Stratovarius Community

So here we go again, Stratovarius are back with, hopefully, a new release in view.

Ideas about what we are going to listen? At the moment Jens, Timo and Matias are in Timo K. Studio aka "Tomb of Anoppi" recording, and maybe already mixing and producing, new album.

On Matias FB page a video was posted showing a snippet of a Death Metal riff.
It's not strange, after all, to have such riffs played by Matias since he do like extreme metal (Fist in Fetus) and some of Stratovarius songs already contain Death Metal vibes (breakdown part on Unbreakable, riff from Out of the Fog and The Lost Saga reminded me of Amon Amarth kind of things, the first time).

What do you think about it? You like it or you don't?

IMO "experimental" music like Nemesis and partly Elysium is the best compromise between catchy vocal line and progressive touch which, of course, I prefer over a straight riffing.
But that's me and I'm into Prog since I was a child.

This new album gives me mixed feelings, surely it's not a rushed album but it will be dividing.

I love the snippet! It's just some seconds, yes, but they totally make me want more

I haven't heard a Stratovarius album I dislike. They're my favorite metal band of all time without question. I have been waiting for this news for a while and I am very happy The snippet sounds heavy as hell. I can't wait to hear what catchy melodies and shreddy solos they've come up with this time. Maybe another epic? Nemesis is the only Matias era album without a true epic (the title track doesn't quite get there).

link?

I believe this is the video in question:
https://www.facebook.com/MatiasKupiaine ... 915142552/

Sounds pretty interesting to me. I noticed a Focusrite ISA 430 MKII near the end of the video.

Yep, we were talking about this snippet.

About Strato I must admit I'm not very comfortable with their "Black Album", I think it could be definitely better with less slow/mid tempo and repetitiveness.
I like Back to Madness and United but from an emotional point of view, music wise I think Gypsy in Me and Leave the Tribe are more coherent with Elements pt. 1 and 2, a sort of B-side tracks never make it to the two records.
I find Götterdämmerung interesting, in a certain way, but it's too inconsistent during his length, more variation and less hypnotic attitude would have been good (but I know what Tolkki concept was).
I still think is a bland album but worth of a couple of listening session once in a while.
Production, anyway, was terrible in drums, OMG.

About Nemesis: I think that the album is not suited for long epic tracks since it's a sort of big experiment; third album with Matias, first album with Rolf and maybe a different approach in songwriting led them to a "strange" album, similar but different and I think it's a really good thing.
Progressive touch is very well accepted and Castles in the Air, Nemesis and Out of the Fog show how Stratovarius, for instance, could write and play Jazz, Modern Prog and Melodeath coherently with their power metal image.

About the video Matias posted: I'm not used to extreme metal except for Meshuggah, Opeth (needless to say In Cauda Venenum sounds excellent) and some other artists like Jarzombek or Townsend, but I'm very curious about the new Stratovarius album and how this heavy riffing will be integrated.
As said it will be dividing, in a good way, of course.

Sounds like something in the vein of Nemesis. Only time will tell

The snippet is impressive and unexpected. I am glad they try different things and I wish the guys have gathered new inspiration and let the creativity really flow free.

Sounds fantastic tbh!

Interesting interviews with Timo here, seems they gave up the "everyone is writing his songs on his own"-approach, but Jens, Timo and Matias wrote songs together instead:

https://www.radiocantilo.com/entrevista ... ss35w5W6FU
https://www.efectometal.com/post/charla ... gdfZ02SzPc
http://headbangerslatinoamerica.com/ent ... h23Pfs_fbE

(and seems they plan to play some songs during upcoming South American tour they never played live before)

Interesting take by Timo where he thinks Strato might be more popular now than it was in the 1997-2003 era. And that they've gotten to the point where their music spans two generations

You know my aunt is in her 60s and knows about Stratovarius.

I asked my black midget neighbor if he ever listens to Strato and he said, Strapo?? Like strap on dildo??

robocop wrote:I asked my black midget neighbor if he ever listens to Strato and he said, Strapo?? Like strap on dildo??

Any updates on the new album??

Nothing new, unfortunately.

Ruokangas is building a couple of new guitars for Matias while he's mixing Arion, Lauri is busy with some "cabin concerts", Rolf played and released an album with Smackbound (a sort of female AOR/Hard Rock band in the style of Doro) but Jens and Timo are totally disappeared (Jens was pretty active on FB during the bad wave of Corona, here in Europe, but Timo did only Blackoustic show with Jani and Netta and nothing more).
The band itself will perform in Russia, next year, but that's it.
I don't even know if they will perform in "Rock the Castle" (the 2020 edition was postponed to 2021 with the "same" guests) since the management of the festival re-confirmed Avantasia, Epica, Rhapsody and Alestorm but not Strato (and I'm a little bit pissed of since I bought the ticket for Strato and Avantasia only and refunds are not granted).

Anyway, I bet they will be in studio after the summer (September, hopefully) with the album out around January/March 2021, but I'm not sure.

what if I share with stratovarius my sexy body? maybe they start to write an album when they see my privates!!


KOTI... YAAAHHHHOOO!!! CAN YOU SING IN MY EARS, MY DEAR??!!!

Pancio wrote: ↑

Tue Jun 16, 2020 6:24 pm

Nothing new, unfortunately.

Ruokangas is building a couple of new guitars for Matias while he's mixing Arion, Lauri is busy with some "cabin concerts", Rolf played and released an album with Smackbound (a sort of female AOR/Hard Rock band in the style of Doro) but Jens and Timo are totally disappeared (Jens was pretty active on FB during the bad wave of Corona, here in Europe, but Timo did only Blackoustic show with Jani and Netta and nothing more).
The band itself will perform in Russia, next year, but that's it.
I don't even know if they will perform in "Rock the Castle" (the 2020 edition was postponed to 2021 with the "same" guests) since the management of the festival re-confirmed Avantasia, Epica, Rhapsody and Alestorm but not Strato (and I'm a little bit pissed of since I bought the ticket for Strato and Avantasia only and refunds are not granted).

Anyway, I bet they will be in studio after the summer (September, hopefully) with the album out around January/March 2021, but I'm not sure.

This is a good update!!

I’m going to list the Matias links because he posts mostly more:

https://m.facebook.com/MatiasKupiainenOfficial/

http://www.instagram.com/matiaskupiainen

https://m.facebook.com/#!/5by5studio/