A little communication to Stratovarius and Stratoforum users

[Betlodocus]

Its senseless to turn music into a sport.

Much like racing comparing to chess

[Rebel]

No question that it's top 10 or 15. AOTY will be tough though. It IS better than Helloween's album from this year though.

That's like saying strawberry yoghurt is better than blueberry. Everyone likes something different but our heuristics for evaluating music are relatively meaningless. Its senseless to turn music into a sport.

comparing it to say... cult of luna would be silly, but for two bigname power metal acts releasibgwithin a month of each other i think its fair to compare

[robocop656]

You are such a fuckhead. Uploading the album to YouTube already.

They all got deleted, why so serious robofag :jump:?

Fuck off, cheese boy.

[icecab21]

people can give opinions on what ice cream they prefer without it being like trying to argue second place in the 100 meter dash is a was a faster runner than first place.

[rikkertje]

My two cents.

Abandon is, thanks to the drumming, a bit heavier Strato than usual. I love this song till death. The melody of the verses combined with TK's strong middle range make it just perfect. And then that chorus... LOVE IT. Really cool solo section too.

Unbreakable, well nothing more to say. We all know it. I like it. Especially the part from the riffing till the end. Very powerful.

Stand My Ground had this great intro. Really amazing piece of music. Really aggressive verse which I like. The chorus is real old fashioned Strato happy. Great song.

Halcyon Days is still one of my favorites. Old+new Strato blended perfectly into one song.

Fantasy. Wow. It's what Paradise was to Visions, the more straight forward rock track. And it works for me. Whenever that song pops on I can't stop myself bouncing and singing along!

Out of The Fog is a really interesting song and one of the best sings TK has ever written. Epic chorus. TK, please keep this quality when performing this song live. You can do it!

Castles in The Air is another epic one. Love the instrumental jam session like solo part.

Dragons is a song I just like. Nothing more. It will grow on me that's for sure.

One Must Fall is a cool song. While I love progressive and technical music it took a while for me to get into the drum rhythm. But once you've got that its wonderful.

If The Story Is Over. For me it's simply Strato's best power ballad ever.

Nemesis. Powerful closer. TK shines in this one and I absolutely love Jens' solo in this one. Really nice bonus in the form of a beautiful serene choir outro.

I love, love, LOVE this album. They've put a lot of work in it and this should be supported. With this album they prove they should be on the top again.

There's one thing that sort of disturbs me. TK should pronounce the s better!
In Castles In The Air he sings "when the day turn into night, when the stars...". That doesn't seem correct to me. Shouldn't it be 'when the days turn...' or 'when the day turns...'?

And next to that I am really curious how these songs going to be in a live setting. In recent live shows Strato transposed most songs down in order to make them singable for TK, but on this album the songs are just as high as songs before the transposing. Abandon for example gets him to a C#5 again. An note he usually doesn't reach when singing live. Can't wait to see him surprise me on tour in The Netherlands!

[robocop656]

And the whistling on If The Story Is Over? :crazy1: :crazy1:

[rikkertje]

Would love it if they did that live!

[mocobhc]

OK, so I’ve listened to it a few more times today, and I’m still overwhelmed by the high quality of the guys’ performance and the creativity they show in terms of sound and songwriting. Still can’t tell a favourite song, they’re all fantastic, no filler or weak song for me. All in all this is a very strong, powerful, heavy, modern, melodic and innovative album which will rock the world and our asses, definitely nothing to listen to while sitting somewhere still and silent, this whole thing makes me want to headbang all day long


So, Abandon is an in-your-face-starter with heavy riffing and bass and great verses and melodies. Matias’ solo is just how I love it, he and Jens are having a great time there Brutal way to open the album!

Then Unbreakable, a great sing-along-song, catchy but not cheesy and a good refrain, heavy and fast and positive song. Great one.

Stand My Ground starts remarkably modern and heavy at the same time. The vocal effects make the whole thing very interesting and add the eyecatcher to the song, which has a very groovy pre-chorus, but a quite “classical” sing-along-refrain, a heavy riffing, and a remarkable keys-guitar-solo-section.

Halcyon Days, another in-your-face-intro and a good example for how well they managed to combine classical heavy riffing with modern sounds and catchy melodies in this album.

Now Fantasy gives a little break from the out-of-breath-running pace, starting with a very nice key melody intro, followed by a really nice classical Stratomelody escorted by Lauri’s bass, another stick-in-your-head-sing-along refrain with remarkable keys and a cool, short solo section. A very positive and mood-raising song!

Out Of The Fog, well if anyone needed proof that Stratovarius isn’t in need of a second guitar player to provide heavy songs, here it is. Wow! I absolutely love this heavy riffing and bass, OMGOMG. Heavy verses and bridges, dammit I couldn’t stop headbanging… and the refrain makes me wanna jump up and down Cool Matias solo as well here, topped by Jens. Dammit how I love this song :luv1:

Castles In The Air first seems to slow down the albums’ pace again, but it gives you the finger when the choirs and rest of the band break in Remarkable melody and bassline, great refrain. Matias’ solo is really interesting and kinda unexpected, snotty and rocking Very nice Outro. Dammit how I love this song pt. II.

Then Dragons has a really modern intro and is another headbanger. Nice combination of good verse melodies and classical catchy power-metal-refrain.

With One Must Fall starting, I was like , but turned out that this song has very good chorus and bridges. The change of heavy riffing before the calm solo section is just wow!

If The Story Is Over is definitely the best ballad they ever made, end of story. Beautiful melody and one of the best performances by Timo in years.

Then Nemesis is another in-your-face-headbanger again. Once more outstanding riffing and keys over here. OMG what an album-closer :headbang:


Hell, how I look forward to these live shows! And to the bonus tracks and the booklet and everything... Outstanding performances by them all, but especially Matias makes a huge impact on me this time, even more than on Elysium - hell yeah, this guy is not from this earth :luv1:


Edit:
I love how one discovers new things and sounds and remarkable moments every time you listen to the album. Can't stop smiling the whole way through. And One Must Fall is somehow VERY VERY COOL

[RazielSR]

...Dunno what to say at the moment, this album is pure epicness. Please, Strato, continue this way and never stop making music. THANKS FOR THIS JEWEL. What a fastastic balance between Stratovarius spirit and new touch. I don't know how you do it, but it works absolutely fantastic. Can't wait to receive my copy and hear this fastastic album in cd quality.

I have to say that I usually write about Stratovarius in some forums like DreamTheater forum or others in Spain where many people was like: "well, Stratovarius is over" (in pre-Polaris times), then with Polaris was like: "ah, ok, not bad", with Elysium was: "wow, really good album" and with this one the sentences are more or less: "Incredible, I have to say it, I didn't believe this band could be as good as always again, but this album is just absolutely fantastic, wonderful, makmes me feel happy, plenty of energy"...And well, I'm seeing opinions from people who thought Stratovarius was over and was repeating that over and over again and now are saying: "Well, I admit I was wrong, to err is human"

I've never have seen so many people praying how good an album from Strato is since maybe Visions. This is something great and I HOPE THEY CONTINUE THIS WAY, cause they have found the path, finally.

[Empathica1928]

I'm not trying to imply anything here, but I came up with a melody almost *exactly* the same as the chorus to Dragons a few weeks ago when I was really high. Fuck. At least now I know the melodies I come up with are Strato-level now

[mocobhc]

OMG a world wonder just happened - even my boyfriend said he can listen to it :errrr: and he pretty much hates the former stuff

[robocop656]

My boyfriend gave me AIDS.

[Texidor]

My boyfriend gave me AIDS.

Are you for real right now????? TMI dude!

[stratodan1990]

It seems a lot of you are taking a shine to the album, that's great if you haven't pre-ordered the album yet, then go BUY IT or else i'll drop a big pile of p.o.o on your house lol.

My favourite track? Probably Fantasy, a really simple song which is what made Stratovarius so great in the 90's - and so great now. There is not 1 song I dislike, the album is amazing. Thank you Stratovarius for carrying on making these new albums!

[Texidor]

It seems a lot of you are taking a shine to the album, that's great if you haven't pre-ordered the album yet, then go BUY IT or else i'll drop a big pile of p.o.o on your house lol.

My favourite track? Probably Fantasy, a really simple song which is what made Stratovarius so great in the 90's - and so great now. There is not 1 song I dislike, the album is amazing. Thank you Stratovarius for carrying on making these new albums!

Thank you for the refocus stratodan1990 lol!!!! Yes this album is amazing, and quite honestly the strongest album that they have released in my opinion. I might get burned that one but as much as I love every album and their perspective emotion and power, but Nemesis kills from beginning to end. There is no filler, nor lull or low point. It's just perfection for me! Thank you Stratovarius !

[stratodan1990]

Yeah, I know what you mean. I think what makes Nemesis as strong as it is, is not only the consistency - but the fact there is such a change in direction, but at the same time you can still hear the evolution from nearly all of their 13 previous albums. I think that (for me) this is what makes Nemesis so great.

I'm not sure that it's their very best album, but Nemesis is up there with all the golden albums of the 90's - definitely up there with Fourth Dimension, Episode, Visions, Destiny and Infinite.

[Rebel]

do you understand what I meant when I said "Best in 15 years" now?

[Texidor]

do you understand what I meant when I said "Best in 15 years" now?

Yes I do Time for another listen....Addicted to this album!

[stratodan1990]

Lol yeah except I meant that Nemesis has many elements that sound nothing like the albums of the 90's. But as an album it is still about as good as many of them albums in it's own individual right.

[RazielSR]

do you understand what I meant when I said "Best in 15 years" now?

Yes, I had my expectations really high while reading your reviews and others, and it has been a lot better. Incredible, I'm just not wanting to hear too much until I get my copy. While listening Stand my ground and that bridge between the modern and powerful rythm and then the chorus...Damn...it has been shocking. Dragons, Fantasy, that ones more Strato classic songs...wow...what a moments. And yes, there are a lot of modern sound from the new Stratovarius, but there are songs that are like bring again the good old Stratovarius days. It is a perfect mix.

[robocop656]

My boyfriend gave me AIDS.

Are you for real right now????? TMI dude!

Yes, I'm a dangerous homosexual riding the dolphins on the infinity cover.

P.S. Who is the one who whistles on If the story is over? Axl Rose?

[brought2ubyletterC]

It would be better than anything he's done since the rest of Guns 'n' Roses left the group.

[robocop656]

I can't get the chorus to STAND MY GROUND out of my head!! It made me accomplish everything this weekend because of it!!

[RazielSR]

I can't get the chorus to STAND MY GROUND out of my head!! It made me accomplish everything this weekend because of it!!

[Texidor]

I can't get the chorus to STAND MY GROUND out of my head!! It made me accomplish everything this weekend because of it!!

It does get stuck in your head! That is definitely one of their best!

[RazielSR]

Completely true, that song makes you feel POWERFUL!!!

[NeverendingAbyss]

The chorus at the end of Nemesis...

Perfect ending for a perfect album.

Fantasy and Stand My Ground are terrific!

Fuck now I really regret not going to NYC.

[mocobhc]

They played Unbreakable, Halcyon Days and Stand My Ground live on Saturday night, I'm terribly curious how they turned out! Haven't heard anything so far, except "they were good"

[Mr Hadder]

My fav songs from Nemesis are Dragons, Unbreakable, Halcyon days and the lovely lovely If the story is over!!

[AAAAAAAAAA]

The lyrics to Fantasy made me a better person. I am now feverishly acquiring new skills and reconnecting with old friends.