What is Savatage?
{{Infobox musical artist | background = group_or_band | name = Savatage | image = Savatage - Wacken Open Air 2015 - 2015211215920 2015-07-30 Wacken - Sven - 1D X - 0672 - DV3P1197 mod.jpg | image_upright = 1.2 | caption = Savatage in 2015 | alias = Avatar (1979–1983) | origin = [[Tarpon Springs, Florida]], U.S. | years_active = {{flatlist| * 1979–2002 * 2014–2015}} | genre = {{flatlist| * [[Heavy metal music|Heavy metal]] * [[progressive metal]] * [[power metal]] * [[symphonic metal]] * [[speed metal]]}} | label = {{flatlist| * [[Combat Records|Combat]] * [[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]] * [[Nuclear Blast]] * [[SPV GmbH|SPV/Steamhammer]]}} | website = {{URL|savatage.com}} | current_members = * [[Jon Oliva]] * [[Johnny Lee Middleton]] * [[Chris Caffery]] * [[Zachary Stevens]] * [[Jeff Plate]] * [[Al Pitrelli]] }} '''Savatage''' was an American [[Heavy metal music|heavy metal]] band. It was made by [[Jon Oliva]] and [[Criss Oliva]] in [[Florida]] in 1979. The band's first name was '''Avatar''',<ref>{{Cite web|title=Savatage|url=https://savatage.com/about/|access-date=2022-10-04|language=en-US}}</ref> but they changed it before they released their first [[album]]. This was because another band was already named Avatar. Savatage is thought to have had a big [[influence]] on heavy metal. Many think they had an effect in making progressive metal and death metal sound different.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Blabbermouth|date=2013-09-09|title=JON OLIVA Says SAVATAGE Was One Of First Progressive Metal Bands|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/jon-oliva-says-savatage-was-one-of-first-progressive-metal-bands/|access-date=2022-10-04|website=BLABBERMOUTH.NET|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Blabbermouth|date=2018-11-29|title=ALEX SKOLNICK, DAVID VINCENT Remember Late SAVATAGE Guitarist CRISS OLIVA|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/alex-skolnick-david-vincent-remember-late-savatage-guitarist-criss-oliva/|access-date=2022-10-04|w