The Stratovarius Thread

[NotePad]

Stratovarius seem to be one of the 'Big 4' or Power Metal. Or maybe Big 5?

From what I can tell, the Big 4/5 are: Helloween, Blind Guardian, Gamma Ray, Stratovarius (#5 either Dragonforce or Edguy)

I love Helloween, favorite band. I like BG, love their sound, the most unique sound of PM bands, but the fantasy themes turn me off, but i'm getting more into them these days. I love Edguy, Tobi is amazing. Dragonforce is boring, terrible, and cheesy. Now I need to give Stratovarius a listen.

[wolfking]

From what I can tell, the Big 4/5 are: Helloween, Blind Guardian, Gamma Ray, Stratovarius (#5 either Dragonforce or Edguy)

I'd probably agree with that.  Although if I chose a fifth it would be Hammerfall, perhaps bumping Gamma Ray to the 5th spot.

[NotePad]

Blind Guardian are huge, it seems. I'v heard that Helloween are probably the biggest german power metal band, at least in more countries when compared to BG. But it seems to me like BG are the most popular power metal band right now. In the US/Canada, Dragonforce are the most well known PM band and many of these fans don't even know about these other guys. Stratovarius does not seem as popular as they used to be, or at least not as highly regarded in their current state as they once were. And Helloween seems to be coasting by on top, and it's been this way for a long time. It's awesome how Prog/Power metal is so big in Japan. Of course, this is just from my POV. It seems like Guardian have, like, a 'niche' market of the PM community totally in their hands. I live in Vancouver Canada, and if Helloween or BG were to come play here I'd think BG would have a wayyy bigger crowd. But again, IDK. It just seems like Helloween are well known everywhere except North America.

But I really think Gamma Ray takes the spot over Hammerfall. I'm not a fan of Gamma Ray, or even Hammerfall, but I known most consider them the creators of power metal, with Helloween. Even though it was really just Helloween, and Gamma Ray broke off from that. I can't stand Kai's vocals. I'v always felt Weikath was a way better songwriter, and I like his overall style more cuz it's more melodic.

And yes, Stratovarius are definitely an important and influential PM band (in keeping with theme of thread ;p)

[Scorpion]

Bumpage because I've been listening to Elysium (the track) recently, and my god, it's just perfect. It might just be my favourite power metal song ever.

[wolfking]

It's definitely a top 5 Strato song.

[gazinwales]

Looking what seems to be the modern yardstick for popularity, official band Facebook page;

Blind Guardian - 667,074
Helloween - 1,666,839
Stratovarius - 1,175,862
Edguy - 381,977
Gamma Ray - 246,364
DragonForce - 1,771,057
Avantasia - 534,908
Hammerfall - 793,643
Nightwish - 4,396,729
Sonata Arctica - 1,164,893

So thus the big 4 of power metal are:
1. Nightwish - by a long shot and I very much consider them a PM band.
2. DragonForce
3. Helloween
4. Stratovarius

Which to me at least is surprising, almost shocking 

[Jaffa]

Anybody up for ranking the albums?  I've only heard a few scattered Stratovarius songs, but I've liked them all, and I've always been interested in checking them out in more detail.  Seeing how you guys rank the albms would be helpful in figuring out where to start.

Plus DTF loves ranking things, so it's a win-win.   

[bl5150]

I'd struggle to rank every single one of their albums but quite honestly their latest album (Nemesis) is probably their best.   The other two with the new guitarist are also good (Elysium and Polaris).

With the "classic" Tolkki line up the first three with Kotipelto on vocals are generally considered to be their peak - so Fourth Dimension , Episode and Visions .

My top 3 would be Nemesis , Fourth Dimension and Episode with not a great deal between them.

[Scorpion]

I can give you my Top 5, which would be:

1a: Dreamspace
1b: Elysium
3. Polaris
4. Destiny
5. Episode

[gazinwales]

1. Infinite
2. Episode
3. Elements part I
4. Destiny
5. Nemesis.

[Bolsters]

Nemesis is fantastic, I couldn't recommend it enough. Of the classic stuff, Destiny and Episode.

[Scorpion]

I really have to give Nemesis another try. When it came out, I thought that it was okay, but paled in comparison to the brilliance of Elysium, and I never really came back to it.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Bumpage because I've been listening to Elysium (the track) recently, and my god, it's just perfect. It might just be my favourite power metal song ever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikDS1TBAElo#t=2m06s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Cw1ng75KP0#t=0m48s

 

[wolfking]

Bumpage because I've been listening to Elysium (the track) recently, and my god, it's just perfect. It might just be my favourite power metal song ever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikDS1TBAElo#t=2m06s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Cw1ng75KP0#t=0m48s

 

This is pretty far fetched.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

Bumpage because I've been listening to Elysium (the track) recently, and my god, it's just perfect. It might just be my favourite power metal song ever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikDS1TBAElo#t=2m06s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Cw1ng75KP0#t=0m48s

 

This is pretty far fetched.

Calm down, I didn't imply anything by that. You can't say you don't hear similarities!? 

[wolfking]

I can see what you are saying with a couple of small passages in the vocal melodies, but I wouln't call it a rip off or anything.  I've listened to this song many times, and am very familiar with Alone and it has never come to me.

[MrBoom_shack-a-lack]

I can see what you are saying with a couple of small passages in the vocal melodies, but I wouln't call it a rip off or anything.  I've listened to this song many times, and am very familiar with Alone and it has never come to me.

I never implied it was a rip off man. It was all for fun! It's one passage that sounds similar, that's all.

[bl5150]

And Heart ripped the song off from a band called I-Ten 

[Lowdz]

I can see what you are saying with a couple of small passages in the vocal melodies, but I wouln't call it a rip off or anything.  I've listened to this song many times, and am very familiar with Alone and it has never come to me.

I never implied it was a rip off man. It was all for fun! It's one passage that sounds similar, that's all.

I hear it, certainly didn't need to check which song it sounded like. The solo straight after this reminds me of the beginning of JP's under a glass moon solo.

[ErHaO]

A quote from Timo's fb:

Tonight the only Strato show for this spring in Levi Hulluporo Areena.
More Strato shows in the summer. We are also planning to start recording a new album during the next months

Safe to bet on a new album this year?

And we will at the very least get a new Cains Offering album this year, it seems. He states vocals are finished:

Vocals for the next Cain's Offering Official album done! Yeah! Jani has again composed some damn excellent songs! If you liked the first one you will love this one.

Never heard the first, is it decent?

[gazinwales]

Cain's Offering 'Gather The Faithful' is bloody brilliant to say the least.
One of of Kotipelto's finest albums, his singing sound far more relaxed and natural than many of the Stratovarius albums.
Jani tears it up and it easy to hear what is lacking in the latter Sonata albums without him.

[wolfking]

Oh wow, didn't expect another Cain's Offering album, this is a great surprise.

Cain's Offering 'Gather The Faithful' is bloody brilliant to say the least.
One of of Kotipelto's finest albums, his singing sound far more relaxed and natural than many of the Stratovarius albums.
Jani tears it up and it easy to hear what is lacking in the latter Sonata albums without him.

Pretty much this.

[ErHaO]

Sounds cool, will check it out then!

[gazinwales]

Nor did I expect another album, though I always lived in hope.
Jani has kept a pretty low profile since his exit from Sonata.
Hopefully his has a load of material to choose from and the second CO will be equal or better than the debut.

[gazinwales]

Stratovarius bassist Lauri Porra has just released his third solo album 'Flyover'.
If you think he is just a bass player in a power metal band, he is definitely much more than that.

Very melodic progressive rock with some ambient touches.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMd0nJbEVwM

[Ben_Jamin]

Stratovarius bassist Lauri Porra has just released his third solo album 'Flyover'.
If you think he is just a bass player in a power metal band, he is definitely much more than that.

Very melodic progressive rock with some ambient touches.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMd0nJbEVwM

That was amazing.

[gazinwales]

New Cain's Offering out in Japan end of April
https://www.marquee.co.jp/avalon/index.html

[wolfking]

New Cain's Offering out in Japan end of April
https://www.marquee.co.jp/avalon/index.html

Wow, can't wait for this.

[gazinwales]

Nor me, I already pre ordered at CD Japan.

[gazinwales]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VECI3keYKug
Sounds pretty good, same old song, but no complaints at all.

[wolfking]

New album titled 'Eternal' out on August 14th.

[Bolsters]

New album titled 'Eternal' out on August 14th.

[wolfking]

Can't come soon enough.

[Scorpion]

HYPE

[bl5150]

If they continue in the vein of Nemesis then I expect it to be one of my faves for the year.