Are Elements Pt. 1 & 2 concept albums ?

[Infinite Diamond]

Hi everybody !
I'm a new french member. At first, sorry for my bad english

So, I would like to know if the two Elements can be considered as concept album. Are elements like water, wind, earth or fire recurrents themes in the songs ?

Thanks.

[Beast_Pete]

Listen to the album, and you'll find the answer yourself. Cheers!

[Infinite Diamond]

I'm sorry but I can't see why all the songs from Elements Pt. 2 and "Eagleheart", "Fantasia", "Soul Of a Vagabond" tell about the Elements.
For "Elements" and "A drop in the ocean", no problem ! But for the rest...

[Stratofanius]

I'm sorry but I can't see why all the songs from Elements Pt. 2 and "Eagleheart", "Fantasia", "Soul Of a Vagabond" tell about the Elements.
For "Elements" and "A drop in the ocean", no problem ! But for the rest...

Well, in fact I think that lyrics of "Ride Like the Wind" are about wind

[Patricia]

Hei to you Infinite Diamond

I guess that Eagleheart could be compared to the Air because of the Eagle..

You've also a french topic in differents languages topics by the way. You'll be welcome there!

[Maniac]

Well there's a trick my friend! It depends on how you consider some things. I think that there aren't only the elements of nature linked with the albums title! Hope that you got me

[Paola]

I agree with you, Maniac...

BTW: Infinite Diamond, Welcome to the Forum!!

[Infinite Diamond]

Thank you all !

I did a search on these albums. For the moment, I can say this :
--ELEMENTS PT.1--
- Eagleheart -> Wind (because of the Eagle) or Fire ("his eyes are blazing with fire")
- Soul Of a Vagabond -> It might be Earth but not sure
- Find Your Own Voice -> No idea
- Fantasia -> No idea
- Learning To Fly -> Wind
- Papillon -> It must be Wind
- Stratofortress -> No idea
- Elements -> All elements
- A Drop In The Ocean -> Water (because of the title and the sea sounds)
Bonus tracks
- Runaway -> No idea
- Into Deep Blue -> Water

--ELEMENTS PT.2--
- Alpha & Omega -> Maybe all elements (because of the lyrics)
- I Walk To My Own Song -> No idea
- I'm Still Alive -> No idea
- Season Of Faith's Perfection -> No idea
- Awaken The Giant -> No idea
- Know The Difference -> No idea
- Luminous -> Maybe Wind (because it's the continuation to "Papillon")
- Dreamweaver -> No idea
- LIberty -> No idea
Bonus Tracks
- Ride Like The Wind -> Wind

Now like Maniac says, it may there aren't only elements of nature but elements like "Fear", "Anger", "Sorrow", "Joy" too. These are human feelings.

[eternity_strato]

I think both are deep conceptual. Timo Tolkki wanted to express the feelings of human beings inside the elements. Comparing, every song has a meaning about how humans are affected by things that happen.

[Beast_Pete]

Luminous is rather fire for me, as it's luminous, shining.
Awaken the Giant sounds so much earth for me. Dunno why.
Find Yoru Own Voice... hmm. Dunno, maybe fre, as it lights a fire in your heart, not to let others change your own opinions etc.

[Infinite Diamond]

Awaken the Giant sounds so much earth for me. Dunno why.

Yeah me too I think that ! Maybe because it's an heavy song ! In fact I don't know

For Luminous, mmh I think the song is too atmospheric and airy to deal with Fire
But Find Your Own Voice, why not...

Other suggestion : there might be a link between the tempo and the elements (I dunno, Fire with speed songs, Wind with slow songs and ballad...)

[NeonVomit]

Jens said in an interview there was no link between the two albums. Purely artwork based. Maybe they wanted to get out of their Nuclear Blast record deal asap, so released two albums in a short time.

[IceBreaker]

Maybe they wanted to get out of their Nuclear Blast record deal asap, so released two albums in a short time.

Also it´s said in many sources that they (Tolkki mostly) had so much new songs available, that it couldn´t be possible to release them all in one album. And because they were recorded all in quite same period, you can see it was easy to release ´em in a short time.

[Dave]

Thank you all !

I did a search on these albums. For the moment, I can say this :
--ELEMENTS PT.1--
- Eagleheart -> Wind (because of the Eagle) or Fire ("his eyes are blazing with fire")
- Soul Of a Vagabond -> It might be Earth but not sure
- Find Your Own Voice -> No idea
- Fantasia -> No idea
- Learning To Fly -> Wind
- Papillon -> It must be Wind
- Stratofortress -> No idea
- Elements -> All elements
- A Drop In The Ocean -> Water (because of the title and the sea sounds)
Bonus tracks
- Runaway -> No idea
- Into Deep Blue -> Water


--ELEMENTS PT.2--
- Alpha & Omega -> Maybe all elements (because of the lyrics)
- I Walk To My Own Song -> No idea
- I'm Still Alive -> No idea
- Season Of Faith's Perfection -> No idea
- Awaken The Giant -> No idea
- Know The Difference -> No idea
- Luminous -> Maybe Wind (because it's the continuation to "Papillon")
- Dreamweaver -> No idea
- LIberty -> No idea
Bonus Tracks
- Ride Like The Wind -> Wind

Now like Maniac says, it may there aren't only elements of nature but elements like "Fear", "Anger", "Sorrow", "Joy" too. These are human feelings.

Most of the tracks with "no idea" sound very spirit-connected to me--they tell things about human mind and that stuff.

Didn't we have a discussion about the 5th element here some time ago?

[stratohawk]

Maybe they wanted to get out of their Nuclear Blast record deal asap, so released two albums in a short time.

Also it´s said in many sources that they (Tolkki mostly) had so much new songs available, that it couldn´t be possible to release them all in one album. And because they were recorded all in quite same period, you can see it was easy to release ´em in a short time.

And still I think they could have made one strong album out of both by leaving out a few "weak" songs. I don't like this "9-song-album-conception" that Stratovarius seem to follow. Remember Dreamspace, Episode, Forth Dimension? They had all more than 10 songs!

But to topic: I wouldn't call them concept albums. There is no obvious basic background in them. Some songs have to do with the Elements, but this is nothing new for Stratovarius. Just take "Infinite" "Destiny". You have Mother Gaia, Hunting High and Low, Cold Winter Nights, Phoenix, ... The songs on the Elements-album have not more to do with the four elements than these songs.

[Beast_Pete]

@Dave: yes, we had. And the fifth element is 2005. j/k Anyway, it can be metal, spirit or even Stratovarius itself.

@stratohawk: you are right. I think, that Tolkki wanted to make one album out of those songs btw, but Nuclear Blast must have been so annoying, that he rather chose to make two albums out of the stuff, and to get free from the contract.

(anyway, there could be an Elements III, a compillation album chosen by the fans... and only elements from the 4 main elements could be chosen, like Phoenix, Playing With Fire etc. What do you guys/gals think about it?)

[Dave]

I don't know--Kotipelto said in some interview, that Tolkki started writing a double-disc-album right after finishing Infinite, though they had planned to do some break, in which they were releasing Intermission.
At this time TT had been very instable yet, and got some therapy later (before the hospitalizing), and after releasing E1 he said that he felt so great because of this therapy..

(anyway, there could be an Elements III, a compillation album chosen by the fans... and only elements from the 4 main elements could be chosen, like Phoenix, Playing With Fire etc. What do you guys/gals think about it?)

I'd rather like to wait for the new album than to see another compilation..

[IceBreaker]

(anyway, there could be an Elements III, a compillation album chosen by the fans... and only elements from the 4 main elements could be chosen, like Phoenix, Playing With Fire etc. What do you guys/gals think about it?)

I'd rather like to wait for the new album than to see another compilation..

Me too. Maybe it´s best to get still one (or even two) new albums and after them making a new compilation. That could then be only for newer songs or again a new fan compilation. But it SHALL NOT BE called Elements III, I bet also TK wouldn´t like to hear that named album anymore. Never.

[Beast_Pete]

I didn't say, that this compillation album should follow the Stratovarius album. I think, it should be released after the 14th album.

[Infinite Diamond]

In a recent interview from Timo Kotipelto and Jens Johansson published in Rock Hard France (Jul./August 2005), they said they didn't want to Timo Tolkki write an ELEMENTS PT.3 because "we have said all we have to say in this register" (in french : "Nous avions dit, dans ce registre, tout ce que nous avions à dire")

[Patricia]

In a recent interview from Timo Kotipelto and Jens Johansson published in Rock Hard France (Jul./August 2005), they said they didn't want to Timo Tolkki write an ELEMENTS PT.3 because "we have said all we have to say in this register" (in french : "Nous avions dit, dans ce registre, tout ce que nous avions à dire")

And i think they're right!!