SAVATAGE

It's not entirely accurate to use the word "reunion" if a band never broke up in the first place, but semantics aside, it's fair to say that American progressive/ power metal trailblazers Savatage have spent the better part of the past two decades far away, in a land caught between time and space.

- CLAY MARSHALL

Even when they emerged from their self-imposed hibernation in 2015 for a one-off performance at Germany's Wacken Open Air festival, it wasn't for a proper set as much as a spectacle-driven attempt to boost the European profile of their sister group, US arena headliners Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

Accordingly, it was quite the surprise when Savatage recently announced their first proper tour since 2002, which includes a June stop at London's O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire. There's one major wrinkle, however: vocalist/keyboardist Jon Oliva, their last remaining original member, isn't part of the touring party due to ongoing health issues.

While the band has toured without Oliva before, his absence creates another semantic question: is this really Savatage?