Savatage - Prelude to Madness/ Hall of the Mountain King

Artist: Savatage Song: Prelude To Madness/ Hall Of the Mountain King Album: Hall of the Mountain King (1987) Genre/ Style: Heavy Rock, Heavy Metal, Hair Metal, Power Metal, Thrash Metal, Groove Metal, Speed Metal, Fantasy Metal, Progressive Metal, Symphonic Metal Label: Atlantic Records Producer: Paul O'Neill and Savatage Production Staff: Paul O'Neill – producer, arrangements Savatage – co-producer, arrangements Roy Cicala, Nick Schiralli – recording, mixing at Record Plant, New York James A. Ball – engineer Joe Henahan – assistant engineer Jack Skinner – mastering at Sterling Sound, New York Gary Smith – Illustration Savatage, Bob Defrin – art direction Robert Zemsky – direction R. Z. management Inc. – management Released: September 28, 1987 Studio: The Record Plant, New York City Savatage: Jon Oliva – "The Grit" (lead vocals, piano) Criss Oliva – "The Crunch" (guitars) Johnny Lee Middleton – "The Thunder" (bass guitar, backing vocals) Steve Wacholz – "Doctor Killdrums" (drums, percussion) Robert Kinkel – keyboards Website: Savatage.com Hall of the Mountain King is the fourth studio album by the American heavy metal band Savatage, released in 1987 under the direction of producer Paul O'Neill. It is their first album produced by O'Neill, who was assigned to the band after the tour in support of Fight for the Rock. Through Paul O'Neill's connections, he brought in Ray Gillen of Badlands fame (credited as Ray Gillian), then briefly fronting Black Sabbath, to perform a vocal duet at the end of "Strange Wings". "Prelude to Madness" is an arrangement of Grieg's "In the Hall of the Mountain King" from the Peer Gynt suite. Oddly, Grieg is not credited for this song, but for the following title track - which is an original song. The intro of "Prelude to Madness" features keyboards and guitar playing "Mars, the Bringer of War" from Gustav Holst's suite, The Planets. The song would be re-recorded by Trans-Siberian Orchestra in 2009 under the title of "The Mountain", appearing on that group's fifth studio album, Night Castle. "This Is Where You Should Be", recorded during the studio sessions for this album, was not included; years later it was released on compilations and album reissues. This was the first album to feature the album cover drawn by artist Gary Smith, who was responsible for lead guitarist Criss Oliva's airbrushed guitars at the time. Hall of the Mountain King reached position No. 116 in the US Billboard 200 albums chart. Lyrics: "Prelude to Madness" (Instrumental) Edvard Grieg, C. Oliva, O'Neill "Hall of the Mountain King" C. Oliva, J. Oliva, Middleton, O'Neill Far away in a land caught between time and space Where the books of life lay We fear this castle of stone The mountain king roams all alone in here But he's not the only one Lost inside, forever hidden from the sun Madness reigns In the Hall of the Mountain King, oh yeah His deep dark eyes keep watch on his kingdom And the mysteries that sleeps safe inside His hall, his towers of stone Shall not be overthrown for eternity It is guarded by the king Insanity and the power that it brings Madness reigns In the Hall of the Mountain King, oh yeah In the Hall of the Mountain King, oh yeah... Come with me, stay close by my side As the darkness of night closes in Don't fear in the thunder it roars When the Mountain King calls all his children home To where I hid him we must run Refuge here, for those forever on the run Madness reigns, my friends... In the Hall of the Mountain King, oh yeah In the Hall of the Mountain King, oh yeah...

Added 19 Oct 2026