As a veteran guitarist in '80s and '90s progressive metal band Savatage and a main fixture in the over-the-top metal symphonic production that spreads holiday cheer known as Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Christopher Caffery is no stranger to the six-string landscape. Also an accomplished solo artist, Caffery is set to unleash a new project called Spirits Of Fire, a conglomeration of power metal fusing ever-so-slight dashes of Flamenco guitar on a self-titled release due Feb. 22 via Frontiers Records.
Caffery (from left) has joined forces with Testament bassist Steve DiGiorgio, all-everything vocalist Tim "Ripper" Owens (Dio Disciples, Judas Priest, Charred Walls Of The Damned, Yngwie Malmsteen) and former Fates Warning drummer Mark Zonder. The 11-track album, dominated by Caffery's hard-hitting riffs and Owens' diverse vocal styles and range, is highlighted by "Light Speed Marching," "Temple of the Soul" "All Comes Together" and "A Game" before ending with lone ballad "Alone in the Darkness."
Caffery, who also released solo effort The Jester’s Court last year, helps spearhead the East Coast faction of Trans-Siberian Orchestra. San Antonio received the West Coast version Dec. 23 which featured Caffery's cohort in Savatage, bassist Johnny Lee Middleton, in a nearly 3-hour bombastic performance (coverage here).
Caffery, unfortunately, is no stranger to death and adversity in the metal world. In addition to losing TSO founder Paul O’Neill in 2017, Caffery's time in Savatage overlapped the late Criss Oliva, brother of the band's vocalist/pianist and TSO veteran Jon Oliva, as he toured behind landmark albums Hall of the Mountain King (1987) and Gutter Ballet (1989).
Caffery spoke today with Alamo True Metal about his new and old bands, and the emotional impact on him of those who have moved on. Click the widget below or here to listen to our complete conversation, to find out the story of Spirit Of Fire's birth, the group's road plans and more (photo courtesy Frontiers Records).