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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
│ │
│ │
│ + Stratovarius - Dreamspace (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.........1994 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper.......anthem Songs........15 ║ │
│║ Covers.......Yes Url... www.stratovarius.com ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Stratovarius Rating : You Decide! ║ │
│║ Album : Dreamspace (Jap. Ed.) Label : Victor ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Stratovavarius is often remembered and ║ │
│║ characterized by their catchy, anthemic later ║ │
│║ works. It's a shame, because people with only ║ │
│║ passing interest in the band, or just plain ║ │
│║ don't like Strato's brand of Power Metal are ║ │
│║ missing out on a truly great album. More ║ │
│║ progressive than the "strictly followed, almost ║ │
│║ rulebook-like set of song-styles" Stratovarius ║ │
│║ of later albums such as, well, every album after ║ │
│║ this one, Dreamspace is an album full of awesome ║ │
│║ riffs, progressive song structures, pounding ║ │
│║ drums with alot of great, creative patterns and ║ │
│║ perfectly executed catchy, melodic vocals which ║ │
│║ include awesome high pitched screams that just ║ │
│║ absolutley slay (i.e., right before the outro ║ │
│║ melody comes in on the title track "Dreamspace" ║ │
│║ -- holy crap!). ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ What I really like best about this stellar album ║ │
│║ is just the overall quality of the way the songs ║ │
│║ come together. A perfect example of what I'm ║ │
│║ describing is the song "4th Reich". The ║ │
│║ interplay between the military style drums, the ║ │
│║ awesome, atmospheric melody and the mood setting ║ │
│║ keyboards is absolutely breathtaking and is 100 ║ │
│║ percent epic in a totally different way than ║ │
│║ Stratovarius is usually acclaimed for (think ║ │
│║ Queensryche). And then the melodic solo comes in ║ │
│║ and if you haven't creamed your pants by now, ║ │
│║ you have got to have defective equipment. Not ║ │
│║ only that but the way all the songs flow during ║ │
│║ the length of the album is awesome. Every song ║ │
│║ is perfectly placed with purpose on the track ║ │
│║ listing and to switch the tracks could spell ║ │
│║ disaster. Opener "Chasing Shadows" sounds like a ║ │
│║ regular ol' slab of killer power/speed metal, ║ │
│║ which then leads into the next, more brooding ║ │
│║ and progressive "4th Reich" which then leads ║ │
│║ into the dreamy "Eyes of the World", etc... As ║ │
│║ you listen to the album you are taken on a trip ║ │
│║ through what I would describe as the dreams of ║ │
│║ someone a little fucked up. Don't think it ║ │
│║ sounds appealing? Oh, but how wrong you are. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ I have to dedicate some time to what I think ║ │
│║ differentiates this album from typical ║ │
│║ Stratovarius albums: the riffs! Pretty much ║ │
│║ every song has a killer intro filled with fast, ║ │
│║ intense, melodic riffs. Some standouts are "We ║ │
│║ Are the Future", title track "Dreamspace" and my ║ │
│║ personal favorite, "Abyss". Almost every riff on ║ │
│║ this album rules in every sense of the word. The ║ │
│║ only tracks that I'd say has a subpar riff would ║ │
│║ be the albums pretty much only straightforward ║ │
│║ rocker "Reign of Terror". It actually sounds a ║ │
│║ lot like Megadeth's "Symphony of Destruction" ║ │
│║ except even less thrashy which results in... ║ │
│║ well, nothing too great. The song is actually ║ │
│║ not that bad as a whole, but it is pretty ║ │
│║ lacking and I'd rank it probably as the worst ║ │
│║ track on the album. "Shattered", one of the ║ │
│║ album's least progressive tracks is also a ║ │
│║ little worse off than the rest in the riff ║ │
│║ department. Too me, it sounds like a quicker, ║ │
│║ more "power metal" version of "Reign of Terror". ║ │
│║ with palm muted sixteenths everywhere. The ║ │
│║ closer "Wings of Tomorrow" isn't really too ║ │
│║ great either, but it serves as the perfect ║ │
│║ closer. Like described in previous reviews of ║ │
│║ the album it really serves to conclude or end ║ │
│║ basically what could be describe a nightmare in ║ │
│║ music form. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ As a passing, I would like to at least mention ║ │
│║ the production. Most Kotipelto era Stratovarius ║ │
│║ albums have VERY slick production (maybe with ║ │
│║ the exception of "4th Dimension", but the ║ │
│║ production is much more gritty and echoey. ║ │
│║ Indeed it sounds much more "metalic" than their ║ │
│║ later works. The snare drum has this awesome ║ │
│║ reverb and the guitars have a great ║ │
│║ "Queensryche" like tone to them alot of the ║ │
│║ time. It really does add to the atmosphere, ║ │
│║ making this album sound a lot less upbeat than ║ │
│║ it's successors. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Really, the only other thing I'd like to point ║ │
│║ out is Tolkki's vocals. I really think everyone ║ │
│║ saying they are a little lacking or sub-par is ║ │
│║ just a slice of unabashed Kotipelto worship. ║ │
│║ Don't get me wrong, Kotipelto is obviously very ║ │
│║ talented, but Tolkki delivers some really great ║ │
│║ vocal melodies and can also hit some awesomely ║ │
│║ high notes. Like I said before, listen to the ║ │
│║ outro on the title track. You know who else is ║ │
│║ often described as sub-par? Kai Hansen (think ║ │
│║ Walls of Jericho). You know what else he is on ║ │
│║ that album? Awesome. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ All of this stuff considered, I really must say ║ │
│║ that I think this is probably Stratovarius' best ║ │
│║ effort. Really, songwriting-wise, this album is ║ │
│║ positively solid all the way through with some ║ │
│║ slight speed bumps. I think even people who ║ │
│║ don't like Stratovarius really should at least ║ │
│║ give this album the old college try, cause it's ║ │
│║ definintely their best effort. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ 01 - Chasing Shadows [04:37] │
│ 02 - 4th Reich [05:50] │
│ 03 - Eyes Of The World [05:56] │
│ 04 - Hold On To Your Dream [03:34] │
│ 05 - Magic Carpet Ride [04:50] │
│ 06 - We Are The Future [05:20] │
│ 07 - Tears Of Ice [05:15] │
│ 08 - Dreamspace [05:58] │
│ 09 - Reign Of Terror [03:29] │
│ 10 - Thin Ice [04:23] │
│ 11 - Atlantis [01:08] │
│ 12 - Abyss [05:00] │
│ 13 - Shattered [03:30] │
│ 14 - Wings Of Tomorrow [05:10] │
│ 15 - Full Moon (Bonus Track) [04:35] │
│ │
│ Total Length : [68:35 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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