Savatage - Gutter Ballet (1989)

This album was a true turning point for the band, for after Jon Oliva watched The Phantom of the Opera in Toronto, he decided to change the sound of the band, from a heavy metal to a more progressive sound, which is reflected in songs such as "When the Crowds are Gone" and "Gutter Ballet". The final three songs ("Mentally Yours", "Summer's Rain", "Thorazine Shuffle") are a conceptual suite dealing with a single character as revealed by the band in interviews.

The original title for the record was Temptation Revelation, but this was changed to Hounds of Zaroff which was a Steve Wacholz suggestion. As late as May 1989, the band was having doubts surrounding the title. At the time, the eventual title track of the album had not been written. The title, "Gutter Ballet" was in fact the title of a play Paul O'Neill had written ten years earlier that would later make-up the majority of the band's next work, "Streets". In fact, "Gutter Ballet" was written with just Jon, Criss and Paul in the studio. Jon's drumming skill was competent enough to perform on the track and Jon also provided the bass guitar duties for the track.

Track listing

1. "Of Rage and War" – 4:47
2. "Gutter Ballet" – 6:20
3. "Temptation Revelation" (Instrumental) – 2:56
4. "When the Crowds Are Gone" – 5:45
5. "Silk and Steel" (Instrumental) – 2:56
6. "She's in Love" – 3:51
7. "Hounds" – 6:27
8. "The Unholy" – 4:37
9. "Mentally Yours" – 5:19
10. "Summer's Rain" – 4:33
11. "Thorazine Shuffle" – 4:43

* All songs by Oliva/Oliva/O'Neill except "Silk and Steel" by Criss Oliva and Paul Silver.

Personnel

* Jon Oliva – lead vocals & piano
* Criss Oliva – guitars
* Steve Wacholz – drums
* Johnny Lee Middleton – bass guitar
* Chris Caffery - guitars and keyboards

Note: Caffery was credited with guitars and keyboards and is pictured in the album's booklet "both to prepare the fans for the line-up they'd see on tour and confirm his permanent member status."

Further Credits

* Produced by Paul O'Neill
* Engineered by James A. Ball
* Additional Engineering by Joe Henehan
* Assistant Engineers: Teddy Trewalla, Deek Venarchick, Jay DeVito, Dave Parla
* Mastering by Jack Skinner/EuropaDisc, NYC
* Cover art by Gary Smith
* Studio Technician: Dan Campbell
* Additional keyboards by Bob Kinkel
* Photographs by Dennis Osborne
* "Gutter Ballet" was recorded and mixed at Record Plant Studios, NYC Feb.-July '89