22.05.2025 Savatage

Graspop Metal Meeting

Dessel (Belgium)

The day continued with true old‑school power metal with a progressive edge. Savatage have been shaping the scene since the early 1980s, and after more than 20 years they finally returned to Graspop once again. After disbanding in 2007, they reunited in 2014, and they still stand on stage with remarkable energy, delivering a genuinely strong show.
Unfortunately, just like Krokus before them, they suffered from the issue of large gaps in the crowd in front of the stage. Though in my view, Savatage are far more widely known than Krokus. But so be it. Many of their musical heirs were performing at the festival this weekend (bands like Warkings, Powerwolf, or DragonForce) but Savatage showed what the original sounds like, and the difference in class was unmistakable. With “The Ocean” from their 1997 album "The Wake of Magellan", vocalist Zachary Stevens immediately proved himself a worthy successor to Jon Oliva, and also showed how timeless this music truly is. As is often the case with progressive metal giants, the audience sometimes stood in reverent silence, simply taking in what was happening on stage. Since the band hasn’t released new material since 2001, the set was essentially a best‑of, performed by Chris Caffery and Al Pitrelli on guitars, Johnny Lee Middleton on bass, and Jeff Plate on drums. The overall package worked beautifully, and one hit after another lifted the mood. Shortly before the end, a memorable moment unfolded. Stevens explained that the next song, “Believe,” was dedicated to Christopher Oliva, who passed away in 1993. For this tribute, his brother Jon joined in, not live on stage, but appearing on the LED screen, seated at a piano and singing the opening part alone. After the first chorus, the rest of the band joined in. It was a true goosebump moment, followed by another: what would a Savatage show be without their biggest hit, “Hall of the Mountain King,” from the 1987 album of the same name? Stevens rose to the challenge and gave the set a worthy finale.
Compared to Krokus, I have to say Savatage delivered a noticeably stronger performance, even if the atmosphere wasn’t quite as intense as the band deserved due to the gaps in the crowd. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed this revival of the old classics. Zachary Stevens stood shoulder to shoulder with Jon Oliva, and the idea of bringing Jon onto the stage via video was genuinely well executed. The only remaining question after this renewed reunion is when we’ll finally hear something new from Savatage. Oliva has been saying for a while that they’re working on a new album and that plenty of material exists, but so far, no release date is in sight. It will be interesting to see where Savatage go from here. One thing is certain: it won’t be boring.

Setlist:

The Ocean
Welcome
Jesus Saves
The Wake Of Magellan
Taunting Cobras
Strange Wings
Handful Of Rain
Chance
Sirens
Gutter Ballet
Edge Of Thorns
Believe (Jon Oliva On Piano And Vocals On Screen, The Band Joined In After The First Chorus)
Power Of The Night
Hall Of The Mountain King