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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
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│ + Stratovarius - Fourth Dimension (Jap. Ed.) + │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
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│║ ║ │
│║ Release Date.Sep-25-2014 Encoder......L3.97 -V2 --vbr-new ║ │
│║ Genre........Heavy Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year.........1995 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper.......anthem Songs........12 ║ │
│║ Covers.......Yes Url... www.stratovarius.com ║ │
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│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Stratovarius Rating : You Decide! ║ │
│║ Album : Fourth Dimension (Jap. Ed.) Label : Victor ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ There is a very prevalent, and most likely ║ │
│║ unintentionally so, formula to the so-called ║ │
│║ pivotal albums the define the most influential ║ │
│║ figures in the development of European power ║ │
│║ metal. Be it the massive changeover that ║ │
│║ occurred with the merger of Helloween with ║ │
│║ Michael Kiske, which resulted in a very ║ │
│║ different and ultimately cleaner and more ║ │
│║ mainstream friendly sound, or other similar ║ │
│║ advents such as the Kai Hansen taking over the ║ │
│║ reigns in Gamma Ray and taking said band in the ║ │
│║ opposite direction, or even states side with the ║ │
│║ introduction of Matt Barlow to the Iced Earth ║ │
│║ brand or Kamelot importing Kahnæs services from ║ │
│║ faraway Norway. When approaching albums such as ║ │
│║ ôKeepers Iö, ôBurnt Offerings, ôSiege Perilousö ║ │
│║ and ôLand Of The Freeö, it is a good idea to ║ │
│║ keep in mind where the band was before the ║ │
│║ introduction of the new singer, and also how ║ │
│║ often the new singer will be the only really ║ │
│║ sizable divergence from the older sound. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Such is the story of StratovariusÆ ôFourth ║ │
│║ Dimensionö, an album that introduces us to the ║ │
│║ dynamic and high end vocal gymnastics of Timo ║ │
│║ Kotipelto, yet otherwise is more of a ║ │
│║ reassertion of the older sound heard on ║ │
│║ ôTwilight Timeö and ôDreamspaceö. The real ║ │
│║ essence of what is considered the stereotypical ║ │
│║ Stratovarius sound did not really emerge until ║ │
│║ ôEpisodeö with the Jens Johansson and Jorg ║ │
│║ Michael, both of who are much more prone towards ║ │
│║ battling TolkkiÆs guitars for prominence rather ║ │
│║ than being content to play support for them and ║ │
│║ the vocals. In essence, this is an album where ║ │
│║ the tracks listen more like the works of a ║ │
│║ songwriter rather than a composer, though one ║ │
│║ shouldnÆt be too quick to gloss over an obvious ║ │
│║ homage to MalmsteenÆs brand of shred happy ║ │
│║ instrumental work as heard on the bandÆs title ║ │
│║ song ôStratovariusö. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ The breakdown of this album is notably ║ │
│║ conventional by 80s standards, and equally ║ │
│║ informed by the slower, darker sounds of Accept ║ │
│║ and Ozzy Osbourne as they are by the quick and ║ │
│║ triumphant speed metal of Helloween. Of ║ │
│║ particular note is the deep and mystical ║ │
│║ ôWinterö, listening like an ultra-atmospheric ║ │
│║ answer to OzzyÆs ôDiary Of A Madmanö, and ║ │
│║ showcasing a younger Timo Tolkki who was still ║ │
│║ playing melodically, but wasnÆt quite as boxed ║ │
│║ in to a formulaic structure as came to be the ║ │
│║ case with after ôDestinyö. The other ballad ║ │
│║ ôNightfallö comes a bit more into a vintage 80s ║ │
│║ leather toting style of ballad in the mode of ║ │
│║ Accept circa ôMetal Heartö, and particularly ║ │
│║ shines during the somber and looming chorus. ║ │
│║ Nevertheless, when hearing the fast moving ║ │
│║ speeders the occupy the first two tracks on this ║ │
│║ album, a reminder of ôKeepersö era Helloween ║ │
│║ gone keyboard happy ala ôHands Of Timeö meshed ║ │
│║ with the harder edged character of ôWe Are The ║ │
│║ Futureö comes about. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ There are a few subtle hints at StratovariusÆ ║ │
│║ coming conventional sound littered on a few ║ │
│║ choice songs here. ôWe Hold The Keyö takes on ║ │
│║ many of the attributes of a typical Timo Tolkki ║ │
│║ epic mid tempo song with a pacing very similar ║ │
│║ to ôSoul Of A Vagabondö and ôInfiniteö, yet with ║ │
│║ the youthful freshness and energy of an early to ║ │
│║ mid 80s ôHeaven And Hellö homage. The principle ║ │
│║ keyboard theme is a dead giveaway of an emerging ║ │
│║ anthem-based approach to longer songs that has ║ │
│║ since been rendered clichΘ by Tolkki himself ║ │
│║ over the past 16 years. At the same time, the ║ │
│║ faster and flashier meshing of lead guitar and ║ │
│║ baroque harpsichord sounds that tends to embody ║ │
│║ a number of later Stratovarius cookers also ║ │
│║ makes an appearance in ôLord Of The Wastelandö, ║ │
│║ all but signally the eventual arrival of both ║ │
│║ ôBlack Diamondö and ôLegionsö. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ What truly makes this album unique from the rest ║ │
│║ of this bandÆs catalog is how curiously the ║ │
│║ older and oncoming newer ideas merge together. ║ │
│║ My favorite song on here, and perhaps the only ║ │
│║ truly overt throwback to the 80s era that this ║ │
│║ band came out of is ôGalaxiesö. This song was ║ │
│║ one of two that originally introduced me to the ║ │
│║ band (the other was ôHands Of Timeö) and it was ║ │
│║ enticing primarily because of its shameless ║ │
│║ similarities to Malmsteen and Europe, two ║ │
│║ outfits that I had been immersed in since my ║ │
│║ teens after coming off of my grunge craze. The ║ │
│║ principle keyboard line is very clichΘ and in ║ │
│║ your face, but the song is just way too catchy ║ │
│║ to pass up. By contrast, the album takes a bit ║ │
│║ of a nosedive in what can only be described as ║ │
│║ an odd attempt at meshing proto-industrial ║ │
│║ influences with traditional heavy metal in ║ │
│║ ô030366ö. The song is hyper-repetitive to the ║ │
│║ point of sheer hypnosis, and much of the song ║ │
│║ almost sounds like its rhythmically in Morse ║ │
│║ Code. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ While a bit muddled stylistically at times, this ║ │
│║ is an album that is equally as worthy of ║ │
│║ consumption by fans of Stratovarius as their ║ │
│║ more renowned albums from the later 90s. An ║ │
│║ appreciation of the albums where Timo Tolkki was ║ │
│║ pulling lead vocal duties is all but an ║ │
│║ absolutely prerequisite however, as the ║ │
│║ songwriting is definitely still well within the ║ │
│║ 80s heavy metal paradigm and hasnÆt fully ║ │
│║ materialized into the neo-classical machine that ║ │
│║ was apparent with Jens tearing up the ivories. ║ │
│║ The two eras are compatible for most, but ║ │
│║ perhaps not for all, and its easy to see why ║ │
│║ some who like ôEpisodeö and ôVisionsö might not ║ │
│║ regard this as highly, in much the same respect ║ │
│║ that many fans of Barlow era Iced Earth might ║ │
│║ not regard the older, more riff happy ôBurnt ║ │
│║ Offeringsö to their more popular offerings. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ 01 - Against The Wind [03:49] │
│ 02 - Distant Skies [04:10] │
│ 03 - Galaxies [05:01] │
│ 04 - Winter [06:32] │
│ 05 - Stratovarius [06:23] │
│ 06 - Lord Of The Wasteland [06:11] │
│ 07 - 030366 [05:47] │
│ 08 - Nightfall [05:09] │
│ 09 - We Hold The Key [07:54] │
│ 10 - Twilight Symphony [07:00] │
│ 11 - Call Of The Wilderness [01:32] │
│ 12 - Dreamspace (Live) (Bonus Track) [06:17] │
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│ Total Length : [65:45 minn │
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│ ╔═════════════════════╗ │
│ ║ Greetings To: ║ │
│ ╚═════════════════════╝ │
│ │
│ Too all people who contributes to make this │
│ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │
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│ │
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