┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│■ ■│
│ .-/ .-. │
│ _.-~ / ___ | ~-._ │
│ \:/ -~| / __/| .\:/ │
│ / || (:/:| \ │
│ / /\/| |:\___\| |\ \ │
│ / /:::|.::/:::/:.|:\ \ │
│ / /:::/ \\/:::/::/:::\ \ │
│ / .::\ \-~~~~-/\/:.. \ │
│ /..:::::\ /:::::..\ │
│ /::::::::- -::::::::\ │
│ \:::::-~ ~-:::::/ │
│ \:-~ ~-:/ │
│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ P R E S E N T S │
│ │
│ │
│ + Stratovarius - Under Flaming Winter Skies + │
│ │
│ │
│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Release Date.Sep-25-2014 Encoder......L3.97 -V2 --vbr-new ║ │
│║ Genre........Heavy Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year.........2012 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper.......anthem Songs........cd1: 11 cd2: 9 ║ │
│║ Covers.......Yes Url... www.stratovarius.com ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Stratovarius Rating : You Decide! ║ │
│║ Album : Under Flaming Winter Skies Label : Ear Music ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Stratovarius have consistently put out quality ║ │
│║ power metal albums despite a veritable rotating ║ │
│║ door of musicians throughout their lengthy ║ │
│║ career. Originally formed in 1984, Stratovarius ║ │
│║ has not seen an original member since 1987. ║ │
│║ ôUnder Flaming Winter Skiesö features the line ║ │
│║ up from their much lauded ôPolarisö and ║ │
│║ ôElysiumö albums. If there's anyone out there ║ │
│║ wondering if this newer lineup can pull off the ║ │
│║ classic staples, the answer is yes, yes they ║ │
│║ can. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ One thing that's common knowledge about ║ │
│║ Stratovarius is that every person in the band is ║ │
│║ excellent at what they do. As poppy and flowery ║ │
│║ as some think they are, there is no denying that ║ │
│║ Stratovarius boasts excellent musicians. ôUnder ║ │
│║ Flaming Winter Skiesö is exactly what anyone ║ │
│║ would expect it to be: a live power metal album ║ │
│║ performed by excellent musicians. If you don't ║ │
│║ like Stratovarius before hearing this, you won't ║ │
│║ suddenly have a change of heart after hearing ║ │
│║ this. If you love Stratovarius, then this is a ║ │
│║ great example of how the band sounds live, and ║ │
│║ you will eat it up. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Those middle of the road listeners that neither ║ │
│║ love nor hate the band will find ôUnder Flaming ║ │
│║ Winter Skiesö a fairly useless affair, as there ║ │
│║ are plenty of Stratovarius compilations out ║ │
│║ there to sample what the band has to offer. If ║ │
│║ you've listened to Stratovarius you know exactly ║ │
│║ what to expect here. These songs sound exactly ║ │
│║ like their studio counterparts, except played ║ │
│║ live: nothing is sloppy or skipped over. If ║ │
│║ anything, the band adds extra embellishments in ║ │
│║ the form of guitar, drum, bass and keyboard ║ │
│║ solos, but nothing is glazed over or removed. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ If you've never listened to Stratovarius (shame ║ │
│║ on you) the best way to describe them is as ║ │
│║ power metal of the Euro variety. Hell, their ║ │
│║ sound is what Euro power bands go for. The ║ │
│║ guitar lines are crisp, with plenty of palm ║ │
│║ muting and shred style licks and flair. The ║ │
│║ solos are impressive: fast and technical, ║ │
│║ sounding extremely neoclassical. The keyboards ║ │
│║ are rather tasteful with piano lines and ║ │
│║ standard key lines. They sound awesome during ║ │
│║ the wanky solo battles with the guitars, but ║ │
│║ these sections tend to get a little overboard ║ │
│║ after repeated listens. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ The rhythm section is great, with the bass lines ║ │
│║ following the chugging palm muting. It's high ║ │
│║ enough in the mix to be audible, but not to the ║ │
│║ point of overbearing annoyance (anyone who's ║ │
│║ been to a concert with a loud bass amp can ║ │
│║ testify to the annoyance I speak of). Some great ║ │
│║ wandering bass lines pop up, such as during ║ │
│║ ôHunting High and Lowö. The drums, courtesy of ║ │
│║ the legendary J÷rg Michael, are a real highlight ║ │
│║ here. They are definitely standard power metal ║ │
│║ affair, with tons of running double bass and ║ │
│║ fast double kick sections, but J÷rg Michael adds ║ │
│║ some exciting rolls and fills to make it much ║ │
│║ more interesting. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Timo Kotipelto speaks with the crowd in between ║ │
│║ each and every song. I have no idea what he ║ │
│║ talks about because it's all in Finnish. He ║ │
│║ seems to have a pretty good connection with the ║ │
│║ crowd during the concert, with all the cheers ║ │
│║ and clapping going on in the background during ║ │
│║ his speeches, but his words are lost to me. ║ │
│║ During the songs, his vocals are spot on. There ║ │
│║ are no sections that sound forced or strained. ║ │
│║ Kotipelto's vocals are of the higher register ║ │
│║ and exceptionally clear, with a tendency of ║ │
│║ trailing off higher than he started. Yes, he ║ │
│║ does have an accent that comes across during his ║ │
│║ vocals, but rather than being a detractor, it ║ │
│║ helps to set his voice apart from the massive ║ │
│║ crowd.s ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ One of the great things about Stratovarius is ║ │
│║ their uncanny ability to be poppy and heavy at ║ │
│║ the same time, and ôUnder Flaming Winter Skiesö ║ │
│║ emphasizes this. Many of the bands associated ║ │
│║ with power metal nowadays owe some portion of ║ │
│║ their sound to Stratovarius. They are legends, ║ │
│║ they really are, as some of their releases are ║ │
│║ the greatest examples of Euro power metal in ║ │
│║ history. ôUnder Flaming Winter Skiesö shows ║ │
│║ Stratovarius in all of their power metal glory ║ │
│║ in the live setting. The production is great, as ║ │
│║ far as live albums go: everything is audible and ║ │
│║ just about right in the mix. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ultimately, ôUnder Flaming Winter Skiesö serves ║ │
│║ as just another live album. Granted, ║ │
│║ Stratovarius' last live album was 1998's ║ │
│║ ôVisions of Europeö (a mere fourteen years ║ │
│║ earlier), but there are much better things to ║ │
│║ spend your cash on. If you're a big fan of ║ │
│║ Stratovarius, then by all means get this, but if ║ │
│║ you're just a casual listener, look elsewhere. ║ │
│║ This really serves no purpose aside from being ║ │
│║ another live album for the diehards to buy, but ║ │
│║ a high quality one at that. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ - CD1 [ ] │
│ - [ ] │
│ 01 - Under Flaming Skies [04:20] │
│ 02 - I walk to my own Song [04:42] │
│ 03 - Speed of Light [03:17] │
│ 04 - Kiss of Judas [06:10] │
│ 05 - Deep Unknown [04:21] │
│ 06 - Guitar Solo [02:15] │
│ 07 - Eagleheart [04:13] │
│ 08 - Paradise [05:26] │
│ 09 - Visions [09:44] │
│ 10 - Bass Solo [04:27] │
│ 11 - Coming Home [05:46] │
│ - [ ] │
│ - CD2 [ ] │
│ - [ ] │
│ 01 - Legions of the Twilight [06:08] │
│ 02 - Darkest Hours [04:05] │
│ 03 - Burn [05:59] │
│ 04 - Behind Blue Eyes [03:59] │
│ 05 - Winter Skies [05:17] │
│ 06 - Keyboard Solo [01:15] │
│ 07 - Black Diamond [07:54] │
│ 08 - Father Time [05:26] │
│ 09 - Hunting high and low [07:41] │
│ │
│ Total Length : [102:2] min │
│ │
│ │
│ ▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄ │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│ ╔═════════════════════╗ │
│ ║ Greetings To: ║ │
│ ╚═════════════════════╝ │
│ │
│ Too all people who contributes to make this │
│ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │
│ │
│ │
│ │
│■ ■│
└───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘