In the early hours of October 17, 1993, metal lost one of its most gifted guitarists. Criss Oliva, co-founder of Florida heavy metal heroes SAVATAGE, was driving with his wife Dawn to the Livestock festival near Zephyrhills when a drunk driver with seven prior DUI convictions crossed the median of Highway 301 and struck their Mazda RX-7 head-on. Oliva was killed instantly at just 30 years old. Alongside his brother Jon he had taken SAVATAGE from the raw steel of "Sirens" in 1983 to the theatrical brilliance of "Hall of the Mountain King", "Gutter Ballet" and "Streets: A Rock Opera", crowning the run with 1993's "Edge of Thorns". His fluid, classically tinged leads earned open worship from peers like Zakk Wylde. SAVATAGE carried on in his honor, and the seeds they planted later blossomed into TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA.
