Review Summary: A melancholy, but important transitional album which would sadly be a founding member's last.
EDGE OF THORNS was both the beginning of a new era for Savatage and also sadly the close of another. This melancholy themed material now seems to foreshadow the darker days that would befall them within the following year.
Jon Oliva’s decision to step aside as lead vocalist was disappointing to me because he had come to embody the soul of the band. Jon himself picked Zachary Stevens as his replacement. Zach has certainly proved himself to be a polished and capable vocalist, but I do admit sometimes missing Jon’s raw, gritty delivery in these songs. Still, Jon’s presence is still very much felt in the lyrics he wrote here with Paul O’Neill.
Musically, EDGE OF THORNS utilizes much of the same formula they’d used on GUTTER BALLET in placing more emphasis on almost orchestral sounding arrangements for selected songs and much more keyboards and piano in the mixes. Overall, the sequencing makes this album a bit better balanced in terms of dynamics and song flow.
The excellent title track is a good example of this. “Edge Of Thorns” was only a minor commercial hit for them at the time, but remained a fan favorite and live staple for years to come.
There are plenty of riff rockers to satisfy older fans like “He Carves His Stone” which would have been perfectly suited for Jon. “Lights Out” is definitely a nod to UFO / Michael Schenker in both its title and the main riff. “Skraggy’s Tomb” and “Damien” also possess a bit of that old Savatage metal sound.
“Conversation Piece” tempers those aggressive tendencies with more confessional styled lyrics like those on GUTTER BALLET and STREETS. It’s these moodier, more introspective songs like “Conversation Piece”, “Follow Me” and “Degrees Of Sanity” that really serve to define the overall mood of this record.
Like GUTTER BALLET, there are also several instrumental tracks such as “Labyrinths” (showcasing Criss Oliva’s guitar work) and the more somber piano of “Exit Music”. As the album reaches its climax, there are several ballads including “Sleep” and the majestic “All That I Bleed”.
What makes this album an even sadder journey for me was the knowledge that it turned out to be guitarist Criss Oliva’s final offering. I adored and idolized Criss as a guitar player and was devastated once I’d learned of his senseless death. Criss’ guitar work had always been such a key ingredient to the Savatage sound and it was almost unimaginable that the band could continue on without him. But sometimes it IS darkest before the dawn and I’m pleased that Savatage (and Trans-Siberian Orchestra) continued to grow and prosper after this tragedy.
My initial impression of this album was that none of these songs excited me as the highlights from the first three albums and seemed to be of a slightly lesser grade. However, this may be a case where the value of whole shouldn’t be judged solely on the sum of its parts. In retrospect, I believe EDGE OF THORNS does deserve a badge of excellence. It’s a well-balanced collection of songs that exemplifies creative growth and has only grown more important and meaningful to me through time.
