Stratovarius Community

MaFiaBoY wrote:I just hope I will be able to listen to it someday...

Don't say that my friend.

U will.

Just be strong and patience.

I need to hear it again but_ I_dont think that STRATOVARIUS is better than ELEMENTS Pt2. (And I don't like very much E Pt2!!)
I 'm a bit disappointed.

I've bought the limited version of the album...I like it very much especially "just carry on". I'm not much convinced about Gotterdammerung and Maniac dance but I really love 7 songs of 10.

stratoplayer wrote:wow, those are excellent! i really liked the interviews

Yes, Clare has a GREAT Website!
I need to sign up for the Newsletter the next time I go there.
Metal Disc in USA has the new album, but its $16.99+$5.ooS/H. I'll wait until Century Media has it. It will easily be 5 bucks cheaper!

Ok., let’s make this topic official, because I write here
It is finally there. I like this album (it couldn’t be otherwise ). Indeed, they have changed style, sound and a way of arranging, but it still sounds like a Stratovarius because of characteristic compositions and melodies. Their spirit is heard, and it is great as always !

Maniac Dance – it is good song to open this album and to promote, but maybe it’s not the best one here. Really heavy guitars and good arrangements. Timo’s voice is a bit more dull and rough, but it is still he. Song is about a confusion that Tolkki had experienced the provious year and koplesness connected with this. It must have been really hard time for him. Good it’s over now.

Fight!!! – a really heavy, strong and dynamic one with great keyboard riff and outstanding drums. Lyrics, as usual, makes to think and contain wise question: what is all about? Regardless we know it or not, the important thing is fight, fight for our life.

Just Carry On – a bit lighter song, with nice and melodic chorus. Great keys in the background. Text, this time by Kotipelto, very optimistic, giving hope and encouraging to the positive attitude towards life.

Back To Madness – very interesting song with complex arrangements. Its style reminds me of first Stratovarius albums. It sounds like taken from ‘Dreamspace’. This time lyrics are not positive as in the previous songs but they are true, written by man who really had such experiences. Cellos, tenor voice in the middle, chorus arrangements and piano make this song unique here and makes me think of old Stratovarius song (when Tolkki sang). But the questions asked at the end, and the conclusion gives the positive meaning in the end. Really great one !

Gypsy In Me – another faster song with melodies and arrangements characteristic for Stratovarius. Kotipelto discovers here a gypsy nature in himself, which makes his life on the run. Typical and great Jens solo on keyboard.

Gotterdammerung (Zenith Of Power) – slow, heavy and coarse intro as a tank. But then we have a bit faster verse, and again slower pre-chorus. I like this moment which comes now – riff form chorus. It is really well arranged. Inspired by man who caused the biggest war in previous century – about his reasons (underestimation in childhood), obsession, and zenith. Monotonous ending emphasizes fear and terror of those times. Forewarning…

The Land Of Ice And Snow – how beautiful song it is! It’s like an anthem or eulogy song for their country. Only six verses with wonderful melody and lyrics with outstanding arrangements. Finland ! – you should be proud of these guys, Stratovarius ! – you are the best ambassadors of your country ! (well, maybe not only Finland, because in this band is one German and one Swede).

Leave The Tribe – yeah, this one is my favorite I think. This choir and heavy chords in intro portends really good song, then this heavy bass, Kotipelto sings high voice. And this chorus is brilliant ! Just listen this melody and guitar in the background ! I know that this melody will accompany me in my life, there is not many such songs. Everything is perfect here: rhythm section (great drumming and heavy bass), guitars, choir and keys arrangements and Timo’s voice. And the message? – follow your heart ! I hope they will include this one to the track list as the tour goes on.

United – maybe this album could begins better, but I cannot imagine the better end ! Another long and great song. Very positive and optimistic lyrics treating about them. It must be good song for live show. Full of pathos, lofty style, this last chorus, choirs and ending keys solo is wonderful….
The future is bright and there’s hope in the air !
I have tears in my eyes. Tears of joy and positive emotion…

wow you managed to both make me agree and feel emotional about it... although i do like maniac dance a lot you nailed my thoughts on the other ones!

Honestly.. I don't have the album, but I heard United from the single.. and I didn't like it much. The chorus.. ehh.. I dunno. I loved the keyboard melodies, however.

I just bought it today. I really, really like it. Very heavy and powerful. And Back To Madness is so progressive, absolutely wonderful. Probably my favourite track on the album. It's actually helped lift me out of the Skepticism-induced melancholy and depression that I've been wallowing in for the past 4 days... I like this album.

I bought it on saturday. Liked it pretty much exept the end of United, that trumpet stuff on the end, that was to happy for me!!

still don't understand what so many people dislike of this album. I think it's really great! And it's getting better and better, the more often I listen to it. I didn't experience that with the Elements-CDs...
Great music, that new stuff!

thats true, the elements songs sort of stayed strong but never... stronger (at least in my head, with the exception of eagleheart and stratofortress)

Leave the Tribe rocks... And the other songs too. In this album, I find no bad songs. Strato is really back

Gypsy in Me and Figth!!! have already become classics for me

Bones wrote:In this album, I find no bad songs. Strato is really back

Agreed. Actually I consider Just Carry On and some parts of Back to Madness a bit weaker than the other songs, but I can´t say they´re bad. There´re also some very good rocking songs like Fight!!!, Leave the Tribe (yeah) and a slower but hard Götterdämmerung. I like the album and specially the sounds a lot and it reveals Strato´s reborn. But still I think the album can reach only 5th or perhaps 4th position in my favourite list.

NeonVomit wrote:It's actually helped lift me out of the Skepticism-induced melancholy and depression that I've been wallowing in for the past 4 days... I like this album.

Dude!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway, I'm still waiting for my fucking package.

The Amazonguys said it was gonna be in my hands before Thursday.

That's a day from here....

wow, im sorely disappointed. I opened the album furiously, put it in my cd player and to my surprise I found this to be the first time Strato has failed me. This album is bad.

Equinox wrote:

MaFiaBoY wrote:I just hope I will be able to listen to it someday...

Don't say that my friend.

U will.

Just be strong and patience.

Anyway, I'll buy it next Friday. No matter if I can't listen to it, I just want to hold it in my hands.

The only bad thing with Gypsy in Me is, that it doesn't have anything to do with gypsies. I mean, where are the things about their lifestyle? the nomad living? The "I still this, because I don't have it yet at home" manner. And... okay, I don't go on, I don't want to hurt anybody, who knows, maybe there's someone on this forum, who has a gypsy in him/herself.

i know, gypsie in me has wierd lyrics... but the music is AWESOME i love how jens pulled off the intro and key solo(s)

stratoplayer wrote:i know, gypsie in me has wierd lyrics... but the music is AWESOME i love how jens pulled off the intro and key solo(s)

That's right. The music is incredible, and well, I like the lyrics too, but it doesn't fit the title too much.

BTW, Back to Madness is a very good headbanging song. \m/

yes very, although i prefer Figth!!! for seriuos headbanging

stratoplayer wrote:yes very, although i prefer Figth!!! for seriuos headbanging

Agreed. I wish they´d play Fight!!! some day in the future live. You can´t be without headbanging while you´re listening the song, unless you don´t like that style of music. *mosh*

I found some things really shocking

But it depends on how you see or analize music

For example y really enjoy back to madness because musically talking es really great... full of armonies and great stuff.
United es great to..

those are my two favorite tracks and some people say that they are the worst.. i cant understund that but well.. different ppl different opinions

Rather than make a long post, I will just encourage everyone to go to the Beyond Ear Candy site and read my review.

Read here: http://www.beyondearcandy.com

Click on "reviews", it's the newest one listed.

Aresius wrote:I found some things really shocking

But it depends on how you see or analize music

For example y really enjoy back to madness because musically talking es really great... full of armonies and great stuff.
United es great to..

those are my two favorite tracks and some people say that they are the worst.. i cant understund that but well.. different ppl different opinions

back to madness is great but its hard to listen (like gotterdamerung)

United is just excellent imo, although the trumpets at the end i could do without

brought2ubyletterC wrote:Rather than make a long post, I will just encourage everyone to go to the Beyond Ear Candy site and read my review.

Read here: http://www.beyondearcandy.com

Click on "reviews", it's the newest one listed.

sorry for the double post, but i have just finished reading C's review of the album, excellent work, you described the situation, the songs and the emotions (hell, i was so moved im listening to the album AGAIN, rather then play my random list of songs...)

Aresius wrote:I found some things really shocking

But it depends on how you see or analize music

For example y really enjoy back to madness because musically talking es really great... full of armonies and great stuff.
United es great to..

those are my two favorite tracks and some people say that they are the worst.. i cant understund that but well.. different ppl different opinions

I totally agree with you. Those songs are the best! BTW, I live in Argentina too, have you already got the cd? Have you find it on ANY store? I couldn't find it yet!!!

@Aresius: Aguante Strato carajo!!!

sorry for the double post, but i have just finished reading C's review of the album, excellent work, you described the situation, the songs and the emotions (hell, i was so moved im listening to the album AGAIN, rather then play my random list of songs...)

Thanks, I appreciate everyone who has gone to read my review. Strato's music means a lot to me and I wanted to give them the highest praise while still being objective and fair. If it weren't for Strato I'd be totally jaded about music; they came into my life at a time when I didn't care if I ever liked music again. So it meant a lot to me to write a good review.

i like the album, i prefer power strato style, but i can getr used to
but i must admit that if it weren't strato i would probably didn't make an effort to appreciate it

I begin to change my opinion...I like all songs!!! "Fight!!!" is very strong, Maniac Dance, Back to madness , leave the tribe...but I don't like Zenith of power.