What a Unique Talent we Lost R.I.P Chris Olivia was a gift given to us to enjoy and He Definitely Delivered with His Unique Talent and Style only He Had.Missed 😢 But Not Forgotten 😮😊 Thanks again 😮
Growing up in the Tampa area, i got a chance to see the Oliva's play out many times! Without a doubt, Crisstopher Michael Oliva is my all-time favorite guitar player! As a matter of fact, Criss was the reason why i picked up the guitar as a sophomore in high school! Forty years later, i still play the guitar...and i have Criss to thank! RIP brother Criss!! Savatage rules!!!
The Criss Oliva Guitar Intro is fantastic!!! so are the rest of the songs on this rare compilation, Savatage is a unique combination of the vicious voice of Jon Oliva, the master guitar of Criss Oliva, the bass of Johnny Lee Middleton and the drums of Steve Wacholz, there were other members in the band but Savatage was the best with the members that i mentioned, this is the classic lineup for me, i hope that the new album will come out in 2025, thanks Mark Christopher Garrett for sharing, God bless you and Savatage!!!
Putting Criss Oliva at both ends of this collection is pure gold. R.I.P. Criss. You will FOREVER have a posthumous place at the top of my Top 100 Absolute Favorite Guitarists.
00:03 Criss Oliva Guitar Intro 02:20 Target 06:38 Living on the Edge of Time 10:32 Lady in Disguise 15:05 Before I Hang 19:20 Stranger in the Dark 24:20 Fighting for Love 28:08 The Message 31:46 Metalhead 36:33 Larry Elbows (Alt.Take) 40:44 Jon Oliva Rap 42:25 Criss Oliva Guitar Outro
Thx man. Wonderful to hear Criss playing these. Some of these Jon used with JOP and always credited Criss. There are bits within these songs that were used in other songs, and it is interesting archaelogically to hear where they originated 👍😊 In my humble opinion, some of these could have been put on any Sava album as is. Anyway, Sava forever! Criss forever! (btw I named my son after Criss) - fan 40 years. Best band ever.
Of course I have a myriad of bands that I love, but 'Tage is like one in a million. There is nothing like it. Nothing can compare. Not even close. I wanted to kill myself when Criss died. Not joking. Ok I was young and passionate. But my world ended that day, for a while. The album that I listen to the most is the live one, Ghost in the Ruins. I only have one complaint: why don't they play Beyond the Doors of the Dark?that's my favourite song through all the wonderful metal years. All bands, all songs, this is the one. Blew me away. Still does.
@@CanYouHearMeNow929 i will admit that's definitely my least favorite of theirs. But still is ok imo. That said, their stuff is generally so good, I can't pick a favorite album.
One of the most unique tones ever, not to mention his phrasing and use of pre-bends etc. Completely overlooked because they were metal. Progressive before it was cool.
Yeah i did a video about that. Saw this because i just watched a recent video The Savatage 2025 European Tour. Still confused on it because for the last 2 Years Ive Heard TSO is Recording a new Album, Savatage is Recording a New Album with Jhon Oliva, Then recently i read Chriss caffery is coming out with a Solo Album. How the heck is he doing that IF Both TSO & Savatage have "new Albums" coming out.
Savatage was such a great band, and it's a shame that I got to see them in their full prime (w/ both Jon and Criss) only once. It was opening for Testament in 1990, and that was when I didn't know them enough to appreciate them. I had seen them several times afterwards, but not with the prime lineup, as Jon left the band, an then Criss died. Still, Criss was such an amazing guitar player, and I'm glad to have seen them twice, including the 1993 tour where they did Ghost in the Ruins, which for my money has the best guitar solo Criss ever did.
Actually some of these were released as bonus tracks on various re-issues. "Lady in Disguise" and "The Message" can be found on the 1994 CD re-issue of "Sirens" while the 2002 re-issue (via Metal Blade) of the same album has "Target" and "Living at the Edge of Time" as bonus tracks (all four marked as demo version, probably same as in this video). "Fighting for Love" was a bonus track on the 1994 CD re-issue of "The Dungeons are calling" while "Metalhead", "Stranger in the Dark" and "Before I hang" are bonus tracks on the 2002 Metal Blade re-issue of the same album. Last bonus track on that is a "Piper Rap", not sure if it is the same as the Jon Oliva rap in this video. "Larry Elbows" was released as the final track of the 2013 Narrated Version of "Streets a Rock Opera". Where the Criss Oliva Guitar Intro & Outro come from I do not know. "Before I hang" was later re-recorded for Jon Olivas Pain, while parts of "Larry Elbows" were worked into "Follow me" (on the Edge of Thorns album)
Thanks for all the work you're doing to help fans like me discover all of these songs. I still can't believe we're getting a new Savatage album, I had pretty much resigned myself that Poets and Madmen was going to be it.
Both Chrisses Oliva (R.I.P.) and DeGarmo (Queensryche) are from the early 80's. They are great guitar players and composers who enormously contributed to their band's comercial sucess. Sadly after their departure/farewell the former band lost in terms of musical soul and personality.
I missed something. Nobody knew at the time, 1998 I think, but Chris DeGarmo represented 80% or so of musical creativity in Queensryche. Fortunately, after Criss passing, the core of Savatage remained, I mean Jon Oliva and Paul O'Neill, the quality and inspiration were still there.
Truth be told...it was Jon's vocals that brought me to the band. A local H.S. had a late night radio station that played nothing but Metal. My introduction was Power of the Night. Criss was a bonus researching into their prior albums. MUCH LOVE to the Brothers 💯🔥
Its awesome to hear how the progression of songs took place, and how some spawned multiple songs. Stranger in the Dark and Larry Elbows both use the same riff from Follow Me. The Message sounds a bit like The Price You Pay and something else that I can't quite place. Target spawned both Symmetry and Nowhere To Run off Jon Oliva's Pain - 'Tage Majal
Glad I saved Savatage for later in life. Criss was an underrated virtuoso taken too soon. Funny how the Industry has a pattern of that. Amazing in every way.
Thanks for posting these. My ears feel like parts of these songs did end up on albums. Intro to Target = intro on Symmetry. Larry = Follow Me. Living on the Edge of time, maybe a stretch but IMO it sounds similar to Unholy. Be interesting to know what recording sessions these came from. Larry is obviously Streets, but I can't place the others. Living on the Edge is probably my favorite of these. Thanks
I call that untitled instrumental into "Isle Of Lost Souls", and use it as an interlude/intro to City Beneath The Surface. The synth in the background serves as a nice link. I think I heard it called "Island Of The Kings" but did not find confirmation. But I borrowed from that and modified it to "Isle Of Lost Souls" referencing the damned in Hell, perhaps waiting on some shore to be picked up by Charon, or having already been delivered to some remote isle.
I hear Ya Savatage will always be Good, But the Line Up, Olivia Brothers Chris and Jon with Kill drums, Middleton where the Four Horse Man 😊R.I.P THY BEST GUITAR Player 🤲 Savatage Fan since Sirens 🎶
Defend has that gutter ballet sound. What year was this recorded and released? Because these are new to me and I have everything they released Has to be old The guitar riffs are unmistakengly chris Oliva
All of these have been released on one Savatage re-issue or another... some appeared as secret/hidden tracks (the "99th" track after 80-some short silent tracks on the 2002 Silver Anniversary edition of Sirens/Dungeons) or bonus tracks on remastered reissues (2007 and beyond). I think the only one that may be ultra rare is the Larry Elbows track. I cannot recall if that one was included on a Streets reissue or not? There are two more missing from this compilation ; a very early demo of Thorazine Shuffle (same title) and an early demo of Unholy called Gates Of Hell. That bring the total to 13, unless you also include the tracks This Is Where You Should Be and the slower gospel-like rendition of Jesus Saves (which I think may be called D T Jesus in some circles). The latter should NEVER have replaced the heavier original release. That was sacrilege. What should have been done is leave it as it was and tack on the longer gospel version at the end of the album as a reprise. It works so much better than way. Having it as an album opener is such a SNOOZE FEST. Works much better as a closer.
❤. NVR FORGET THAT DREADFUL NIGHT WHEN I HEARD OF HIS DEATH. IT WAS ACTUALLY ANNOUNCED AT A ROCK CONCERT metal.church)... Stoped show to announce it over loud speakers.. DETROIT.
What a Unique Talent we Lost R.I.P Chris Olivia was a gift given to us to enjoy and He Definitely Delivered with His Unique Talent and Style only He Had.Missed 😢 But Not Forgotten 😮😊 Thanks again 😮
The ghost in ruin just get invoked again
Sadly I was at the Livestock concert where cris was going to enjoy. Ruined our weekend. Gone but not forgotten
Growing up in the Tampa area, i got a chance to see the Oliva's play out many times! Without a doubt, Crisstopher Michael Oliva is my all-time favorite guitar player! As a matter of fact, Criss was the reason why i picked up the guitar as a sophomore in high school! Forty years later, i still play the guitar...and i have Criss to thank! RIP brother Criss!! Savatage rules!!!
We need a rebirth of traditional metal in the Tampa area!!
I still think about Criss Oliva most times that I pick up a guitar. Very distinctive and what a talent. RIP
and brother Jon! So many ideas
@ So true
The Criss Oliva Guitar Intro is fantastic!!! so are the rest of the songs on this rare compilation, Savatage is a unique combination of the vicious voice of Jon Oliva, the master guitar of Criss Oliva, the bass of Johnny Lee Middleton and the drums of Steve Wacholz, there were other members in the band but Savatage was the best with the members that i mentioned, this is the classic lineup for me, i hope that the new album will come out in 2025, thanks Mark Christopher Garrett for sharing, God bless you and Savatage!!!
Putting Criss Oliva at both ends of this collection is pure gold. R.I.P. Criss. You will FOREVER have a posthumous place at the top of my Top 100 Absolute Favorite Guitarists.
No.1
00:03 Criss Oliva Guitar Intro
02:20 Target
06:38 Living on the Edge of Time
10:32 Lady in Disguise
15:05 Before I Hang
19:20 Stranger in the Dark
24:20 Fighting for Love
28:08 The Message
31:46 Metalhead
36:33 Larry Elbows (Alt.Take)
40:44 Jon Oliva Rap
42:25 Criss Oliva Guitar Outro
Criss was sooo underrated, a monstrous metal guitarist in disguise. RIP.
The song division is made by setting the start time to 00:00
Criss was and still is the greatest guitarists of all time
Yes, amazing
Was able to meet him.
This is just awesome . Only better than Criss Oliva is more of his stuff I've never heard before ! Fantastic ! Thanks for posting it
Thx man. Wonderful to hear Criss playing these. Some of these Jon used with JOP and always credited Criss. There are bits within these songs that were used in other songs, and it is interesting archaelogically to hear where they originated 👍😊 In my humble opinion, some of these could have been put on any Sava album as is. Anyway, Sava forever! Criss forever!
(btw I named my son after Criss)
- fan 40 years. Best band ever.
Savatage niczym serca bicie powinien być naszczycie . Fenomenalny zespół ❤
It's cool you refer to them as Sava....
I sometimes call them Tage....
⚔️
I too have assmark.
Sorry for the Tenacious D reference, if it bothers somebody.
😮
The 'Tage is also what I use sometimes. It's a synonym 😊❤️
Of course I have a myriad of bands that I love, but 'Tage is like one in a million. There is nothing like it. Nothing can compare. Not even close. I wanted to kill myself when Criss died. Not joking. Ok I was young and passionate. But my world ended that day, for a while. The album that I listen to the most is the live one, Ghost in the Ruins. I only have one complaint: why don't they play Beyond the Doors of the Dark?that's my favourite song through all the wonderful metal years. All bands, all songs, this is the one. Blew me away. Still does.
Це справжнє золото! Дякую ❤️
Wow! How did these not make the cut of the albums?? And this goes to show - Savatage has never written a bad song. Not even close.
Except whole "Fight For The Rock" album
Well... not the WHOLE album.
@@CanYouHearMeNow929 i will admit that's definitely my least favorite of theirs. But still is ok imo. That said, their stuff is generally so good, I can't pick a favorite album.
The guitar work never disappoints! Extremely underrated! Amazing riffs, fills and solos from Olivia, as usual. He was amazing
One of the most unique tones ever, not to mention his phrasing and use of pre-bends etc. Completely overlooked because they were metal. Progressive before it was cool.
This band is so underrated 😢
Yeah i did a video about that. Saw this because i just watched a recent video The Savatage 2025 European Tour.
Still confused on it because for the last 2 Years Ive Heard TSO is Recording a new Album, Savatage is Recording a New Album
with Jhon Oliva, Then recently i read Chriss caffery is coming out with a Solo Album. How the heck is he doing that IF Both TSO & Savatage
have "new Albums" coming out.
Not underrated, greatly revered
@@MetalHeart8787 Yeah I saw that too!
Very!
They work non stop.
Savatage was such a great band, and it's a shame that I got to see them in their full prime (w/ both Jon and Criss) only once. It was opening for Testament in 1990, and that was when I didn't know them enough to appreciate them. I had seen them several times afterwards, but not with the prime lineup, as Jon left the band, an then Criss died. Still, Criss was such an amazing guitar player, and I'm glad to have seen them twice, including the 1993 tour where they did Ghost in the Ruins, which for my money has the best guitar solo Criss ever did.
I love his solo in "Follow Me".
Thanks for this, and the Stare into the Sun demo as well. Much appreciated.
Wish they would release these tracks, Thanks for sharing.
Actually some of these were released as bonus tracks on various re-issues. "Lady in Disguise" and "The Message" can be found on the 1994 CD re-issue of "Sirens" while the 2002 re-issue (via Metal Blade) of the same album has "Target" and "Living at the Edge of Time" as bonus tracks (all four marked as demo version, probably same as in this video). "Fighting for Love" was a bonus track on the 1994 CD re-issue of "The Dungeons are calling" while "Metalhead", "Stranger in the Dark" and "Before I hang" are bonus tracks on the 2002 Metal Blade re-issue of the same album. Last bonus track on that is a "Piper Rap", not sure if it is the same as the Jon Oliva rap in this video. "Larry Elbows" was released as the final track of the 2013 Narrated Version of "Streets a Rock Opera". Where the Criss Oliva Guitar Intro & Outro come from I do not know. "Before I hang" was later re-recorded for Jon Olivas Pain, while parts of "Larry Elbows" were worked into "Follow me" (on the Edge of Thorns album)
New album to me
F yeah!
I miss this band so much
Thanks for all the work you're doing to help fans like me discover all of these songs. I still can't believe we're getting a new Savatage album, I had pretty much resigned myself that Poets and Madmen was going to be it.
The gods have given all of us yet another gift.
Better than ambrosia, lol
Thanks for this- it's an early Christmas present!
Dead Winter Dead was my favorite album! This is awesome!
Both Chrisses Oliva (R.I.P.) and DeGarmo (Queensryche) are from the early 80's. They are great guitar players and composers who enormously contributed to their band's comercial sucess. Sadly after their departure/farewell the former band lost in terms of musical soul and personality.
I missed something. Nobody knew at the time, 1998 I think, but Chris DeGarmo represented 80% or so of musical creativity in Queensryche. Fortunately, after Criss passing, the core of Savatage remained, I mean Jon Oliva and Paul O'Neill, the quality and inspiration were still there.
What a Christmas treat!
best melodic metal band on earth since decades.
I miss old Savatage. I turned so many people on to them.
Truth be told...it was Jon's vocals that brought me to the band. A local H.S. had a late night radio station that played nothing but Metal. My introduction was Power of the Night. Criss was a bonus researching into their prior albums. MUCH LOVE to the Brothers 💯🔥
"Criss Oliva Guitar Intro"
Beatiful song.
Masterpiece 🤟🏻
❤❤❤❤ beautiful music love Savatage!!!❤❤❤
That tone!
Its awesome to hear how the progression of songs took place, and how some spawned multiple songs. Stranger in the Dark and Larry Elbows both use the same riff from Follow Me. The Message sounds a bit like The Price You Pay and something else that I can't quite place. Target spawned both Symmetry and Nowhere To Run off Jon Oliva's Pain - 'Tage Majal
Una auténtica obra de Arte✨️💯🎵🎄🎶🎸
Great stuff I didn't even know existed...thank you!!!!
SaVaTaGe forever!🤘😉🎸💯
Cheers from Brazil ❤🎉
Mantap lagu-lagunya....👍🏻🤘🏻💥🔥
Criss was such an amazing guitarist! Gone way too soon...RIP
Glad I saved Savatage for later in life. Criss was an underrated virtuoso taken too soon. Funny how the Industry has a pattern of that. Amazing in every way.
Boss share MCG! These really get a hold of you! 💪🤘😎
Cool artwork for this post 💛💜🤘
What real music is, thanx to the RocDoc🎸😎🎸
Отличный альбом ❤!!!!!
Oh yeah🎉🎉🎉
Thanks for posting these. My ears feel like parts of these songs did end up on albums. Intro to Target = intro on Symmetry. Larry = Follow Me. Living on the Edge of time, maybe a stretch but IMO it sounds similar to Unholy. Be interesting to know what recording sessions these came from. Larry is obviously Streets, but I can't place the others. Living on the Edge is probably my favorite of these. Thanks
Criss on EVH Level...carry on.
Top notch!
This album is great and must re-mixed to get the best sound.
thanx for this incredible álbum!!!
I call that untitled instrumental into "Isle Of Lost Souls", and use it as an interlude/intro to City Beneath The Surface. The synth in the background serves as a nice link.
I think I heard it called "Island Of The Kings" but did not find confirmation. But I borrowed from that and modified it to "Isle Of Lost Souls" referencing the damned in Hell, perhaps waiting on some shore to be picked up by Charon, or having already been delivered to some remote isle.
This is so good
Somewhere between sirens and gutter ballet. Love it
Savatage muito bom!
los voy a ver en argentina una emocionn
Love this
Man where was this when I was jamming the hell out of savatage cassettes
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Where did you get this? Freaking amazing!!
👏👏🎶🎵🎼🎸🎹🤘
I hear Ya Savatage will always be Good, But the Line Up, Olivia Brothers Chris and Jon with Kill drums, Middleton where the Four Horse Man 😊R.I.P THY BEST GUITAR Player 🤲 Savatage Fan since Sirens 🎶
Criss était un GRAND !!!
Defend has that gutter ballet sound. What year was this recorded and released? Because these are new to me and I have everything they released
Has to be old
The guitar riffs are unmistakengly chris Oliva
I would love to have a physical copy of this............ please......
Thank you for the upload. Where did you find that amazing piece of artwork???????
🤩
nice one...they always delivered...do you know the year they made this one?
Awesome!!! It's not on any Streaming platform, or is it?
All of these have been released on one Savatage re-issue or another... some appeared as secret/hidden tracks (the "99th" track after 80-some short silent tracks on the 2002 Silver Anniversary edition of Sirens/Dungeons) or bonus tracks on remastered reissues (2007 and beyond). I think the only one that may be ultra rare is the Larry Elbows track. I cannot recall if that one was included on a Streets reissue or not? There are two more missing from this compilation ; a very early demo of Thorazine Shuffle (same title) and an early demo of Unholy called Gates Of Hell. That bring the total to 13, unless you also include the tracks This Is Where You Should Be and the slower gospel-like rendition of Jesus Saves (which I think may be called D T Jesus in some circles). The latter should NEVER have replaced the heavier original release. That was sacrilege. What should have been done is leave it as it was and tack on the longer gospel version at the end of the album as a reprise. It works so much better than way. Having it as an album opener is such a SNOOZE FEST. Works much better as a closer.
Criss Olivia Ever
🎶💞👌
Forgotten for a reason
Super
Savage Avatar.....
⚔️ SAVATAGE ⚔️
The lead in metalhead is epic.absolutly one of the top 100 of all time leads.jmo.i play bass😂
❤. NVR FORGET THAT DREADFUL NIGHT WHEN I HEARD OF HIS DEATH. IT WAS ACTUALLY ANNOUNCED AT A ROCK CONCERT metal.church)... Stoped show to announce it over loud speakers.. DETROIT.
Metalheads! That´s what we are... Hate false Metal.
What album is this?😮😮😮
That rap 😂
Monsters of rock Abril de 2025 - Allianz Parque - São Paulo
Eu vou
Those vocals from the early albums...i just can't get into them.
glad i found this love Savatage R,IP Criss