Savatage - Power Of The Night
Atlantic
Heavy Metal
10 songs (37:22)
Release year: 1985
Savatage, Atlantic Records
Reviewed by Khelek
Archive review

The heavy metal machine that is Savatage continued their yearly album output in 1985 with Power Of The Night, a very memorable album and in my opinion their strongest to this point. Just about every track is full of energy, yet the songs are also diverse enough so that you don't feel like you're listening to the same old recipe. This album also saw Savatage attempting to gain a broader audience with more mainstream type songs that dealt with the subjects of love and lust, as many of their hair metal counterparts were doing at the time. The songs that overtly go in this direction are ones I could have done without, but they are still decent songs in their own right. This is certainly one of Savatage's catchiest and hard-hitting albums, and it's also an album that flows together very nicely, permitting one to easily listen to it in one sitting.

The title track is up first once again with very catchy guitars and has an especially memorable chorus. The guitar work of Criss Oliva is a little more subdued in this album than the past couple, yet it is still quite prevalent in this song. Unusual also shows Oliva doing some complex lead guitar work, albeit for only a short time. This is another very memorable song with a great chorus that just makes you want to sing along. Warriors has a bit of a heavier edge, yet still includes a chorus that is simple and memorable. Necrophilia has been a personal favorite of mine for years. I love the quick, thrashy guitar work along with the raspy vocals of Oliva. Hard For Love is something that would be more in place in a glam/hair metal band rather than Savatage, for me it just doesn't really work. This is one of those songs, along with Stuck On You, that seems like it might have just been written to attract a wider audience. However, Fountain Of Youth comes in next and is another one of my favorites. This is a slower, more melancholy take on the Savatage sound and it really is great with simple, memorable riffs and drums and a memorable chorus once again. Oliva's vocal work also sounds great on this track; he really puts his range to more use than on many songs on this album. The guitar solo is also really catchy and memorable. Finally I want to talk about the song Skull Session. Where do I even start? The song starts off with a quick guitar lead by Oliva, followed closely by some fast drum work that really gets the energy flowing. Jon Oliva once again utilizes his full range of vocal abilities in this song, going up to some higher pitches. The solo work by Criss Oliva is nothing short of face-melting. Furthermore, this song gives you a huge sound in under three and a half minutes. That's how you know these guys have song writing talents bestowed by some badass musical deity.

I think what Savatage tried to do here is create an album that would appeal to more than just the underground metal scene of the time by doing the sort of commercial things that bands like Kiss and Twisted Sister were doing, namely writing love/sex type songs and ballads. Just listen to Hard For Love or Stuck On You and one can immediately hear that hair metal/glam metal influence; fortunately Stuck On You happens to be a good deal faster and an enjoyable listen. The slower songs on this album are also really good. Fountain Of Youth and the closing ballad In The Dream actually both create an awesome melancholy/desolate atmosphere. Any way you slice it there are some really powerful heavy metal songs here. Once again it shows off the remarkable abilities of the Oliva brothers and the rest of the band. For this reason Power Of The Night remains one of my favorite Savatage albums.

Killing Songs :
Unusual, Necrophilia, Fountain Of Youth, Skull Session
Khelek quoted 92 / 100
Other albums by Savatage that we have reviewed:
Savatage - Gutter Ballet reviewed by Khelek and quoted 85 / 100
Savatage - Fight For The Rock reviewed by Khelek and quoted 68 / 100
Savatage - The Dungeons Are Calling reviewed by Khelek and quoted 90 / 100
Savatage - Sirens reviewed by Khelek and quoted 90 / 100
Savatage - Hall of the Mountain King reviewed by Brent and quoted Classic
To see all 7 reviews click here
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