Ghost in the Ruins

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Ghost in the Ruins
Live album from Savatage

Publication
(s)

1995

Label (s) Fresh Fruit / SPV

Format (s)

CD

Genre (s)

Power metal

Title (number)

13

running time

62 min 51 s

occupation
  • Steve Wacholz - drums

production

Paul O'Neill , Jon Oliva

chronology
Dead Winter Dead
(studio album 1995) 		Ghost in the Ruins The Wake of Magellan
(studio album 1997)

Ghost in the Ruins is a live album released in 1995 by the band Savatage . The subtitle "A Tribute to Criss Oliva" makes it clear that this album is dedicated to the guitarist Criss Oliva, who died in a car accident in 1993 and who founded the band in 1981. The album title is taken from a song from the album Streets - A Rock Opera ; an alternative title of the album in various editions is Final Bell .

Emergence

Criss Oliva died on October 17, 1993 after a head-on collision with a drunk driver . Since Oliva's brother Jon was the only remaining founding member to have announced his departure from the band in 1992, the band was about to break up. Manager and producer Paul O'Neill persuaded Jon Oliva to move on and helped deal with the bereavement. In addition to working on the album Handful of Rain , the plan to continue the band also included the release of a CD with live recordings on which Criss Oliva had participated. Due to the work on the studio album, the following tour with a new line-up and the recordings for the follow-up album Dead Winter Dead , the project was postponed and could only go on sale on December 15, 1995.

The album itself includes eleven songs that were recorded at various concerts in the USA from 1987 to 1990. The song material comes from the studio albums Sirens (title track), The Dungeons Are Calling (title track and City Beneath the Surface ), Hall of the Mountain King (title track, 24 Hours Ago , Legions and Strange Wings ) and Gutter Ballet (title track, Of Rage and War , When the Crowds Are Gone and Hounds ), with the instrumental piece Temptation Revelation alluded to at the beginning of the version of When the Crowds Are Gone . In addition to the songs, which are also available in studio versions, the album contains two guitar solos by Criss Oliva ( Criss Intro and Post Script ) that were only played live . The live recordings were mixed by Jon Oliva and Paul O'Neill.

The cover shows a stage photo of Criss Oliva, the booklet shows more live photos of the band. In addition, the text of the song When the Crowds Are Gone is printed.

Track list

  1. City Beneath the Surface - 5:40
  2. 24 Hours Ago - 4:48
  3. Legions - 5:06
  4. Strange Wings - 4:02
  5. Gutter Ballet - 6:14
  6. When the Crowds Are Gone - 7:10
  7. Of Rage and War - 4:30
  8. The Dungeons Are Calling - 4:49
  9. Sirens - 3:38
  10. Hounds - 7:20
  11. Criss Intro - 1:14
  12. Hall of the Mountain King - 6:38
  13. Post Script - 1:42

Live recordings

No. Surname year city Venue
1 City beneath the surface 1990 new York The Ritz
2 24 hours Ago 1988 Philadelphia Spectrum Coliseum
3 Legions 1988 Philadelphia Spectrum Coliseum
4th Strange wings 1988 Philadelphia Spectrum Coliseum
5 Gutter Ballet 1990 los Angeles Los Angeles Palace
6th When the Crowds Are Gone 1990 los Angeles Hollywood Palace
7th Of Rage and War 1990 new York L'amour
8th The Dungeons Are Calling 1988 Hempstead Nassau Coliseum
9 Sirens 1988 Hempstead Nassau Coliseum
10 Hounds 1990 new York L'amour
11 Criss intro 1987 Cleveland Agora
12 Hall of the Mountain King 1990 new York L'amour
13 Post Script 1990 los Angeles Hollywood Palace (Soundcheck)

Web links