In a recent interview with Hakos Pervanidis on Metal Hammer Greece’s TV program TV War, SAVATAGE guitarist Chris Caffery and drummer Jeff Plate opened up about what they believe makes the band’s music endure across generations and genres.
When asked about the timelessness of SAVATAGE’s work, Plate emphasized the significant role played by the late producer and lyricist Paul O’Neill. “A big part of that is Paul O’Neill’s lyrics,” Jeff explained. “Those lyrics have touched thousands of people all across the world. We hear it all the time. The song ‘Believe’ is a song that time after time, night after night, people approach us and say, ‘That song literally saved my life, or, ‘I cried listening to that song.’ But Paul had a way of writing that just connected with so many people in an individual way. You match that with one of the most unique-sounding bands ever.”
Caffery expanded on the legacy of SAVATAGE’s music, drawing a parallel to metal legends. “I mean, you have a guitar player that is right there, in my opinion and in a lot of people’s opinion, right there with somebody like a Dimebag and Eddie Van Halen, with Criss [Oliva, late SAVATAGE guitarist]. And I think that the music that the Oliva brothers [Criss and Jon] had written [for SAVATAGE] is as timeless as the [BLACK] SABBATH and the [JUDAS] PRIEST and [IRON] MAIDEN stuff. So it hits as a complete package, especially in the heavy metal world.
Highlighting the band’s classic Hall Of The Mountain King album, Chris described it as “on a lot of people’s top 10 or top 20 classic metal records ever.” He singled out the title track’s riff as iconic metal at its finest. Chris also praised the “human-to-human” quality in Paul O’Neill’s lyrics, comparing it to the way Freddie Mercury could make a stadium feel like an intimate gathering. “That one-on-one element in the lyrics and the music has helped SAVATAGE survive the test of time,” Chris noted. “It’s really exciting to know that we’re not just bringing back the music to the people who wanted to see it. We’re bringing that music to a whole new audience.”
SAVATAGE’s 2025 touring lineup includes Chris Caffery (guitar), Jeff Plate (drums), Al Pitrelli (guitar), Johnny Lee Middleton (bass), and Zak Stevens (lead vocals).
After playing four South American shows in April, SAVATAGE kicked off a 10-date European tour on June 13 at the Into The Grave festival in Leeuwarden, Netherlands, to enthusiastic responses from fans both old and new — proof that their music truly stands the test of time.
Reeder, the visionary behind Metal Addicts, has transformed his lifelong passion for metal into a thriving online community for metal aficionados. As a fervent devotee of black metal, Reeder is captivated by its dark, atmospheric, and often unorthodox soundscapes.