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Attention Savatage fans, and all who are interested in the actions
of every (ex) member of the infamous band of Florida! We are not
dealing with the second album of Doctor Butcher – a side project of
Jon Oliva and Chris Caffery, dated 1994 – but with a re-release of
the first album with a bonus CD with five unreleased tracks. A
positive gesture for those who missed the album ten years ago.
Even
eleven years after its first release, the album still kicks ass. Jon
Oliva screams all demons out of his system and Chris Caffery is in
top condition all album long, he is everywhere with his vigorous
guitar skills. They have promptly divided the bass parts amongst
both of them and Jon Osborn can be heard on drums. Doctor Butcher’s
music is a rawer version of Savatage, less epic and even more rage
and frustration. Most of the songs have a hectic mid temp pace and
in a track like ‘Season Of The Witch’ the guitar-work of Caffery is
even explicit experimental. Most catchy chorus is, without any
doubt, that of ‘Innocent Victim’ but the whole album is of such a
high quality that it cannot be ignored by any rockfan.
On
the bonus CD one perceives some demo songs and a new track. Jon and
Chris are assisted here by other musicians, but the result is
recognizable out of thousands, only because of the specific voice of
Jon Oliva. ‘Inspecter Highway’ has been written in 1993. The heavy
track has a quiet centrepiece with strings, a magnificent guitar
solo and contemplative vocals of a desperate Jon Oliva. ‘Born Of The
Board’ is my favourite track, spoken fragments create a mysterious
atmosphere, but the ballad-like ‘Bridges’ is also very fine. The
album got a new cover, made by the Greek artist Seth, who often
signs for the artwork of Black Lotus Records releases. A corpulent
directress is waiting for us with a butcher-knife. Let us hope that
this re-release is a forerunner of a new second full length album of
Doctor Butcher. |
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CD1
The Altar (5’42’’)
Don’t Talk To Me (3’05’’)
Season Of The Witch (6’19’’)
Reach out and Torment Someone (2’28’’)
Juice (1’43’’)
The Chair (6’15’’)
Innocent Victim (5’20’’)
The Picture’s Wild (4’44’’)
Lost in the Dark (4’53’’)
I Hate, you hate, we all hate!!! (4’35’’)
All For One…None for all (4’40’’)
CD2
Inspecter Highway (8’13’’)
Freaks (4’49’’)
Born Of The Board (7’33’’)
Help! Police? (6’33’’)
Bridges (5’30’’) |
