Maniacal Renderings is the latest release from Savatage mainman Jon Oliva's 'side project', Jon Oliva's Pain ('JOP'). It is questionable whether it is a side project as such, since Savatage last released an album, 'Poets And Madmen' in 2001. JOP emerged in 2004 when Jon Oliva put together a new band and they put out their debut ''Tage Mahal'. I could spend pages and pages writing Jon Oliva's biography but I'm sure it is much better portrayed on the band and label's websites. On to the music…

Well I guess it's no surprise that JOP sound like Savatage. It's got all the usual trademarks - the heaviness, the ballads, the drama, the tasteful use of keys and Jon Oliva's voice changing from a snarl to a smile and back again. It is, more than anything, heavy metal, more specifically progressive power metal, and for those in the know, it has the USA flavour that Savatage were at the forefront of creating. It is quite distinct from the European strand of power metal.

Comparisons with Savatage aside, what does 'Maniacal Renderings' sound like? Well listening to this latest release from Jon Oliva's Pain reminds me of several bands - there is the heaviness of Savatage's early NWOBHM influences, through the US power metal, and there's something more which reminds me of Annihilator, and Alice Cooper, particularly the sense of drama throughout the album.

Fifth track 'The Evil Beside You' reminds me of Alice Cooper, whereas the opening track 'Through The Eyes of the King' reminds me of Black Label Society - or should that perhaps be the other way around, since Savatage are more likely to have influenced BLS. However the comparison is useful since it demonstrates that JOP sound modern without losing track of their roots.

Jon Oliva never shies away from the issues of the day, his lyricism is never necessarily bound by what is 'politically correct' but gets you thinking about what is going on in the world. It is unlikely to offend, unless you are very narrow minded in which case why would one listen to such 'evil' music?

Other than Savatage fans (of course), JOP would appeal to most fans of heavy metal, although there are perhaps some off-putting extras. It really depends on whether the listener likes lots of blistering solos, a few tasteful proggy keys here and there, a male chorus or two, the ballads and a teensy bit of orchestration. I guess it's a bit like Annihilator - that sense of humour and insanity that you either love or hate.

All in all, Jon Oliva is doing what he's always done - what he wants to do rather than what trend dictates. Good luck to him, he's come up with another great album.

****½

Review by Amanda Hyne

Interview

Band website

Label website