Japan Live '94

Japan Live '94 (also known as Live in Japan) is a live album and VHS by the American heavy metal band Savatage. The show that was recorded was held in Kawasaki, Japan on November 12, 1994, and was the last show on the short Handful of Rain tour. The show is noted for featuring Jon Oliva in a prominent role, his first since "leaving" the band in 1992. Oliva has an extended piano intro on "Gutter Ballet" and shares lead vocals with Zachary Stevens, making it his first performance as a lead vocalist with the band for two years. Oliva also performs rhythm guitar on "Hall of the Mountain King".

Japan Live '94
Live album by
Savatage
ReleasedJanuary 25, 1995 (Japan)
October 9, 1995 (Germany)
RecordedNovember 12, 1994
VenueClub Città (Kawasaki, Japan)
GenreHeavy metal, progressive metal
Length59:32 (CD)
LabelZero Corporation (Japan)
Intercord (Germany)
ProducerPaul O'Neill
Savatage chronology
Handful of Rain
(1994)		 Japan Live '94
(1995)		 Dead Winter Dead
(1995)
Live in Japan cover
2000 US edition cover
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Metal Hammer (GER)6/7[1]
Rock Hard8.5/10[2]
Japan Live '94
Video by
Savatage
ReleasedFebruary 22, 1995 (Japan)
RecordedNovember 12, 1994
VenueClub Città (Kawasaki, Japan)
GenreHeavy metal, progressive metal
Length95 min.
LabelZero Corporation (Japan)
SPV (Germany)
ProducerPaul O'Neill
Savatage video albums chronology
Japan Live '94
(1995)		 In The Hall of Anaheim
(2010)

The album was released in Japan in January 1995 by Zero Corporation and features a cover with singer Stevens wearing a T-shirt with a red and white circle and cross. In fact, Stevens wore a Corrosion of Conformity T-shirt at the concert, and it was likely "censored" due to label issues. Due to lack of time on the physical support, the entire show was not released onto CD. Missing songs on the CD include "Conversation Piece", "Stare into the Sun", "Damien" and "Hall of the Mountain King". However, these songs were included in the VHS footage of the concert, originally released in 1995 in Japan and in 1998 in North America.[3]

The album was released in the U.S. by Nuclear Blast America in 2000 with a cover featuring both Johnny Lee Middleton and Stevens and the title Live in Japan. In 2000, plans were revealed for the show to be re-issued onto DVD with a possibility of bonus content.[4] A release date of October 2000 was publicised by the band, but possibly due to Nuclear Blast being bought by Century Media, Savatage were unable to release the DVD. Since then, there has not been an announcement of an official DVD release, although copies of the concert have been circulated on DVD. In March 2010, a greatest hit compilation called Still The Orchestra Plays: Greatest Hits Vol. 1 & 2 was released, with the 1994 concert included on a bonus DVD. The quality had not improved much from the VHS-version.

CD track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)From the albumLength
1."Taunting Cobras"Jon OlivaHandful of Rain (1994)5:01
2."Edge of Thorns"Criss Oliva, J. Oliva, Paul O'NeillEdge of Thorns (1993)6:37
3."Chance"J. Oliva, O’NeillHandful of Rain4:36
4."Nothing’s Going On"J. Oliva, O’NeillHandful of Rain4:31
5."He Carves His Stone"C. Oliva, J. Oliva, O’NeillEdge of Thorns3:04
6."Jesus Saves"C. Oliva, J. Oliva, O’NeillStreets: A Rock Opera (1991)4:04
7."Watching You Fall"J. OlivaHandful of Rain5:24
8."Castles Burning"J. OlivaHandful of Rain4:45
9."All That I Bleed"C. Oliva, J. Oliva, O’NeillEdge of Thorns5:20
10."Handful of Rain"J. OlivaHandful of Rain5:20
11."Sirens"C. Oliva, J. OlivaSirens (1983)3:43
12."Gutter Ballet"C. Oliva, J. Oliva, O’NeillGutter Ballet (1989)7:06
"Live in Japan" 2011 EarMusic CD reissue
No.TitleWriter(s)From the albumLength
13."Damien"C. Oliva, J. Oliva, O’NeillEdge of Thorns4:06
14."Hall of the Mountain King"C. Oliva, J. Oliva, Johnny Lee Middleton, O'NeillHall of the Mountain King (1987)6:29

VHS/DVD track listing
  1. "Taunting Cobras"
  2. "Edge of Thorns"
  3. "Chance"
  4. "Conversation Piece"
  5. "Nothing Going On"
  6. "He Carves His Stone"
  7. "Jesus Saves"
  8. "Watching You Fall"
  9. "Castles Burning"
  10. "All That I Bleed"
  11. "Stare into the Sun"
  12. "Damien"
  13. "Handful of Rain"
  14. "Sirens"
  15. "Gutter Ballet"
  16. "Hall of the Mountain King"

Personnel
Savatage
Production
  • Paul O'Neill – producer, mixing at Soundtrack Studios, New York
  • Zak – engineer
  • Toshiyuki Hayashi and the Sci Gang – assistant engineers
  • Ken Lewis Moren – mixing engineer
  • Ted Moren – mixing assistant
  • Brian Weber, Michael Ifversen – audio edit
  • Masao Nakazato – mastering at Onkio Haus, Tokyo

References
  1. Schöwe, Andreas (October 1995). "Savatage – Japan Live '94". Metal Hammer (in German). Retrieved 2018-05-08.
  2. Schnädelbach, Uwe (1995). "Review Album : Savatage - Japan Live '94". Rock Hard (in German). No. 101. Retrieved 2018-04-20.
  3. "Japan Live'94 [Video]". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
  4. "Savatage News, post dated 2000-07-19". Savatage.com. Archived from the original on 2007-10-17. Retrieved 2007-09-08.
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