917. Stratovarius / Polaris. 2009. 3.5/5

I can honestly admit that I had probably come to the end of my tether with Stratovarius the band after the last few releases. I mean, despite continued expectations of grandeur, I was wondering whether or not they had outlasted their welcome, and if it was all becoming a bit too hard. When Polaris was released, it had been four years between releases, and inordinate amount of time in the world of Stratovarius, and I guess my feelings about those recent albums had dulled down enough that I wanted to check this out and see if something had been done.

What had been done was the moving on of two former members of the band, bass guitarist Jari Kainulainen earlier, and more significantly Timo Tolkki. With this in mind, would the writing of this album be affected, and how? Well, there is no doubt it has been affected, as new bass guitarist Lauri Porra has made a major contribution on this album, penning five of the eleven tracks.
The album opens with the blasting qualities of "Deep Unknown", which despite the over emphasising of the chorus vocals and the Dream Theater-ish keyboards is a good opening track. "Falling Star" which follows has the most atypical heavy metal sound to it, with a heavy influence of the bass guitar and lead guitar, with the keyboards almost (I say 'almost') taking a back seat for the majority of the song. There is a bit of grunt in the guitar riff, and it chugs along rather than blazes along. An interesting change-up, and not a disappointing one. Then comes "King of Nothing", which increases this shift down into a darker metal, with harder and heavier guitar and bass work, a slower, almost grungier pace, and vocals that emphasise this heavier sound. It is so unlike power metal - in fact, it really isn't - but it works here for the band, and is intriguingly interesting and empowering.
From here though we plough back into the mix with "Blind", a perfect Jens Johansson track, blending speed within the framework of the duelling guitar and keyboards and excelling vocals along the way. This is followed up by the change up of "Winter Skies", which combines similar feelings of good tidings from the preceding track, with a quiet, almost tranquil period in the middle of the song that stretches for about a minute of just quiet keys. It doesn't really work for me. In fact in quite annoys me. But those parts of the song that precede and follow this period of inactivity are enjoyable enough.
"Forever is Today" starts off with the perfect combination of solo guitar work and keyboards, before blazing away through the song in exquisite style. This is the kind of track that has always been my favourite from Stratovarius, and for me they just haven't come along enough. This is a beauty though, and the fact that it is written by newcomer Porra is a real pleasure. "Higher Ground" which follows this also comes across in a similar pleasing way, with speed and music that moves at a clip that the best Euro speed/power metal attacks at.
"Somehow Precious" is the first backwards step the album takes. It reverts to the slow drudgery of the power metal ballad, stripping all speed and most of the musical instruments out of the song to leave the mournful vocals to take centre stage, and drag the album back into the clichéd territory that other albums of this genre tend to do. It isn't a complete loss, but it really saps my enjoyment out from this point of the album.
What comes next are three songs all written exclusively by Porra, and they are somewhat bereft of the confidence I had showed in his material from earlier in the album. "Emancipation Suite Part I: Dusk" and "Emancipation Suite Part II: Dawn" are very much of the progressive rock nature of the 1970's, and if taken in that nature can be listened to and enjoyed on that level. What drives me to distraction is the difference in nature between these two songs and the rollicking fun of the tracks on the first half of the album. Still...
After all of the good work that is done on the early tracks of the album, the disappointing aspect for me is the way the closing track on the album comes across. "When Mountains Fall" is that stereotypical power ballad, the kind that makes my skin crawl, and the kind that for me destroys the mood of an album in an instant. Seriously, why would you want to finish an album on this depressing, soul destroying note? It continues to be beyond my comprehension, and here it really drags down the final analysis of the album for me.

So for me, Stratovarius continue on their quest to annoy the hell out of me with their music. There is no doubt that they enjoy the music they produce, and that it sits comfortably in the melodic range that they wish to be in. It's just that, for my music tastes, they continue to be just lacking a couple of elements that would take them to that higher level, and become an essential band in my collection. Again here they have produced some excellent songs and music, and their musicianship is unquestioned, but at the end of the day - despite the fact that this was their best release for some time when it came out - they are just not quite able to jump from good average to superior. However, apart from all of that, this is still worthy of a listen to those who may be wondering what it is that Stratovarius are about.

Rating:  "Your fate is what you make of it, so seize your day"   3.5/5.

885. Stratovarius / Eternal. 2015. 3/5

When it comes to musical output, you certainly can't accuse Stratovarius of dragging the chains and not putting the hard yards in. With Eternal they have clocked up their fifteenth studio album, which is quite an achievement over a 25 years period.

Stratovarius has been one of the flag bearers of European power metal for a quarter of a century. No matter what direction the bands around them may have taken, no matter what bands are turning up and which bands are disbanding, when you put on a Stratovarius album you know what you are getting.
Do you like power metal? Do you like keyboard and double kick dominated songs? Do you enjoy piercing vocals? Do you also like that bane of my existence, the power ballad? Then chances are you are already listening to Stratovarius, and either have this album or would love this album.
The best parts of the band are all in the first three songs. All of them chug along at a good clip, driven by the drums and keyboards. The harmony vocals of Timo Kotipelto hit all the right heights, the guitar of Matias Kupiainen and keyboards of Jens Johannson blend and duel together as well as they always have, while the rhythm of Rolf Pilve's drums and the bass of Lauri Porra provide the perfect backing throughout. "My Eternal Dream" is a great start to the album in this fashion, followed by "Shine in the Dark" and "Rise Above It". "Lost Without a Trace" draws things back into both tempo and energy, drawing from the other aspects of the power metal genre, while "Feeding the Fire" does try to pick things up again.
"In My Line of Work" is arguably my favourite song on the album, perhaps not just because of the upbeat tempo but the fact that the keyboards are downtoned throughout the song, allowing the other instruments to give the strength to the song.
The power ballad still haunts me, always coming in and either slowing down the tempo of the album to the point that it draws away from the strength that has come before it, or literally sucking the life from an album and killing its mood completely. "Few Are Those" becomes that track on this album, and while it only comes in as a 4/10 on the album killer ranking, it does grind my gears.
The final track is an epic, "The Lost Saga" coming in at a touch under twelve minutes. It starts off slow, and initially you wonder if this is going to be how the album concludes, on a slow strangled note. Eventually it  kicks into gear however, and the finishing flourish is much more pleasant and appropriate that it appeared it was going to be.

Stratovarious continue to be  band that I struggle to rate, in the same way as Sonata Arctica. The band sounds great, and they stay true to their art and the musical genre. I would love to come out and give their albums - and this one as well - a high rating, but while it sounds great and it well written and the players are all excellent, the music continues to lose me a fraction with the over-emphasis on the keyboards (sorry Jens), the somewhat repetitive nature of the music, and the lack of a killer element, such as guitar riffs that hold the song together in a slightly heavier atmosphere. Like I said, that's not the style of what this band does, and so we will (and have been) always be at opposite ends of that spectrum.

Rating:  Still the road goes on and on, we just have to play along.  3/5

570. Stratovarius / Intermission. 2001. 3/5

Intermission this most certainly is, with a bundle of tracks that only a hardy few could proclaim to have experienced a majority of before this release came along.

The first four songs are all "previously unreleased tracks", and surprisingly for these type of tracks they are pretty good. I say surprisingly, because if they haven't been released before, then there must have been a reason why in the first place. In this instance, the first two songs "Will My Soul Ever Rest in Peace?" and "Falling Into Fantasy" are both fine examples of Stratovarius titles. Perhaps the other two are not in the finest catagory.

Following this are three cover songs. Judas Priest's "Bloodstone", is okay, but really lacks the original's power. Rainbow's "Kill the King", again just doesn't have the same quality of the original. I originally heard this on the tribute album Holy Dio: A Tribute to the Voice of Metal: Ronnie James Dio, which strangely has two versions of this song on it - the one by Stratovarius and the one by Primal Fear. Sadly for the Strats, Primal Fear's version craps all over this one. Thirdly is another Rainbow song, a live version of "I Surrender", which is a much better effort than the previous two songs here.

Following this is a bunch of extra songs from singles and box sets and the like, the majority from Japanese editions which always seem to carry these types of songs to entice their citizens to buy their own editions rather than those from overseas. The quality of tracks is a mixture.

Overall, this is worth a listen. Whether you will come back to it often is open to question, but as a rarity of sorts it is something a fan of the band will want to possess a copy of.

558. Stratovarius / Infinite. 2000. 2.5/5

I’m still not sure whether this album signalled the conclusion of what I would consider to be the Stratovarius golden age, or if that happened on one of the previous releases. In any respect, having had the album on rotation for the past couple of days it has been increasingly difficult to listen to it on a constant basis. The major reason behind this is that, once you get through the opening two songs the album seems rather bland and tame, without something to jump out and grab you with intent.

The album starts off OK with “Hunting High and Low” and “Millenium” very much in the typical vein of this band’s songs. However, the accursed power metal ballad rears its ugly head here with “Mother Gaia”, which I’m afraid is a truly terrible song, and reminds me of what I despise most about power metal. I must admit that I don’t understand having such a song so early in an album, as it completely changes the tone and stops the momentum. From this point on, it is very hard to save what follows, but “Phoenix” makes a valiant effort to do so. “Glory of the World” is also a much better up-tempo song. The songs are full of Jorg Michael’s double kick drums and Jens Johansson’s keyboards, which perhaps both dominate just a little too much. The songs here are at their best when it is the guitaring that dominates, and not the keyboards. The solo’s in “A Million Light Years Away” is a case in point – they sound great, but once the keyboards take back over the song loses its strength.

If you are in the right mood for this album it is still (for the most part) a good listen. Timo’s vocals are still spot on, and if the mix between guitars and keyboards was switched so that the keys were more in the background instead of basically dominating, then this could have been a terrific album. Instead, it is another average release that doesn’t make you gag, but leave’s you just a little disappointed in the end result.

404. Stratovarius / Fourth Dimension. 1995. 3/5

Coming out in the mid-90's, Fourth Dimension comes out with some similar sounds and some interesting arrangements. Starting off with the excellent power metal stylings of "Against The Wind" and "Distant Skies", you can't help but be impressed with how the band has progressed since their early albums. Personally I think it is the most solid start of an album for the band.

Similarities between other artists of their genre are prevalent. The instrumental "Stratovarius" and the song that follows, "Lord of the Wasteland", carry a very Yngwie Malmsteen-ish style to them, probably a little bit too much so. Mind you, by the mid-90's Yngwie had lost his magic, so it was up to someone to keep the dream alive... :)

Overall, this is a very solid album, and another great addition to the Stratovarius discography. If only their later stuff was like this earlier stuff... but I say that about sooo many bands.

Rating: Some quite brilliant pieces blended with other above average material. 3/5

331. Stratovarius / The Chosen Ones. 1999. 3/5.

Sometimes you come across a band that everyone is talking about, or that has been recommended to you, and you have to give them a chance. Sometimes, they are brilliant and you wonder why you haven’t been listening to them for years. Others… well… they disappoint you.
Stratovarius for me is one of the second group.

I was recommended these guys by Amazon (yeah I know, why trust them?) and a guy who kept coming into work saying “You gotta HEAR these guys!!”. So I did.
This is their best-of album. By rights, a best-of album should surely rate at least a four out of five if it is done even half properly.
So why can’t I rate this that highly? Well, I guess in truth they are bit too much ‘progressive metal’ for me, rather than ‘power metal’ or any other metal you would like to mention.

The songs here are adequate, and probably is the selection of their best. Unfortunately, I find myself wanting to jump to the next track far too often. The songs are far too similar, and some drag a little too long.

Best for me include "Out of The Shadows", "Twilight Time" and "Father Time"

Rating: An average release. 3/5.

283. Stratovarius / Episode. 1996. 3/5.

Stratovarius are quintissential power metal from the 1990's. In fact, 'cliched' is probably a fairer comparison. Here on Episode they have produced more of the same - not overly original, but that doesn't make it bad.

There are obvious comparisons with others in their genre throughout the album. There are, for instance, unmistakable riffs taken from Yngwie Malmsteen on some songs. Still, it's not as if they haven't produced some good material. The opener "Father Time" gets the album off to a good start. The instrumental "Episode" moves straight into the best song on the album "Speed Of Light", which showcases the best that this band can offer. "Uncertainty" and the moody epic-like "Season Of Change", into the second instrumental "Stratosphere" are all good tunes.

All in all, this is a good album for those who like their power metal. There are no real surprises, and a couple of moments that will make it all worthwhile.

Rating: Power metal for those that like it straight. 3/5.

274. Stratovarius / Elements Part 2. 2003. 2/5.

Given that Part 1 was somewhat shrouded in the shadow of Symphony X's Odyssey, I bought this hoping it could redeem what I thought were the weaknesses of the first release. This didn't become the case.

By this stage of their career, it felt to me that Stratovarius were just repeating themselves. It would be nice if I could say that was a good thing, but really, everything they release has the same feel to it, and I get to the stage that I don't know which album I am listening to. Elements Part 2 in particular does this to me. I was listening to a lot of my music on random the other day, and I could pick one of the songs as Stratovarius immediately, but just could not pick the album. As it turned out, it was off this one.

Having your own style is what keeps every band different from all the other bands out there. Not being able to mix it up with your style is a death sentence.

Rating: Unable to inspire me whatsoever. 2/5.

273. Stratovarius / Elements Part 1. 2003. 3/5.

This album tries hard to lift Stratovarius into the higher echelons of power metaldom, and though it has a lot right with it, unfortunately it doesn't quite make it.

It starts off well, with Eagleheart and Soul Of A Vagabond getting the album off on the right foot. Then, once again, they seem to lose their way a little bit.
No doubt this is their style, and this is the way they like it, and that is fine, but it really isn't to my taste. I certainly don't expect them to pander to what I like, but it gets a little disappointing when you hear albums that, time and time again begin really well, and then they do not take full advantage of that.

Given that, this is still a solid effort. I can't go without explaining that I acquired this album at the same time as Symphony X's Odyssey, and I always find myself comparing the two. That is a little unfair on it, too.

Rating : Another for the middle of the roaders. 3/5.

270. Stratovarius / Dreamspace. 1994. 3/5.

This is one of the guys' early albums, and I quite like the way their music was in the early days.

You can notice a distinct difference between the way this album was written and recorded to, say the two Elements albums sound. Whereas their latter albums are undeniably power metal, this would be a very early version of that genre at best. You know what they are aiming for, but this is perhaps a little more 80's heavy than 00's heavy.
Does anyone understand what I'm saying here? I'm not sure I do...

Anyway, what I am trying to say is that I can equate with this album better than, say, Destiny, as the sound is a little closer to my heart than some of their other stuff.

Best for me on the album include Chasing Shadows, Eyes Of The World, Magic Carpet Ride, Dreamspace and Reign Of Terror.

Rating : Not bad for the era. 3/5.

269. Stratovarius / Destiny. 1998. 2.5/5.

Let's get this straight from the start. The rating for this album is a bit harsh, and it doesn't really deserve to be ranked as low as this, but it just doesn't quite slip into the ranking above this, which sustains all of those albums that I could put on at a pinch and enjoy it thoroughly.

Stratovarius are another of the plethora of power metal bands that have sprung up out of Europe in the past two decades. A lot of them are on a very similar footing, whereas their music is quite similar, and their direction is quite similar. And unless you absolutely LOVE one of these particular bands, you may not appreciate their efforts.

Destiny is a good album in this genre. Their power metal songs are excellent, the list including Destiny, No Turning Back and Rebel. Their power ballads are also in this category – if it is something you love.

No, I do not.

I appreciate their quality, but do not like them. Too slow, too ballady. Mind you, the singer really pulls off a great Michael Kiske impersonation during Years Go By and 4000 Rainy Nights, the two songs of which I speak of here.

This is probably a better quality album than I have given, but this is my opinion of music, no one else's.

Rating : I thought it showed a lot of promise, and could have been better. 2.5/5.