Question about Savatage - Handful of Rain or Wake of Magellan?

[JayKeeley]

Which album do I get first?

I do prefer Alex Skolnick over Al Pitrelli (although both are excellent), but which album has the better song writing? I've traditionally stayed away from the Zak Stevens era, but I'm in the mood for some 'new' Savatage material...

 

[Nate The Great]

I have both. Handful of Rain is more song oriented (with better solos). Wake is more of a concept album. I prefer Handful of Rain. Of course you know Dead Winter Dead is better than both these. Right?

 

[Demonspell]

I'd avoid their misguided pomposity like the plague, I'm a prog fan and I find them to be overbearing to a ridiculous extreme.

 

[Papa Josh]

I'd avoid their misguided pomposity like the plague, I'm a prog fan and I find them to be overbearing to a ridiculous extreme.

Now see, these posts tend to irritate me. He obviously was asking a question to those who enjoy SAVATAGE and wasn't looking for someone to take a rip at 'em.

It's obvious by your answer that the question was not directed to you, so why waste the keystrokes to answer the way you did?

I'm just curious.

And to answer your question, The wake Of Magellan is the Zak era "Streets."

 

[J.]

the only Savatage I've ever heard was the album Edge of Thorns. Of course, this was when I was like 15 or so, can't remember exactly. I do remember enjoying it very much, though. Good artwork too.

 

[Black Winter Day]

Savatage is probably my favorite band ever.

'Wake' has excellent melodies and BETTER soloing!!! 'handful of rain' has short, dinky solos (for the most part)... "Morning Sun" from 'Wake' is one of the best songs ever written.

i love both albums, however, and you can't go wrong with either of them

 

[JayKeeley]

'Wake' has excellent melodies and BETTER soloing!!! 'handful of rain' has short, dinky solos (for the most part)...

Really? That's interesting - do you think Skolnick was underused then?

 

[Black Winter Day]

somewhat, yes... but you have to remember, this album was recorded less than a year after criss oliva's death. i've always thought that skolnik being less in the forefront was due to this. plus, that al pitrelli guy isn't so bad himself!

it is also common knowledge that HoR is just Jon, Alex and Zak performing all the music. the other guys were credited due to contractural stuff. Jon isn't even mentioned in the booklet.

 

[Evil C.]

for my two cents, I would go with Hanful of Rain. I think there are great songs, and you get that nice Bohemian Rhapsody feeling.

Wake is a good album also, but I would go with handful of rain to get you into that era of Savatage.

 

[neal]

Now see, these posts tend to irritate me. He obviously was asking a question to those who enjoy SAVATAGE and wasn't looking for someone to take a rip at 'em.

It's obvious by your answer that the question was not directed to you, so why waste the keystrokes to answer the way you did?

I'm just curious.

And to answer your question, The wake Of Magellan is the Zak era "Streets."

yeh what a waste of a post huh. savatage sucks.
-neal

 

[Black Winter Day]

you retarded cunt

 

[Papa Josh]

Retarded cunt=Neal

LOL

I don't expect anything less from neal...

Just ignore him and he'll go back to KMFDM

 

[MadeInNewJersey]

you retarded cunt

Quoted for hilarity. And quality usage of the word 'cunt.'

Anywhoo...back on topic. I've got nearly every Savatage album, and I really have yet to have "Wake..." hit home with me. It's just...lacking. "Edge of Thorns" is one I don't have, so I can't comment, but npearce is right, "DWD" is very very good. But IMO, their last album "Poets & Madmen" is their best (that I've heard) since the classic days. Awesome, awesome story too.

Oh hey, Ali, just walked over to check out my collection...for some reason I have 2 store-bought copies of "Wake of Magellan." You can have it for the low price of $55,000 (which will enable me to not have to work for the rest of this year). Let me know.

 

[JayKeeley]

Oh hey, Ali, just walked over to check out my collection...for some reason I have 2 store-bought copies of "Wake of Magellan." You can have it for the low price of $55,000 (which will enable me to not have to work for the rest of this year). Let me know.

It's a deal! Do you take American Express?

 

[MadeInNewJersey]

It's a deal! Do you take American Express?

Of course I do! I take girl scout cookies as well. In bulk.

 

[JayKeeley]

*starts baking*

 

[JayKeeley]

By the way, if Savatage were to tour these days, would Jon Oliva take all lead vocals? And who would the guitarist be? Al Pitrelli?

Just keeping my options open in case they get booked for ProgPower this year.

 

[Nate The Great]

Speaking of Savatage and Al Pitrelli . . . did everyone whip out their Trans-Siberien Orchestra CD's this Christmas?

I've seen them live twice. Al Pitrelli played both times. I never did get to see Alex Skolnick.

 

[Black Winter Day]

By the way, if Savatage were to tour these days, would Jon Oliva take all lead vocals? And who would the guitarist be? Al Pitrelli?

Damond Jiniya is the offical vocalist (and has been for 2 years... but no album!) and Al Pitrelli is the guitarist. but you never know...

 

[JayKeeley]

Damond Jiniya is the offical vocalist (and has been for 2 years... but no album!) and Al Pitrelli is the guitarist. but you never know...

Damond Jiniya? Any good? Have you seen that Jon Oliva is touring on his own this year? Does he have solo material, or is it all Savatage songs?

Al Pitrelli is fine, and I'm glad he wasn't asked back into Megadeth. Poland is much better suited for that.