Old Stratovarius songs

[rikkertje]

I don't know how you people think about this, but I would really like to hear some old Strato-songs on the coming tour. Songs like The Hands of Time, Future Shock, Chasing Shadows, Wings of Tomorrow and so on, and so on...

I would like to know how you all think about this!

[Xelrog T. Apocalypse]

To me, it depends on the songs. Some of the classics were pretty memorable, like Chasing Shadows and Wings of Tomorrow... Hands of Time I don't particularly remember because I've got all their time-themed songs jumbled up. I know of Millennium and Father Time, though.

I didn't care for Future Shock, Metal Frenzy, Witch-Hunt, Madness Strikes at Midnight... they just didn't seem to have the same melodic feel to them as the newer titles, to me. Which is why I called them more 'metal-ish' in the other thread. False Messiah was something of a middleman... think it could have been presented better, but the tune was nice and original. ^^

Darkness was fantastic for its time. Not because of the tune, that I didn't pay much attention to, but the lyrics are almost raw mindfuck.

[rikkertje]

Hands of Time is on the second Strato-album Twilight Time. It's a very good song.

I know that the songs from Fright Night are less melodic. But I think that Future Shock would fit in a Strato live-set. And I just found the version where TK sing's the song. And it sounds really nice!

[Ragehead91]

I would like to hear some old stuff. And please, if you play a few of them, play them completly! Don't play them in a medley! I hate medleys!

[Xelrog T. Apocalypse]

... I like medleys...

And I know the song/album, Rik, I just haven't listened to it enough to remember it off the top of my head. -.- It's a pity the band doesn't have a portable choir. Soul of a Vagabond and Infinity are made of epic, but I couldn't imagine them live. D:

[Ragehead91]

I hate them. I much rather hear the complete song instead of just hearing the chorus in the a medley.

[rikkertje]

Yes! COMPLETE SONGS PLEASE!!! I completely agree with you Ragehead! I want to hear complete songs. And I think it would be very cool to hear some of the very old Strato-songs!

[Xelrog T. Apocalypse]

Have they done them in previous concerts or something? If so, I've never heard them.

If there are any Rhapsody of Fire fans here, I love the sort of thing they've done with a few of their albums. The album's namesake track will be a long, abridged version of all the other tracks redone, with a new track mixed into it, going through a 'chronology' of the album, so to speak.

[Ragehead91]

Have they done them in previous concerts or something? If so, I've never heard them.

The did a medley of old songs on their 2003 tour for Elements pt. 1

[Aldaron]

I didn't care for Future Shock, Metal Frenzy, Witch-Hunt, Madness Strikes at Midnight... they just didn't seem to have the same melodic feel to them as the newer titles, to me. Which is why I called them more 'metal-ish' in the other thread. False Messiah was something of a middleman... think it could have been presented better, but the tune was nice and original. ^^

Yea, but wouldn't it be cool to hear them done differently? With the addition of Matias and Lauri, maybe they could be done in a more melodic manner. I love hearing old songs redone and given a new spin. Don't like medleys much. Kind of a tease.

[Xelrog T. Apocalypse]

Eh, I suppose. The way they're written though they'd have to be pretty much entirely redone, though.

I must not be familiar with the new members. I was barely familiar with the old members aside from Tolkki and Kotipello, since their names were all over the credits.

[Burning Reflection]

My preference is the newer stuff with TK on vocals. I wouldn't mind hearing hold onto your dream though

and medelies are such teasers! Dream theater did that live last time when they spliced Metropolis prt1 with learning to live I would be very disappointed if I heard half of Destiny, Infinite or Elements

[rikkertje]

Of course we all want to hear the newer stuff! But I think it would be nice to hear a few of the Strato-oldies from the first 4 albums.

[stratodan1990]

HELL YEAH! I'm glad this post is up. Cause if they played Future Shock, Out Of The Shadows, Shattered, Abyss, The Hills Have Eyes, Break The Ice or Witch Hunt it would be like going back in history!!! And yes full songs not medleys!!!

And, their last ever live show and live song should be Future Shock because it's the first song on the first ever album.....

[stratodan1990]

and I don't know if anybody remembers, but they played Holy Light in a kinda Medley way on their Visions of Europe live CD. And I wish they had done the WHOLE song... (although the drum solo is kick ass)

[Xelrog T. Apocalypse]

You mean that track, Holy Solos?

And I don't know about the first four albums, I consider the oldies oldies because they had a completely different sound to them. Most of the first album and maybe half of the second, but that would be my limit.

I loved Abyss, though, and Out of the Shadows felt more like the newer style to me, too.

[stratoleo]

I agree, Strato should play more songs from old albums.

[rikkertje]

You mean that track, Holy Solos?

And I don't know about the first four albums, I consider the oldies oldies because they had a completely different sound to them. Most of the first album and maybe half of the second, but that would be my limit.

I loved Abyss, though, and Out of the Shadows felt more like the newer style to me, too.

That's why I suggested Hands of Time. That one also sounds like it could have been on Visions or Destiny album.

[stratodan1990]

You mean that track, Holy Solos?

Yeah.. Holy Solos would have been amazing if they had the slower part of Holy Light, and then all the solos after that its ashame they werent included

[Xelrog T. Apocalypse]

I don't think I ever differentiated between the two in my music folder. *desperately needs some Strato albums*

Another one I just noticed: I seriously need to pay more attention. All this time I had thought the Neon Light Child demo version was just the regular song with about a minute cut off the end. (Yes, I know, I'd have to be pretty damned stupid) It's got a completely different set of lyrics, instruments, and vocal track. I think it's more acoustic than the final version, but I can't say without listening again.

[stonedphoenix]

I would like to hear Break The Ice
And yes Medleys sucks! They tease you for something you won't hear in that moment

[Xelrog T. Apocalypse]

Ah, that reminds me, in terms of the lyrics thing.

Thin Ice. THAT was a wonderfully fucked-up song. That and Darkness are both chilling to listen to.

[stratodan1990]

I love the Intro to 'The Hills Have Eyes', well .. all of it. But the intro is EPIC. I'd personally love to see that played live. It would fit in with some of their more progressive songs

[Xelrog T. Apocalypse]

Lol, how? It's all bells and brass... they'd have to replace both of those with guitars in order to play it live.

[Ragehead91]

Lol, how? It's all bells and brass... they'd have to replace both of those with guitars in order to play it live.

Or they just play that intro from a tape.

[stratodan1990]

Lol, how? It's all bells and brass... they'd have to replace both of those with guitars in order to play it live.

Or some badass Jens keyboard effect

[Xelrog T. Apocalypse]

Lol, how? It's all bells and brass... they'd have to replace both of those with guitars in order to play it live. :P

Or they just play that intro from a tape.

How would that be live? XD

Suppose Dan has a point, though. Still, doesn't seem worth the effort... at least not to me. :P First time he mentioned it I had forgotten the THHE intro and I mixed it up with Abyss'.

[Ragehead91]

Lol, how? It's all bells and brass... they'd have to replace both of those with guitars in order to play it live.

Or they just play that intro from a tape.

How would that be live? XD

Stupid question. Good! A lot of bands play Intros from tape and when the song start they start playing. For Example Firewind. When they did their "Premoniton over Europe" tour they used "Into the Fire" as opener. They played the accustic Intro of that from the tape and when the E-Guitars started, the band started playing. Isn't Metallica doing the same with Battery?

[fernandotcl]

Stratovarius plays the Infinity intro "from tape", for example.

Live performances require a different arrangement compared to the studio albums. Bands with a single guitar player often use more guitar samples in a song (for example, in solos), and live performances require either a different live lineup (e.g. Rhapsody Of Fire) or that another instrument player takes the duties for that specific part. And this different arrangement is part of the fun of live performances.

For a reference on how this works out, take a look at RituAlive, a live DVD by Shaaman (by the time it was still led by Andre Matos). When an old Angra song is played, Hugo Mariutti had the very difficult task of reproducing the guitar duties of both Rafael Bittencourt and Kiko Loureiro, both extremely skilled guitar players, at pretty much all times. And in that same concert there are songs with live violin (and some other instrument whose name escapes me now) performances, just like the studio album.

[Xelrog T. Apocalypse]

I never cared for Angra. But whatever, a tape effect just seems like cheating to me. :P

My partner works for a band that's touring Japan with Metallica right now, lol.