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│ METAL CLASSICS ARCHIVE │
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│ P R E S E N T S │
│ │
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│ + Stratovarius - Eternal + │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Information ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Release Date.Sep-11-2015 Encoder......L3.97 -V2 --vbr-new ║ │
│║ Genre........Heavy Metal Graber.......EAC ║ │
│║ Year.........2015 Khz/Bitrate..44,1/ Br ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Ripper.......anthem Songs........10 ║ │
│║ Covers.......Yes Url... www.stratovarius.com ║ │
│║ ║ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Notes ║ │
│╠═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════╗ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Artist : Stratovarius Rating : You Decide! ║ │
│║ Album : Eternal Label : EAR Music ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Description : ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Drastic changes often make us humans leave our ║ │
│║ comfort zone and can even result in catastrophic ║ │
│║ scenarios. When we talk about music, this can be ║ │
│║ traumatizing not only for a band, but also its ║ │
│║ fans. Not many acts out there can reinvent ║ │
│║ themselves or maintain quality after said ║ │
│║ changes, especially when they lose a key member. ║ │
│║ Sometimes, though, this can be the best thing ║ │
│║ that could happen. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ From a critical point of view, we can separate ║ │
│║ StratovariusÆ extensive career into four eras: ║ │
│║ In the first era, from its creation in 1985 to ║ │
│║ 1994, we could see a more direct-driven ║ │
│║ Stratovarius, performing power metal that had ║ │
│║ less symphonic elements and a more classical ║ │
│║ approach. The second one, from 1995 to 2000 ║ │
│║ (and, to some extent, until 2003), featured what ║ │
│║ I like to call their ôgolden eraö, with a lot of ║ │
│║ keyboards, powerful vocals and melodic anthems ║ │
│║ that helped shape European power metal in the ║ │
│║ 1990Æs and put the genre and the band on the ║ │
│║ map. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ The third era, though, was marked by a lost and ║ │
│║ confused Timo Tolkki, who started to digress ║ │
│║ into a completely different approach to his ║ │
│║ music, resulting in the horrible self-titled ║ │
│║ album of 2005 and the near-implosion of the ║ │
│║ group after it. With that being said, following ║ │
│║ TolkkiÆs departure, longtime fans were worried ║ │
│║ if the band would get back on their feet or just ║ │
│║ throw the towel and close shop. Luckily, Timo ║ │
│║ Kotipelto and Jens Johansson chose the first ║ │
│║ option. Taking control of the songwriting and ║ │
│║ creative departments, the two gentlemen ║ │
│║ recruited Matias Kupiainen and started the ║ │
│║ fourth (and current) era for the band with ║ │
│║ æPolarisÆ, a solid album, and their best since ║ │
│║ æDestinyÆ way back in 1998. This new ║ │
│║ Stratovarius would then be recognized as a more ║ │
│║ mature and centered band, with slightly ║ │
│║ different arrangements to their songs and with ║ │
│║ darker, more melancholic lyrics. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ All of this brings us to the release of ║ │
│║ æEternalÆ, the 16th full length by the group and ║ │
│║ the fourth in this new era. Kotipelto (vocals), ║ │
│║ Johansson (keyboards), Kupiainen (guitars), ║ │
│║ Lauri Porra (bass) and Rolf Pilve (drums) offers ║ │
│║ us a logical follow-up to æNemesisÆ music-wise, ║ │
│║ featuring all the elements from the new ║ │
│║ Stratovarius that we learned to love, a couple ║ │
│║ of nostalgic arrangements here and there, and ║ │
│║ even some CainÆs Offering influences on some ║ │
│║ parts. The album starts with ôMy Eternal Dreamö, ║ │
│║ a characteristic tune with a strong chorus, fast ║ │
│║ pace and lots of keyboards. ôShine in the Darkö ║ │
│║ is presented as one of the more melodic songs of ║ │
│║ the album and explicitly shows the CainÆs ║ │
│║ Offering influence mentioned above. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Allied to those unfortunately are the two ║ │
│║ weakest songs in the album, ôLost Without a ║ │
│║ Traceö and ôFire in Your Eyesö, the latter being ║ │
│║ a poor excuse for a ballad by a band that excels ║ │
│║ on slow songs, as seen before on ôForeverö, ║ │
│║ ô4000 Rainy Nightsö, ôYears Go Byö and even ║ │
│║ ôWhen Mountains Fallö. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Aside from those two, songs like ôRise Above ║ │
│║ Itö, ôFeeding the Fireö and ôIn My Line of Workö ║ │
│║ all have plenty of good arrangements and ║ │
│║ showcase what we expect from Stratovarius: ║ │
│║ catchy tunes, plenty of energy, and mesmerizing ║ │
│║ solos, which should definitely satisfy the ║ │
│║ listener. The highlights of the album, however, ║ │
│║ are the great ôMan in the Mirrorö and the ║ │
│║ grandiose ôLost Sagaö, an 11-minute opus filled ║ │
│║ with cool riffs and a respectable performance by ║ │
│║ Kotipelto, who by the way is sounding more ║ │
│║ powerful than he has been in a long time. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ All in all, returning fans and casual listeners ║ │
│║ alike should enjoy æEternalÆ almost in its ║ │
│║ entirety, as it is not overly melodic or trying ║ │
│║ to reinvent the wheel, instead relying on solid ║ │
│║ performances and down-to-earth songwriting. ║ │
│║ Oddly enough, it also relies heavily on a ║ │
│║ tried-and-true formula, so it doesnÆt actually ║ │
│║ put anything new on the table, which can be a ║ │
│║ downside. For me, though, this is a worthy entry ║ │
│║ in their already rich discography, and although ║ │
│║ not strong enough to rank among the greats such ║ │
│║ as æVisionsÆ, æEpisodeÆ, æDestinyÆ, æDreamspaceÆ ║ │
│║ and even æNemesisÆ, it has definitely earned a ║ │
│║ place in the second-tier StratovariusÆ albums, ║ │
│║ alongside æElysiumÆ, æInfiniteÆ and æFright ║ │
│║ NightÆ. ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ Timo Kotipelto - Vocals ║ │
│║ Matias Kupiainen - Guitars ║ │
│║ Jens Johansson - Keyboards ║ │
│║ Lauri Porra - Bass ║ │
│║ Rolf Pilve - Drums ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│║ ║ │
│╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝ │
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│╔═════════════════════╗ │
│║ Release Tracklist ║ │
│╚═════════════════════╩══════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ 01 - My Eternal Dream [06:04] │
│ 02 - Shine In The Dark [05:05] │
│ 03 - Rise Above It [04:26] │
│ 04 - Lost Without A Trace [05:28] │
│ 05 - Feeding The Fire [04:12] │
│ 06 - In My Line Of Work [04:19] │
│ 07 - Man In The Mirror [04:43] │
│ 08 - Few Are Those [04:11] │
│ 09 - Fire In Your Eyes [04:15] │
│ 10 - The Lost Saga [11:39] │
│ │
│ Total Length : [54:22 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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