Gutter Ballet

Gutter Ballet
Studio album by Savatage
Released	December 1, 1989
Recorded	February-July, 1989 321 Studios, New York
Genre	Heavy metal Symphonic metal Progressive metal
Length	52:25
Label	Atlantic Records
Producer	Paul O'Neill
Professional reviews
Allmusic link Clay Marshall (Favorable) link
Savatage chronology
Hall of the Mountain King (1987) Gutter Ballet (1989) Streets: A Rock Opera (1991)
Singles from Gutter Ballet
"Gutter Ballet" Released: 1990 "When the Crowds are Gone" Released: 1990

Gutter Ballet is the sixth album produced by the progressive metal band Savatage. This was the second album created under the direction of producer Paul O'Neill and was initially released in 1989.

Story and Concept

This album was a true turning point for the band, for after Jon Oliva watched The Phantom of the Opera in Toronto, he decided to change the sound of the band, from a heavy metal to a more progressive sound, which is reflected in songs such as "When the Crowds are Gone" and "Gutter Ballet". The final three songs ("Mentally Yours", "Summer's Rain", "Thorazine Shuffle") are a conceptual suite dealing with a single character as revealed by the band in interviews.

The original title for the record was Temptation Revelation, but this was changed to Hounds of Zaroff which was a Steve Wacholz suggestion. As late as May 1989, the band was having doubts surrounding the title. At the time, the eventual title track of the album had not been written. The title, "Gutter Ballet" was in fact the title of a play Paul O'Neill had written ten years earlier that would later make-up the majority of the band's next work, Streets. In fact, "Gutter Ballet" was written with just Jon, Criss and Paul in the studio. Jon's drumming skill was competent enough to perform on the track and Jon also provided the bass guitar duties for the track.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Criss Oliva, Jon Oliva and Paul O'Neill except "Silk and Steel" by Criss Oliva and Paul Silver.

1. "Of Rage and War" – 4:47
2. "Gutter Ballet" – 6:20
3. "Temptation Revelation" (Instrumental) – 2:56
4. "When the Crowds Are Gone" – 5:45
5. "Silk and Steel" (Instrumental) – 2:56
6. "She's in Love" – 3:51
7. "Hounds" – 6:27
8. "The Unholy" – 4:37
9. "Mentally Yours" – 5:19
10. "Summer's Rain" – 4:33
11. "Thorazine Shuffle" – 4:43

1997 CD reissue bonus track

12. "All That I Bleed (Piano Version)" - 4:35

2002 CD reissue bonus tracks

12. "Hounds (Live)" - 7:20
13. "When The Crowds Are Gone (Live)" - 7:07

These tracks are taken from Ghost in the Ruins.

Song information

On the original cassette and CD releases, "Thorazine Shuffle" was a bonus track.

Had the band originally stuck with the story set-out in Paul O'Neill's original 1979 story, the song "When the Crowds are Gone" would have followed "Streets" track "A Little Too Far".^[1]

Two videos from the album entered rotation on MTV, "Gutter Ballet" (filmed at the beginning of 1990 in New York)^[2] and "When the Crowds Are Gone". The former track became a staple of Headbanger's Ball and as a result, both Jon Oliva and Chris Caffery were invited to join host Riki Rachtman for an interview in 1990.

Charts

Album

Billboard (North America)

Singles

Personnel

• Jon Oliva – lead vocals & piano
• Criss Oliva – guitars
• Steve Wacholz – drums
• Johnny Lee Middleton – bass guitar
• Chris Caffery - guitars and keyboards

Note: Caffery was credited with guitars and keyboards and is pictured in the album's booklet "both to prepare the fans for the line-up they'd see on tour and confirm his permanent member status."^[2]

Further Credits

• Produced by Paul O'Neill
• Engineered by James A. Ball
• Additional Engineering by Joe Henehan
• Assistant Engineers: Teddy Trewalla, Deek Venarchick, Jay DeVito, Dave Parla
• Mastering by Jack Skinner/EuropaDisc, NYC
• Cover art by Gary Smith
• Studio Technician: Dan Campbell
• Additional keyboards by Bob Kinkel
• Photographs by Dennis Osborne
• "Gutter Ballet" was recorded and mixed at Record Plant Studios, NYC Feb.-July '89

References