Search - Savatage :: Sirens

Aaah yes, the debut Savataging of the senses

Paul Lawrence | Australia | 10/16/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"With a front cover that proclaims `here be a gothic tinged band' the punter should know what to expect, and if that didn't tell you the Savatage logo and the title Sirens gives you further clues. Savatages' debut album is a fiercely traditional heavy metal experience on a number of levels. These would include the overall gothic overtones of many of the songs such as the title track, the riffage of the guitars and not least the heads down passion of this blast of jagged metal. And it's the passion and the execution that lift these admittedly fairly simple constructs, this just doesn't sound like a debut in that the band seem fully realised, their lyrical ideas already in place and the overall musical attack being quite confident. I think they call it purity of mission.



Originally produced by Dan Johnson the music is allowed to breath as per just about every Savatage release and the band are to be commended for managing to get such an honest and full range sound and it must be said that there are a few studio bells and whistles used here, such as air raid sirens on Holocaust. It's this use of the tools available but not a reliance on them that also marks this band as a mob who had their stuff together right from their first album.



The original release had nine tracks, ending with Out on the Streets (reprised on Fight for the Rock) though the remastered version is out and about, with two extra tracks in Lady in Disguise and The Message. These numbers do fit in with the feel of the album in general though aren't life altering. If you can pick up the remastered version for the same price my advice would be to go for it - I mean you might as well get more bang for your buck right?



This album would probably be good for any student of traditional heavy metal, fans of Judas Priest or Jag Panzer who missed this mob first time around and also power metal fans who prefer vocalists who don't aim for the stratosphere, as Jon Oliva has plenty of timbre to his voice and can do the high pitched thing, but in general prefers a lower register delivery. The riffs are simple but effective and the songs don't outstay their welcome, laying waste to the room and then leaving someone else to clean up the mess!"