Genre: Power Metal
Length: 49:20
Size: 349MB (363MB w/ extras)
Format: FLAC
Track List:
1. Maniac Dance
2. Fight
3. Just Carry On
4. Back To Madness
5. Gypsy In Me
6. GЖtterdДmmerung (Zenith Of Power)
7. The Land Of Ice And Snow
8. Leave The Tribe
9. United
Review: Metal-Observer (7/10) Quote:
It was really sad to hear that things are not going well at STRATOVARIUS and then later it all got worse when almost all the members left the band. Tolkki was planning a new album with a female vocalist and the relationship between him and Timo Kotipelto was worse than ever. But then all of a sudden, in 2005 things brightened up and rumours started circling that they are back together. All of them: the mentor of the band, Timo Tolkki, who successfully overcame the problems he was facing, Timo Kotipelto, one of the best voices in Power Metal; JЖrg Michael, the drumming machine, the magical Jens Johansson and the quiet Jari Kainulainen, master of the four strings (but who after this album left the band). It was the line-up which since 1995 enchanted us with brilliant albums and unforgettable live performances.
And so at hearing the news that they are back together again and a new album is on the way I was very optimistic, although I was not a fan of the direction the band took starting with ?Elements Pt 1? and especially ?Pt. 2?. I always had the feeling that those albums lack something of the magic of their forerunners (?Destiny?, ?Visions?, ?Episode?, ?Infinite?).
And then the day came when I finally got the album and listened to it for the first time. Well the opener was not really the typical song with which the band used to start their albums. ?Maniac Dance? fits more the description of a Japanese bonus track or something of the kind. It comes closer to a Load/Reload era METALLICA than to a STRATOVARIUS song. And I was even more surprised to find out that it was the song chosen for a video as well. Well for me it is a song which might need a little time to be accepted as a STRATO song. It is a direct, modern slightly aggressive track.
The second song ?Fight!!!? sounds more familiar: the riffs, the opening keyboard parts, the vocals, they all bring back memories of old times. It is a mid-tempo song of which is typical of the band, but yet again it still lacks that certain something. ?Just Carry On? starts promising and maybe it should have been the opener instead of ?Maniac Dance?. But even if it might be one of the best tracks on the album it does not stick to your ears as it should.
?Back To Madness? is a song which brings some classical elements among which a male opera voice, which is a new element to the band, it is interesting and on the whole it is a good attempt I would say?the monolog in the end of the song is rather sad and depressing?and unnecessary. The mood is somewhat saved by the following speedster ?Gypsy In Me? which also brings the typical elements of a good STRATOVARIUS song and even a keyboard-solo?but still what happened to the fantastic drumming and the magical solos? It seems that only Timo Kotipelto is bringing his usual form.
Well ?GЖtterdДmmerung (?Zenith Of Power?) brings some riffs and solos which are better, but then the song reminds me more of the older days of STRATOVARIUS as Tolkki was performing the vocal tasks. And there are of course the controversial parts of a Hitler speech, which were really unnecessary. ?The Land The Ice And Snow? is a ballad which praises once more the vocal abilities of Timo Kotipelto and that?s it?maybe it would have been better if performed with no instruments at all. ?Leave The Tribe? rolls slowly trough your speakers and in de end you will remain only with ? ?we just have to leave the tribe?? not even the voice of Timo can save this track?I consider it a bit monotonous.
The last song?.one last chance for at least a decent first impression? It starts in the same tempo in which the former ended?only the keyboard part of Jens stand out. It is a however a fitting ending to the album. The chorus is a clichИ heard over and over again, which is not all STRATOVARIUS?like and if they decided to stick to that, they should have balanced it with a stunning instrumental performance?but they fail to do so.
I really don?t enjoy writing negative reviews, I would be more than pleased to have only good albums to write about. In this case it was even more difficult, cause the band is one of my all-time favorites. And I have to say straight-out that this album was a disappointment. As I stated the guitar play of Timo Tolkki is not what it used to be, but that was actually the case over the last years as well. Timo Kotipelto is a charismatic singer and only lifts the album?but he could do much better than that, if he had been offered better songs. Jens Johansson is a brilliant keyboard player but not much space is allowed him on this album, but when the case he brings his best. The drumming of JЖrg Michael is the biggest mystery to me on this album?he can do sooooo much better than this!!
On the whole the album is more a straight melodic (Power) Metal as compared to the early works and it seems that they (or Tolkki?) want to stick to this path taken a few albums earlier. For the most fans of the band this album want be a thrill, but on the other hand they are free to play what they choose and we are free to criticize them. It is not a bad album, but I awaited much more than this, cause the guys are capable of a far better performance.
Download Stratovarius - Stratovarius 2005 part 1:
http://rapidshare.com/files/190685696/SanMateo.part1.rar
Download Stratovarius - Stratovarius 2005 part 2:
http://rapidshare.com/files/190683601/SanMateo.part2.rar
Download Stratovarius - Stratovarius 2005 part 3:
http://rapidshare.com/files/190685123/SanMateo.part3.rar
Download Stratovarius - Stratovarius 2005 part 4:
http://rapidshare.com/files/190677503/SanMateo.part4.rar