Dead Winter Dead

Savatage

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 24, 1995)
• Original Release Date: October 24, 1995
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Atlantic / Wea
• ASIN: B000002J7O
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #15,611 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

37 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars There's only a few reviews, but we're all agreeing..., July 30, 1999

By	David M. Owens (Worcester, MA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Savatage is one of the best rock/metal bands out there, and this is one of their best albums. Unlike most sellout bands, Savatage isn't tremendously popular, and the main reason is because they don't do sellout work: Dead Winter Dead is an album about the Bosnia/Serbia situation from a few years back after the breakup of Yugoslavia, and it isn't terribly commercial because of that.

What it is, though, is some of the best lyric-writing and songwriting available, all rolled up into one fantastic "rock opera", complete with an accompanying poem (libretto, if you will) in the CD lyric notes. Very slick, and also a lot more than you get with most other Cd's nowadays.

The range on the album is pretty good: You get fast songs and "heavy metal" songs like "Starlight" and "Doesn't Matter Anyway", and then you drop right back into more emotional and heartfelt songs, like "This Isn't What We Meant", and "Not What You See". Combine that with an incredible instrumental of Carol of the Bells, a traditional Christmas carol, that they called "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24", and you get a varied and very enjoyable album.

To sum up Savatage, and this won't do them justice, imagine Metallica, but with piano and keyboard accompaniment, great melodies, awesome lyrics, and one of the most talented singers, with a tremendous range...do that and you might be able to imagine Dead Winter Dead.

If you can't do that, just buy the CD. It's under 10 bucks, so you can't go wrong!

If you like this, and "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo" especially, you might want to pick up Trans-Siberian Orchestra's albums; they're a pseudo-Savatage side-project, with similar style.

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Second only to Wake of Magellan . . ., August 14, 2000

By	J. T. Nite "mightybjorn" (Mesa, AZ USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

With this album, Savatage erases the memory of the good-but-unremarkable "Handful of Rain." Dead Winter Dead is an Excellent, thought-provoking, tear-jerking rock opera about the war in Sarajevo and the toll it takes on people's lives. Ultimately, DWD suggests, there is one force more powerful than fear and hate . . .

Musically, DWD maintains a fine balance between hard-rock and more melodic, symphonic work, sometimes in the same song. Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24) is a fine example -- crashing guitar and screeching violins combine for a memorable rendition of a familiar Christmas carol. The other instrumentals jump out as well -- the eerie Mozart and Madness, and the jubilant electric-guitar version of Beethoven's 9th (called "Memory" here).

There's not a bad song on this album -- Jon Oliva's gruff voice is not as solid as Zak Stevens', but fits the two tracks he sings. Every song contributes to the story, but stands alone as well. If you don't get goosebumps at some point on the first listen (Mine was during the polyharmony on "One Child"), check your pulse.

I only gave this four stars because, as good as it is, The Wake of Magellan is that much better.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best Concept Albums, December 16, 2003

By	"kuzco1" (Buffalo, NY) - See all my reviews

I bought this album a few years ago based on the song Christmas Eve(Sarajevo 12/24) that I first heard on The Trans-Siberian Orchestra's Christmas Eve and other Stories album. I listened to the album a couple of times, liked a few songs but thought it was'nt anything special.

Well after going to see TSO live I thought I dig this one out and listen to where the inspiration for TSO came from. Well I've been listening to this album pretty much continuously now, for the last few weeks. Maybe I just didn't listen close enough the first time, but now I think this is by far one of the best concept albums ever recorded.

The songs take you on a journey and tell the story of how war can change you and your perception of the world. Some reviewers think this is a dark album, and a downer, I don't agree. I think it has all the elements of a great story. The exuberance of 'This is the Time' that is changed by pettiness and greed (I am), and shattered by war (This Isn't what We Meant, Dead Winter Dead, One Child) only to come to the realization that you don't have to be a follower, you can stand up for your own belief's, and overcome prejudice and hate (Not What You See). Also the combination of Classical influences mixed with the best progressive metal you'll hear, this side of Dream Theater, are done flawlessly.(I hope this lineup gets back together for a future album) The music sets the tone for the songs, even without the lyrics which are very strong and thought provoking on their own.

I would highly recommend this album to anyone who likes to be moved by music as well as entertained. A great effort all around.