Introduction to the new Stratoalbum by Jens Johansson
Posted: Wed Jun 15, 2005 2:14 pm
http://www.soundi.fi/main_01.html
My quick translation:
Here are keyboard player Jens Johansson's views on the upcoming album, song by song. The 11th Stratovarius album is released 5th of September.
Maniac Dance
"This song is more stripped-down and, in a way, harder than any of our previous works. I think Maniac Dance is a great album opener and a good choice as the single/video track. It's even radiofriendly, because the melodies are well in front. That, as well as, certain clarity are already some sort of Tolkki's trademarks. Information is easy to adapt from the first listening. You can digest Maniac Dance even if you're stuck in a morning traffic jam.
Fight
"Most of the lyrics ended up being about making this album. Also Fight deals with those difficulties we faced. I think the album lyrics are more interesting this time, because they are personal. Previously we focused on universal issues or certain fantasies, but now the lyrics are about real life. Not that I want to criticize our prevous work, at least they were better than stories about dragons, goblins and beheadin enemies."
Carry On
"This one is musically quite typical Strato track, although we tried to fool the listener with keyboard lines that, at times, are close to techno. One break even has techno bass-drumming. I hope that "True Metal Defenders" won't get mad. Carry On has typical lyrics in the sense that we have made similar uplifting and encouraging lyrics before"
Back to Madness
"Back to Madness is also much like typical Stratovarius. I usually record many keyboard lines from which the decision-makers decide which are used. This time the majority of the stuff I recorded ended up in the track, in form or another, so the result may sound a bit progressive. At least in the scope of this album. If you think about the theme of the lyrics, the excessive keyboards and progressive touch complete each other perfectly!"
Gypsy in Me
"Just like Carry On, you may gatecorize this song even some sort of pop music if you like. And there's nothing wrong with that. Maybe with Gypsy in Me we managed to compress it so that we didn't any big gestures. I remember doing some of the keyboard lines already last year in Helsinki, when TT had his break down. This song has the first of the two keyboard solos on this album.
Götterdämmerung
"This is obviously the now notorious Hitler-song that our German record label wanted to cencor. I guess people in Germany don't really want to remember what happened in the last century. Lyrics-wise this an old Strato track, because they are about this big influential politic idea, nothing personal. In my opinion the message is clear. You should think twice before starting a war. It's a simple lesson, but as important as it was for example a hundred years ago."
Land of Ice and Snow
"On Land of Ice and Snow, I concentrated on the arrangements more than usual. Especially as we didn't hire a classical orchestra, It felt important to be thorough. Synthetic and sample based copies of acoustic instruments tend to sound horrible, so that limited my ideas. The lyrics are about Finland and Finns, but I think they apply to all scandinavian people. The people are the same if you go over the border."
Leave the Tribe
"I got credited for half of the lyrics, which felt a bit funny. Especially as I still don't know what the lyrics are about! And besides, I just checked the lyrics and made a few suggestions. The indigestible lyrics remind me of Ronnie Dio's (with who Jens played after Ynwie and before Strato) lyrics. Leave the Tribe is the slowest and heaviest song from Stratovarius. On this account, it would have suited for one of the Elements albums. As much I like those albums, I enjoy the fact that the tempos are faster this time."
United
"The battle of first single track was between Maniac Dance and United. TT messed with my keyboard tracks quite a bit. A few years ago I would have been deeply shocked. I still remember how TT and Mikko Karmila fixed some dissonant sounds from the Elements solos, because they thought they were mistakes! Most people like this track so it was a good choice as the last song. Melodies and arrangements are classic Stratovarius. The lyrics are about our band, but it also resonates towards the metal community. There are no people more loyal than metal fans."
My quick translation:
Here are keyboard player Jens Johansson's views on the upcoming album, song by song. The 11th Stratovarius album is released 5th of September.
Maniac Dance
"This song is more stripped-down and, in a way, harder than any of our previous works. I think Maniac Dance is a great album opener and a good choice as the single/video track. It's even radiofriendly, because the melodies are well in front. That, as well as, certain clarity are already some sort of Tolkki's trademarks. Information is easy to adapt from the first listening. You can digest Maniac Dance even if you're stuck in a morning traffic jam.
Fight
"Most of the lyrics ended up being about making this album. Also Fight deals with those difficulties we faced. I think the album lyrics are more interesting this time, because they are personal. Previously we focused on universal issues or certain fantasies, but now the lyrics are about real life. Not that I want to criticize our prevous work, at least they were better than stories about dragons, goblins and beheadin enemies."
Carry On
"This one is musically quite typical Strato track, although we tried to fool the listener with keyboard lines that, at times, are close to techno. One break even has techno bass-drumming. I hope that "True Metal Defenders" won't get mad. Carry On has typical lyrics in the sense that we have made similar uplifting and encouraging lyrics before"
Back to Madness
"Back to Madness is also much like typical Stratovarius. I usually record many keyboard lines from which the decision-makers decide which are used. This time the majority of the stuff I recorded ended up in the track, in form or another, so the result may sound a bit progressive. At least in the scope of this album. If you think about the theme of the lyrics, the excessive keyboards and progressive touch complete each other perfectly!"
Gypsy in Me
"Just like Carry On, you may gatecorize this song even some sort of pop music if you like. And there's nothing wrong with that. Maybe with Gypsy in Me we managed to compress it so that we didn't any big gestures. I remember doing some of the keyboard lines already last year in Helsinki, when TT had his break down. This song has the first of the two keyboard solos on this album.
Götterdämmerung
"This is obviously the now notorious Hitler-song that our German record label wanted to cencor. I guess people in Germany don't really want to remember what happened in the last century. Lyrics-wise this an old Strato track, because they are about this big influential politic idea, nothing personal. In my opinion the message is clear. You should think twice before starting a war. It's a simple lesson, but as important as it was for example a hundred years ago."
Land of Ice and Snow
"On Land of Ice and Snow, I concentrated on the arrangements more than usual. Especially as we didn't hire a classical orchestra, It felt important to be thorough. Synthetic and sample based copies of acoustic instruments tend to sound horrible, so that limited my ideas. The lyrics are about Finland and Finns, but I think they apply to all scandinavian people. The people are the same if you go over the border."
Leave the Tribe
"I got credited for half of the lyrics, which felt a bit funny. Especially as I still don't know what the lyrics are about! And besides, I just checked the lyrics and made a few suggestions. The indigestible lyrics remind me of Ronnie Dio's (with who Jens played after Ynwie and before Strato) lyrics. Leave the Tribe is the slowest and heaviest song from Stratovarius. On this account, it would have suited for one of the Elements albums. As much I like those albums, I enjoy the fact that the tempos are faster this time."
United
"The battle of first single track was between Maniac Dance and United. TT messed with my keyboard tracks quite a bit. A few years ago I would have been deeply shocked. I still remember how TT and Mikko Karmila fixed some dissonant sounds from the Elements solos, because they thought they were mistakes! Most people like this track so it was a good choice as the last song. Melodies and arrangements are classic Stratovarius. The lyrics are about our band, but it also resonates towards the metal community. There are no people more loyal than metal fans."
It's great to hear what they say themselves about the new stuff.
I haven't downloaded the songs, but I've heard those 1:00 samples over at that other site and truthfully I thought they really sucked. Then again, I thought Strato. sucked the first time I heard them 
At least Jens admits to some of the songs being simple and easy to digest. What happened to songs like Glory of the World? I know you can bring em' back! 
Or another Jazz/Fusion cd with Holdsworth would do nicely 