Dead Winter Dead

Savatage usually comes off like a heavier version of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. This shouldn't come as a surprise, given the bands' shared personnel, but the comparison is even more apt than usual on DEAD WINTER DEAD, Savatage's last album before Jon Oliva and Paul O'Neill split to form TSO - and not just because it features the original appearance that band's signature tune, "Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)".Masterminded by keyboardist/former lead vocalist Jon Oliva and producer Paul O'Neill, DEAD WINTER DEAD tells the stories of three people in Sarajevo during the Balkan Wars: Serdjan, a young Serbian man; Katrina, a young Muslim woman; and an unnamed old cellist. It is the story of the cellist that moves me most deeply: he returns to Sarajevo after traveling the world to find his beloved city in ruins, not at the hands of foreign armies, but at the hands of its own inhabitants. So he climbs atop a pile of charred rubble and plays his cello there alone, night after night, to prove that the spirit of humanity is still alive amidst the bombs and the bloodshed.Appropriately, given its subject matter (not to mention its title), DEAD WINTER DEAD is one dark record. The ballads, with one notable exception, are bleak and desperate, the rockers downright venomous, and the band plays them with just the right balance of fierce aggression and piercing emotion. Jon Oliva returns to vocal duty for arguably the two evilest cuts, the menacing "I Am" (sung from the perspective of a Yugoslavian partisan) and virulent "Doesn't Matter Anyway" (this time the narrator is a two-faced arms dealer). Zak Stevens handles vocals on the remainder of the album, turning in fine performances on "One Child", "This Isn't What We Meant", and the aforementioned exception to the "bleak ballad" rule, the glorious closer "Not What You See". Glorious, because it is utterly uplifting, rekindling hope in the midst of despair and, despite all the sturm und drang that preceded it, leaving the listener feeling warm, redeemed, and just plain good.I've found Jon Oliva and Paul O'Neill have a knack for these kinds of musical "eucatastrophes", to borrow a word from JRR Tolkien, and I love it. So often real life ends in plain old catastrophe, it's always nice when a record makes you feel there's still a point in hoping for a better tomorrow like DEAD WINTER DEAD does.

Savatage. Great band. Pure and dramatic sound. One godly voice. What better band to celebrate heavy metal and the holidays with "Dead Winter Dead" with its rather un-Christmassy theme of warfare? I just wish that Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO) would not shy away from their roots by hiding the Savatage name from the public, especially with TSO's recent thematic shift on the album "Night Castle."It is also silly that the only reason that "Christmas Eve (Sarajevo)"--an awesome instrumental fusing "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" with "Carol of the Bells"--became such a holiday hit is because radio DJ's thought Sava was too taboo a name to mention to listeners. I personally could care less whether all the band member had to always put on a strictly "adult" and "professional" appearance. I have always considered heavy metal as the best gateway to breaking norms, and Sava's more popular alter ego TSO has broken many norms. Don't get me wrong, I love TSO, just wish they would go a bit more wild and louder like Sava had been doing for over 20 years.btw, up the irons!!! \m/

Let's remember that these reviews are one's personal opinions. But I have to say sorry, this just isn't what I expected. I purchased all 5 of TSO's CDs and found them to be brilliant. In one of the liner notes, Dead Winter Dead was referenced with a comment or two so I decided, based on TSO, to purchase this one. When the first track started playing, I thought "WOW! This is just like TSO". But that wasn't to be. I found this to be quite dull and full of noise instead of nice music. After the 3rd track, I said I just can't take anymore of this and took it off, never to listen to anymore of it. In fact, I gave the CD to a friend. This is more heavy metal than anything and the vocals have a lot to be desired. If you're into heavy metal, then this is for you. If you make the same mistake I did and based this on what TSO put out, then you're in for a big let down. If you're into heavy metal then I can reluctantly recommend this to you. If you're not, then don't waste your time or money on this. In my opinion, this is total crap.

From time to time an album comes along that reminds us why we love music. This is one of those albums. Savatage has always been one of my favorite bands. Thier power & passion is unmatched in the genre. This CD has some beautifully touching songs (Not what you see/This isn't what we meant/One child) that will pour emotion over you. There are some heavy songs (I am/Doesn't matter anyway) that may earn you a speeding ticket if you listen to them in the car. There are also the trademark Savatage / Trans-Siberian Orchestra instrumentals that leave you agape at the virtuoso range of these stellar musicians. In short, there is something for everybody who loves music here. One of my favorite CDs.

Case was cracked no big deal book was there CD was in good condition enjoyed listening to CD

I have been a huge fan of Savatage from back in the 80s. I really like this CD, though it is kind of hard to find. I wore my first copy out, that's why I had to pick up a second one. I think Handfull of Rain is my favorite Savatage CD.

I wanted to hear TSO before they were TSO just to compare. Each time I listen to this album, I like it more.

Great!

Perfect item, perfect music.

ich habe mir gleich nach der veröffentlichung die cd zugelegt und war wirklich unglücklich damit.später habe ich dann noch einmal gebraucht zugeschlagen und werde sie nie wieder hergeben. savatage haben einfach was nach dem andere bands jahrelang vergeblich suchen - klasse - es handelt sich um ein concept album bei dem der krieg im alten jugoslawien thema ist und das ist einfach genial umgesetzt mit klasse hardrock und allerlei einsprengseln aus verschiedenen bereichen anderer musik.

I believe Savatage was a really talented group ,this album is great and my advise try not to judge it from the first time.

c'est vraiment un bon album conceptuel sur la guerre a sarayevo;al pitrelli est bien inspiré,solo limpides et riffs costaud,les autres zicos ne sont pas en reste non plus; en revanche le cd bonus qui comportent 2 titres live a un son un peu trop pourris a mon gout,dommage car les compos sont canons!

SavatageはStreets以降は全て良いですね。このアルバムも最高。ヴォーカルが噛み付くような声で、ダサくないメロディーを唄うのだから最高です。あとメタルの音色とピアノ融合も良いですね。個人的には、メタル版のMeatloafと言っています。このアルバムは劇的な展開とピアノのバラードのバランスも良いし、ストーリーも哀しく良いので、お勧めできます。