Savatage's "Believe" and Cyrcle IX's cover of "Believe"

Today I'm going to do a little bit of a different post.  Today I'm featuring the same song by the original artist and a cover by another artist.  The song is "Believe" by Savatage and I can honestly say this is my all time favourite song.  Released on Savatage's Streets: A Rock Opera, "Believe" is the album closer and what a closer it is.  It is the greatest, most epic power ballad ever written.  The lyrics are poignant and uplifting and Chris Oliva's guitar solo at the end is complex in its layered simplicity bringing the song (and album) to a grandiose end.  There is really not much else I can say.  Go ahead and give it a listen and tell me you're not moved at least a little bit.





The cover version of "Believe" I'm featuring is by the band Cyrcle IX off the Savatage Tribute album Return Of The Mountain King.  Oh sure, there is also the Trans-Siberian Orchestra version, but it is too simplified and loses some of the power.  However, Cyrcle IX's version, although simplified, is chalked full of passion and conviction.  The vocalist Pete Wallace is no Jon Oliva, but he doesn't try to be.  What he does do is sing his damned heart out, to the point his voice almost breaks.  Guitarist Mike Hollis does a fine job working his way through the solo at the end.  Certainly not as epic as the original, but far superior to the TSO version.  This is the way a cover song should be done.  Cyrcle IX made it their own, but did not sacrifice the integrity of the original.  Check it out here Cyrcle IX cover of "Believe" youtube