┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│■ ■│
│ .-/ .-. │
│ _.-~ / ___ | ~-._ │
│ \:/ -~| / __/| .\:/ │
│ / || (:/:| \ │
│ / /\/| |:\___\| |\ \ │
│ / /:::|.::/:::/:.|:\ \ │
│ / /:::/ \\/:::/::/:::\ \ │
│ / .::\ \-~~~~-/\/:.. \ │
│ /..:::::\ /:::::..\ │
│ /::::::::- -::::::::\ │
│ \:::::-~ ~-:::::/ │
│ \:-~ ~-:/ │
│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ P R E S E N T S │
│ │
│ │
│ + Stratovarius - Nemesis (Taiwan Ed.) + │
│ │
│ │
│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Release Date.Feb-18-2013 Encoder......L3.97 -V2 --vbr-new ║ │
│║ Genre........Heavy Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year.........2013 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper.......anthem Songs........13 ║ │
│║ Covers.......Yes Url... www.stratovarius.com ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Stratovarius Rating : You Decide! ║ │
│║ Album : Nemesis (Taiwan Ed.) Label : EAR Music ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ While I really liked Stratovarius' previous and ║ │
│║ more progressive output "Elysium", the band was ║ │
│║ going through quite hard times including many ║ │
│║ line-up changes and even after the split with ║ │
│║ the main songwriter and charismatic guitarist ║ │
│║ Timo Tolkki, the band had to face several ║ │
│║ problems. Let's say that with the exception of ║ │
│║ "Elysium", the band had released four rather bad ║ │
│║ albums in a row before and I was sceptical about ║ │
│║ their new output. Their drummer J÷rg Michael had ║ │
│║ to fight cancer and had to be replaced by Alex ║ │
│║ Landenburg for several concerts. When he was ║ │
│║ finally back on bord, he soon decided to call it ║ │
│║ quits and the band had to integrate once again a ║ │
│║ new member in their line-up. The young Rolf ║ │
│║ Pilve was chosen as new drummer and he does a ║ │
│║ quite good job on this first album he recorded ║ │
│║ with the Finnish power metal veterans without ║ │
│║ taking too much space. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ What really surprised me is not the fact that ║ │
│║ the band managed to release a very strong record ║ │
│║ only two years after their last output. It's not ║ │
│║ the fact that the new band member was nearly ║ │
│║ perfectly integrated in a quite short time. It's ║ │
│║ not that this record sounds as if all these ║ │
│║ problems wouldn't have never had any ║ │
│║ significiant impact on Stratovarius at all. It's ║ │
│║ rather the fact that the band moved away from ║ │
│║ its softer and more progressive sounds and ║ │
│║ created an energizing and truly metal orientated ║ │
│║ record with gripping riffs, glorious choruses ║ │
│║ and loads of fresh ideas. In fact, the band ║ │
│║ pulls off its greatest record since "Visions" ║ │
│║ and even beats this power metal milestone. I ║ │
│║ would go as far to say that this record is ║ │
│║ clearly the band's second best release ever ║ │
│║ after the unbeatable "Dreamspace". ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ I was looking for filler material on this record ║ │
│║ but there isn't any. Instead, the band kicks of ║ │
│║ with one of their hardest songs ever which is ║ │
│║ the energizing "Abandon" that immediately grabs ║ │
│║ your attention. The sound is crystal clear, the ║ │
│║ atmosphere is dark, epic and heavy, the riffs ║ │
│║ are surprisingly fast and brutal and Timo ║ │
│║ Kotipelto delivers one of his best and most ║ │
│║ varied vocal performances. Majestic choirs add a ║ │
│║ truly epic touch to this stunning opener. The ║ │
│║ guitar solos are fast, melodic and have guts. I ║ │
│║ would say that this is the best opener the band ║ │
│║ has ever written to date as it really takes no ║ │
│║ prisoners and impressed me right from the start. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ What follows next is the first single ║ │
│║ "Unbreakable" which is at least the best single ║ │
│║ since the famous "Hunting High And Low" thirteen ║ │
│║ years ago or "S.O.S." fifteen years ago. The ║ │
│║ song has warm but modern keyboard sounds but ║ │
│║ also energizing riffs and a catchy main melody ║ │
│║ as well as a chorus you won't forget anytime ║ │
│║ soon. This energizing song is an immediate ║ │
│║ classic and an inevitable live hymn for the ║ │
│║ concerts to come. While European power metal has ║ │
│║ been going through rather hard times in the last ║ │
│║ seven or eight years, this new year 2013 seems ║ │
│║ to mark a definite return to form for many ║ │
│║ bands. Together with Helloween's "Nabatea", ║ │
│║ Stratovarius probably put out the best single of ║ │
│║ that genre in one decade with "Unbreakable", ║ │
│║ maybe since Edguy's "King Of Fools" EP back in ║ │
│║ early 2004. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ The great thing is that the band continues on ║ │
│║ such a high level. "Stand My Ground" starts with ║ │
│║ an almost industrial feeling and is another very ║ │
│║ metal orientated track with dark riffs and an ║ │
│║ almost cinematic atmosphere. The song is fast ║ │
│║ and anybody who still thinks Stratovarius can ║ │
│║ only be a soft flower metal band is proven wrong ║ │
│║ with this song. The more laid back chorus crowns ║ │
│║ this track with an epic and majestic feeling ║ │
│║ without sounding too cheesy or predictable. ║ │
│║ Great melodic guitar solos, a vividly pumping ║ │
│║ bass guitar and many original keyboard patterns ║ │
│║ make this song very diversified but it doesn't ║ │
│║ sound too overloaded to my positive surprise. ║ │
│║ This song has an almost sacral feeling and is ║ │
│║ another instant classic. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ "Halycon Days" has once again a cinematic touch ║ │
│║ and is a quite dark and hard track. It's still ║ │
│║ surprising to hear this kind of music from ║ │
│║ Stratovarius but at this point anything seems to ║ │
│║ be possible. The track has atmospheric and ║ │
│║ almost melancholic verses while the fast paced ║ │
│║ chorus is incredibly positive and light-hearted. ║ │
│║ Timo Kotipelto sings like a young god once ║ │
│║ again. Guess what, this is another killer song. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ The rest of the songs vary between very well ║ │
│║ done tracks and more than just solid anthems ║ │
│║ even though the first four songs remain my ║ │
│║ favourite ones. The band manages to mix light- ║ │
│║ hearted keyboard sounds with surprisingly heavy ║ │
│║ and sometimes almost thrash metal orientated ║ │
│║ riffs and epic choruses where the singer does ║ │
│║ the best work of his entire career so far. From ║ │
│║ slightly commcercial potential single hits such ║ │
│║ as the eighties' metal or rock anthem "Fantasy" ║ │
│║ over classic European power metal anthems that ║ │
│║ could have also hit the charts fifteen years ago ║ │
│║ like "Dragons" up to well executed and not too ║ │
│║ cheesy half ballads as "If The Story Is Over", ║ │
│║ the band offers anything a fan expects, anything ║ │
│║ a critical mind needs to get convinced and ║ │
│║ anything to surprise even those who have ║ │
│║ remained sceptical towards this band. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ This is probably the best European power metal ║ │
│║ record in years. If you only care a little bit ║ │
│║ for this genre, than you have no choice but ║ │
│║ buying this gem. Stratovarius are back and this ║ │
│║ year finally seems to be a good year for power ║ │
│║ metal music. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Discography ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Demo Demo, 1987 ║ │
│║ Future Shock Single, 1988 ║ │
│║ Fright Night Full-length, 1989 ║ │
│║ Black Night Single, 1989 ║ │
│║ Break the Ice Single, 1992 ║ │
│║ II Full-length, 1992 ║ │
│║ Dreamspace Full-length, 1994 ║ │
│║ Wings of Tomorrow Single, 1995 ║ │
│║ Fourth Dimension Full-length, 1995 ║ │
│║ Father Time Single, 1996 ║ │
│║ Will the Sun Rise? Single, 1996 ║ │
│║ Episode Full-length, 1996 ║ │
│║ Black Diamond Single, 1997 ║ │
│║ The Kiss of Judas Single, 1997 ║ │
│║ Visions Full-length, 1997 ║ │
│║ Visions of Europe Live album, 1998 ║ │
│║ The Past and Now Best of/Compilation, 1998 ║ │
│║ S.O.S. Single, 1998 ║ │
│║ Destiny Full-length, 1998 ║ │
│║ The Chosen Ones Best of/Compilation, 1999 ║ │
│║ Hunting High and Low Single, 2000 ║ │
│║ Infinite Full-length, 2000 ║ │
│║ It's a Mystery Single, 2000 ║ │
│║ 14 Diamonds Best of/Compilation, 2000 ║ │
│║ A Million Light Years Away Single, 2000 ║ │
│║ Infinite Visions DVD, 2000 ║ │
│║ Intermission Best of/Compilation, 2001 ║ │
│║ Eagleheart Single, 2002 ║ │
│║ Elements Pt.1 Full-length, 2003 ║ │
│║ I Walk to My Own Song Single, 2003 ║ │
│║ Elements Pt.2 Full-length, 2003 ║ │
│║ Maniac Dance Single, 2005 ║ │
│║ Stratovarius Full-length, 2005 ║ │
│║ Black Diamond: The Anthology Best ║ │
│║ of/Compilation, 2006 ║ │
│║ Revolution Renaissance Demo, 2008 ║ │
│║ Deep Unknown Single, 2009 ║ │
│║ Polaris Full-length, 2009 ║ │
│║ Darkest Hours Single, 2010 ║ │
│║ Elysium Full-length, 2011 ║ │
│║ Under Flaming Winter Skies û Live in Tampere ║ │
│║ Live album 2012 ║ │
│║ Under Flaming Winter Skies û Live in Tampere DVD ║ │
│║ 2012 ║ │
│║ Unbreakable EP 2013 ║ │
│║ Nemesis Full-length 2013 ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ 01 - Abandon [04:52] │
│ 02 - Unbreakable [04:37] │
│ 03 - Stand My Ground [04:14] │
│ 04 - Halcyon Days [05:30] │
│ 05 - Fantasy [04:19] │
│ 06 - Out Of The Fog [06:58] │
│ 07 - Castles In The Air [06:03] │
│ 08 - Dragons [04:04] │
│ 09 - One Must Fall [04:27] │
│ 10 - Fireborn (Bonus Track) [04:45] │
│ 11 - Hunter (Bonus Track) [03:27] │
│ 12 - If The Story Is Over [06:07] │
│ 13 - Nemesis [06:34] │
│ │
│ Total Length : [65:57 minn │
│ │
│ │
│ ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ ╔═════════════════════╗ │
│ ║ Greetings To: ║ │
│ ╚═════════════════════╝ │
│ │
│ Too all people who contributes to make this │
│ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│■ ■│
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘