Savatage is working on a new studio album, but the release date remains unknown.
The problem is, as Johnny Lee Middleton told Iron Madness, “Jon keeps writing more.” Many songs are already recorded and Jon even laid down a lot of his vocals, but he is still adding new material. “So, we don’t know when an album will be released, but we know one will be released,” Middleton explains. “It’s just a matter of when the timing is right. And that’s pretty much where we’re sitting on it right now.”
The band owns its own recording studio, and it helps them avoid high studio costs. This is important today because physical record sales dropped and streaming pays very little per play. “We do have a lot of great songs,” Middleton hypes fans. “Jon has come up with some incredible stuff. And he wants it to be the last record. So, when it is released, it will be the last one.”
Chris Caffery also hints that the album might even be split into more than one release, and its title could change from the working name ‘Curtain Call’ to something like ‘Curtain Call A.’
Savatage is also set to return to the live stage. They are scheduled to perform in South America and Europe in 2025 after more than two decades without a full tour. Their comeback will start at the Monsters Of Rock festival in São Paulo, Brazil, on April 19, and more shows are following in Europe.
The lineup for these shows includes Johnny Lee Middleton on bass, Chris Caffery and Al Pitrelli on guitars, Jeff Plate on drums, and Zak Stevens on lead vocals.
Jon Oliva faced several challenges. In 2023, he suffered a serious back injury that now leaves him in a wheelchair. He has also been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and Ménière’s disease. He was also arrested in 2021 and again in 2023 for charges related to cocaine possession and DUI.
