Stratovarius Community

I wonder what they do with their free time. Part time job as Walmart greeter? Gigs on Zoom? Porn production?

NeverendingAbyss wrote: Mon Sep 21, 2020 4:32 am I wonder what they do with their free time. Part time job as Walmart greeter? Gigs on Zoom? Porn production?

I know Lauri has a few symphonic projects ongoing and Matias is pretty busy with his music production and studio. Kotipelto spends a lot of time jacking off on Omegle. Jens is a mystery. He used to engage with fans quite often but became quite reticent in recent years. Probably eating fermented fish somewhere with Greta Thunberg, or whatever the fuck swedes do.

AAAAAAAAAA wrote: Mon Sep 21, 2020 5:43 am

NeverendingAbyss wrote: Mon Sep 21, 2020 4:32 am I wonder what they do with their free time. Part time job as Walmart greeter? Gigs on Zoom? Porn production?

I know Lauri has a few symphonic projects ongoing and Matias is pretty busy with his music production and studio. Kotipelto spends a lot of time jacking off on Omegle. Jens is a mystery. He used to engage with fans quite often but became quite reticent in recent years. Probably eating fermented fish somewhere with Greta Thunberg, or whatever the fuck swedes do.

Rolf has other projects. Smackbound, Solution .45, Dark Element, etc. He gives drum lessons. I wish I had his sweet Japanese drums.
I'd honestly get online lessons with him if I had some $$$$.
https://www.rolfpilvedrumming.com

I'm assuming most stuff for musician guys doesn't pay the bills. Normal everyday jobs, m8. I'm also sure the situation with COVID impacted their shit..
Regardless, living with such a vibrant music scene over there I'm sure it's very nice to always be busy with projects. I could be totally off. Wouldn't be the first time.

I am in an mmorpg guild where 2 of the members are called Jens Johansson and Timo Tolkki. They joined recently...who knows!!

RazielSR wrote: Thu Sep 24, 2020 3:17 pm I am in an mmorpg guild where 2 of the members are called Jens Johansson and Timo Tolkki. They joined recently...who knows!!

Hahahaha! It'd be really funny if it were actually them. Although, I feel that Tolkki would be too busy tolking around on podcasts & Facebook to play an MMORPG.

ZenithMC wrote: Thu Sep 24, 2020 11:48 pm

RazielSR wrote: Thu Sep 24, 2020 3:17 pm I am in an mmorpg guild where 2 of the members are called Jens Johansson and Timo Tolkki. They joined recently...who knows!!

Hahahaha! It'd be really funny if it were actually them. Although, I feel that Tolkki would be too busy tolking around on podcasts & Facebook to play an MMORPG.

I know Tolkki is not a gamer.

But Tony Kakko was (and probably is) a World of Warcraft fanatic.

Jani was also a gamer. I remember he was a huge fan of Mass Effect.

AAAAAAAAAA wrote: Fri Sep 25, 2020 3:43 am But Tony Kakko was (and probably is) a World of Warcraft fanatic.

Jani was also a gamer. I remember he was a huge fan of Mass Effect.

Yeah. If I recall correctly, Tony was playing WoW when his friend(s) suggested the name, The Days of Grays, to him. He was originally going to name the album, Deathaura, I believe. I just read that the name was intended to be a sort of double entendre: Days of Grays or Days of Grace. I never, even in a thousand years, would've interpreted it like that.

I remember Jani writing about enjoying the Mass Effect series on his blog. He was also a fan of Mega Man 2. It's too bad he abandoned his blog, as I enjoyed reading his thoughts on stuff. I also just read that Tony was going to sing backing vocals on Cain's Offering's first album, but was unable to, due to being too busy with The Days of Grays at the time. Interesting.

Source for the name meaning and backing vocals info.

AAAAAAAAAA wrote: Fri Sep 25, 2020 3:43 am I know Tolkki is not a gamer.

When I think of Tolkki and computers, I immediately think of 030366. The lyrics for that song are so nonsensical and comical, to me.

>The Days of Gays

robocop wrote: Fri Sep 25, 2020 5:07 am >The Days of Gays

F(l)ag in the Ground

SentineLEX wrote: Fri Sep 25, 2020 6:44 pm

robocop wrote: Fri Sep 25, 2020 5:07 am >The Days of Gays

F(l)ag in the Ground

The Dead (fore)Skin

NeverendingAbyss wrote: Fri Sep 25, 2020 6:58 pm

SentineLEX wrote: Fri Sep 25, 2020 6:44 pm

robocop wrote: Fri Sep 25, 2020 5:07 am >The Days of Gays

F(l)ag in the Ground

The Dead (fore)Skin

No dream can heal a broken fart

NeverendingAbyss wrote: Fri Sep 25, 2020 6:58 pm

SentineLEX wrote: Fri Sep 25, 2020 6:44 pm

robocop wrote: Fri Sep 25, 2020 5:07 am >The Days of Gays

F(l)ag in the Ground

The Dead (fore)Skin

Hahaha! Wow! "The Dead (fore)Skin"! That one's really good (and relatable)!

These remind me of my satirical tracklist for Stormcrow that I made years ago. I had to modify some of them though, because they're too edgy for this part of the forum. #9 is an inside joke, so it won't make any sense here.

So, the album is titled "Stormcumbat", and the tracklist looks like this:

1. Stormcumbat
2. The Best Of Eustace Bagg
3. A Penis To Forget
4. I Will Build You A ****** Shack
5. Too Tired To Fap
6. Constipation Of Tears
7. Antepasta
8. I Beat Boners to No One
9. I Am Restupidar
10. Rising Macrophallus
11. On The Whore
12. Child Of *** ****** (******* Bonus Track)

ZenithMC wrote: Sat Sep 26, 2020 2:12 am

NeverendingAbyss wrote: Fri Sep 25, 2020 6:58 pm

SentineLEX wrote: Fri Sep 25, 2020 6:44 pm

F(l)ag in the Ground

The Dead (fore)Skin

Hahaha! Wow! "The Dead (fore)Skin"! That one's really good (and relatable)!

These remind me of my satirical tracklist for Stormcrow that I made years ago. I had to modify some of them though, because they're too edgy for this part of the forum. #9 is an inside joke, so it won't make any sense here.

So, the album is titled "Stormcumbat", and the tracklist looks like this:

1. Stormcumbat
2. The Best Of Eustace Bagg
3. A Penis To Forget
4. I Will Build You A ****** Shack
5. Too Tired To Fap
6. Constipation Of Tears
7. Antepasta
8. I Beat Boners to No One
9. I Am Restupidar
10. Rising Macrophallus
11. On The Whore
12. Child Of *** ****** (******* Bonus Track)

I beat boners to no one. Lol.
Instead of Juliet on days of grays, it should just be "FLAVIO."

No dream can heal a broken fart.

ZenithMC wrote: Sat Sep 26, 2020 2:12 am Too Tired To Fap

The worst feeling any man can have. Usually just depressed af.

Next album:
Bass solos and kotipelto singing as high as possible over blast beats.

robocop wrote: Tue Sep 29, 2020 11:54 am Next album:
Bass solos and kotipelto singing as high as possible over blast beats.

Porralis

robocop wrote: Tue Sep 29, 2020 11:54 am Next album:
Bass solos and kotipelto singing as high as possible over blast beats.

You want timo tolkki back to stratovarius

Motha-faka wrote: Fri Oct 02, 2020 9:03 pm

robocop wrote: Tue Sep 29, 2020 11:54 am Next album:
Bass solos and kotipelto singing as high as possible over blast beats.

You want timo tolkki back to stratovarius

There is a blast beat if you want to call it that at the start of Abandon.

Next album:
Matias writes a death metal song and Kotipelto goes full ROARRRRR.

robocop wrote: Tue Oct 06, 2020 12:48 pm

Motha-faka wrote: Fri Oct 02, 2020 9:03 pm

robocop wrote: Tue Sep 29, 2020 11:54 am Next album:
Bass solos and kotipelto singing as high as possible over blast beats.

You want timo tolkki back to stratovarius

There is a blast beat if you want to call it that at the start of Abandon.

Next album:
Matias writes a death metal song and Kotipelto goes full ROARRRRR.

There's always a first time for everything. Fabio Lione did do some harsh vocals on Rhapsody's Frozen Tears of Angels and it wasn't half bad.

SentineLEX wrote: Wed Oct 07, 2020 6:08 pm

robocop wrote: Tue Oct 06, 2020 12:48 pm

Motha-faka wrote: Fri Oct 02, 2020 9:03 pm

You want timo tolkki back to stratovarius

There is a blast beat if you want to call it that at the start of Abandon.

Next album:
Matias writes a death metal song and Kotipelto goes full ROARRRRR.

There's always a first time for everything. Fabio Lione did do some harsh vocals on Rhapsody's Frozen Tears of Angels and it wasn't half bad.

That's an awesome, under-rated album by the way!

On...theeeee...waaay....tooo....ainor!

AAAAAAAAAA wrote: Thu Oct 08, 2020 7:50 am

SentineLEX wrote: Wed Oct 07, 2020 6:08 pm

robocop wrote: Tue Oct 06, 2020 12:48 pm

There is a blast beat if you want to call it that at the start of Abandon.

Next album:
Matias writes a death metal song and Kotipelto goes full ROARRRRR.

There's always a first time for everything. Fabio Lione did do some harsh vocals on Rhapsody's Frozen Tears of Angels and it wasn't half bad.

That's an awesome, under-rated album by the way!

On...theeeee...waaay....tooo....ainor!

It was the album that got me into them Symphony of the Enchanted Lands took a while to grow on me, but I've enjoyed Frozen Tears since the first listen!

Eliza Martin (Dark Moor) didn't exactly growl on it, but she's definitely gone lower than before on Peter Crowley's Conquest of the Seven Seas. That was another unexpected one.

SentineLEX wrote: Thu Oct 08, 2020 6:57 pm

AAAAAAAAAA wrote: Thu Oct 08, 2020 7:50 am

SentineLEX wrote: Wed Oct 07, 2020 6:08 pm
There's always a first time for everything. Fabio Lione did do some harsh vocals on Rhapsody's Frozen Tears of Angels and it wasn't half bad.

That's an awesome, under-rated album by the way!

On...theeeee...waaay....tooo....ainor!

It was the album that got me into them Symphony of the Enchanted Lands took a while to grow on me, but I've enjoyed Frozen Tears since the first listen!

Eliza Martin (Dark Moor) didn't exactly growl on it, but she's definitely gone lower than before on Peter Crowley's Conquest of the Seven Seas. That was another unexpected one.

Symphony of Enchanted Lands is an album I dismissed because of the chorus of Emerald Sword ("for the king, for the land.."), I just thought, this is way over the top and not "cool" at all. But when I relistened, I ended up immensely appreciating it. Favorite songs are "Riding the Winds of Eternity" and "Wisdom of the Kings", but there is a general high level throughout. I don't necessarily think its Rhapsody's best album though: I think all their material is really good. At least everything up to and including "From Chaos to Eternity", as I never listened beyond that.

Controversial opinion: Symphony of Enchanted Lands Pt. 2 is actually slightly better and a much more mature work than the first part.

Paging PANCIO!!!

RISE MIGHTY DWAGGGOOOONNN!!!

robocop wrote: Thu Oct 08, 2020 10:58 pm Paging PANCIO!!!

RISE MIGHTY DWAGGGOOOONNN!!!

That's literally the opening lyrics to their song, Power of the Dragonflame. Not an exaggeration at all.

Rise mighty dragon!
Rise, rise, rise, rise
Mighty dragon rise!

I appreciate Christopher Lee was involved at one point with the band. That man knew no boundaries.

AAAAAAAAAA wrote: Thu Oct 08, 2020 10:40 pm

SentineLEX wrote: Thu Oct 08, 2020 6:57 pm

AAAAAAAAAA wrote: Thu Oct 08, 2020 7:50 am

That's an awesome, under-rated album by the way!

On...theeeee...waaay....tooo....ainor!

It was the album that got me into them Symphony of the Enchanted Lands took a while to grow on me, but I've enjoyed Frozen Tears since the first listen!

Eliza Martin (Dark Moor) didn't exactly growl on it, but she's definitely gone lower than before on Peter Crowley's Conquest of the Seven Seas. That was another unexpected one.

Symphony of Enchanted Lands is an album I dismissed because of the chorus of Emerald Sword ("for the king, for the land.."), I just thought, this is way over the top and not "cool" at all. But when I relistened, I ended up immensely appreciating it. Favorite songs are "Riding the Winds of Eternity" and "Wisdom of the Kings", but there is a general high level throughout. I don't necessarily think its Rhapsody's best album though: I think all their material is really good. At least everything up to and including "From Chaos to Eternity", as I never listened beyond that.

Controversial opinion: Symphony of Enchanted Lands Pt. 2 is actually slightly better and a much more mature work than the first part.

I enjoyed that one more than the first one too! I prefer the Lee saga over the original one, with the exception of Triumph or Agony which is a bit too slow and plodding in my opinion.

I just realized I never got around to ever listening to Dark Wings of Steel, but the newest two (Into the Legend, The Eighth Mountain) are really good. Especially Into the Legend. The Turilli-Lione record is also worth a listen.

Into the Legend is fantastic. It's a throwback to the band's earlier success. I found the production to be minimal compared to their other albums. Maybe because of money constraints? It's more raw and less sophisticated, but that's what makes it good. I can better appreciate the music and chorus that way.

NeverendingAbyss wrote: Fri Oct 09, 2020 8:20 pm Into the Legend is fantastic. It's a throwback to the band's earlier success. I found the production to be minimal compared to their other albums. Maybe because of money constraints? It's more raw and less sophisticated, but that's what makes it good. I can better appreciate the music and chorus that way.

I think the orchestral backing was done purely on keyboards but sounds realistic enough to resemble an actual orchestra. The first 5 albums use General MIDI tier orchestrals which makes the songs sound like meme music at certain points.

But yes much less layered than 2004-2011.

List of new demands:
Rolf gated reverb snare like old strato times
Matias instrumental shred song
Jens song full of synths
Lauri song full of bass licks
Kotipelto with autotune and guest vocalists (Tony from sonata and Alexi from COB, who else??)
Unbreakable part 2

How about a Kotipelto and Anette Olzon song? I'm thinking Jani could hook that up. That would be interesting to hear.

They might:
1. Stick with their current sound
2. Reinvent themselves
3. Go old school
4. Write a bunch of fast songs
5. ?

Just throwing some ideas out there.

If Jani wrote a "I will build you a rome" type of song for strato, I would be pleased.

They could take the album in a different direction...it is exciting to know.