HANDFUL OF RAIN

The first Savatage's album without Criss Oliva, and he is missed... But it's still a great album, but not a masterpiece in my opinion. In this time, Savatage was on the verge of breaking, but the strong personality of Jon Oliva made possible the continuation of the band. And this is obviously a transition album before the upcoming succesful lineup and their two fantastic conceptual works "Dead Winter Dead" and "The Wake Of Magellan".

Although he doesn't appear in the credits, Jon Oliva played in this record piano, keyboards, all the drums and the rythm and acoustic guitars... Participating too in the composition and the production. Who can deny that he is the Savatage's soul along with the producer and lirycist Paul O'Neil? After the passing of Criss Oliva, Jon took the controls of the band, and he started to develope the most symphonic Savatage's face, as we can hear in songs like the incredible Chance (with an unique choir's work...) and the beautiful ballad Alone You Breathe, being this last one a song writed by Jon Oliva in the honour of his dead brother with a lot of references to old songs like Believe and A Little Too Far.

But in this record we can hear too the influence of a great guitarrist: Alex Skolnick, ex-Testament. Songs like Taunting Cobras and Nothing's Going On are pure trash metal, in a Testament style played with rage by Alex. But we can't forget that Alex Skolnick he is a jazz guitar player too, as we can see in their future band Alex Skolnick's Trio, in a very jazz fussion style. Songs like Watching You Fall, Stare Into The Sun and the classic Hanfdul of Rain, are developed in an original and catchy bluesy-jazzy style, wich makes this album very variated and rich.

Very good album, but less than the Savatage's conceptual masterpieces. But songs like Chance, Alone You Breathe and Handful of Rain should be heared by everyone... Don't miss it!!!