Saturday Shuffle: Savatage, Dangerous Toys, Disturbed, Pride & Glory, Dimmu Borgir

It's Saturday, time for more shuffling fun:

“Alone You Breathe,” Savatage. From the album Handful of Rain (1994). While good, this was a strange Savatage album. Criss Oliva had been killed by drunk driver and his brother Jon threw himself into this album, writing and performing most of the instruments, though he’s not credited. This song is something of a tribute to Criss, and it’s one of the most powerful in the band’s catalog. There’s a nice interplay between Zachary Stevens and Jon (again uncredited, but unmistakable) in the harmonies of this song, and it also borrows from the band’s greatest song (and one of music’s greatest songs) “Believe.”

“Take Me Drunk,” Dangerous Toys. From the album Dangerous Toys (1989). I’m a huge fan of the first Dangerous Toys album, but this, admittedly is one of the more juvenile songs the band recorded (and there were many on this album), but it’s got a great groove and brought a little bit of Texas flavor to the 1980s hard rock scene.

“Land of Confusion,” Disturbed. From the album Ten Thousand Fists (2006). I didn’t like this song when Genesis did it. I didn’t like it any better when Disturbed did it. Why do I still have this on my hard drive?

“Troubled Wine,” Pride & Glory. From the album Pride & Glory (1994). One of my favorite songs from the far too short-lived Southern rock project from Zakk Wylde. It opens with a bluesy slide riff that morphs into a heavy detuned slab of a metal riff, then settles back into Southern rock territory with Wylde using a drawl that’s far more enjoyable than a lot of the vocals he uses for Black Label Society.

“Progenies of the Great Apocalypse,” Dimmu Borgir. From the album Death Cult Armageddon (2003). I am not a big fan of black metal, but this song is just fucking epic. The first time I heard it, I loved it. That big, dramatic symphonic opening wins me over.