Artist: Jon Oliva's Pain 
   Title: Global Warning
   Label: AFM Records

The man simply know to many as "Mr Savatage" Jon Oliva returns with his new opus 'Global Warning' and once again this keyboard maestro expands the boundaries of the whole progressive metal scene with this new album.

This is without a doubt one of Oliva’s finest works to date and one that very nearly almost never was, with the passing of Pains long time friend and engineer Greg Marchak.  But, this passing only seemed to fuel the band more into producing an album that Marchak would have approved of whole heartedly, and one that is proud to have the Jon Oliva’s Pain moniker, with legendary producer Jim Morris taking the band to new heights.

Once again the album has taken its ideas from the now legendary tapes and ideas from Chriss Oliva and again Jon has done his brother proud.

The album gets underway in typical Oliva style with ‘Global Warning’, with a huge intro that’s Oliva all the way.  The listener is left in no doubt from the off that this is going to be one hell of an album and believe me this is a monster, with its choral beginning and streaming guitars before the maestro himself takes over.

The listener isn’t given a chance to dwell in the splendour of the first track as its straight into ‘Look At The World’, again the band push the boundaries of the genre with Oliva’s now instantly recognisable vocals leading the way for this more gentle refrain, as French and LaPorte’s guitars sweep and soar throughout the track.

The tempo is soon picked up again with the far heavier feel of ‘Adding The Cost’.  This one is a real powerhouse of a track that ignites the senses from the off as Oliva’s angst fuelled vocals really fill the song with passion and vim, plus the added zest filled rhythm section of Chris Kinder on drums and Keven Rothney really give this one a bite worthy of the Jon Oliva’s Pain name.

‘Before I Hang’ is very much Savatage in its feel but with that edge than has become the trademark Pain sound over previous albums and stands out as one of my favourite moments from the album.

Another of my favourite compositions is the next one ‘Firefly’, this one really highlights the superb complexity of Oliva’s song-writing and musicianship and has that Pink Floyd haunting melody feel about it, with the guitars and keyboards in perfect harmony.

After the more relaxed feel of 'Firefly' the album once again lifts the tempo another few notches with the blistering ‘Master’, on which Oliva’s uses a distorted vocal to great effect, which gives the whole track a sci-fi feel to it, along with some mind blowing riffs from French and LaPorte once more.

The pace is again forever changing as ‘The Ride’ mixes AOR melodies with some heavier more Melodic Metal moments on this one.  Think The Who meets Disturbed.  Angst and melody never sounded so good together.

‘O to G’ on the other hand is pure AOR with Oliva showing his vocal prowess to great effect on this one.  Another shining example of what Oliva’s is capable of vocally is shown the excellent ‘Walk Upon The Water’.  This is top draw Oliva and without a doubt the best track on the album vocally.

A track that once again brings out the heavier element of the album is ‘Stories’ with its very grandiloquent overtones and thumping backbeat once again showing the diversity in this album that features something for all tastes.

Another track that highlights the diverse nature of the album is the sometimes-melancholy tones of the ballad ‘Open Your Eyes’.  Again there is a Roger Daltrey feel to Oliva’s vocals on this one but it’s the soaring guitar arrangements that really make you sit up and take notice of this particular track.

‘You Never Know’ is a guitar rich track with Oliva’s again angst vocal style just before the album comes to a close with ‘Someone/Souls’, a real mellow slice of Pain that really seals the deal on what is a magnificent album.

This album was described by the band as being like a buffet, there something there for everyone, and I always say the sign of any good buffet is it leaves you wanting to go back for seconds.  So it is with 'Global Warning', you will be back time and time again to feast on the splendour that is Jon Oliva’s Pain.

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