Poets and Madmen

Poets and Madmen is the eleventh studio album by American heavy metal band Savatage, released in 2001. It was their last album before their 12-year hiatus, which lasted from 2002 to 2014. The album has a loose concept inspired by the career and death of journalist Kevin Carter, but has much less narrative in the lyrics than the previous two rock operas (Dead Winter Dead and The Wake of Magellan) penned by Paul O'Neill. Everything said in the album is fiction, except with regards to what is sung about Carter.[5] The album is also noted as it is the only Savatage album to not feature a title song from the album, although the title was taken from lyrics to the track "Symmetry" from the band's 1994 album, Handful of Rain.

Poets and Madmen
Studio album by
Savatage
ReleasedMarch 13, 2001
Recorded1999–2001
StudioSoundtrack Studios and Studio 900 (overdubs), New York City
GenreHeavy metal, progressive metal
Length62:36
LabelSPV/Steamhammer
Nuclear Blast America (US only)
ProducerPaul O'Neill, Jon Oliva
Savatage chronology
Believe
(1998)		 Poets and Madmen
(2001)		 Still the Orchestra Plays
(2010)
Singles from Poets and Madmen
  1. "Commissar"
    Released: February 5, 2001
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Metal Hammer (GER)7/7[2]
Metal Rules4.5/5[3]
Rock Hard8.0/10[4]

The album was the first since Streets: A Rock Opera in 1991 to feature the band's original vocalist Jon Oliva on lead vocals for all songs after the amicable departure of Zachary Stevens. It is also the first Savatage album to have guitarist Chris Caffery playing the majority of the guitar solos. This is partly due to the departure of Al Pitrelli, who left to join Megadeth prior to the album's release. However, Pitrelli was credited with the outro of "Stay With Me Awhile," the main solo of "Morphine Child," the main solo of "The Rumor," and the first part of the main solo and the outro of "Commissar".[5] The United States bonus track "Shotgun Innocence" was originally a bonus track on the Japanese release of Edge of Thorns in 1993 and features Zachary Stevens on lead vocals, and the late Criss Oliva on guitar.

The album cover was drawn by Edgar Jerins, who was responsible for the covers of Dead Winter Dead and The Wake of Magellan.[6]

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Paul O'Neill; all music is composed by Chris Caffery, Jon Oliva, O'Neill, except where noted

No.TitleLength
1."Stay with Me Awhile"5:06
2."There in the Silence"4:57
3."Commissar"5:36
4."I Seek Power"6:03
5."Drive"3:17
6."Morphine Child"10:12
7."The Rumor"5:16
8."Man in the Mirror"5:56
9."Surrender" (J. Oliva, O'Neill)6:40
10."Awaken"3:23
11."Back to a Reason" (J. Oliva, O'Neill)6:10
Original US edition bonus track
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."Shotgun Innocence"Criss Oliva, J. Oliva, O'Neill3:31
Limited edition bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."Jesus Saves" (live)C. Oliva, J. Oliva, O'Neill4:28
13."Handful of Rain" (music video)J. Oliva, O'Neill4:33
2011 EarMusic reissue bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
12."Mentally Yours / Tonight He Grins Again" (acoustic version)C. Oliva, J. Oliva, O'Neill4:46
13."Sleep" (acoustic version)C. Oliva, J. Oliva, O'Neill3:54

Personnel
Savatage
Additional musicians
  • Bob Kinkel – additional keyboards, backing vocals
  • Al Pitrelli – additional guitars on tracks "Stay with Me Awhile", "Commissar", "Morphine Child" and "The Rumor"
  • John West – backing vocals
  • Zachary Stevens – lead vocals on track 12 of US edition
  • Criss Oliva – guitars on track 12 of US edition
Production
  • Paul O'Neill – producer
  • Dave Wittman – engineer, mixing
  • Bob Kinkel – additional engineering
  • Darren Rapp, Ed Osbeck – assistant engineers
  • Kevin Hodge – mastering at the Master Cutting Room, New York
  • Jeff Thompson, Chris Rich, Ken Thornhill – studio managers
  • Edgar Jerins – cover art
  • Deborah Lauren – design

Charts

References
  1. Orens, Geoff. "Savatage - Poets and Madmen review". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
  2. Schöwe, Andreas (March 2001). "Savatage – Poets And Madmen". Metal Hammer (in German). Retrieved May 8, 2018.
  3. EvilG (April 1, 2001). "Savatage - Poets and Madmen". Metal Rules. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
  4. Breusch, Matthias (2001). "Review Album : Savatage - Poets and Madmen". Rock Hard (in German). No. 166. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
  5. "Savatage FAQ, part 2". Savatage.com. Retrieved February 8, 2007.
  6. Roth, Dan (May 28, 2012). "A conversation With Edgar Jerins: the man behind seven classic Savatage and Trans-Siberian Orchestra album covers". Music & Art Interviews.com. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  7. "Album – Savatage, Poets and Madmen". Charts.de (in German). Media Control Charts. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
  8. "Savatage Chart History: Independent Albums". Billboard.com. Billboard. Archived from the original on May 25, 2018. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
  9. "Savatage - Poets and Madmen". Dutchcharts.nl (in German). Media Control Charts. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
  10. "Savatage - Poets and Madmen". Dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Media Control Charts. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
  11. "Savatage - Poets and Madmen". Dutchcharts.nl (in German). Media Control Charts. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
  12. "Single – Savatage, Commissar". Charts.de (in German). Media Control Charts. Retrieved May 6, 2018.
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