Savatage is an American heavy metal band founded by brothers Jon and Criss … Read Full Bio ↴Savatage is an American heavy metal band founded by brothers Jon and Criss Oliva in 1979 in Tarpon Springs, Florida. The band was first called Avatar, but, shortly before the release of their debut album Sirens (1983), they changed their name to Savatage, as Avatar was already taken by another band. Savatage is considered a significant member of the American heavy metal movement of the early-to-mid-1980s and has been cited as a key influence on many genres, such as power metal, progressive metal, speed metal, thrash metal, death metal and symphonic metal.

The band first reached substantial commercial success with its third studio album Fight for the Rock (1986), which peaked at number 158 on the Billboard 200. Its next four albums—Hall of the Mountain King (1987), Gutter Ballet (1989), Streets: A Rock Opera (1991) and Edge of Thorns (1993)—were also successful but more critically acclaimed than Fight for the Rock. On October 17, 1993, six months after the release of Edge of Thorns, guitarist Criss Oliva was killed in a car accident. Following his death, Jon (along with producer Paul O'Neill) decided to continue Savatage in memory of his brother. The band released four more studio albums, and went through several line-up changes before going on an extended hiatus in 2002. During the years—partly even before the hiatus—members founded various new bands such as Jon Oliva's Pain, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Circle II Circle and Doctor Butcher. On August 2, 2014, Savatage announced that they were reuniting for the 2015 Wacken Open Air; despite having discussed the possibility of more shows and new music, the band went on hiatus once again. Although Savatage technically remains inactive, half of the members of the band claimed in interviews during throughout 2020 and 2021 that they have been working on new material for a possible follow-up to Poets and Madmen (2001).

Studio albums
Sirens (1983)
Power of the Night (1985)
Fight for the Rock (1986)
Hall of the Mountain King (1987)
Gutter Ballet (1989)
Streets: A Rock Opera (1991)
Edge of Thorns (1993)
Handful of Rain (1994)
Dead Winter Dead (1995)
The Wake of Magellan (1997)
Poets and Madmen (2001)

I Seek Power
Savatage Lyrics

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As the steam from the street starts to rise
The gutter whispers
That the moon like a child has arrived
The dark has missed her

And the light that she lends is a guide
Among her shadows
Like the ghost from the past that survive

And you ask me now
What is my intent
Here among the ruins
Cloaked in false pretense
And how do i belong

I seek power
Where the power remains
I seek power
In the back of your brain

How will you see me
If you don't know where i hide
How will you bleed me
If i am somewhere inside

In the ashes of empires lost
A distant warning
On the danger of ignoring cost
and children mourning
As the memories cloud in our mind
The past can glitter
And so it has been designed

I know every lie
That the mind invents
Though they're well disguised
And cloaked in innocence
And how do i belong

I seek power
Where the power remains
I seek power
Like the kiss of cocaine
I seek power
As the darkness descends
I seek power
And I'll have it again

I seek power
Where the power remains
I seek power
Like the kiss of cocaine
I seek power
When it's not always wise

I seek power
For the power survives

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of "I Seek Power" by Savatage describe a scene at night, with the street steam rising and the moon casting its light among the shadows. The lyrics suggest the darkness has missed the moon, implying some kind of relationship between the two. The singer then asks what his intent is, acknowledging his presence among the ruins to seek something, perhaps power. He acknowledges he is cloaked in false pretense, suggesting he may not have pure intentions for seeking power. He asks how he can belong, implying he feels out of place or disconnected from society. The chorus repeats the phrase "I seek power," emphasizing his desire to find it.

The second verse talks about the ashes of empires lost, warning against ignoring the cost and the mourning of children. The memories of the past can sometimes deceive, glittering instead of showing the truth. The singer claims to know every lie the mind invents, acknowledging the difficulty of discerning truth from falsehood. Again, he asks how he can belong, implying he still feels disconnected. The chorus repeats, with the singer describing power as the kiss of cocaine, implying an addictive quality to it. The final line says "for the power survives," suggesting that power is something that endures over time and may be sought after for that reason.

Overall, "I Seek Power" seems to explore the theme of the search for power and the complexity of human motivation. The singer seems to acknowledge that power can be both alluring and dangerous, with the potential to deceive and corrupt. He also seems to grapple with issues of identity and belonging, suggesting that perhaps his search for power is related to a desire to find his place in the world.

Line by Line Meaning

As the steam from the street starts to rise The gutter whispers That the moon like a child has arrived The dark has missed her
The environment is changing as steam rises from the street, the gutter personified whispers about the arrival of the moon, which is compared to a child, and the darkness missed her arrival.

And the light that she lends is a guide Among her shadows Like the ghost from the past that survive
The moon's light shines and helps guide our way through the shadows, just as memories from the past can guide us through life.

And you ask me now What is my intent Here among the ruins Cloaked in false pretense And how do i belong
The singer is questioned about their intentions and belonging, while they feel like they must put on a false persona to fit into a landscape of ruins.

I seek power Where the power remains I seek power In the back of your brain
The artist desires power and seeks it in places where it still exists, specifically in the subconscious mind of others.

How will you see me If you don't know where i hide How will you bleed me If i am somewhere inside
The artist questions how others will perceive them if they do not know where to find them, and warns that they are a force to be reckoned with even if they are not visible.

In the ashes of empires lost A distant warning On the danger of ignoring cost and children mourning As the memories cloud in our mind The past can glitter And so it has been designed
An image of the ruins of empires serves as a warning of the cost of ignoring lessons of the past, specifically that children will mourn the consequences of adult actions, though the past can also seem desirable in memory.

I know every lie That the mind invents Though they're well disguised And cloaked in innocence And how do i belong
The singer claims to know every deception that the mind can come up with, even if it is hidden behind a facade of innocence, and again questions their own sense of belonging.

I seek power Where the power remains I seek power Like the kiss of cocaine I seek power As the darkness descends I seek power And I'll have it again
The chorus repeats the artist's desire for power, which they liken to a potent and addictive drug, and emphasizes their persistence in seeking it even as darkness falls.

I seek power When it's not always wise I seek power For the power survives
The artist acknowledges that their quest for power may not be wise, but they continue seeking it because the allure of power endures despite potential consequences.

Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS

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