GLOBAL WARNING

This is my favourite post-Savatage album Jon Oliva has put together under any other band and it could stand among Savatage's catalogue as one of their best. The Mountain King decided to experiment with his band and the quality of the musicians allow for that. This becomes evident right from the opening track which is more like an overture which segues seamlessly into Look at the World which goes back to the Avatar days. Adding the Cost is more driving and the lyrics still deal with the situation of our world. Before I Hang is a combination of two older Savatage songs that never made their way to an official release. It would be interesting to hear how they sounded because the updated version makes me think that there is no way that the original would sound better. In the liner notes Jon points Firefly as his possible favourite of the album. By the way, you should definitely read the notes because they are full of information. It oozes with emotion, both lyrically and musically. Master is perhaps the most experimental track Jon has done so far that slips into the industrial territory and it's really heavy. It's amazing how such different songs make up such a coherent album. The musicanship is totally at another level. For instance the transition to The Ride is so smooth which features a beautiful hammered dulcimer performance. O to G is the band's farewell to the late Greg Marchak - their up till then producer and sound engineer. It's less than 2 minutes still it sounds as a fully-fledged song, but then again we could take this and Walk Upon the Water as one. It ranks among my favourites with its mesmerising melodies, the wonderful bridge and chorus, an absolute highlight right from the first time I got to listen to it. If someone would listen to the first notes of Stories without knowing the band would immediately ask if Savatage have released a new album. The song dates back to the Power of the Night days and once again I'm curious to know if the original track sounded any better. Things calm down once again in Open Up Your Eyes but this is the first song that sounds not as good to my ears. It isn't bad of course. You Never Know is a leftover from the Gutter Ballet era (OK, this one makes sense!) and it is truly a Savatage song. Someone / Souls is a song made of two of totally different nature and the acoustic Souls appeals to me a bit more.

In conclusion, Global Warning is one of my favourite metal/rock/prog/experimental albums (which category does it fall into?) and it would be one of my ever-favourites if the last couple of songs were more agreeable with me. Listen to it carefully, admire the artwork and read the lyrics.