Stratovarius Community

I decided to go backwards through Stratovarius to see how much their sound evolved up to Episode. Fourth Dimension was mostly a trainwreck in my honest opinion, but I'll give it time. The first time I heard Elements Part 1 I thought it was a mediocre album, and now it's my favorite one. So we'll see.

I'm going to find Dreamspace next, and wanted to know if there's anything in 4D or after in Stratovarius that has a similar sound to the songs in Dreamspace. Riffs, melodies, messages, anything really.

Also, are the first two albums worth going to or should I just stop at Dreamspace?

From the first three albums I love Twilight Time the most. Definitely worth a listen. Dreamspace is something completely different from their other work, but also worth a listen.

Definetely Dreamspace is an album that demands 3 or 4 deep listenings.

When I listened for the first time Stratovarius it was for their melodies and lyrics, I always refused to say Stratovarius is just Power Metal because, In my opinion, the trademark of Stratovarius are their good melodies (evolving more to something progressive, straight forward to power roots ore something a bit more symphonic).

So perhaps the 3 first albums are something a bit strange to some fans but in the end the 3 albums have something special o bring; Tolkki had on that decade the magic wand to compose really good music and Dreamspace is not an exception, it's a really solid an progressive album.

I always defined it like a Virgin Island between the reminiscence of Black Water called "Stratovarius" and the real melodic band called Stratovarius.

Dreamspace is definitely worth a listen, and a buy. This album has several really good songs on it. Twilight Time is almost as good, and very worthwhile. I'd get both of them if I were you. Fright Night is not that great, IMO but most bands debut albums hardly stack up to their sequels. FN is not a failure by any means, it's just not as professional-sounding, nor does it have many standout songs. However, that's just my opinion, and you may disagree.
As to Fourth Dimension, personally I enjoyed it. This was Koti's first Strato album and he improved quite a bit over time. There were several songs I really liked on 4thD.

browneyedgirl wrote:Dreamspace is definitely worth a listen, and a buy. This album has several really good songs on it. Twilight Time is almost as good, and very worthwhile. I'd get both of them if I were you. Fright Night is not that great, IMO but most bands debut albums hardly stack up to their sequels. FN is not a failure by any means, it's just not as professional-sounding, nor does it have many standout songs. However, that's just my opinion, and you may disagree.
As to Fourth Dimension, personally I enjoyed it. This was Koti's first Strato album and he improved quite a bit over time. There were several songs I really liked on 4thD.

I did like Koti on this album especially, especially how he says "wisions of darkness" on Winter. The second half of the album was too weird for me though. Between Antti's dissonant keyboards on Nightfall and... 030366, I kinda ran out of steam.

Dreamspace is a phenomenal album. The music has an amazing atmosphere. Chasing Shadows, Wings of Tomorrow, We are the Future...

4th dimension is not bad and has a few classics (Twilight Symphony, We Hold the Key), but I think is not on the same level.

I'd put Dreamspace among the top 4 or 5 Stratovarius albums. Probably a smidge below Episode/Visions/Nemesis
Twilight Time and Fright Night are both quite worthwhile.
I still maintain that Elements Pt. I-Self Titled was the trainwreck.

SentineLEX wrote:

browneyedgirl wrote:Dreamspace is definitely worth a listen, and a buy. This album has several really good songs on it. Twilight Time is almost as good, and very worthwhile. I'd get both of them if I were you. Fright Night is not that great, IMO but most bands debut albums hardly stack up to their sequels. FN is not a failure by any means, it's just not as professional-sounding, nor does it have many standout songs. However, that's just my opinion, and you may disagree.
As to Fourth Dimension, personally I enjoyed it. This was Koti's first Strato album and he improved quite a bit over time. There were several songs I really liked on 4thD.

I did like Koti on this album especially, especially how he says "wisions of darkness" on Winter. The second half of the album was too weird for me though. Between Antti's dissonant keyboards on Nightfall and... 030366, I kinda ran out of steam.

4thD was my second Strato purchase after Infinite. I heard "Against the Wind" on a Metal show on cable, and both my sons and I were hooked!
On 4thD I like Against the Wind, We Hold the Key, Galaxies, and Winter. 030366 is not too strange, in my opinion, not as weird as the werewolf theme song, Full Moon of Dreamspace.

I think Dreamspace is the best of the Tolkki-fronted albums.

As for Fourth Dimension...God, that's an amazing album! The visuals that the music conveys, the whole atmosphere...my second-favorite after Visions.

browneyedgirl wrote:not as weird as the werewolf theme song

what's the werewolf theme song? can't find it on youtube by searching "stratovarius werewolf"

doc_holliday wrote:

browneyedgirl wrote:not as weird as the werewolf theme song

what's the werewolf theme song? can't find it on youtube by searching "stratovarius werewolf"

The famous "Full Moon" song on Dreamspace. That song grates on alot of people's nerves. Who knows if its about werewolves or not, that's just a joke.

browneyedgirl wrote:

doc_holliday wrote:

browneyedgirl wrote:not as weird as the werewolf theme song

what's the werewolf theme song? can't find it on youtube by searching "stratovarius werewolf"

The famous "Full Moon" song on Dreamspace. That song grates on alot of people's nerves. Who knows if its about werewolves or not, that's just a joke.

heh, I didn't even know that song before reading it in your post