Title: Stratovarius

Artist: Stratovarius

Category: Power/progressive metal

Label: Sanctuary

Total tracks: 9

Total time: 49:21

Finnish metal gods Stratovarius have dominated the genre known as power metal for many years, gaining devoted fans from all around the world. The combination of Timo Tolkki’s blistering guitar solos and frontman Timo Kotipelto’s powerful voice made Stratovarius a force to be reckoned with. But as with any band that has lasted as long as Stratovarius, such factions do not come without their problems and calamities. After the two-part albums Elements 1 and Elements 2 in 2003, the band lost its steam, and as a result, personal issues between bandmembers came to a boil, culminating with the sudden departure of Stratovarius’ unique voice and drummer J`rg Michael.

It seemed that the world of Stratovarius was turned topsy-turvy within a matter of months. Before fans could fully accept the idea of Kotipelto being gone, he was already off making his second solo album, Coldness. Meanwhile, the remaining members of Stratovarius dropped a bombshell by announcing a replacement for Timo Kotipelto in the form of a female metal singer named Miss K., formerly the singer of another Finnish band, Aurora K. Within the following weeks, announcements that were up until that point untypical of Stratovarius were made. Pictures were released to the public toting Miss K. with a piece of raw meat between her teeth, covered in blood. A declaration of the upcoming album being called Popkiller was made, a radical departure from a band who until that time were known for naming their albums such things as Infinite or Destiny.

 Stratovarius promo photo, 2005

(From left to right: J`rg Michael, Timo Tolkki, Timo Kotipelto, Jari Kainulainen, Jens Johannson)

Amidst all of this, the band was still contractually obligated to finish the shows of the Elements tour, meaning that the feuding Timo Tolkki and Timo Kotipelto would have to work together onstage. At one of these final shows, a crazed fan who could not bear the thought of his favorite band breaking up attacked Timo Tolkki and stabbed him, leaving him hospitalized for a period of time. The fact that Dimebag Darrell of Pantera would meet a similar and much more tragic fate later on that year only makes this all the more of an eerie coincidence. Once Tolkki recovered, they marched forward to do the last of their shows, the final one taking place May 21^st in Helsinki, Finland. Shirts were sold by fans saying that they were “crazy until the end” and that “Strato is dead, long live Strato”. It was clear that for a band who made such an impact over the years, their ending was that of an implosion: only seconds for something to crumble that had taken so many years to build, with everyone in their wake blinded and confused by the dust left behind.

Over the following months, many other revelations were made that better explained the seemingly insane direction Stratovarius had taken. Timo Tolkki was diagnosed with manic depression and this had affected many of his recent decisions. Miss K. was fired from the band and for a long while afterward it seemed that Stratovarius had met its demise. Timo Kotipelto was moving forward nicely with his solo career and did not seem in any hurry to pick up the broken pieces of his former band. Bassist Jari Kainulainen embraced matrimonial bliss by marrying his girlfriend in the fall of 2004. J`rg Michael was enjoying life at home with his children. It didn’t seem like anyone had a good reason to initiate bringing Strato back together, but art would have an uncanny way of imitating life, and like one of their classic songs, they would rise like a phoenix.

In early 2005 the announcement was made on the band’s official webpage: the classic line-up of Stratovarius was back together and in the studio! No one was really sure how it had happened or why, but fans were only concerned that it had. Some Stratovarius fans had more reason to celebrate than others when shortly after it was made known that Strato would be setting foot on American soil for the first time ever in their career, kicking off their U.S. tour at the ProgPower festival. It seemed like a miracle had happened: something that seemed so unlikely was taking place, and no one wanted to question it, for fear it was all a dream and any slight move would wake them up.

However, as it seemed to be with Strato over the last couple of years, every new announcement only made for more controversy. Word got out that a song on the new album would feature sound clips from a speech made by Hitler. The record label wanted the song pulled for fear that it would glorify Hitler, which Tolkki made more than clear on the band’s website that this was not the case, and to listen to the song for yourself before deciding. Ultimately, Strato did not back down and the song that would become “G`tterd@mmerung” would make it onto the album, the title now changed from Popkiller to something much more simple yet so right: Stratovarius. And as if to give fans an indication of how different the new album really was, the first single would be a song entitled “Maniac Dance”.

Former bassist Jari Kainulainen

Just when it seemed the members of Strato had finally found each other again and things were as good as ever, proof that the story of Stratovarius still had soap opera elements abounded when long-time bassist Jari Kainulainen departed from the group in July 2005. The album had already been finished for some time, but Jari, newly married, was not interested in doing a long tour that would take him away from his wife and home life. While Jari was an important part of the group and a big part of Strato’s history, the band would carry on and recruit twenty-seven-year-old Lauri Porra to the group as Jari’s replacement. The Finnish prodigy had played bass on Kotipelto’s solo albums and according to some fans that got to see some of the shows before the release of the album, he fit the band quite well. It was only appropriate, as the style of the new album is unquestionably in a different direction, so this shot of “young blood” was all the more suitable for this new style.

New bassist Lauri Porra

Now that the remaining members of Stratovarius found their niche and continued to move forward, the new album could at last see the light of day, deservingly so, after all the trials and tribulations it took to get here.

The opening track, “Maniac Dance” starts off as if you are listening to one of the bandmembers playing an old Atari game! Then all of a sudden, a burst of aggressive guitars, powerful drums, and the voice of Kotipelto declaring the premise of the album without pulling any punches, “This year has been a nightmare.” The rest of the lyrics proceed to take us on a journey of mental anguish, living with the scrutiny of the public, reference to Tolkki’s stabbing, and the rigors of therapy and medication. Through all of that, what else can one do? “Do the Maniac Dance!” The guitars here are much more rock-oriented, a lot more so than Strato fans might be used to. This is definitely the song that sticks out at the obvious radio single or song with the most “crossover” potential. Tolkki’s solos are as precise and brilliant, but the style is not the over-the-top power metal style that has defined his technique for years. There is no doubt that the sound is stripped down a great deal. A 180-degree turn from the bombastic experimentation of the Elements albums. The frenzy of “Maniac Dance” is a prelude to what is to come.

Timo Tolkki in the studio

Fading guitars and futuristic keyboard playing open the way to the second song, “Fight!!!” Kotipelto’s voice rings out with the feeling of songs such as “Soul of a Vagabond”, asking the question in the chorus, “what am I fighting for? What am I living for?” Shortly after the question is answered: “you’ve gotta fight, fight for your life until you die!” An anathematic song with pounding drums, crunchy guitar, fast-paced keyboards, heart-pounding bass and the assertive vocals of Kotipelto. An awesome drum part by J`rg, teamed with the back-to-basics guitar work of Tolkki take this song to its climactic end.

The up-tempo rocking continues with track 3, “Just Carry On”. Continuing the theme of recounting the hard times in his life, Tolkki assures us in his words that if anyone feels this way, they are not “the only lonely soul”. The positivity that is prominent in many Strato songs makes its way here, encouraging the listener to “just carry on and reach your goal”. Another great Tolkki solo, but keep in mind that these solos are much more “simple rock ‘n’ roll”, but they are no less heartfelt or skillful. Kotipelto hits a nice note on the last proclamation to “just carry on”, and then an explosive end from the band, Jens’ keyboard work lingering on and fading out.

Timo Kotipelto

A piano intro reminiscent of …For my Pain opens up “Back to Madness”. The title is self-explanatory, and the experimental, progressive style of the overall song only confirms the premise of the song. Lovely acoustics by Tolkki bring the rest of the band into a dark, heavy jam. The acoustics return to intro Kotipelto’s voice, gentle at first, then building up to the powerful chorus, where he just belts it out in a crazed way, making the way he sings the words of the title all the more heart-wrenching. The pianos return, and then an operatic male voice that seems almost out of place. To some, this part might make them say, “this is madness, all right!” He sings no particular words, but the warbling pitch of his voice only assures the listener that he, too, is in the realm of madness that makes up this song. After his part, the band returns with a drum/guitar part that is reminiscent of the Episode song “Babylon”. Tolkki’s soulful playing comes in again for an emotional solo. More of the gothic-style choir chants in the background as J`rg’s drumming speeds up a little more each time, bursting into Kotipelto’s demented vocals. The song fades out, and then the sounds of people talking in a crowded room dominate. Slowly, the piano fades back in, and Tolkki’s voice asking if one has ever been hurt, abandoned, scared, or if they don’t belong. Then he proclaims that one is already dying from the moment they are born, and that death is like a butterfly being born from the caterpillar of life. The incoherent baby talk of J`rg’s little daughter closes out the song, as poignant symbolism that all things begin at the end.

Jens’ nimble fingers swiftly make its way across the keyboard for track 5, “Gypsy in Me”. Rhythmic guitar playing support the quick keyboards and thundering drums. The vibe of the guitar parts is definitely Strato, even if the presentation is unorthodox of their style. Lyrically this song is a relative of “Soul of a Vagabond”, once again picking up the theme of wandering the world with little time to stop and smell the roses. Kotipelto’s vocals are pretty mid-tempo, his voice doesn’t go very high on but the song overall doesn’t really call for it. Wailing guitars by Tolkki at the end of the song make you feel that sense of wanderlust that the lyrics convey, then the drums and keyboard stamp out the song enthusiastically.

J`rg Michael in the studio

Space-age keyboards flitting from one ear to the other, along with painfully slow yet aggressive drumming and guitars start the controversial song “G`tterd@mmerung (Zenith of Power)”. This is the song that record execs were worried would exalt Hitler, yet it is clear as soon as Kotipelto’s voice rings out, singing words of a child born that would change the world, and bring forth destruction like none ever seen before. “Gargantuan monster” is the phrase that describes the song’s subject, as another verse goes on to tell more about how people suffered and how this event was likened to the ending of the world. The chorus brings the dual vocals of Kotipelto and Tolkki, as Timo K. sings “Zenith of Power” in his clear, strong voice, Tolkki joins in with his tough, uncompromising voice, only punctuating the heaviness of the song. A nice band jam in the middle of the song, then back to the slow heaviness. The chorus goes on to repeat into a fade-out as Jens’ keyboards fade in. As these sounds merge and one becomes less as the other becomes greater, a faint voice comes in, and as inaudible as it is, it’s apparent that this is the infamous Hitler speech that was imposed into the song. However, one can barely hear it and as Tolkki assured months before, it is not prominent within the song and only confirms the meaning of the lyrics. My favorite song on the album.

Jens Johansson and the drink honored in the song “The Land of Ice and Snow”

The gentle, emotional voice of Kotipelto that makes Strato ballads so beautiful and touching brings us to yet another gorgeous piece of work, “The Land of Ice and Snow”. This song is an ode to the band’s home country of Finland, and we almost feel as if we are the Finnish wilderness as Kotipelto’s voice takes us to visions of a hundred thousand lakes, northern lights, and of course, ice and snow. There is no instrumentation but simple acoustics and winds. Kotipelto’s voice becomes stronger as he speaks of a special Finnish drink known as Korskenkorva. Even when they are speaking from their heart, Finns still keep their wonderful sense of humor! The next verse is the most moving of all, when he sings of who Finns really are: “some say that we are cold, don’t believe all that’s been told, our hearts are made of gold”. Then the song takes a patriotic twist with J`rg’s cadenced drumming, and lyrics of how Finns never cave under oppression. The song turns soft once more when Kotipelto declares that this is the land where he was born, has lived, and will ultimately die in. His soft voice ends the song, as well as the sound of wind blowing. A beautiful tribute to a beautiful people. This song would definitely tie with “G`tterd@mmerung” as my favorite.

A guitar part reminiscent of the Visions song “The Abyss of Your Eyes”, slow yet hard-hitting drumming, and faint sounds of a choir singing kick us back into rockin’ mode and into track 8, “Leave the Tribe”. Once again we are taken back to Tolkki’s world, where the narrator longs to escape the society that is holding him back. Perhaps also this is metaphorical of Tolkki having to separate from his bandmembers for a while to find himself musically. I suppose that would be something you would have to ask him yourself! This sounds like a song that could have been on Elements, it is progressive and melodic in feel, but not as grandiose as most of the songs on that album. The foundation of the song, musically, actually reminds me a lot of the Episode song “Eternity”. It is not as fast, but to the discerning Strato listener, they can probably pick out the parts of which I’m speaking and hear the same similarities too. Again, Kotipelto’s vocals do not range too much out of mid-tempo, there are a few nice high notes but not close to what is considered his trademark. The slow heaviness of this song gives more feeling to the lyrics; of wanting to leave and waiting for that perfect opportunity to do so. Kotipelto’s plaintive vocals pleading to leave the tribe close the song into a fade-out.

In the studio

The final song of the album, “United”, starts off with kick-ass drumming and is also reminiscent to me of some parts of Episode. Proud keyboards and assertive bass bring in Kotipelto. It is clear lyrically that this song is directed at the Stratovarius fans. The words speak of how the spirit had died, yet somehow it was kept alive somewhere. “Now destiny has brought us back”, they proclaim. In the chorus, it is told that “our destiny is here tonight with you all”. Sounds like Stratovarius has finally found their way back! Kotipelto speaks more about how good it feels to look into the eyes of the Strato fans, and thanks them for sticking by them. This is definitely going to be a fan favorite, it is in the vein of songs like “Legions” and “The Curtains Are Falling”, at least lyrically. The sincerity of the emotions pours through in Kotipelto’s singing as he pleads for the reluctant fans to “open your door” and let them in. Jens and Tolkki take turns in playing their hearts out. Afterwards, Kotipelto returns to sing once again, his voice explodes with joy as he sings “united we stand, divided we fall” and that “together we sing, together we dance”. A high note leading into a choir of children singing, which to me is the most moving part. Knowing everything that the band went through, that this album was almost never made…well, feeling the emotion of all that, it might just make you cry. Jens’ rallying keyboards come in and fade-out one of the best album closers I have heard in quite some time.

Overall opinion: This album is Stratovarius’ most ambitious, out-on-a-limb effort yet, for two reasons. The first, and most noticeable, is the radical change in sound. They have sheltered safely underneath a signature power metal sound, and for the first time in many years, have dared to step out of it and do something totally different. The second reason being that this is without question their most personal album lyrically. Stratovarius has always written personal songs, but with the exception of Timo Tolkki’s solo album Hymn to Life, no body of work has been so honest and open, Stratovarius as a whole has never put so many of their cards out on the table this way before. The lyrics run the emotional gamut of everything Tolkki must have gone through with his mental illness and ultimate road to recovery: the hopelessness, sadness, anger, frustration, alienation, and drive to find a better way. It was not only a peek into the mind of Timo Tolkki, but also a glimpse into the union that makes up the members of Stratovarius. This album is not only a celebration of Tolkki’s way back from lunacy, but the journey of the bandmembers that were once so tight and split apart for seemingly no reason, only to find each other and the fans who love them once again. Upon first listen of the album, the sound change may be too much to take, especially if you are a fan who has come to expect a certain style from Stratovarius. However, the more you listen, the more you catch bits and parts of what is the classic Strato sound. The roots of Stratovarius are still firmly planted and are what they are, but this time they have branched out into other areas. In other words, if you listen hard enough, you will hear the same Strato you always have. Listen past the outward differences, and you will find the core of Stratovarius is there. This album is experimental in many ways, from simple rock songs like “Maniac Dance” to the avant-garde “G`tterd@mmerung”, but classic Strato is not tossed aside; that is apparent in songs like “Land of Ice and Snow” and “United”. If you are new to Stratovarius, I would recommend this album, but to advise anyone to keep in mind that this album is not a blueprint of what all their other albums sound like. Pick up one of their older works to really get a feel for their overall sound. Say what you want about this album, love it or hate it, but the fact remains is that this was an album that went through hell to be made and whatever the final outcome, it should be appreciated for that. It feels as if the personal issues everyone in the band went through have only made them stronger and a tighter unit. Stratovarius is back with a vengeance!

Stratovarius’ loyal fans

Reviewer: C.
Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Photos can be viewed on the band’s website: http://www.stratovarius.com/