Savatage co-founder Jon Oliva has set a target of January 2026 to begin recording the band’s long-awaited new studio album, revealing that the musical compositions are largely complete. However, his ability to participate, particularly vocally, hinges on his recovery from a severe spinal injury sustained in 2023.
Speaking in a new interview with Argentina’s Rocktambulos, Oliva explained the situation that has kept him sidelined, including his absence from Savatage‘s current South American tour. A fractured T7 vertebra, coupled with diagnoses of multiple sclerosis and Ménière’s disease, has significantly impacted his health.
“With the injuries I have, I can’t really sing, because it’s too painful,” Oliva stated (as transcribed by Blabbermouth), describing the long healing process. “As it is now, I can’t sing. If I sing anything, it feels like somebody’s st*bbing me with a screwdriver… Oh, it’s bad.”
Despite the setback, plans for the new Savatage album are firmly in place, with the music mostly ready. “I worked on a lot of material with Al Pitrelli and Chris Caffery, and we have a lot of material in the can, ready to go,” Oliva confirmed. “And then this accident happened, and it screwed everything up.”
His goal is now contingent on his recovery following the next tour cycle for Trans-Siberian Orchestra, the successful project he co-founded. “Hopefully by the time they [Savatage] get back and we get the TSO stuff done [for Trans-Siberian Orchestra‘s fall/winter 2025 tour] in November, December, I’ll be okay by then for us to start recording [the new Savatage album] in January,” he explained. “That’s my goal, is to start recording new material. The songs are basically all written. They just — I need to be healthy to be able to do it.”
Oliva revealed an abundance of prepared music, stating, “We have enough for four albums… musically, it’s done. And it’s my fault everything stopped because of the fractures.” He noted that lyrics are yet to be written.
He expressed high hopes for the album’s musical direction, which will feature vocal contributions from both himself and current Savatage singer Zak Stevens. “Some of this sh*t is really strong,” Oliva asserted. “The fact that you’re gonna have me and Zak sharing the vocals and doing songs together in like a duet thing, is even more… it blows me away. I purposely wrote five or six songs specifically for Zak to sing.” He also mentioned epic compositions, including one titled “For The Man Who Would Be King,” which he likened in scope to Savatage‘s “Morphine Child.”
Oliva aims for a collaborative recording process involving the current lineup – Al Pitrelli (guitar), Chris Caffery (guitar), Johnny Lee Middleton (bass), Jeff Plate (drums), and Zak Stevens (vocals) – along with himself. He also plans guest appearances from former Savatage drummer Steve “Doc” Wacholz and Trans-Siberian Orchestra keyboardist Jane Mangini. “I’m getting everybody involved from the beginning. I want it to be a full-band album, all of us working together,” he stated.
The working title for the album is Curtain Call, named after a poignant final track featuring only Oliva on piano. “It’s basically me singing to the fans, telling them all goodbye and thank you,” he described. “Every time I hear it, I cry… I think I’m gonna call it Curtain Call, but it’s not in stone yet.”
While previously suggesting this might be Savatage‘s final album, the wealth of material has made him reconsider. “I said it might be the last one, but now I’m not sure,” Oliva admitted. Regardless, his ambition remains sky-high: “This is gonna be the best album I ever made… If I’m doing this album, it’s gonna be the best album I’ve ever done. ‘Cause when I go out, I wanna go out on top.”
