I heard the album already, it's a great comeback to Polaris

Written by Sword_Chant on 02.01.2011 at 19:59

I heard the album already, it's a great comeback to Polaris

Im just about to

It is better than polaris shit but its no better than other strato release

Written by BMR Monkey on 05.01.2011 at 04:22

It is better than polaris shit but its no better than other strato release

It's not their prime sound (Episode, Visions) but it's on par with a good Sonata album. I'd give it around 8/10 maybe slightly over imo it's the best album they've made in a long time.

Agree agree i give 7/10. but its just my opinion lets wait for the other strato die hard fans to come and share their thoughts

Ive just finished listening to it, and I agree pretty much with what Sword_Chant said. Its not Stratovarius in absolute top form, but some of the songs are really stellar, and its definitely further evidence after "Polaris" of the band finding their feet again after the abysmal self titled album. They're certainly on their way to becoming a great band once again. The title track of the album in particular is really awesome, and one of the bands best songs imo. xD

Edit: Have listened to the album some more, and most of the songs are really great. Definitely an improvement over "Polaris" which had some great moments but was very patchy. xD

I have listened this album and it´s more powerfull than the last albums.I think that this album it´s the best in the last times of this great band.

The best Strato release since Elements Pt.1! The title-track is awesome, its last part is sooo beautiful - with one of the best Jens solo!!! The album is 10/9 for me.

Does the special edition come out on like Feb 8th?

Just finished listening to this for the second time through. It's not bad at all. What I like about it is that it's not boring if you're just listening to it like some albums are, but it's also sounds nice in the background while you're working.

This was a good surprise... I was specting something really really awful, and this was actually really good. Well done, Stratovarius!

In my opinion people are too hard with polaris which is actually a good work is not the best but it has it's highlights like Deep Unknown, Forever is Today, When Mountains Fall and perhaps Winter Skies. This album, Elysium, shows more prog elements and a growing apart from Tolkki's and old Stratovarius' style. They are definitely going back on their feet and it can be noticed with songs like Infernal Maze, Event Horizon, The Game Never Ends and Elysium which are the highlights of the album in my opinion after listening several times to the album which is for sure not easy to digest if you expected an old Strato come back. 9/10 for me.

It's still very hard for me to be critical about this; the best release in years from my all time favourite band. I voted a 10...but if I was being objective in comparison to every other release then my vote would be around 8.5.

Written by Sword_Chant on 13.01.2011 at 15:55

It's still very hard for me to be critical about this; the best release in years from my all time favourite band. I voted a 10...but if I was being objective in comparison to every other release then my vote would be around 8.5.

This is pretty much exactly how I see it. Compared to the absolute Stratovarius classics with Timo Tolkki, it does fall a little short, but its still a very fine album, which I find very difficult to find any fault with. I guess it just lacks that little bit of extra magic that made albums like "Visions", and "Episode" so captivating.

@Stratoman: "Polaris" has some great songs on it, definitely. And is by far a better album than the awful self titled. Its patchy and inconsistent though, and could have been better. Which is something "Elysium" definitely improves on. But for sure, songs like "Deep Unknown" which is awesome, and became an immediate classic for me, and "When Mountains Fall" which comes very close to the all time classic, "Forever" as the most majestic Strato ballad, are totally worthy of the Stratovarius name. xD

Yes, a very good album 8.5

Upon this album I'm pleased. How be heard, Timo Kotipelto again plied his singing.
STRATOVARIUS be well on the way become again big band.
Unexceptionable album!

Written by Angelic Storm on 13.01.2011 at 18:05

Written by Sword_Chant on 13.01.2011 at 15:55

It's still very hard for me to be critical about this; the best release in years from my all time favourite band. I voted a 10...but if I was being objective in comparison to every other release then my vote would be around 8.5.

This is pretty much exactly how I see it. Compared to the absolute Stratovarius classics with Timo Tolkki, it does fall a little short, but its still a very fine album, which I find very difficult to find any fault with. I guess it just lacks that little bit of extra magic that made albums like "Visions", and "Episode" so captivating.

@Stratoman: "Polaris" has some great songs on it, definitely. And is by far a better album than the awful self titled. Its patchy and inconsistent though, and could have been better. Which is something "Elysium" definitely improves on. But for sure, songs like "Deep Unknown" which is awesome, and became an immediate classic for me, and "When Mountains Fall" which comes very close to the all time classic, "Forever" as the most majestic Strato ballad, are totally worthy of the Stratovarius name. xD

I agree totally, for me this albums are far better than the self titled and equal or better than the two Elements which have a few highlights but that's all since they can't reach the success of an album as a whole.

Written by Stratoman on 13.01.2011 at 15:48

In my opinion people are too hard with polaris which is actually a good work is not the best but it has it's highlights like Deep Unknown, Forever is Today, When Mountains Fall and perhaps Winter Skies.

Totally agree with this opinion, my first imprission when I first listened to Polaris is different from what it is now. And that's why I don't wish anyone to give any quick opinion about the new release.
Still Stratovarius, and after these long years, introduce a somehow complicated music that a lot of releases since the year 2000 from plenty of bands with a good reputation failed to introduce.
And surely for the all time fans music will always taste better than what it tastes for others

I listened to this album over and over again ever since I got my hands on it -- and frankly I have to agree with most people here saying that its a really good comeback and better than Polaris (which was a decent album but Timo was exaggerating it with the vocals -- and it was not that memorable for me).

I personally had to give it a very high rating - i'm a bit biased with Stratovarius -- but hearing something like this after years and years of waiting -- I just had to.

I'll be honest though I really don't think we should comparing this to Visions era stratovarius -- the direction of the band changed several times and the band lost and found new sounds throughout its existence -- my favorite was visions era don't get me wrong.

Now with the addition of Matias (a spectacular guitarist and song writer --I loved the title track) I think this should be appreciated as a new sound for a new Stratovarius that shouldn't be expected to mirror their old sound.

I don't get people that rate this album 3...I mean I get the fanboys (likemyself) that would give it a perfect 10 -- but a 3 means it painful to listen to -.- ah well

Seriously anything over a 6 is over rated. Here you have a Timo Kotipelto solo album with the boys from Stratovarius filling in to do the music. This sounds nothing like a "Stratovarius" album and I have to contribute that to the loss of Tolkki. Polaris was crap, and even though this one is better its still barely average. We can catch a glimpse of the Stratovarious sound here and there but thats only because of Jen's keyboard background music.

Anyone who gives this a 7-10 needs seriously reconsider.

Musicianship: 9
Vocal: 9
Atmosphere: 8
Melody: 10
Originality: 7
Production: 10
CD Covers: 8

Best Songs:
03. Infernal Maze
07. Move The Mountain
09. Elysium

Interesting Comments:
Angelic Storm
Ali_Diesel
fade

EDIT:
Interesting Comments II.:
Fat & Sassy!

Written by fade on 24.01.2011 at 21:41

Here you have a Timo Kotipelto solo album with the boys from Stratovarius filling in to do the music.

The only writing credit Kotipelto has is on "Under the Flaming Skies". Matias Kupiainen wrote 5 songs by himself, and produced the album. Too bad only "Darkest Hours" and "Elysium" are actually decent of his contributions...

Better than Polaris i thought,but Jens only did 1 or 2 stuff,how could you be so lazy

Written by Kropy on 24.01.2011 at 22:02

Musicianship: 9
Vocal: 9
Atmosphere: 8
Melody: 10
Originality: 7
Production: 10
CD Covers: 8

Best Songs:
03. Infernal Maze
07. Move The Mountain
09. Elysium

Interesting Comments:
Angelic Storm
Ali_Diesel
fade

I'm sorry, but are you a robot of some sort? I'm not trying to be a dick, but I can't help but notice that all your comments are a bunch of numbers and stuff, not very insightful at all.

Written by wty789 on 26.01.2011 at 07:13

Better than Polaris i thought,but Jens only did 1 or 2 stuff,how could you be so lazy

I doubt thats how it was done. I assume they took the 'best tracks' that each band member did. I think they ended up writing the same amount of songs for the album (like 10 each or something) then it gets chunked down to 2 or 3 of the best.

Written by fade on 24.01.2011 at 21:41

Seriously anything over a 6 is over rated. Here you have a Timo Kotipelto solo album with the boys from Stratovarius filling in to do the music. This sounds nothing like a "Stratovarius" album and I have to contribute that to the loss of Tolkki. Polaris was crap, and even though this one is better its still barely average. We can catch a glimpse of the Stratovarious sound here and there but thats only because of Jen's keyboard background music.

Anyone who gives this a 7-10 needs seriously reconsider.

I think a low 7 is fair, the album has some fairly special moments, but it's really weak in the middle of the album.

Written by fade on 24.01.2011 at 21:41

Seriously anything over a 6 is over rated.

That's just your opinion

I think this album is great and certainly my favorite release thus far in the short year. It sounds like where they wanted to and started to go with Polaris but overall a much better album and much better than the self-titled album which kinda sucked. I like this album as much as their classic era releases with Tolkki. The title track off this album is a fantastic epic worth the price of admission alone and I think it can go toe to toe with any "classic" epic in their catalogue, "Visions," "Destiny," "Infinite," "Elements" etc.

Ive just listened to the 3 bonus tracks "Castaway", "Last Shore", and "Hallowed". "Castaway" is awesome, and is very reminiscent of the classic "Black Diamond". Especially the signature opening keyboard riff, with which it bears an uncanny similarity without being a straight copy of it. It should have been on the album proper, an amazing melodic speed metal Strato song! xD

"Last Shore" is decent, and has a nice keyboard outro. "Hallowed" is a great song. More moody, and mid paced with a lot of atmosphere. I really love this one.