Finally! The wait has come to an end! The reunion of one of the world’s greatest progressive metal bands, anxiously awaited by fans, has moved within reach.
Now, in 2015, for the first time in over a decade, Savatage will return to the stage as part of a big live celebration at the Wacken Open Air.
To celebrate the reunion performance, SAVATAGE and earMUSIC releases the ultimate “Return To Wacken” on June 19th 2015 through earMUSIC. A selection of classic studio songs, that the band played live at Wacken in their now two historical shows at the world-famous Festival.
Founded in 1981 in Tampa, Florida, by brothers Jon and Criss Oliva, Savatage quickly got noticed for their powerful metal albums. Soon after they paired with producer / co-writer Paul O’Neill, their progressive metal sound became defined by emphatic orchestrations and a strong melodic component, paired with catchy melodies and complex arrangements.
The band did not only extend their artistic range album after album, but also the general borders of the heavy rock genre itself.
By doing this, they reached a huge number of followers worldwide and their albums often occupied the highest positions in the charts all over the world. In 2007, the year of the band’s 25th anniversary, Jon Oliva announced the final split up of the band.
“Return To Wacken” is based on the setlists of these memorable performances at Wacken Open Air 1998 and 2002 and it celebrates the return to the stage of one of the world’s greatest progressive metal bands with each and every song. Besides SAVATAGE’S greatest hits and classics, such as “Hall Of The Mountain King”, “Gutter Ballet”, or “The Wake Of Magellan”, the album booklet gives some real insights into the band with personal memories of Jon Oliva, with rare pictures and press quotes to the two past performances at Wacken Open Air.
Tracklist
01. Hall of the Mountain King
02. Gutter Ballet
03. Believe
04. Chance
05. Edge of Thorns
06. The Wake of Magellan
07. Dead Winter Dead
08. The Hourglass
09. Tonight He Grins Again
10. Prelude to Madness
11. When the Crowds are Gone