Jon Oliva's Pain - Festival

Release Date: February 19th, 2010
Label: AFM Records

TRACK LISTING

1.  Lies
2.  Death Rides A Black Horse
3.  Festival
4.  Afterglow
5.  Living On The Edge
6.  Looking For Nothing
7.  The Evil Within
8.  Winter Haven
9.  I Fear You
10.  Now

Total playing time:  55:05

April 6, 2010

Reviewer: Chris

In theory, I am not a fan of modern power metal. To me, it’s far too laden with keyboards masking any real guitar prowess and vocals drenched in Kai Hansen wannabes that make my stomach curdle like month-old milk. Yes, it’s plain to anyone I don’t like power metal past 1986. I’m funny like that.

That said, Jon Oliva’s Pain was a pleasant surprise.

While very typically power metal, the latest album titled Festival is a meshing of new power metal techniques with some good old-school heavy metal. As a Savatage fan from way back, I’m quite interested where the one-time Savatage leader ended up. I know this band has been kicking around for a while, and yes, I’ve been remiss to catch them so this review is one of complete ignorance to the history of what sounds like a wonderful band.

I don’t know why, but when I’m listening to Festival I continually hear Alice Cooper’s From the Inside, the conceptual album about his time in an institution during a dry-out period. While the two have little in common, save for both being good releases, I’m continuously drawn back to that album. It’s a mystery probably not even worth mentioning, but what is worth talking about is how solid and fun this album is to listen to from start to finish. From the simply entrancing jazz-fused “Afterglow” to the raucousness of “Death Rides a Black Horse” this album touches all elements of the emotional triggers. Musically, it’s as good as any power metal album I’ve heard since Helloween’s Keeper of the Seven Keys, and while I hasten to even put it in the same class with such a faster-paced power offering, Festival is certainly a Jon Oliva’s Pain classic for the modern age of power, and one I’m not a fan of to boot.

As far as holding up throughout, Festival manages to keep me interested and amazed at some pretty impressive changes in both timing and tempo, devices either misused or ignored in today’s modern power era. While not quite a rousing metal-driven experience, the warmth of tracks like “Looking for Nothing” sound so much like a more metalized Pink Floyd it’s both alarming and entertaining. The nuances associated with power metal that usually turn me off are used so subtly present that I can find myself forgetting the label and drowning in the tunes, which is what we’re supposed to do anyway. I need to open that chasm a little wider now.

I find it amazing when I manage to dig up these little classics that make me put my own feelings and preferences in check. While I can’t see myself buying into the power metal thing anytime soon, I’m glad my brief foray wasn’t nearly a waste of time. I’ll surely be digging up the back catalog and seeing what else Jon Oliva’s Pain might offer.

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