Savatage "Japan Live '94 (2011, CD, earMUSIC, Digipak, Reissue)"

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, Kanagawa, 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".

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.

The album was released in the US 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

1. "Taunting Cobras" Jon Oliva Handful of Rain (1994) 5:01
2. "Edge of Thorns" Criss Oliva, J. Oliva, Paul O'Neill Edge of Thorns (1993) 6:37
3. "Chance" J. Oliva, O’Neill Handful of Rain 4:36
4. "Nothing’s Going On" J. Oliva, O’Neill Handful of Rain 4:31
5. "He Carves His Stone" C. Oliva, J. Oliva, O’Neill Edge of Thorns 3:04
6. "Jesus Saves" C. Oliva, J. Oliva, O’Neill Streets: A Rock Opera (1991) 4:04
7. "Watching You Fall" J. Oliva Handful of Rain 5:24
8. "Castles Burning" J. Oliva Handful of Rain 4:45
9. "All That I Bleed" C. Oliva, J. Oliva, O’Neill Edge of Thorns 5:20
10. "Handful of Rain" J. Oliva Handful of Rain 5:20
11. "Sirens" C. Oliva, J. Oliva Sirens (1983) 3:43
12. "Gutter Ballet" C. Oliva, J. Oliva, O’Neill Gutter Ballet (1989) 7:06

"Live in Japan" 2011 EarMusic CD reissue

1. "Damien" C. Oliva, J. Oliva, O’Neill Edge of Thorns 4:06
2. "Hall of the Mountain King" C. Oliva, J. Oliva, Johnny Lee Middleton, O'Neill Hall of the Mountain King (1987) 6:29

Recording information:

Recorded live on Saturday, November 12, 1994 at Club Citta' in Kawasaki, Japan.

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