Well I never liked changes , I like it when everything is the same  - that's the guy I am . 
So as you guessed , the changes I am talking about are connected with Savatage , 
and yes - right again - guitars . 

In my case , the first album I bought with Zak in charge of vocals was "Dead Winter Dead" , so I knew 
what I am gonna face when I bought HOR . 
So no problem with Vocals what so ever , Zak sounds Great even when he talks in his sleep . 
The main problem was the guitars in the album , who will fill up the BIG empty and RESPECTED space 
Criss left . 
As Savatage faces the big Q(question) , if they should break the band , came a good friend of Criss - 
Alex Skolnick (That is a member of TestamenT) and filled the blank space . 

I must say I didn't like "Dead Winter Dead" alot when I first heard it(Don't kill me ...) but when 
you love a band you must buy all it's albums and worship each one of them - so after all I told you 
and all the mix feelings I had I went and bought this album . 
I remember when I came home and inserted the C.D into my CDPlayer and heard the intro of 
"Taunting Cobras" I smiled and said - "The old Savatage still leaves" . 

Bla Bla Bla ..... 

Well say what you want , that is my story and I fucking love this album . 
Of all the albums Zak is in , this is my favorite . 
The lyrics in the album are so good and so meaningful that sometimes I even cry (Daaaa) , 
The guitar's rock when needed and this album is a great example on how a great band can still give good 
music even after a tragic death or an exchange of a vocalist . 

As far as my strange comment on "Dead Winter Dead" , you can read about it in the "Dead Winter Dead" 
link in this page . 
 

I recommend this album to you all ! 
This album is a great way to start getting to know the band , even if you don't have any of their album 
and don't know the band - you should have this one in you're collection - believe me I have checked!!! 

The songs are : 
  1. Taunting cobras 
  2. Handful of rain (Blast of a song ) 
  3. Chance (Oh boy ... this one is even better ) 
  4. Stare into the sun 
  5. Castles burning 
  6. Visions 
  7. Watching you fall 
  8. Nothing going on 
  9. Symmetry 
10. Alone you breath (This one was written for Criss , check the lyrics in this page)