Formed in 1979 in Florida by brothers Jon and Criss Oliva, the band Savatage became one of the most respected names in progressive heavy metal. Combining heaviness, technique, and symphonic elements, the group built a remarkable career with albums such as Hall of the Mountain King (1987) , Gutter Ballet (1989) , and Streets: A Rock Opera (1991).
After 10 years away from the stage, the group marks its long-awaited return at Monsters of Rock 2025 , which takes place on April 19th in São Paulo, at Allianz Parque – tickets on sale at the Eventim . In addition to Savatage's highly anticipated return to the stage, the festival features a heavyweight lineup including Scorpions , Judas Priest , Europe , Queensrÿche , Opeth and Stratovarius.
Due to health reasons, keyboardist and founder Jon Oliva will not be physically present on stage. Recovering from an accident last year, Oliva remains directly involved in the production and rehearsals for the tour. The lineup performing in Brazil includes Zak Stevens (vocals), Chris Caffery and Al Pitrelli (guitars), Johnny Lee Middleton (bass), and Jeff Plate (drums).
full Wikimetal interview
Jon Oliva discusses his current state of health.
WM: It's a huge honor to speak with you today, Jon. First of all, how are you doing currently?
Jon : I'm recovering, trying to get better. It's a very slow process, you know? I seriously injured myself. But I hope it doesn't take too long to get out of this condition. You don't realize how important the spine is until you injure it. It affects the whole body, and that's what happened to me.
Memories from Monsters of Rock 1998
WM: With Savatage's appearance at Monsters of Rock in 1998, what was that experience like, and how would you describe the Brazilian audience?
Jon: First of all, the Brazilian audience is probably my favorite in the world, if not one of my favorites. I rewatched that show a few times on YouTube and it was unbelievable. I thought the stadium was going to collapse from how much the crowd was jumping. I remember yelling at Al Pitrelli: “It’s going to fall! We’re going to die!” The people were super involved. And offstage, everyone was very kind and affectionate towards the band. What more could we want?
The invitation to return to the festival.
WM: How was it to receive this invitation to return to Monsters of Rock this year? How did you feel?
Jon: It was already being discussed when I had the accident, which messed everything up. When we resumed talks with the team, they asked me, “Jon, do you want to cancel?” And I said, “No, I can’t do that to the fans.” I talked to the guys and we decided they would go without me, but I would be involved behind the scenes. I can’t go on stage yet because of the fractures in my spine. It’s too painful to sing like this. But I put together the setlist, talked to Chris Caffery, Al, Johnny… And I said, “Go out there and put on a show that the fans deserve.” For me, it’s like being a star player who broke his leg and has to watch the team from the bench. I’m off the stage, but still in the game.
Behind the scenes of the show preparations
WM: Regarding the preparation for this year's show, how has that process been for you? Being away from the stage.
Jon: I put together the setlist, and the guys are coming here to Florida in a few days. I'm going to spend two weeks rehearsing with them. It's going to be torture for me, but that's how it is. I'm like an injured athlete. But I'll tell you one thing: they're going to kill it. They're hungry for the stage and excited to go to Brazil.
The decision to return with Savatage
WM: After so many years away from the stage, what made this year the right time for your return?
Jon: Actually, it was supposed to be last year, but I had that accident. And that ended up interrupting all our plans. The idea was to release a new album and go on tour with it. But, of course, I messed everything up with that accident—it happens, right? It wasn't on purpose, believe me. So we had to rethink everything. And the best solution I found was to at least give something to the fans. And as I said, the guys are ready and they're going to rock. And, as soon as I'm healed—probably next season—I'll be back.
WM: I'm looking forward to that — and to a future return to Brazil.
Jon: Oh, absolutely. I'm definitely going back to Brazil.
The choice of Monsters of Rock for this return.
WM: Why was Monsters of Rock the perfect choice for this comeback?
Jon: Because it's a huge event. We'd wanted to do something like this for a while, but the accident got in the way. We were working on new material, but with the fractures I can't sing. It was an album with me and Zak. I had to put everything on hold. Then I thought, "Since the album has to wait, let's show that we're still alive."
Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Savatage's hiatus
WM: And how have these last few years been for you and the band, without touring? Just working with TSO or doing other things?
Jon: Basically, we've been doing the TSO tour, which has become a tradition here in the United States. Man, we fill sports arenas, two shows a day—30, 40 thousand people a day across the country. That alone is pretty demanding. But Savatage is something we all love and want to keep doing. But with my accident, Paul's death, and everything that happened, we had to change the plan. We had to reorganize everything. The idea was to record first, then go on tour, that kind of thing… But then the accident happened and we changed everything. Now we're going to South America, do some shows there, maybe some in Europe. After the guys get back, we'll go into the studio and start working on the album. And then, hopefully, I'll be better by next spring and be able to get back on the road. That's the plan for now.
WM: Regarding the Trans-Siberian Orchestra — we know that the album Dead Winter Dead introduced the conceptual approach that eventually led to the creation of TSO. Did you imagine it would become this gigantic phenomenon?
Jon: To be honest? No, I never imagined it. To this day I'm amazed that we fill sports arenas twice a day. TSO is basically Savatage with more musicians—everyone from the band is there, and the compositions are still mine and Paul's. The difference is that with the name TSO, we had the freedom to experiment with things that wouldn't fit in Savatage, like "This Christmas Day," for example.
It all started with “Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)” and it hasn't stopped since. It's been 25 years and it just keeps growing. I've tried to stop with TSO, but it won't die! (laughs) And I'll tell you something: it's what gave us a better life. In Savatage we barely survived—we invested more than we earned. Just with “12/24,” which I wrote in 15 minutes, I earned more money than with my entire career in Savatage.
When I received the first check, I thought they'd made a mistake. (laughs) But in the end, it's simple: if someone offers you a job paying 10 times more and allowing you to take care of your family… you're going to accept it. That's what we did.
The influences and beginnings of Savatage
WM: Savatage started in the 80s with a more traditional heavy metal sound, and gradually evolved into something more progressive and orchestral. How did this transition happen?
Jon: Well, we've always been big fans of Black Sabbath , Queen , and even the Beatles . On the first albums, we had little time to record—they were basically like live performances with solos and vocals over them. Then, with the album * Power of the Night *, we worked with Max Norman (who produced Ozzy), and we started to expand our sound, including keyboards. When Paul O'Neill joined * Hall of the Mountain King* , he encouraged us to explore this symphonic side more. He would say, "Jon, your piano reminds me of Queen, why don't you use that more?" Then, with *Gutter Ballet *, we fully immersed ourselves in that, with more progressive and emotional songs like "When the Crowds Are Gone." The peak of this phase was * Streets* , which shows all sides of the band: heavy metal, ballads, and real rock. It was the high point of our experimental phase.
WM: Many bands cite Savatage as a major influence. How does it feel knowing that your work has shaped the sound of other generations?
Jon: I feel honored, truly. I think every artist hopes to leave some kind of legacy. I always say the secret is to be true to yourself and be versatile. If you play the same thing all the time, you'll get bored, the band will wear out and break up. You need to keep things fresh, experiment. And I think that's what Savatage did—that musical diversity influenced a lot of people. Bands tell us that: that we did something like "Hall of the Mountain King," but also totally different songs like "When the Crowds Are Gone." That, to me, is the greatest compliment—being remembered as a versatile band.
WM: Savatage has many memorable songs. Is there one that you feel didn't receive the recognition it deserved?
Jon: Absolutely. I think “Believe” and “When the Crowds Are Gone” should have been huge hits. But unfortunately, the record label didn't want to invest in those songs—and that would have made Savatage grow much more. They're huge tracks in many places around the world, except in the United States, because the American label didn't support them. They even invested in “Gutter Ballet,” but since it didn't make the top 5, they cut all the investment. Many people don't understand that for a song to succeed, it needs to be good and have record label support. The truth is: we didn't have that financial support. And that's a shame, but that's what happened.
New album on the way
WM: You mentioned you were working on a new album. Do you have a release date in sight?
Jon: Realistically, I think we could have it recorded and ready to release next spring, maybe in April. We already have a lot of material ready. Musically, the album is practically finished. It has heavy tracks, epic songs, and deep ballads. It could even be a double album.
What to expect from the show in Brazil
WM: Knowing all your dedication offstage to this show, I think everyone will feel your presence in some way during the show. Are you preparing something special?
Jon: Yeah, there's going to be a surprise. Something related to me and my brother Criss. Maybe you'll see the two of us on stage. We're working on it.
Final message to Brazilian fans.
WM: To wrap things up, do you have a message for your Brazilian fans?
Jon: Yes! Don't break your spines! (laughs) But seriously: we love you guys. I love you all. I'm sorry I can't be there for this show, but the guys are going to be there and they're going to rock. I hope to see you all next year when I'm healed. Enjoy yourselves, take care, and God bless you!
SERVICE – Monsters of Rock 30 Years
Confirmed Attractions: Scorpions, Judas Priest, Europe, Savatage, Queensryche, Opeth and Stratovarius
City: São Paulo
Date: April 19, 2025 (Saturday)
Venue: Allianz Parque – Avenida Francisco Matarazzo, 1705 – Água Branca – SP
Doors: 10:00 AM – Shows start: 11:45 AM
Tickets: Eventim
