CIRCLE II CIRCLE – Watching In Silence

Please don’t ask me why Zak Stevens, one of the greatest singers from the last decade, left Savatage. I am sure I can come up with an explanation that makes sense, but I have been more than enough critical to a certain New York office lately. Family Business? Believe what you want – but the golden voice is back with a new band already; Circle II Circle. And that’s all that matters right now.

Evil people may call this Savatage light and ask the purpose of this record. Well, call me a little evil – this IS Savatage light – but when you consider the fact that Circle II Circle has delivered a record that is better than half the disks Zak cut with Savatage, “Watching In Silence” surely serves its purpose. I take a light version of Savatage’s “Edge Of Thorns” line-up any day. This is of course much due to Jon Oliva (and Chris Caffery as well) helping out as in the songwriting department, without saying Zak can not come up with great stuff himself of course. Then again, is this Stevens doing his own stuff? No, this is simply Zak Stevens getting away from what froze his ass a few years ago – and still doing what he does best and likes best.

With the help from the multi-talented and greatest songwriter since Lennon/McCartney: Mister Jon Oliva, “Watching In Silence” is an album that completely – unlike those late Savatage records – lacks fillers. All the songs are top quality; there are typical Savatage intros, incredibly beautiful and at the same time strong and powerful vocals, the CD is filled with those typical Oliva guitar riffs and tasty keyboards- and piano work. You’ll find melodies that easily bring you into the record and make sure you stay there, the guitar solos are stunning because Caffery (input on two songs) is getting closer to the late Criss Oliva every day (the most unique and best band guitar player there ever was) AND because the band’s own guitarist, Matt LaPorte, is the axeslinger that should have stepped into that much mentioned band in 1995.

I have had lots of this material a long time already, and in true Savatage fashion the favourite songs change all the time. Today I would like to salute the Queen-ish “Walls”, with its huge choirs, “The Circle”, a song that has a good punch to it, “Face To Face”, the titletrack and “Out Of Reach”. Wait, that’s half the disk mentioned right there. The other half is just as good, I swear, because one of the best records of 2003 is here. Just a little more blood into the love pump, meaning a few more uptempo rockers, and Zak is be up for the highest score next time. I wonder how many Circle II Circle records will see the light of today before the next Savatage release by the way…