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)
Power Of The Night
Savatage Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Moving with a swiftness
Closing in on me
Children of the metal movement
The legions growing stronger
Stronger than they believe
It's a power I'm drawing
Power of the Night
The call of the wild
Power of the Night
Raise the fist of the metal child
Thrashing
Screaming, twisting, banging
Heads upon the platform
The witch has been conceived
Children of the metal movement
The armies growing stronger
Crack my cranium
It's a power I'm drawing
From a light that's glowing
Power of the Night
The call of the wild
Power of the Night
Raise the fist of the metal child
Out there coming closer quicker
Moving with a swiftness
Closing in on me
Children of the metal movement
The legions growing stronger
Stronger than they believe
Thrashing
Screaming, twisting, banging
Heads upon the platform
The witch has been conceived
Power of the Night
The call of the wild
Power of the Night
Raise the fist of the metal child
Power of the Night
The call from the wild
Power of the Night
Power of the Night
The lyrics to Savatage's song, Power Of The Night, convey a sense of urgency and intensity as they describe the approach of the Children of the Metal Movement. The opening lines create a feeling of impending doom as the Metal Movement draws nearer with a swiftness, closing in on the singer. There is a sense of danger and excitement as the legions of the Metal Movement grow stronger, even stronger than they themselves realize.
The chorus emphasizes a power that the singer is drawing from the glowing light that represents the Power of the Night. The call of the wild is backed by the thrashing, screaming, twisting, and banging of the Metal Movement, which raises the fist of the metal child in solidarity. The final line of the chorus--"raise the fist of the metal child"--is particularly interesting because it suggests both strength and vulnerability. The metal child is powerful in their unity, but also exposed to threats from the outside world.
The verses repeat the opening lines with some variation, using more violent and aggressive imagery. The witch has been conceived and the singer's cranium is cracked--these lyrics suggest pain and transformation. The final repetition of the chorus again emphasizes the power of the night and the call of the wild, and ends the song on a dramatic note.
Overall, Power Of The Night is a compelling tribute to the power and passion of the Metal Movement. The lyrics emphasize the unity and strength of the community, while also acknowledging the risks and struggles involved in standing up for what you believe in.
Line by Line Meaning
Out there coming closer quicker
The danger is approaching fast and I need to be on high alert.
Moving with a swiftness
The threat is fast and agile, making it difficult to evade.
Closing in on me
The danger is getting closer and I need to react quickly to defend myself.
Children of the metal movement
Fans of heavy metal music who follow this lifestyle and culture.
The legions growing stronger
The number of metal fans is increasing and their passion for the music is intensifying.
Stronger than they believe
The metal fans are more powerful and have greater influence than what society thinks.
It's a power I'm drawing
The singer is harnessing energy and inspiration from the metal culture and music.
From a light that's glowing
This energy comes from a bright, passionate source that illuminates and motivates the singer.
Power of the Night
This energy source is strongest at night when metal concerts and festivities usually take place.
The call of the wild
The metal culture and music represent a primal, untamed force that resonates with the singer and others.
Raise the fist of the metal child
The singer urges other metal fans to raise their fists and keep this culture alive and strong.
Thrashing
Physical movement that involves headbanging and aggressive, rhythmic dancing.
Screaming, twisting, banging
Energetic actions that express passion and enthusiasm for metal music and culture.
Heads upon the platform
Fans are gathered on a raised platform, such as a stage or concert area, to enjoy the music together.
The witch has been conceived
This metaphorical witch is a powerful, dark force that inspires creativity and defiance in metal musicians and fans.
Power of the Night
The singer reiterates that the power source for all this metal passion and energy comes from the night.
The call from the wild
Metal music and culture continue to call out to those who identify with its raw, untamed energy.
Power of the Night
The singer repeats again that the strongest source of energy for their metal movement is at night.
Power of the Night
The song ends with a final emphasis on this powerful, passionate energy source.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: CHRISTOPHER M OLIVA, JOHN N OLIVA, KEITH COLLINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tito McFlimp
Out there coming closer quicker
Moving with a swiftness
Closing in on me
Children of the metal movement
The legions growing stronger
Stronger than they believe
It's a power I'm drawing
From a light that's glowing
Power of the Night
The call of the wild
Power of the Night
Raise the fist of the metal child
Thrashing
Screaming, twisting, banging
Heads upon the platform
The witch has been conceived
Children of the metal movement
The armies growing stronger
Crack my cranium
It's a power I'm drawing
From a light that's glowing
Power of the Night
The call of the wild
Power of the Night
Raise the fist of the metal child
Out there coming closer quicker
Moving with a swiftness
Closing in on me
Children of the metal movement
The legions growing stronger
Stronger than they believe
Thrashing
Screaming, twisting, banging
Heads upon the platform
The witch has been conceived
Power of the Night
The call of the wild
Power of the Night
Raise the fist of the metal child
Power of the Night
The call from the wild
Power of the Night
Power of the Night
Lunas Light
Out there coming closer quicker
Moving with a swiftness
Closing in on me
Children of the metal movement
The legions growing stronger
Stronger than they believe
It's a power I'm drawing
From a light that's glowing
Power of the Night
The call of the wild
Power of the Night
Raise the fist of the metal child
Thrashing
Screaming, twisting, banging
Heads upon the platform
The witch has been conceived
Children of the metal movement
The armies growing stronger
Crack my cranium
It's a power I'm drawing
From a light that's glowing
Power of the Night
The call of the wild
Power of the Night
Raise the fist of the metal child
Out there coming closer quicker
Moving with a swiftness
Closing in on me
Children of the metal movement
The legions growing stronger
Stronger than they believe
Thrashing
Screaming, twisting, banging
Heads upon the platform
The witch has been conceived
Power of the Night
The call of the wild
Power of the Night
Raise the fist of the metal child
Power of the Night
The call from the wild
Power of the Night
Power of the Nigh
fromthenosebleeds
Jon has one the best of voices in metal I ranked him in the top 10 of all time.
William Munny
@KILL DOZER LOL man, I haven’t heard someone say bucko since 1993 😂
KILL DOZER
@William Munny thats his list bucko
William Munny
All time Top 10 might be pushin it, but he’s definitely got a unique and good voice.
Edwin M. Glez
that riff at the beginnig is pure true heavy metal.
Marcos Almeida
Truly
Necromayhem
Absolute!!!
Edoardo Di Matteo
Only the riff at the beginning ?
clay christensen
I walked into our friendly stereo and this song started playing.....I was filled with joy and anger....cmon the song is called "Power of the Night"....I didnt discover their back catalog till I got in the Army over in Germany...I loved "the dungeons are calling" Great song Great Band!!
Overlord
Agreed🤘