When I first heard about this release I thought it would be a new album and I was therefore slightly disappointed that it was just a re-release of the original version from 1994. Luckily, Doctor Butcher has added a nice bonus disc that makes this release well worth your money. Listening to tracks like “Inspecter Highway” and “Help! Police?” brings back fond memories of the days of Savatage of old with the mighty Jon Oliva still on vocals.

The bonus disc contains 5 songs (4 demo tracks and the totally newly recorded and previously mentioned “Inspecter Highway”) and lasts for a good half hour. The tracks are slightly more in the vein of Savatage with more melody and are overall less compact. Oliva is at his very best again; his voice just has something mesmerizing, a distinctively unique sound that so many modern singers seem to miss.

To top it all off, the booklet has an interesting introduction by Jon and Chris which should warm the hearts of all the fans of old school Savatage and Doctor Butcher in particular. The introduction ends with “We believe it is time for a brand new CD… Don’t you agree? For now, sit back and enjoy the new and the old. All together for the very first time. The Butcher is back!!!” And I’m sure I speak for many when I say “Yes, we all agree it is time. Bring back the Butcher!” This is a very nice appetizer for what surely will be a great album that is yet to come.