic creation. Now, for the first time Savatage reveal their influences from classic and baroque music. The first flirt is attempted in the Prelude to Madness instrumental when the mystique introduction turns into an electric/classic orgy.

This whirlwind works as a prologue to the ultimate song they have ever written, the colossal self-titled track. High tone vocals, unrepeatable shrieks, insane riffs and merciless rhythm section make this one the definition of power metal. You have no place to hide as Savatage unleash their metal terror upon you. This song will haunt them forever. Savatage are no more a typical metal band.

So much relentless passion flows from this album in such a way that it is impossible to listen to it just by sitting on your couch. This time Middleton and Wacholtz play a key role adding their volleys whenever the field is clear. Jon Oliva sings with strength either when he screams his lungs out or when he changes his vocals in his own unique way. His brother plays more insane than ever but his themes sound so beautiful and unearthly in the hands of their creator and his shocking guitar monologues.

Which song can you single out from the rest? White Witch that gets right to the brain with its fast riff and pounding drums or the amazing and melodic Strange Wings with the fantastic breaks and more “peaceful” atmosphere? Is 24 Hours Ago, the solid, steady song that opens the album, better than Legions and its inspired bass intro? How can you overlook the metal dynamite called Beyond the Doors of the Dark that begins kind of slow ‘till the moment it blasts on your face and makes pick up the shattered pieces of yourself a few minutes later? Don’t try to compare the songs because you’ll just go crazy. Madness reigns everywhere in this album. And if by any chance you make it to the end, the final Devastation comes to finish you off. You are melting from the heat while banging your head to the beats of its barbaric melodies.

Hall of the Mountain King is absolutely perfect. It holds a firm place among my ten best albums. Some traditional and graphical at the same time metal funs, think of this as their last great album. You see, for them the piano in Gutter Ballet doesn’t fit in heavy metal. Of course Savatage gave themselves an answer to these retarded minds. If you don’t have this album, then don’t claim you listen to metal.

Hall of the Mountain King was the first metal album I ever got; my aunt gave it to me shortly after it came out, when I was about 7 or 8 years old. I fell in love with it instantly, and from that point on it was the benchmark against which all other albums were compared. To this day, it has yet to be dethroned.

This album has it all: headbanging thrash numbers and mid-tempo rockers, instrumental tracks and songs with powerhouse vocals, some of the best riffs ever written, and hooks that will stay in your head for days. Every song is memorable, and just glancing at the track list has me humming each one. The Savatage boys really came together on this one. Criss Oliva was a real treasure on guitar, and listening to him wail on this album makes me mourn his loss every time. Jon Oliva was (and is) one of metal's best vocalists, with an ungodly range and unique style, ranging from low growls to his trademark high squawking shrieks.

The highlights of this album were placed dead center of the track list, and they're the two-song set the album is named after: the instrumental "Prelude to Madness" (a metal version of Grieg's "In the Hall of the Mountain King") followed by the titular "Hall of the Mountain King." The latter features one of the best riffs of all time, as well as some awesome vocal work from Jon Oliva, from his maniacal laughter to his epic "MADNESS REEEEEEEIGNS!!!!" Every other song has something to offer as well. "24 Hours Ago" is a great opener, "Devastation" and "That's the Price You Pay" are metal to the core, and "Strange Wings" (featuring Ray Gillen harmonizing on vocals with Jon Oliva) is a killer song that really stays with you.

The only drawbacks to this album that keep it from getting a perfect score are that it could have been longer (it's less than 40 minutes), and the lyrics are not the best. They are standard fare for metal, but Savatage would write MUCH better lyrics on the albums to come.

In summary, this album is an absolute classic, and just as awesome as it was 20 years ago. If you want to hear Savatage play straight-up metal from the days before they became one of the pioneers of the metal opera, this album is essential listening.

Favorites: Hall of the Mountain King, Prelude to Madness, Strange Wings, 24 Hours Ago

Savatage’s fourth album can best be described as the perfect union between the aggressive attacks of past albums such as "Sirens" and the sophisticated elements of their “rock opera” era. The songwriting has become more focused and the band’s overall performance is tighter than ever before. I’m guessing this all can be attributed to the inclusion of producer Paul O’Neill, who inspired the band’s more symphonic direction and remains involved with them to this very day, though the band now plays Christmas rock and prefers to be called the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. . .

While the bass and drums certainly get their own minor moments to shine, it is safe to say that this album is all about the performances of the talented Oliva brothers. The late guitarist Criss Oliva proves himself to be one of the most talented players of his time and executes mid-tempo riffs, high speed dive bombs, and even some acoustics on the instrumental "Last Dawn" with great class and style.

Having been introduced to this band by means of 1990’s "Gutter Ballet" and 1993’s "Edge of Thorns," I must say this album gave me a newfound respect for vocalist Jon Oliva. While he sounds somewhat limp on the former album and does not sing at all on the latter, he sounds like a fucking madman on this album! In addition to his raspy but melodic singing voice, he manages to stand out by means of the theatrical screams and laughter he emits throughout. Just listen to "Beyond the Doors of the Dark"; I’m pretty sure the opening verse alone has about five different vocal “characters”. Not to mention the ominous laughter and haunting wails during the title track’s instrumental segment. Has this guy ever considered a career in voice acting? I think he'd be pretty good at it.

The album also benefits from a solid balance of heaviness and melody. While the band truly excels during faster tracks such as the pounding "White Witch," they manage to provide some solid grooves during mid-tempo tracks like the minor hit "24 Hours Ago" and the fan celebrating "Legions." A few other interesting tracks being the slightly streamlined "Strange Wings" and the foreboding "Prelude to Madness." The former is a more commercial tune but manages to sound better than any of the mainstream attempts on "Fight for the Rock" and even manages to remind me of classic Dio in a way. The latter tune is where the album’s most symphonic ideas are fixated and provides a menacing prelude to the title track along with some classically inspired melodies.

So what are the album’s weaknesses? Well, a few of the more mid-tempo tunes could’ve used a little more energy in their delivery. While they are nicely done, I get the feeling that tracks such as "The Price You Pay" and "Devastation" could’ve been absolutely ripping if they were performed with a little more venom. Not to mention the album may be a little too dated for some to get a taste for...

All in all, it's a strong example of classic 80’s metal that I would recommend to any listener as a good first purchase.

Pros:
1) Excellent guitar playing
2) An insane vocal performance
3) Nice symphonic flourishes
4) Enjoyably memorable songs

Cons:
1) A few songs could’ve used more energy
2) Slightly dated theatrics/production/lyrics

My Current Favorites:
"Beyond the Doors of the Dark," "Strange Wings," "Prelude to Madness," "Hall of the Mountain King," and "White Witch"

When I heard Hall of the Mountain King (the song), I nearly pooped a bucket of hammers. It was one day when I was searching through youtube about a year and a half ago haphazardly, when I stumbled into the music video for HotMK. I couldn't believe it. The riffs were so good, the guitar tone was so mean, the singing was forceful and oddly operatic. I couldn't get enough. So approximately a year after getting this album, I realized I hadn't reviewed it. Well, here I am.

I don't know how to phrase this in a purely original form, so I won't. This album blows all other Savatage albums out of the water. It's got giant brass balls, and knocks the shit out of the listener with the punchy guitar tone and drill sergeant singing.

Now, a lot of comparisons have been made comparing this to Jag Panzer and Riot, among others. Now while I appreciate both, and indeed, Riot is and was a very innovative band, in terms of sheer personality and power, HotMK beats both into the dust with a blistering rage. Even at its cheesiest moments, the fire of HotMK burns with the intensity of a thousand suns. Criss' playing is really at its top here, displaying just the right amount of "let's cram a thousand notes into 1 second" and the ability to show off when the situation demanded it. Really, though, Criss Oliva is THE most recognizable guitarist in heavy metal, and I don't mean that in a bad way, like Yngwie's last 4 albums, but in a good way, in that Criss has developed a unique and effective style of playing that is very pleasant to the ears.

There has been some mention of this album's atavistic and primitive nature... To which I say "HORSESHIT." Darkthrone is atavistic and primitive. This just knows how to rock the fuck out. True, it does have fewer riffs than, say, Somewhere Out in Space (Gamma Ray.) But HotMK make up for quantity in great quality riffs. They're simplistic, as well, I'll concede. But that makes them all the more tasty -- they're very well crafted, and presented in an uncluttered, straightforward, no-nonsense matter.

Of course, this wouldn't be whole without Jon. Jon really belts the notes out, and though I feel Power of the Night was his best performance, this one kicks just about as much ass. I can feel such power, such emotion, such passion, and such venom in his voice, that I simply do not find in Riot. Or Jag Panzer's wildly acclaimed "Ample Destruction". When it comes to metal singing, the main goal is never technical skill, but conveying passion, feeling, and most of all, personality. I can recognize Jon's voice in any project.

The other band members aren't chopped liver, either. Drummer Steve Wacholz doesn't do any fancy acrobatics, but he sure pulled a Scott Columbus here and put out a set-busting performance. The bassist does what most heavy metal bassists did at the time, and hid in the back. Oh well. His presence is still there, and the mix is a bassy one, but I couldn't make anything out. Regardless, I put this among my favorite albums. It's not a 100, but it's damn close. Makes me wish they kept on doing this sound instead of the ballady stuff.

Savatage are one of those bands that you hear pitched around a lot in the description of other bands, often in the little label/distro album blurbs, and often in the company of that omnipresent metal prefix. "X plays True Metal in the vein of early Savatage, early Fates Warning, early Jag Panzer, early Beatles, bla bla bla" Hall of the Mountain King is viewed by many to be early Savatage's crowning achievement, but to be honest, they don't really deserve to be in such company. It's not that they're horrible by any means, it's just that the band has a couple of crippling deficiencies which keep their other undeniable strengths from propelling them to true "classic" status.

Before I jump into the negative aspects, though, I first want to quickly go over the positives. For one, Jon Oliva is a fucking fantastic metal singer. He's got a great mid-range tone with an aggressive, raspy edge, topped off by an awesome shrieky falsetto...imagine if Dio could really shriek, and that's what Jon reminds me of. A real frontman, too, rather than just a singer. For another, Criss Oliva is a great shredder; he's flashy, has personality, and while he is definitely skilled and not afraid to show it, he keeps it reined in and never strays into wank territory. These two brothers are the main reasons early Savatage are so highly revered; they both have very strong personalities that just leap out of the speakers from the moment you press "play". The problem is, there isn't that much more to the band.

The songs on Hall of the Mountain King are, unfortunately, very repetitive. This isn't always a bad thing, but compounding that is Savatage's merely decent riffcrafting ability. Catchy and pleasing they've got covered, but unfortunately they can't write anything with much real depth or staying power. Each song has two or three main riffs; they start out fairly entertaining, but after hearing them about a thousand times over the course of the song I get totally sick of them. That all the songs are fairly short helps, but unfortunately can't solve the problem. Honestly that's really all there is to it; some songs are a little better (like the title track), others are a little worse ("White Witch"), but every single one suffers from that same problem. On the bright side, there aren't any total washouts in the lot, no really blatant fillers or blunders (like a stupid cover or shameless single attempt). You get more or less the same quality of simple, catchy, NWOBHM-meets-American-hard-rock thing in each song for the whole album. Considering it was released in 1987, though, there's really not any excuse for it being so primitive. I'm not going to accuse Savatage of being sellouts, but to me this album smacks of streamlining for mass appeal. Hell, Riot's Fire Down Under came out way back in 1981, and it's got way more atmosphere and emotional depth than this. I could listen to "Altar of the King" all day, but I was squirming by the second time through his hall.

If you're still skeptical, listen to the title track, and really concentrate on it. At first it's definitely exciting, but if you're not sick of those main riffs by the end, you've got the patience of a saint; for me, even the cool evil atmosphere can't save it from getting tedious. Considering that's probably the best track on the album, I really can't call Hall of the Mountain King a classic. Classics don't get tiresome after just a listen or two.

Fuck yes. This right here is the high water mark for US power metal, right up there with Jag Panzer's Ample Destruction and Helstar's first three albums. Hall of the Mountain King represents the end of an era for Savatage, and also the very peak of their traditional/power metal leanings from the early days; with a more polished, concise, sharp sense of songwriting and better riffs and choruses than they ever had before. This is just a killer disc of stripped down, brutally powerful old school Satanic heavy metal the way it was meant to be played, and its a shame that Savatage eventually "outgrew" this sort of sound, because it does rule.

Jon Oliva's vocals are the best here that they would ever be; a harsh, throaty rasp/shriek that fits the pugilistic, riffy heavy metal attack like a spiked leather glove. He's never been the most talented vocalist, but like Ozzy Osbourne and many others before him, no one else would've worked nearly as well with the music here. He sounds like he really means everything he's singing about; as if he believes that, beyond the feeble frame of reality, there lies a darker, more demonic and sadistic realm, where demons roam throughout the night, looking for prey. While I am quick to bash Oliva's performances on later, more "classy" albums, here I have nothing but praise for the man. His brother, the late Criss Oliva, shines here, as the guitar work is clearly the focal point of Hall of the Mountain King. The riffs here are amongst the best ever laid to disc for purely old school heavy metal, and that's not too much of an exaggeration. Catchy, fist pumping goodness is the order of the day here, just like Liege Lord, Riot and Jag Panzer and several other bands in the "second tier" of 80s metal. The solos are equally catchy, sinking into each song like a missing puzzle piece, never drawing undue attention to themselves and never overpowering the music. Oliva was at his prime here, and only Edge of Thorns would outclass this album for sheer style and class.

"24 Hours Ago" kicks things off with possibly the Best Riff Everâ„¢, blossoming into a headbanging, fist-pumping, beer-chugging heavy metal song that is amongst the top 5 best that Savatage ever wrote. All of those lame, derivative bands like Powerlord could really learn something from this song, as it truly demonstrates exactly how to kick ass within the confines of this genre. I can't praise this song enough. "Beyond the Doors of the Dark" is another standout cut, ripping by you with an unholy, midpaced groove that sounds like it's being channeled straight out of Hell and into your speakers, with a shrieking chorus and fistfuls of more jackhammer riffage that will get your head flailing in no time. "Legions" follows suit, with a delightfully cheesy chorus, another awesomely devilish cut that you won't be skipping any time soon, and then we have the smashing, epic title track...I could go on all day about this stuff. There are no bad songs here and none you want to skip.

Every song is a lesson in how to do heavy metal the right way, and you need it. Hall of the Mountain King is a monolithic, powerful album that will never grow old or weaken, and if you don't have it, then you are no friend of mine. Highly, highly recommended.

Originally written for http://www.metalcrypt.com

Hall Of The Mountain King is a classic. Being a follower of Fight For A Rock, which was a slight downfall, Savatage needed a really strong, powerful and recognizable record. And they made it. HOTMK is the last truly heavy/power metal album from Savatage. It’s successor, Gutter Ballet was much more experimental and piano/ballad oriented and Savatage never returned to such raw heavy metal, which they played on the first 4 records. So, HOTMK is featuring quite fast, developed and guitar oriented heavy/power metal with a great atmosphere. Yes, heavy metal with atmosphere, you’ve read it right. It gives the record that nice dark and maybe a bit doomy vibe. Exactly like in a hall of the mountain king.

So, yes, this is really guitar oriented. No piano, except some keys in the intros. And as you know, kids, Mr. Criss Oliva is a guitar god. And doesn’t fail to deliver yet again. Great catchy riffs, excellent leads and that Maiden runs between the verses. Awesome. He really has some awesome ideas and you discover something new (some fills, little melodies…) every time you listen to the CD. Jon Oliva is great. I can’t imagine, how one could not like him. He has that great voice, emotional, aggressive and interesting at the same time. He also makes some great high pitched screams. And his songwriting skills are amazing. Songs have great structures and are really catchy. Lyrics are also cool, but they don’t achieve the greatness of, let’s say, the ones on Gutter Ballet or one of the later records. Doc handles the drums. He produces some good rhythms, but this is heavy metal, don’t expect anything really special. Johnny Lee Middleton doesn’t play much of a role on this one, he just supports the drums most of the time.

The highlights of the album are the title track, Strange Wings, White Witch and Devastation.

The title track is a fuckin’ epic. It has awesome riffs, leads and solos, great atmosphere and cool vocals. It is also fan-favourite and has been a setlist staple for almost 20 years now.

Strange Wings takes maybe more of a commercial approach. Think Saxon’s 747 or something that Scorpions released. Still, it delivers some great riffs and a really catchy chorus.

White Witch is fast as fuck and it really works well. I don’t find the chorus annoying, it’s works awesome for me. Last Dawn is a short instrumental between WW and Devastation. Yeah, it’s cool. What else did you expect from Savatage, the masters of instrumentals? Devastation is the second most popular song of the album. It not as fast, but it has a great main riff and it’s really catchy and fun.

The other tracks are also good, Prelude To Madness is an awesome instrumental piece again showing, how Savatage can transform some classical tunes to fit their album.

HOTMK is a Savatage classic. It’s a heavy metal classic. It’s a great CD. You won’t be sorry if you buy this one.

The 80’s brought us many classic albums, and Savatage’s Hall of the Mountain King is one of them. Here is a reality check I get when listening to the album. The music has classic solos and hooks, but leaves me with a feeling of an unexploded shell. The potency of classic metal that has elements of Iron Maiden, Dio, Deep Purple and especially Dio-era Rainbow is present. The key word here is potency. So, what is missing is the beef. In parts it sounds uninspired due to the music being played with lack of aggression – the one sure way to kill the impression of an otherwise well-written album and make it near unlistenable. In addition, at times the instruments instead of coming together to magnify the melodic effect, fall apart into misplaced riffs. Many progressive bands have this same problem of focusing on the individual parts, and forgetting that individual parts are only as good as the whole that comes out as a result.

It is not easy task to make a catchy prog metal album that leaves a lasting impression, and Savatage partially succeed. I have to give Savatage credit for tracks such as “Beyond the doors of the dark”, “The price you pay” and the title track where they remembered to keep it relatively easy for the listener to follow the direction of the song. Also, the instrumental “Prelude to madness” with its winding riffs is an example of Savatage totally nailing the melody, you will remember it note for note after two listens. All other tracks suffer from progressive-metalitis syndrome as described above, or in case of “White witch” from an annoying chorus. Another thing that saves the album are the vocals, they remind me of Dio, and probably the best choice for this kind of album.

Although an above average album, it does not quite make it to Iron Maiden level. Download samples and then decide.