Stratovarius Community

I have been into this and a huge load of other bands but haven't got familiar with.

Yet I think it is time to get myself familiar with these bands and the best way to do it is get opinnions.

I have to say I just love some stuff from their newest Formation of Damnation but haven't heard so much stuff from their previous albums.

and I should also tell that Production is somewhat important to me so an album ceaing a classic is not enough for me to like if the sound is like crap.

So throw me with songs and please tell me about the band and the songs too.
and also please give more accessible songs that would still represent the band.

I know recommending ain't always the easiest job but I trust this forums musical tastes a lot more than some others.

Since you've already heard the megalomaniacly good Formation (in my top 3 albums of 2008, the only year I've succesfully done such a top list and overally listened to (too) much music from that year just to make it realistic ), the one and only recommendation should be the "compilation" album First Strike Still Deadly. It has the absolute best of songs from their two first albums, classics like Over the Wall, Into the Pit and New World Order, rerecorded with today's production. You gotta love it! At least I do. ^-^ That's a must for you. Also their second newest, The Gathering, is very good album with pretty good sounds already.

Thanks I check them out soon.

I'm pretty impressed by some parts of Arcturus' Sideshow Symphonies. The first track is awesome. You can listen to the whole album there, and shit loads of other stuff as well.

No one else wants to share their experiences with testament?
Well I have to say some of the older stuff is also sick (stuff on First Strike Still Deadly since I haven't really listened to so much of their original old stuff yet)

But I do have a question.
I just found Formation of Damnation for 9.95 in a local supermarket. Should I buy it first or should I buy the Very best of (well I like compilations) since it is on sale for 6.95 on swamp Music right now.

Oh and could anyone knowing the band and it's history tell something about each of the albums and band history along them (and no I don't want to check wikipedia I want peoples opinions)

I only know that Formation of Damnation was their first album in nine years! They had all sorts of problems, sicknesses, line-up changes, etc., and just couldn't record it until 2007 and release it the next year. They have a semi-original line-up now if I remember right.

Anyway, I can't give you any opinions about their material other than that the first albums had kinda bad sound. I've only heard original versions of them; I've listened to two hard copies of The New Order and one version of the song Into the Pit on PC, and neither of them were with up-to-date sounds. Only First Strike Still Deadly seems to have up-to-date production.

It so happens though that I have all of their records on loan! My friend once came by and left me, like, was it 226 CDs, including the whole studio album discography by Testament. :I Needless to say I'm having embarrassment of riches with them, and it might be I'm not listening to them in quite some time yet. If I listen to some in the near future, though, I'll let you know about my impressions. After all, my view of Testament is that they are a band that have always released quality material only and never let their fans down...

Oh, sorry, I didn't realize this thread was exclusively dedicated to Testament.

Here's one cool Testament track.

Carcass wrote:Oh, sorry, I didn't realize this thread was exclusively dedicated to Testament.

Here's one cool Testament track.

Made me look

Well going for Formation of Damnation and First Strike Still Deadly since both have proven to absolutely rock.
So any recommendations on the original old stuff?

mayhem-for-all wrote:Well going for Formation of Damnation and First Strike Still Deadly since both have proven to absolutely rock.
So any recommendations on the original old stuff?

No since they have very bad sounds. The New Order is good otherwise though. Had it in my shelf before I sold it after getting First Strike Still Deadly.

The Gathering, their second newest, "absolutely rocks" too.