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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
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│ + Stratovarius - Elysium (Jap. Ed.) + │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Release Date.Sep-25-2014 Encoder......L3.97 -V2 --vbr-new ║ │
│║ Genre........Heavy Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year.........2011 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper.......anthem Songs........13 ║ │
│║ Covers.......Yes Url... www.stratovarius.com ║ │
│║ ║ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Stratovarius Rating : You Decide! ║ │
│║ Album : Elysium (Jap. Ed.) Label : Victor ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ I can honestly say that this is the first ║ │
│║ Stratovarius album that IÆve ever been excited ║ │
│║ for. I could never get into the material helmed ║ │
│║ by former guitarist Timo Tolkki and I only ║ │
│║ bought Polaris in 2009 to see how much damage it ║ │
│║ was going to cause. Of course, no such train- ║ │
│║ wreck ever took place and it was one of the ║ │
│║ strongest albums of that year, effectively ║ │
│║ serving as a new beginning and hinting at a ║ │
│║ bright future. Two years later, the band is ║ │
│║ still going at a steady momentum and has already ║ │
│║ put out their thirteenth studio album. But while ║ │
│║ this album was the first to top the charts in ║ │
│║ their native Finland in nearly a decade, it may ║ │
│║ also be their last with longtime drummer Jorg ║ │
│║ Michael, who is departing on a quite friendly ║ │
│║ note due to illness. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ On a superficial basis, there are many tropes on ║ │
│║ here that align with the sounds of the last ║ │
│║ release and Stratovarius albums past. The ║ │
│║ keyboards and guitar constantly compete for ║ │
│║ supremacy, the vocals are high-pitched and ║ │
│║ thickly accented, a number of symphonic elements ║ │
│║ are employed, and the songwriting is almost ║ │
│║ always uplifting and enthusiastic. But while ║ │
│║ Polaris was a very direct affair with occasional ║ │
│║ nods to prog metal, Elysium does have a ║ │
│║ noticeably more progressive feel. Even the power ║ │
│║ metal tunes get some structural complexity with ║ │
│║ the opening ôDarkest Hoursö having a classic ║ │
│║ Dream Theater feel and ôInfernal Mazeö has a ║ │
│║ soft, elaborate introduction before it goes into ║ │
│║ faster paced fare. And thatÆs not going into the ║ │
│║ closing title track, which is the longest ║ │
│║ Stratovarius song to date with an over eighteen ║ │
│║ minute duration! ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ And with everything going on, the band members ║ │
│║ manage to sound pretty good though there arenÆt ║ │
│║ too many dramatic deviations from their usual ║ │
│║ performances. The keyboards and vocals are among ║ │
│║ the more noteworthy contributors as Jens ║ │
│║ Johansson brings forth a variety of effects and ║ │
│║ Timo Kotipelto show off some smooth vocal lines ║ │
│║ that make up for his occasionally goofy ║ │
│║ phrasing. But the real standout member on here ║ │
│║ is guitarist Matias Kupiainen. While the guitars ║ │
│║ are the most important part of any power metal ║ │
│║ band and Polaris certainly had plenty of great ║ │
│║ guitar moments, he really comes out on his own ║ │
│║ here as both a songwriter and performer. The ║ │
│║ former is especially worth noting as he is ║ │
│║ responsible for writing more songs on here than ║ │
│║ on the previous effort, effectively making him ║ │
│║ out to be Tolkki's most fitting successor. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Going off that, there seem to be three kinds of ║ │
│║ songs at work on here. While the title track ║ │
│║ appears to be a song all its own and encompasses ║ │
│║ the rest of the albumÆs elements, the rest of ║ │
│║ the release seems to go between fast and mid- ║ │
│║ tempo songs. Predictably, the faster songs are ║ │
│║ the most immediate and arguably most enjoyable ║ │
│║ that the album has to offer. The previously ║ │
│║ mentioned ôDarkest Hoursö and ôInfernal Mazeö ║ │
│║ are enjoyable for their upbeat tempos and ║ │
│║ complexity, but ôUnder Flaming Skiesö and ôThe ║ │
│║ Game Never Endsö are probably the most ║ │
│║ entertaining. The former is made memorable by ║ │
│║ its eastern touches while the latter is a sugary ║ │
│║ power metal run-through with a particularly ║ │
│║ memorable chorus that should make ôEagleheartö ║ │
│║ eat its heart out. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ The slow songs also manage to be pretty solid. ║ │
│║ ôMoment In A Lifetimeö manages to be another ║ │
│║ highlight as it is a slow, dramatic track in the ║ │
│║ vein of ôKing Of Nothing.ö In addition, the ║ │
│║ transitions on ôMove the Mountainö work quite ║ │
│║ well and ôFairness Justifiedö seems to go ║ │
│║ between the two songs with its snail pace and ║ │
│║ uplifting chorus. As expected, the title track ║ │
│║ manages to be pretty noteworthy. While its ║ │
│║ extensive length makes it a song that I ║ │
│║ personally donÆt play often, it does go through ║ │
│║ a bunch of sounds in its three-part cycle. The ║ │
│║ first part with its soaring mid-tempo melodies ║ │
│║ is probably the most memorable segment on here ║ │
│║ though the second partÆs faster hooks are also ║ │
│║ quite welcome and the third part is another ║ │
│║ sweet ballad. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ If Polaris was the reborn StratovariusÆ debut ║ │
│║ album, then Elysium is surely the sophomore ║ │
│║ release that thoroughly avoids the slumps that ║ │
│║ are normally associated with albums of that ║ │
│║ nature. I hate to say that Tolkki was holding ║ │
│║ them back all this time, but the success of ║ │
│║ these last two albums and the mixed feelings ║ │
│║ that have come with his own recent projects does ║ │
│║ make one think along those linesà ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ If you liked Polaris, then I would definitely ║ │
│║ advise you to give this album a chance if you ║ │
│║ havenÆt already. IÆm not sure if itÆs quite as ║ │
│║ powerful but it is an enjoyable release that ║ │
│║ follows it up nicely and a lot to offer on its ║ │
│║ own terms. Hopefully this can work for a while ║ │
│║ longer; I think European power metal is starting ║ │
│║ to get its balls back! ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Current Highlights: ║ │
│║ ôUnder Flaming Skiesö ║ │
│║ ôInfernal Mazeö ║ │
│║ ôThe Game Never Endsö ║ │
│║ ôLifetime In A Momentö ║ │
│║ ôMove the Mountainö ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ 01 - Darkest Hours [04:11] │
│ 02 - Under Flaming Skies [03:52] │
│ 03 - Infernal Maze [05:33] │
│ 04 - Fairness Justified [04:21] │
│ 05 - The Game Never Ends [03:54] │
│ 06 - Lifetime In A Moment [06:39] │
│ 07 - Move The Mountain [05:34] │
│ 08 - Event Horizon [04:24] │
│ 09 - Elysium [18:14] │
│ 10 - Castaway (Bonus Track) [04:39] │
│ 11 - Darkest Hours (Demo) (Bonus Track) [04:33] │
│ 12 - Against The Wind (Live) (Bonus Track) [04:02] │
│ 13 - Black Diamond (Live) (Bonus Track) [07:31] │
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│ Total Length : [77:27 minn │
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│ ╔═════════════════════╗ │
│ ║ Greetings To: ║ │
│ ╚═════════════════════╝ │
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│ Too all people who contributes to make this │
│ archive of good music in a exceptional conditions │
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│ │
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