𝐅𝐑𝐎𝐌 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐑𝐘𝐏𝐓𝐒 - 𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐁𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐀𝐋𝐁𝐔𝐌 𝐑𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐊 & 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐕𝐘 𝐌𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐋…
(Original 1984 Par Records Cassette Insert/Cover Art)
Original Cassette Track List:
Side A:
01. The Dungeons Are Calling (4:55)
02. By the Grace of the Witch (3:16)
03. Visions (3:05)
Side Z:
01. Midas Knight (4:24)
02. City Beneath the Surface (5:49)
03. The Whip (3:31)
(Original 1984 Par Records Cassete)
Savatage:
Criss Oliva – guitars, backing vocals
Keith Collins – bass guitar, backing vocals
Production & Layout:
Danny "The Kid" Johnson – producer
Jim Morris – engineer
Mike Fuller – mastering
Eddy Schreyer – re–mastering
Robert Zemsky – management
Background:
Savatage released their first EP (their second release overall), The Dungeons Are Calling in cassette format (PAR1051M) on March 22, 1984 via Par Records. It was later released in 1985 on vinyl (MX 6016) and cassette (MXT 6016) via Combat/Relativity/Important Records with different album art.
(1985 Combat Records Cover Art)
Many people have mistakenly stated that the EP was released in 1985, though this is false. The EP was however, re-released on cassette and vinyl formats in 1985 by a number of labels, including Banzai Records (Canada), Combat Records (US), and Music For Nations/Roadrunner Records (UK). Most of the songs featured on it and the debut album, Sirens, had been in the band set list since 1979, and are part of the Live in Clearwater and City Beneath the Surface EPs. The Dungeons Are Calling is a loosely based concept album and the title track, contrary to popular belief, is not about Hell or torture, but about the horrors of drug use. The song used many metaphors, which have been sometimes misunderstood.
(1985 Combat Records Cassette Insert)
The tracks on this EP were recorded the same day as the tracks for the Sirens album. The two were meant to be a full-length debut but were divided due to limited space for songs on vinyl.
The cover is a picture of a human skull with a homemade syringe, a reference to the title track of the album.
Reissues:
The album was reissued on CD via Metal Blade Records with the bands most recent logo in place of their original logo. The disc also included two bonus tracks.
(My Copy of the 1994 Metal Blade Records Reissue)
1994 CD Reissue Bonus Tracks:
07. Fighting For Your Love (Demo) (3:20)
08. Sirens (Live) (3:21)
The album was also remastered and re-released on CD in 2002 via Metal Blade Records as a Silver Anniversary Collections edition.
(Cover of the 2002 Metal Blade Silver Anniversary Edition)
2002 Metal Blade Silver Anniversary Remaster Bonus Tracks:
07. Metalhead (Demo) (4:46)
08. Before I Hang (Demo) (4:12)
09. Stranger in the Dark (Demo) (5:01)
99. Piper Rap (Hidden Track) (1:41)
The two were released together on CD as Sirens & The Dungeons Are Calling - The Complete Sessions via EarMusic in 2011 for the first time "as they were meant to be" (Jon Oliva). This release also features one bonus track.
(Cover of the 2011 EarMusic release, Sirens & The Dungeons Are Calling - The Complete Sessions)
2011 EarMusic Reissue Bonus Track:
16. In the Dream (Acoustic Version) (3:34)
(The Back of the 2011 EarMusic release, Sirens & The Dungeons Are Calling - The Complete Sessions)
Critical Reception:
In 2005, The Dungeons Are Calling was ranked No. 349 in Rock Hard magazine's book The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time.
Note: The reviews shared here are for historical reference. The views and opinions expressed within are not always supported (in full or in part) by Into the Wells. — E.N. Wells
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