Savatage was a heavy metal/progressive metal band founded by the brothers Jon Oliva and Criss Oliva in 1979, previously named Avatar. The band is known for recording many rock operas. Early on, Savatage was a traditional heavy metal band, who stood out from the pack due to guitarist Criss Oliva's uncommonly heavy riffing and vocalist Jon Oliva's unique vocal stylings. Following the failure of Fight For The Rock, an attempt to commercialize their sound, Savatage began moving in a more operatic direction, releasing a number of rock opera albums in collaboration with producer Paul O'Neill.