Stratovarius Community

The 'Stratovarius' album only got 2/10 in English Metal Hammer (but they stopped being a true source of metal years ago) because they claimed the songs were 'weak' and that Zenith of Power was 'an insulting and naive song'. ? How exactly was it insulting? Did they bother to read the lyrics? Do they realise that one of the members of the band is German?

I'm sure it got higher ratings in other publications though. The short review focused mainly on how Stratovarius were hoping to 'break through' in Britain with this album (which, it seems, they're not) and how the songs were 'not the same as old Stratovarius' and how 'Zenith of Power' was 'Insulting and naive'.



I still dont understand what exactly is insulting about Zenith... Anyway, whatever, I liked the album. Pity it had to get such a pointless review.

Metal Hammer suck.

I don't particularly enjoy the new album that much, it's ok but i won't play it much i doubt.

Now there's one magazine I won't lay my eyes on again.

I'm waiting for Metal Observer's review now. They've usually got nice reviewers.

Damn--they must be really nit-picky. I hate that!

The lowest review for the new album I've saw is from a site called Blistering.Com(or something like that)where it got 6/10, I think, and the reviewer said he was being generous. But, this guy is hard about most bands, so it was not a personal attack.

But, 2/10!!!!! He had to have been joking, for God's sake! Even being strict&hard-hearted I would not give it less than 5/10---why, Maniac Dance alone is 8/10 IMO!
I have given up giving serious attention to reviewers after someone gave E2 a mere 4/10. I now think reviews are just personal opinion, no more&no less. Just someone blowing steam, pro or con.

I don't care so much about the opinion of the music... that comes down to taste.

I dislike how they claim Zenith of Power to be insulting. I totally don't get that.

Kerrang! gave it 3 Ks, they said it was top-notch stuff, but it sounded too restrained compared to their previous albums. While I do agree that there are parts where it does sound rather restrained (especially the chorus to Just Carry On), I don't think it deserved losing 2 Ks just for that minor problem. Although they did say that Maniac Dance was 'colossally catchy' and Zenith of Power was 'epic'.

If Kerrang of all magazines can give it a good review, surely Metal Hammer can give it at least an average one! This simply proves that you should never trust any magazine that claims to be an 'ultimate source' or 'underground magazine', because ultimately they will only let you down

Bah, who cares what some reviewer thinks. Listen and make our own minds up.

Generally, UK mags are up the ass of Nu anyway, except Terrorizer.

It seems to me that Metal Hammer and Kerrang are not "metal" magazines anymore! Like Fireblade said, they are now only supporting nu metal and "MTV" bands, like Green Day, The Offspring and whatever.

Anyway, reviews are totally stupid, at least it is stupid to base your judgement of one album on any review you can read around. Everyone has a different opinion about music. One journalist who is crazy of black metal for ex won't write a positive review about last Stratovarius. Other exs : I read everywhere, in magazines and on the net, that the album "Invisible Circles" of After Forever isn't good. I think it is totally amazing, one of the best album of those last 10 years! Many journalists and people said that "Once" of Nightwish is great. I think it sucks big time. Everyone has his own opinion. Nowadays, we have a wonderful tool, called internet, to get to know new music. by that, I mean that you can listen to audio samples in official websites or on iTunes, for ex, and make your own opinion about the artists and their albums. At least myself I don't want to base my opinion about one album, on one journalist's opinion.

cliff wrote:It seems to me that Metal Hammer and Kerrang are not "metal" magazines anymore! Like Fireblade said, they are now only supporting nu metal and "MTV" bands, like Green Day, The Offspring and whatever.

What a shame!

htcdude wrote:Metal Hammer suck.

I don't particularly enjoy the new album that much, it's ok but i won't play it much i doubt.

No surprise there, the UK music press only like what they think is "hip" or "trendy". That's how it's always been. UK music has been "following" rather than "leading" ever since the Beatles broke up. And don't come yapping about Punk, that was stole from the US too.

In its pathetic pattern of following like a little lap dog, the UK music scene usually follows things that happen in the US, rather than Europe.

Thus you have pathetic UK copy bands like Dragonforce who sound like mainland European metal without actually havinng any substance at all (and the only other problem is that these Dragonforce wankers try that shit like ten years too late )

If Stratovarius ever made it big in the US, Metal Hammer UK would start praising them.

I'm glad there's someone else who doesn't like DragonForce. Everyone seems to worship them here...

Fireblade wrote:I'm glad there's someone else who doesn't like DragonForce. Everyone seems to worship them here...

You're kidding right!?

It sounds like stratovarius on speed but with really bad melodies.. and then drench it in a layer of cheese.

Very bad musicians as well (ok, maybe the drummer has something but the other guys really suck as players)

Fireblade wrote:I'm glad there's someone else who doesn't like DragonForce. Everyone seems to worship them here...

they bring nothing new to the table, i dont really like them that much...

My god! You know what guys ?
I heard ONLY REALLY bad comments about Dragonforce! Weird

I think the music is good, but perhaps a bit too "let's take something from Rhapsody, from Gamma Ray, from Stratovarius... in short of all the bands that sell... and try to play it even faster". Like Heavenly. The thing is quite good, but nothing original at all!

And I heard really bad things about the musicians.
Tolkki said in a interview to a finnish magazine that he hates their guitar player, that he is one of the biggest asshole he has ever met in his life.
Weird, I chatted with him many years ago, he sounded quite fine to me.
Dragonforce was also supposed to play in a quite little festival in north of France few weeks ago. They are not too famous in France so the organisation put them in the middle of the band list. The management of Dragonforce called the guys and complained, that Dragonforce IS a huge band and he wants them to be the main band in the set! Then, the guy said "if you don't do that, then you will have to give us more money. otherwise there will be no Dragonforce in your festival". So the guy dealing with the festival replied "fine. No Dragonforce. We don't want a band like yours, who thinks he is far more of what it is for real. But remember something : this is probably the only and last chance for your band to play in France!". So it was Machine Men and Symphorce, both quite small but really good bands, who played instead. So...

cliff wrote:My god! You know what guys ?
I heard ONLY REALLY bad comments about Dragonforce! Weird

Yeah me too, and i don't like them a lot neither..

I think the music is good, but perhaps a bit too "let's take something from Rhapsody, from Gamma Ray, from Stratovarius... in short of all the bands that sell... and try to play it even faster". Like Heavenly. The thing is quite good, but nothing original at all!

Right, and nothing transcedental..but just my opinion.

Dragonforce was also supposed to play in a quite little festival in north of France few weeks ago. They are not too famous in France so the organisation put them in the middle of the band list. The management of Dragonforce called the guys and complained, that Dragonforce IS a huge band and he wants them to be the main band in the set! Then, the guy said "if you don't do that, then you will have to give us more money. otherwise there will be no Dragonforce in your festival". So the guy dealing with the festival replied "fine. No Dragonforce. We don't want a band like yours, who thinks he is far more of what it is for real. But remember something : this is probably the only and last chance for your band to play in France!". So it was Machine Men and Symphorce, both quite small but really good bands, who played instead. So...

Complaining like this is not really nice indeed..
I think Machine Men and Symphorce were good choice to play there instead.
I've seen these two bands recently in live with Sonata Arctica in Bordeaux and i can tell you they were great musicians live! :headbang:

Witchmaster wrote:

Fireblade wrote:I'm glad there's someone else who doesn't like DragonForce. Everyone seems to worship them here...

You're kidding right!?

It sounds like stratovarius on speed but with really bad melodies.. and then drench it in a layer of cheese.

Very bad musicians as well (ok, maybe the drummer has something but the other guys really suck as players)

Horrible... attitude..... cheese... tons of it......

Oh, I forgot to say something. The singer of Dragonforce. I think he is terrible !!! he just screams! he doesn't even sing in the right tune!
I remember I had downloaded their first demo, when they were still on MP3.COM and didn't have any deal with Noise/Sanctuary. They had one good song, "Valley Of The Dawn", but the rest of the EP, it sounded like they played "Valley of The Dawn" 4 more times!

I was almost going to buy their last album on iTunes, because it costs only 8€. I think I'll buy the new Brainstorm or Symphorce from there instead !

cliff wrote:And I heard really bad things about the musicians.
Tolkki said in a interview to a finnish magazine that he hates their guitar player, that he is one of the biggest asshole he has ever met in his life.

Then, the guy said "if you don't do that, then you will have to give us more money. otherwise there will be no Dragonforce in your festival". So the guy dealing with the festival replied "fine. No Dragonforce. We don't want a band like yours, who thinks he is far more of what it is for real.

So it's becoming quite obvious that they are assholes as persons too, in addition to having no talent and not selling any records

Very nice combination!!

If Tolkki meant the Korean guitarist, then imho he was wrong. Herman Li is really a cool guy, and is easy-going. I had a little talk with him in Wacken, and he didn't seem an asshole to me.

Witchmaster wrote:
So it's becoming quite obvious that they are assholes as persons too, in addition to having no talent and not selling any records

Very nice combination!!

I heard they were being assholes at Wacken as well.

They played a 30 minute set around noon on Friday at wacken this year.. one of the worst spots... when most people are still sleeping i guess

They were moaning to the Wacken staff about getting more passes and better food. With no results of course.

I doubt they will be asked back there.

Metal hammer sucks, but they have cool posters

Witchmaster wrote:
It sounds like stratovarius on speed but with really bad melodies.. and then drench it in a layer of cheese.

Very bad musicians as well (ok, maybe the drummer has something but the other guys really suck as players)

They're a good fun band. Sure, not my favourites. They can get too cheesy for me, but hell, dont take them seriously.

Really suck as players? Are you deaf? Or do you have no appreciation for skill? Apparently not. I'm not overly-fond of them but you can't knock their technical skills.

that sucks....it's way better than a 2

*cough*needmoderators*cough*

Fine you dont like them, so what. Enough of this rotten attitude. Go start an anti-dragonforce forum or something.