New album "Elysium", Jan 12 2011. Single on Nov 26

[ggonza43]

"Elysium" Japan edition tracklist:

01 - Darkest Hours
02 - Under Flaming Skies
03 - Infernal Maze
04 - Fairness Justified
05 - The Game Never Ends
06 - Lifetime In A Moment
07 - Move The Mountain
08 - Event Horizon
09 - Elysium
10 - Castaway (Bonus Track)
11 - Darkest Hours (Demo Version) (Bonus Track)
12 - Against The Wind (Live Version) (Bonus Track)
13 - Black Diamond (Live Version) (Bonus Track)

So they mixed the bonus track with the EP, sounds great to me

[Arkash]

According to Wikipedia:

Collector's edition bonus disc
No. Title Lyrics Music Length
1. "Last Shore" - - -
2. "Hallowed" - - -

Jens, could you tell us who wrote those songs?

[Elz]

Nuclear blast is selling elysium with new t-shirt http://www.nuclearblast.de/en/products/ ... irt-m.html

[Balu]

Nuclear blast is selling elysium with new t-shirt http://www.nuclearblast.de/en/products/ ... irt-m.html

This, hmm, sounds good.

[VictorTDD]

Elysium will be released in Finland also on January 12, 2011.

[ggonza43]

Nuclear blast is selling elysium with new t-shirt http://www.nuclearblast.de/en/products/ ... irt-m.html

I so want that T-Shirt !

[Kosmo]

I prefer when there's a big picture on a t-shirt, like the Earthcrisis one. It's purty, and i have it.

[Susie]

No girlie t-shirt... so I'm gonna make my own.... again :luv4:

[ggonza43]

When it comes to T-Shirts, anything suit anybody

[bockrocker]

That T-Shirt looks like shit, who wants a plain black shirt with lettering for an album with such amazing artwork? WTF?

I preordered the collector edition from recordshopx, will make sure to upload the 7" tracks to youtube when I get it since most of us still not heard the 7" tracks from Polaris . Looks like I will still have to download the Japan bonus track though, should have put that on collector edition guys...

[ggonza43]

That T-Shirt looks like shit, who wants a plain black shirt with lettering for an album with such amazing artwork? WTF?

I do ! I honestly don't like AT ALL T-Shirts with huge album artworks, and especilly those whose cover are really bright. For that, I'd rather have the CD itself in my shelves

[The unknown one]

...bring home the night, the shelter from light, the skies are burning...

[mocobhc]

That T-Shirt looks like shit, who wants a plain black shirt with lettering for an album with such amazing artwork? WTF?

I do ! I honestly don't like AT ALL T-Shirts with huge album artworks, and especilly those whose cover are really bright. For that, I'd rather have the CD itself in my shelves

Agreeing with you there. I definitely wanted to buy one of the new shirts, but somehow the new artwork didn't have the same impact on a shirt as it had as album cover... Btw in case you haven't seen it till now: They put the Elysium cover/pelican to one half of the shirts' front and the Darkest Hours one to the other half - maybe I'd have prefered one on the front and the other on the back, dunno.
I liked the other artwork with the volcano/woman's mask thing (still dunno what it's supposed to be exactly ) a bit more, but they only had men's shirt for this one... so I didn't buy that one either.

tl;dr: Fact is, I ordered the album from nuclearblast with the black and simple shirt, although it's a men's shirt. Who said women have to be logical

[Kosmo]

I'd propably buy a shirt with the Darkest Hours artwork on it.

[VictorTDD]

Yesterday I got Darkest Hours 12" vinyl.



On both cd and vinyl of Darkest Hours single, the back covers show funny middle names in credits. This is the one:

Stratovarius are
Timo "The Scream" Kotipelto
Jens "The Wonder" Johansson
Matias "The Wizzard" Kupiainen
Lauri "The Wall" Porra
Jörg "Der Vollstrecker" Michael

[Arkash]

What do "Der Vollstrecker" mean?

And who came up with those names, they rock!!!

[VictorTDD]

What do "Der Vollstrecker" mean?

In English it means "The Road Warrior".

[mocobhc]

Yeah, but only the movie title.
1:1 translation is enforcer or executor.

[VictorTDD]

The complete one

Recorded at Five by Five studios in Helsinki, Helsinki where? - Helsinki, Finland by Matias "The Rock" Kupiainen.
Directed, Produced and Recorded by Matias "The Warlock" Kupiainen.
Edited, there was nothing to edit by Matias "The Magician" Kupiainen.
Songs 1, 4, 5 mixed by Mikko Karmilla at Finnvox Studios Helsinki, Helsinki where? - Helsinki, Finland.
Songs 2, 3 mixed by Matias "The Twiggler" Kupiainen at Five by Five Studios and Lost & Found Baari, Helsinki, Helsinki where? - Helsinki, Finland.
Mastered by Svante "The Blow" Forsbäck at Chartmakers.

Photos by Kimmo Syväri.
Artwork by Gyula Havancsák.
Layout by Sander "The Incredible" Nebeling.

Stratovarius are
Timo "The Scream" Kotipelto
Jens "The Wonder" Johansson
Matias "The Wizzard" Kupiainen
Lauri "The Wall" Porra
Jörg "Der Vollstrecker" Michael

Jörg Michael uses Meinl cymbals, Kirchhof drums, Beyerdynamic microphones, Sennheiser, Tama Power Tower rack systems, Vic Firth sticks, Ddrum trigger systems.
Lauri Porra uses ESP Basses.
Matias Kupiainen uses Ruokangas guitars and TC Electronic.
Jens Johansson uses keyboards, mostly Roland, and still also swears by the "syth1" freeware VSTI.

Our very special thanx go to Max "The King" Vaccaro and his team, Anja Obersteller, Anne Zwirnlein, Dagmar Ande and Linda Schreiber @ earMusic/Edel.

Management: Antje Lange & Gerald Wilkes for Twisted Talent Concerts.
Contact: info@twisted-talent.com

Stratovarius crew world wide:
AC, Holger Brandes, FD & Nora Shazlin for tour management;
Jukka Wahlsten (FOH);
Florian "Lars" Lange & Viltsu for monitoring;
Django, Sascha, Olaf, Antti & Antti & Antti, Ronnie Rise for backline issues;
Larry Longsleeve & Stoney for merchandise subjects.

[Arkash]

Helsinki where?

[Burning Reflection]

EDIT: Victor, the tracklist in HMV Japan is this:

1
Spiritual Healing
2
The Philosopher
3
Suicide Machine
4
Crystal Mountain
5
Jealsousy
6
Zero Tolerance
7
Lack Of Comprehension
8
Flattening Of Emotions
9
Empty Words
10
Open Casket
11
Symbolic
12
Zombie Ritual
13
Pull The Plug



http://www.hmv.co.jp/en/product/detail/3933524


WTF¿?

Yeah, HMV sometimes make mistakes.

That tracklist is from Death's upcoming dvd "Live In Japan".

Hell yeah! More Death material is always welcome!

Samples of Elysium sound pretty cool, can't wait to hear the whole thing for myself

[Arkash]

Still, would be fun to have Stratovarius covering Crystal Mountain, haha!

[ggonza43]

Stratovarius are
Timo "The Scream" Kotipelto
Jens "The Wonder" Johansson
Matias "The Wizzard" Kupiainen
Lauri "The Wall" Porra
Jörg "Der Vollstrecker" Michael

Haha :rotflmao2:!

[mmarton88]

I've written a review on one of the leader Hungarian metal website about the Darkest Hours EP. (The 2 new songs are amazing, the only problem of the EP is, that there isn't a track on it, which will not appear on Elysium so buying this is not a must for the average metal fan...)

Our readers can also review the album (180 metalhead have read it already...) and they can rate the album. After 5 rating it has got 5.4 points out of 10 (and I've also rated it as a reader too, which I never do with my other reviews...). I can't understand why. :S People (except you) don't want to accept a Stratovarius without Tolkki. Does it hurt them, not to read his name on the booklet? These two now songs could be up on Infinite or Destiny too... :S What the hell do they still want...?
I just can't understand people... :S

[ggonza43]

Our readers can also review the album (180 metalhead have read it already...) and they can rate the album. After 5 rating it has got 5.4 points out of 10 (and I've also rated it as a reader too, which I never do with my other reviews...). I can't understand why. :S People (except you) don't want to accept a Stratovarius without Tolkki. Does it hurt them, not to read his name on the booklet? These two now songs could be up on Infinite or Destiny too... :S What the hell do they still want...?
I just can't understand people... :S

We need to respect everybody's opinions, and honestly we have to accept that not all Strato fans are OK with Tolkki leaving the band, saying that the band without him "is over". On the other, I think giving a chance to another guitar player won't hurt anybody, and even though we all know the music isn't the same as it used to be, it took a great direction and we can't deny the band is trying to get on top again

[mmarton88]

That's true it's just... sad. I meen here is a band, I think they are pretty cool and they are working very-very hard since their comeback. They move the mountains, they give everything they can, and I think they do great job. But they are not accepted... not because they are not good enough... but because of people are dilettant, and don't want to accept them. :S Don't misunderstand me I respect their opinion if it's wise, or if it's got a sense. But in these 3-4 points there isn't any. Another example for it when someone says he misses Tolkki on the stage... why? Matias is as talanted as Timo and he plays more enthusiastic and more spectecular. He lives on the stage not just stands there. :S It's like when someone misses Pasi from Amoprhis. :S

Our readers can also review the album (180 metalhead have read it already...) and they can rate the album. After 5 rating it has got 5.4 points out of 10 (and I've also rated it as a reader too, which I never do with my other reviews...). I can't understand why. :S People (except you) don't want to accept a Stratovarius without Tolkki. Does it hurt them, not to read his name on the booklet? These two now songs could be up on Infinite or Destiny too... :S What the hell do they still want...?
I just can't understand people... :S

We need to respect everybody's opinions, and honestly we have to accept that not all Strato fans are OK with Tolkki leaving the band, saying that the band without him "is over". On the other, I think giving a chance to another guitar player won't hurt anybody, and even though we all know the music isn't the same as it used to be, it took a great direction and we can't deny the band is trying to get on top again

[ggonza43]

That's true it's just... sad. I meen here is a band, I think they are pretty cool and they are working very-very hard since their comeback. They move the mountains, they give everything they can, and I think they do great job. But they are not accepted... not because they are not good enough... but because of people are dilettant, and don't want to accept them. :S Don't misunderstand me I respect their opinion if it's wise, or if it's got a sense. But in these 3-4 points there isn't any. Another example for it when someone says he misses Tolkki on the stage... why? Matias is as talanted as Timo and he plays more enthusiastic and more spectecular. He lives on the stage not just stands there. :S It's like when someone misses Pasi from Amoprhis. :S

Don't get me wrong, I think the best thing Tolkki did was to leave the band, because he was like trying to lift a sunken ship. Matias came in to give the band a new begining, a new atmosphere, and I also love his musical style and skills. But we all have to admit that some people still think that TT was the soul of the band, and without him the band doesn't seem to be the same at all - and it's not. In fact, I think the was band is better than ever now, even at the level they had back in "Visions" and "Destiny"

[mmarton88]

They are much more united in this new formation and they behave more like a band than ever before. I agree.

That's true it's just... sad. I meen here is a band, I think they are pretty cool and they are working very-very hard since their comeback. They move the mountains, they give everything they can, and I think they do great job. But they are not accepted... not because they are not good enough... but because of people are dilettant, and don't want to accept them. :S Don't misunderstand me I respect their opinion if it's wise, or if it's got a sense. But in these 3-4 points there isn't any. Another example for it when someone says he misses Tolkki on the stage... why? Matias is as talanted as Timo and he plays more enthusiastic and more spectecular. He lives on the stage not just stands there. :S It's like when someone misses Pasi from Amoprhis. :S

Don't get me wrong, I think the best thing Tolkki did was to leave the band, because he was like trying to lift a sunken ship. Matias came in to give the band a new begining, a new atmosphere, and I also love his musical style and skills. But we all have to admit that some people still think that TT was the soul of the band, and without him the band doesn't seem to be the same at all - and it's not. In fact, I think the was band is better than ever now, even at the level they had back in "Visions" and "Destiny"

[RazielSR]

Marton,...How can you say that the band is not accepted because in a website you have posted a review and with 180 people voting, the score is 5,4? I mean, we are talking about 180 users in a website...cmon...

Then, if I read a review and the score is 9, means that Stratovarius is now better than ever?

I read forums and people is just expecting to hear a great album from the (not that new) line-up, that's all. People say that the departure of Tolkki was the best and that let's see if they can carry on with great albums. People is waiting for that. Polaris was great and many people liked, but Elysium is gonna be the confirmation. That's what people more or less think. Of course many people thinks that it's gonna never be the same (me included), ...so what? Who wants the same?. I want to enjoy and feel the music like in TT's era, but with a new direction. That's what they never got with TT since 2003, cause TT was tired of Stratovarius and it was a sick band.

If people don't understand that this is a new Stratovarius, a new direction of their music plus containing a lot of elements they had, then it's better they stop listening to Stratovarius. What it's clear is that people don't want to hear remixes from previous songs. People want to hear new things coming from the today's Stratovarius line-up. Now it is a band again.

Anwyay, many people will never be happy. If they play the same style over and over again, people will say "oh no, this band is over, they can't evolve". If they play new direction stuff: "shit, that is not the same band anymore, shit".

[mocobhc]

Of course many people thinks that it's gonna never be the same (me included), ...so what? Who wants the same?. I want to enjoy and feel the music like in TT's era, but with a new direction. That's what they never got with TT since 2003, cause TT was tired of Stratovarius and it was a sick band.

If people don't understand that this is a new Stratovarius, a new direction of their music plus containing a lot of elements they had, then it's better they stop listening to Stratovarius. What it's clear is that people don't want to hear remixes from previous songs. People want to hear new things coming from the today's Stratovarius line-up. Now it is a band again.

Well said man, you put into words what I am feeling.