Customer Reviews

Festival

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Jon Oliva returns with a new offering of Pain, bombast, and head-banging, fist-pumping Metal. It's a successful album on the whole, definitely the strongest JOP release yet, with killer guitar licks, soaring vocals, and slick production values.

The album opens with "Lies", an excellent metal anthem about Jon Oliva's experiences with all of the corporate shills in the music industry. Wonderful guitar work, and Oliva's Alice Cooper-like snarls and powerful shrieks cut through the track like knives.

"Death Rides a Black Horse" is one of my favorite tracks. Trademark Oliva bombast; he's the only guy in metal who can be hardcore and showy.

One can tell that "Festival" was inspired by a nightmare. Creepy lyrics, growled vocals, and some bizarre guitar tuning. Delicious.

"Afterglow" reminds me a lot of JOP's other classic track, "Maniacal Renderings", in that it blends musical genres seemlessly and brilliantly. It's part metal, part rock power ballad, part foly, and to cap it all off, it has some awesome jazz-breaks towards the end.

"Living On The Edge Of Time" is a remake of a Savatage-era song of the same name. It's a fist pumper, with a full chorus and crazy guitar work. Criss Oliva must channel his spirit through Matt LaPorte.

We get a breather during "Looking For Nothing", a classic Oliva ballad. It shows the versatility of his voice, and of the band's musical ability.

"The Evil Within" is another crazy metal track. The chorus is so catchy... You try listening with your ass in a chair. It can't be done. You've got to get up and bang your head to it.

"Winter Haven" sounds like classic rock. I hear Zeppelin, I hear Lennon... Lots of fun, a great ballad.

"I Fear You" sounds very much like "The Evil Within, Part II".

The album closes with the soft and tender "Now", which is, in my opinion, one of Oliva's best ballads to date. Very touching, and can be appreciated by anyone who is far away from loved ones, whether separated by land, sea, or death.

Now... the criticisms.

The reason I gave this album 4 out of 5 stars instead of 5 out of 5 is because I would have liked to hear more variety in the music. The worst thing any musician can do, and what unfortunately happens after so many years in the business, is that a band falls into a specific formula. You can see it happening with JOP. The same themes, the same song patterns.

With that small criticism in mind, I'd like to say that I enjoyed the album immensely. I think it's a great addition to Mr. Oliva & Company's catalog, and a great introduction for new fans.

I got the album and played it over and over and reached a decision that this album deserves a 5 out of 5.
It has all the elements and Jon has challenged himself to give himself and us an album to remember.
I mean from the 1st song "Lies" to the last song "Now" you can find all you want, from heavy, thrash, headbanging, acoustic and even slow songs.
His voice is as perfect as we know the Mountain king is Streets. The music and the arrangement is great.
I wish this album gets the appreciation it deserves.

This is now the fourth full-length release by former Savatage / Trans-Siberian Orchestra vocalist/songwriter/main man Jon Oliva and his band of merry men known as his Pain. "Festival" is the follow-up to the well received "Global Warning" album (released in 2008). In my opinion, with "Global Warning" we saw J.O.P. firing on all cylinders - by far my favorite Pain CD (so far) and arguably one of Jon's finest pieces of work in his illustrious career. When I heard they were working on a new CD I had to ask myself "how do they top that one?!?!!?" Obviously when a band puts out a truly great piece of work like "Global Warning" the expectations are even higher for the next release. I wondered what direction J.O.P. would take. Would they try and go bigger and bolder, or would they possibly go simpler, harder and heavier? Well I've been given the opportunity to listen to "Festival" so the verdict is in. Did they go simpler? NO WAY. Did they go harder and heavier? Well, it's still hard and it's still heavy - but I don't feel it's any harder than any previous Jon Oliva penned releases (definitely not any harder than pre-"Gutter Ballet" Savatage or "Doctor Butcher." ) So then, what's it like? Well, if I only get one word to sum "Festival" up, that word has to be GRANDOISE. Yes, the circus has come to town -- the lions, tigers and elephants... the sword swallower... the bearded lady... the carnies... the acrobats. They're all there in "Festival." Of course you're going to hear Jon's Beatles influence here ("Looking for Nothing" & "Now"), as is the norm now. But I'm definitely hearing bits of Black Sabbath ("Afterglow"), Rush ("Festival") and Led Zeppelin ("Winter Haven") influences as well - it's simply a three ring big top, as far as music goes. It's nothing too far over the top but in my opinion "Festival" is simply a natural progression that one would expect as a follow up to "Global Warning" - and a top notch follow up indeed. No matter what you think about it after you get to form your own opinion, one thing is for sure - Jon's voice sound's absolutely marvelous! How he's managed to keep such a great voice (considering the style in which he sings) after all these years is truly amazing. He's truly in tip-top form at the age of 50. The band sounds great too. They've been together now for over seven years and it shows in how they've gelled together so very nicely. Indeed we have a lot of great music to look forward to in the years ahead. With each passing release they just keep getting tighter and tighter, and the music just keeps getting bigger and bolder.

So, is "Festival" a great album? I honestly can't say that it is... at least not yet. But I surely know it's better than 95% of anything else out there by any musician of this genre. This just isn't one of those type albums that reaches out and grabs you on the first listen or two... or three or four. This is one I think you need to give repeated listens to in order to fully appreciate it. But those are the type of albums that wind up being the ones considered classics. The ones that grab you with catchy hooks and choruses are usually the ones you lay down and never listen again after you get burned out on them. Well I've heard "Festival" about 10 times in its entirety and I do believe it's just now beginning to sink its hook into my always-hungry-for-great-Rock `n' Roll-soul, and it's now beginning to give me the fix that only Mr. Oliva knows how to satisfy my addiction. In many aspects this album reminds me of Savatage's "Streets" album. Not that this is a concept album or a rock opera... no, not at all. I only say that because I wasn't really crazy about Streets the first few times that I heard it. But now I definitely consider Streets to be one of the top 10 albums in my collection. Some things just have to be heard repeatedly to fully appreciate, and I do believe that "Festival" falls into this category. I have no doubt that one day it's going to be one of my top favorites, and the more I listen to it the more of it I crave. That's just the type of music that Jon seems to create. In fact, many Oliva releases just seem to fall into that category. There's nothing catchy about it. It's not radio friendly. It's just in-your-face hard rock & Heavy Metal. It's what Pain does best and in "Festival" they definitely deliver... yet again. So whet your appetites my friends. The circus is getting ready to come to town so get your tickets now... and prepare for one wild-ass ride!

I love this cd . I just downloaded the cd from Amazon , and I cant stop listening to this . Every track on this cd is killer . the heavey stuff is classic Jon Oliva/Savatage . The ballads simply put are beautiful . If you only know of Jon Oliva from TSO then do yourself a favor and check this out and when your done go buy all of Jons previous work with Jon Olivas Pain & Savatage . Help support the artists who put thier souls out there for all of us to hear !Thanks Jon for another work of art.

Live Long Live Loud & Raise your Fing Fist to Rock !!!!!!!!!!!!!

The last recording featuring our friend Matt LaPorte on guitar. Another loss for the Savatage family. Rest in Peace Mattie. You'll be missed.

Jon Oliva, what a talent! This is about the closest thing to classic Savatage as you can get...., this is how to write an album, coming right out of the gate with 3 rocking numbers. I can't decide which of the 3 is the best because they're all that good.
Things then slow down a bit for a reflective moment with one of the album highlights, Afterglow. The song ebbs & flows & closes in a jazzy-style breakdown before tearing it home with some rollicking guitar work. Then we get right back into the heaviness with ace cuts like Living on the Edge, The Evil Within & I Fear You.
Winter Haven slows it up again, but it's such a beautifully written song in that classic Oliva style. I happen to feel this is Jon's strongest effort to date, just well written music is styled wonderfully, masterfully played.....outstanding!

Another great cd by jon and company. Two songs that i cant stop listening to are,I fear you,and winter haven!!! Just buy the cd already!!!!

I was hooked back in '86 when I first saw Sava open for Dio. Through the years Jon's music seems to get better and better and Festival is no exception. From beginning to end it evokes different emotions. This album rocks!!

Their 4th release is a very good one, definitely worth picking up!.I fear you is a very heavy song that I just crank up to 14 every time!

oopps, im showing my age ,a good solid cd. speaking of age i'v been a fan of oliva from the first savatage album ( it was a album back then real vinal )this cd has great liner notes by jon and some of the stuff was recorded for savatage with a lot of chris's riffs. so if you dont like savatage you wont like this , but if you like progish hard rock youll love it oh and dont be surprised to heare a little TSO sound.i liked it a lot if your a true fan of this type of music it a must,and besids that jon has a better evil laugh that ozzy.

just an old hippy,
Vinny Palmieri
debs the wife who bought
it for me