Hall of the Mountain King is an album by the
progressive metalProgressive metal is a fusion genre: a mixture of progressive rock and heavy metal. Progressive metal blends the powerful, guitar-driven sound of metal with the complex compositional structures, odd time signatures, and intricate instrumental playing of progressive rock...
group
SavatageSavatage is an American progressive metal band founded by the brothers Jon and Criss Oliva in 1978 at Astro Skate in Tarpon Springs, Florida. The band has been inactive since the release of their last album in 2001, and have not performed live together since 2002, instead concentrating on the more...
, released in 1987 under the direction of Paul O'Neill.
This album shows the beginning of their progressive tendencies as they explore new forms of expression in their music. Many fans consider this album the original turning point in their musical identity, distinguishing between the old and new Savatage.
It is their first album produced by
Paul O'NeillPaul O'Neill is a music composer, lyricist, producer and writer.-Early career:A New York City native, O'Neill began playing guitar with a number of rock bands in high school and quickly graduated to folk guitar gigs at downtown clubs...
, who was assigned to the band after their previous tour. As their first concept album, it has a constant tone (of darkness, in this case) and is more complex than their previous albums, with two entirely instrumental tracks that go beyond simple guitar riffs and solos, namely
"Prelude to Madness" and
"Last Dawn".
"Prelude to Madness" is an arrangement of
GriegEdvard Hagerup Grieg was a Norwegian composer and pianist who composed in the Romantic period. He is best known for his Piano Concerto in A minor, for his incidental music to Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt , and for his collection of piano miniatures Lyric...
's
In the Hall of the Mountain KingIn the Hall of the Mountain King is a piece of orchestral music, Opus 23, composed by Edvard Grieg for Henrik Ibsen's play Peer Gynt, which premiered in Oslo on February 24, 1876. In the Hall of the Mountain King is a piece of orchestral music, Opus 23, composed by Edvard Grieg for Henrik...
from the
Peer GyntPeer Gynt is a five-act play in verse by the Norwegian dramatist Henrik Ibsen, loosely based on the fairy tale Per Gynt. Interpreted in its day as a satire on the Norwegian personality, Peer Gynt is the story of a life based on avoidance. A first edition of 1,250 copies was published on 14...
suite. Oddly, Grieg is not credited for this song, but for the following title track - which ironically, is an original song. The intro of "Prelude to Madness" features keyboards and guitar playing "Mars, the Bringer of War" from
Gustav HolstGustav Theodore Holst was an English composer. He is most famous for his orchestral suite The Planets.Having studied at the Royal College of Music in London,...
's suite,
The PlanetsThe Planets, Op. 32 is a seven-movement orchestral suite by the British composer Gustav Holst, written between 1914 and 1916. Its first public performance occurred during World War I on 10 October 1918 in Birmingham, with Appleby Matthews conducting...
.
Through Paul O'Neill's connections, he brought in
Ray GillenRaymond 'Ray' Gillen was an American rock singer, best known for his work with Badlands, in addition to his stint with Black Sabbath in the mid-1980's.-Biography:...
, of
BadlandsBadlands was a short-lived rock band founded by former Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Jake E. Lee and former Black Sabbath members Ray Gillen and Eric Singer. Badlands also featured bassist Greg Chaisson. After the first Badlands album, Eric Singer was replaced by Jeff Martin...
fame to perform a vocal duet at the end of
"Strange Wings".
This was the first album to feature the album cover drawn by artist Gary Smith, who was responsible for lead guitarist Criss Oliva's airbrushed guitars at the time.
Track listing
- "24 Hours Ago" – 4:56
- "Beyond the Doors of the Dark" – 5:07
- "Legions" – 4:57
- "Strange Wings" – 3:45
- "Prelude to Madness" – 3:13
- "Hall of the Mountain King" – 5:55
- "The Price You Pay" – 3:51
- "White Witch" – 3:31
- "Last Dawn" – 1:07
- "Devastation" – 3:37
2002 CD reissue bonus tracks
- "Hall of the Mountain King (Live)" - 6:00
- "Devastation (Live)" - 3:36
Personnel
At this point, Savatage remained essentially intact from their original group. Interesting to note is that in the liner notes for the album, they gave themselves roles instead of listing their instruments.
- Jon Oliva
John Nicholas Oliva is best known simply as Jon Oliva and as founder of and lead vocalist for Savatage. He was the third of four children...
– "The Grit" (lead vocalsThe human voice consists of sound made by a human being using the vocal folds for talking, singing, laughing, crying, screaming, etc. Human voice is specifically that part of human sound production in which the vocal folds are the primary sound source...
, pianoThe piano is a musical instrument which is played by means of a keyboard. Widely used in Western music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music, and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
)
- Criss Oliva
Christopher "Criss" Michael Oliva was born in Pompton Plains, NJ. He was the lead guitarist in, and co-founder of, the band Savatage...
– "The Crunch" (guitarThe guitar is a musical instrument with ancient roots that adapts readily to a wide variety of musical styles. It typically has six strings, but four-, seven-, eight-, ten-, eleven-, twelve-, thirteen- and eighteen-string guitars also exist. The size and shape of the neck and the base of the guitar...
s)
- Steve Wacholz – "The Cannons" (drums
A drum set is a collection of drums, cymbals and sometimes other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person . The term "drum kit" first became used in the 1700s in Britain...
, percussion)
- Johnny Lee Middleton
Johnny Lee Middleton is an American musician and songwriter, best known as the bass guitar player for Savatage and Trans-Siberian Orchestra.-Musical Beginnings:...
– "The Thunder" (bass guitarThe electric bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a plectrum....
, backing vocals)
- Chris Caffery
Chris Caffery is a heavy metal guitarist who is best known for his work as a member of Savatage and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra...
- guitars (touring band member only)
- Robert Kinkel
Bob Kinkel is a professional session keyboardist and music engineer. He attended Hamilton College and graduated with a Bachelor of arts in music with a minor in physics....
- keyboardsAn electronic keyboard or digital keyboard is a sample-based keyboard instrument. Its sound is generated or amplified by one or more electronic devices....
- Ray Gillen
Raymond 'Ray' Gillen was an American rock singer, best known for his work with Badlands, in addition to his stint with Black Sabbath in the mid-1980's.-Biography:...
– backing vocals on "Strange Wings"
External links