Stratovarius - Elysium review
| Band: | Stratovarius |
| Album: | Elysium |
| Style: | Power metal |
| Release date: | January 12, 2011 |
| A review by: | Doc G. |
Disc I
01. Darkest Hours
02. Under Flaming Skies
03. Infernal Maze
04. Fairness Justified
05. The Game Never Ends
06. Lifetime In A Moment
07. Move The Mountain
08. Event Horizon
09. Elysium
1 - Part 1
2 - Part 2
3 - Part 3
10. Castaway [Japanese bonus]
11. Last Shore [collector's edition bonus]
12. Hallowed [collector's edition bonus]
Disc II [Digipack edition demo's]
01. Darkest Hours
02. Under Flaming Skies
03. Infernal Maze
04. Fairness Justified
05. The Game Never Ends
06. Lifetime In A Moment
07. Move The Mountain
08. Event Horizon
09. Elysium
Stratovarius...That's that Finnish soap opera, right? Well, yeah, it's easy enough to chock this bands last few lack-lustre albums up to piss poor band chemistry and the downright cartoon-like drama that ensued because of it. So they "eliminated" the "problem", and came out with Polaris - an inching recovery, but a recovery nonetheless. Polaris, to put it lightly, was hit-or-miss on many tracks, but overall left most people, aside from perhaps the die-hard fans with an overall "meh" feeling. Fair enough, you can easily blame the new guy for that one, maybe the band chemistry just hadn't clicked yet? Well, the new guy is no longer the new guy, and there's been no reported in-fighting since Mr.Tolkki's days. I guess you could say every silver lining has a black cloud, because at this point they no longer had any excuse to release anything but their best. I'm not entirely sure what Stratovarius' "best" sounds like, but I can imagine it sounds something like this.
So being the leaders of the "Euro Flower-Power" scene (alongside Sonata Arctica), I'm always a little guarded against bands like this. Generally, it's soft, overtly feminine sounding guitar melodies drenched in harpsichord and symphonics. So naturally, I was a little shocked to hear a band like this pumping out some genuinely heavy riffs. It's very typical to hear bands falling under this sub-genre accomplish two pre-settings; top speed, needling neo-classical, and ballad, take your pick. While these aspects are very prevalent in Elysium, the band still manages to grind out some slow heavy-as-bricks stompers like "Lifetime In A Moment", or the less harmonious heavy metal "Under Flaming Skies".
It's without a doubt Stratovarius. If you're still violently opposed to power metal, then there is enough stomach curdling moments to turn you off Elysium. However, if you're somewhat on the borderline, (ie you secretly enjoy all those keyboard/guitar harmonies to from time to time), this is surprisingly more varied than what we've heard from similar acts.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 9 |
| Songwriting: | 8 |
| Originality: | 7 |
| Production: | 9 |
Rating:
8.2
8.2
|
Rating: 8.2 |
After the surprisingly good Polaris and yes it is surprising since Timo Tolkki wrote most of the band's songs and hits, I had really high hopes that the new album would be even better but after listening to the single "Darkest Hours", I felt "Deep Unknown" was on a higher level. Well I was wrong! The album is as solid as it gets. Unlike Polaris which contains some of Stratovarius' best songs ("Deep Unknown", "Falling Star", "King Of Nothing", "Winter Skies"), but also had its share of mediocre moments ("Blind", "Higher We Go"), Elysium on the other hand starts with the fairly good "Darkest Hours" and continues to impress me with each passing track. The production is crystal clear and not over polished at all, the highlight being the sound of Lauri Porra's bass guitar. The groove he provides on "Lifetime In A Moment" and "Fairness Justified" is phenomenal and contributes positively to the overall sound. The absence of the typical fast double bass songs is eminent throughout but that's not to say that there are none. "Infernal Maze", being one of the finest tracks on the album, has the best vocal performance by Timo Kotipelto since the Infinite album. Perhaps the biggest surprise in Elysium is the presence of the 18 minute epic title track with its epic feel and changing moods which stands as one of the most impressive works the band has released to date. The admission of guitarist Matias Kupiainen was a good choice even though the change in the band's sound might be repelling to the Tolkki enthusiasts but Kupiainen is doing more than well in filling the big shoes of Timo Tolkki, his influence on the 18 minute title track brought some very inspiring moments and showcased what drummer Jörg Michael is capable of ("Elysium" Part II is worth mentioning). Read more ›› |
Comments
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| Ag Fox Angel No More Elite Posts: 4774  |
My eyes popped when I saw the reviewer and the score (of course I read the whole thing). Guess I should check this out then lol
---- loves 小巫
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| Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Staff Posts: 9718  |
Written by Ag Fox on 26.01.2011 at 02:48 Yeah. I was shocked with how much I actually enjoyed this.
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck." - George Carlin
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| SlaytanicGonzo Posts: 158  |
Darkest Hour sounds pretty good, I think I'll check the rest of the album. btw, I'm seeing them with Helloween on May. Are they good live now that Tolkki is gone?
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| Cathaldus Posts: 6 |
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| Luneth Account deleted |
Luneth
Account deleted Written by Cathaldus on 26.01.2011 at 11:14 You should get used to the 'It's good, but it's only Power Metal' mentality. It's just one of those inevitable things that can't be fixed yet  On a more serious note, doubt I'll pick this up now, tired of rubbish Strat albums, they're past their time.
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| Mountain King K i K o Posts: 1361  |
Stratovarius have a lot of good albums and they can get pretty heavy and fast. Visions is without doubt their finest moment and Infinite comes close. Polaris was good comeback, i liked half of the songs on it, and Deep Unknown deserves recognition by and metal fan even those that listen to pure crappy satanic non melodic growling metal...
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| YoreLore Posts: 234  |
Why is someone who labels a band as "flower metal" doing a review? The hatred towards one of metals most popular and established genres is tiresome. You review this album as someone who obviously does not really enjoy this music and throw in some lines for other people who are in the same boat as you, acting like Power Metal is some sort of guilty pleasure you can enjoy in secret. Awful.
---- "I'm rising in power through murdering rain Stronger than Faith allows Braver than heroes vows ...My head is bloody but I am unbowed I am power..."
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| Doc G. Full Grown Hoser Staff Posts: 9718 |
Written by Cathaldus on 26.01.2011 at 11:14 Written by YoreLore on 26.01.2011 at 13:03 Calm down. The review is quite positive...I'm not sure what the incessant bitching and moaning is about. I thought people like yourselves could appreciate the fact that I found this a quite enjoyable album in spite of the fact that it's not a genre I'm normally into. Sorry I didn't give it a 10/10. Perhaps you should also consider the fact that maybe, just maybe the reason I'm not terribly crazy about this genre is because of the sheer amount of generic bands I've come across using the same overused sound, not just in power metal. Though my comments regarding this genre may be rude, they're not exactly untrue, it's one of metals softer, more melodic genres, perhaps I should start pumping out dry, boring reviews that won't offend anyone. If you've read any of my other reviews, you'll notice that I'll pick out the flaws of almost any genre, seeing as every genre has become watered down at this point. If you are indeed literate, you'll notice I comment on how Stratovarius managed to break away from these cliche's while simultaneously incorporating them into the music.
---- "I got a lot of really good ideas, problem is, most of them suck." - George Carlin
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| Luneth Account deleted |
Luneth
Account deleted Written by Doc G. on 26.01.2011 at 13:26 I don't think this is a case of 'Fanboys vs Reviewer' dude. No one expects you to rate the album a 10 if you didn't think it warranted one, the issue is, as you know, the way you used language in the review to construct a pejorative way of thinking about this album. We all know the old tired argument surrounding 'European Power Metal', I think arguments arising after reading this review are inevitable, regardless of what you meant lol. It's unfortunate. Personally, I'm taking this review at face value, being someone who likes Power Metal. I never liked Strat anyway so my opinions could be subject to bias 
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| Angelic Storm Melodious Posts: 6675  |
Written by YoreLore on 26.01.2011 at 13:03 I do think giving someone who has a very obvious dislike for a certain genre, an album from said genre to review is a bit stupid and counter-productive. Its really no different to someone reviewing an album from a genre with which they give every band unwavering praise. I find the best reviews are from people with no pre-disposed bias to a specific genre, one way or the other. I think this review is interesting though, as Doc obviously finds quite a bit to enjoy in this album, despite the fact he doesn't normally like the genre it's from. When you take that into consideration, 8.0 is actually a great score, and high praise for the album indeed. I do find the term "flower metal" nauseating, but everyone is entitled to their opinion, no matter how unpalatable that might be for some to take. I don't think Doc (or anyone else for that matter) should be criticised merely for voicing their opinion. *gets off soap box*  I myself would rate the album 8.5, maybe a 9 if I was feeling generous. Stratovarius have done better, but this is the best work they've put out in many years. Nice album, and good review! xD
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| Andreas Posts: 334 |
Written by YoreLore on 26.01.2011 at 13:03 Lots of people consider flower metal a negative term. For me, flower metal means very happy, melodic and uplifting metal music, and I simply cannot imagine how to explain that negatively 
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| Baz Anderson Staff Posts: 13254  |
I would tend to agree with the comments in here. The problem is that the reviewer is trying to convince us it is a good album, yet at the same time using language that is demeaning to the genre. Either way, it's a Stratovarius album - so it'll be boring. I've never liked the band a big amount, and don't consider them "leaders" in the slightest.
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Staff Posts: 18374  |
Written by Baz Anderson on 26.01.2011 at 18:14 I disagree... The problem imo is that there's too many people who can't take a joke and are too sensible about it (the joke is btw a half-true joke). I mean... Some people seem to believe that only Power Metal is an easy target to mock at... really guys? REALLY? Both "Black metal pandas" and "Death kitties trying to be brutal" are also a joke (Don't even get me started with Metalcore). This sort of jokes has been used in reviews (with positive ratings) about albums of completely different metal subgenres... People getting sensible about it just make Power Metal an easier target than it already is I support this review 100% even though I never cared for Stratovarius. This is for the guy who complained about the reviewer not liking the genre: That makes the review even better in this case because it is objective, you don't see a huge load of hate, he's being objective and not a friggin fanboy giving 9,5 or 10 like if they are some sort of candy.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| BitterCOld The Ancient One Admin Posts: 15287  |
Oh noes. someone who doesn't like the genre thinks highly of this album. PERSECUTE! PERSECUTE!
---- get the fuck off my lawn. Beer Bug Virus Spotify Playlist crafted by Nikarg and I. Feel free to tune in and add some pertinent metal tunes!
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| Yugosaki Posts: 141  |
I didn't liked this... It's not good album .... enjoy old albums
---- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaEBpRWr2IA
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| Death To Posers Hate Thy King Posts: 268  |
I don't usually like pig metal, but I liked the new Mitochondrion album that came out recently. Just kidding, it's good that your able to step out of your comfort zone and actually enjoy some power metal.
---- The word gen means "illusion" or "apparition." In India, a man who uses conjury is called a genjutsushi ["a master of illusion technique"]. Everything in this world is but a marionette show. Thus we use the word gen.
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| Angelic Storm Melodious Posts: 6675 |
Written by Death To Posers on 27.01.2011 at 00:54 I was just about to ask what "pig metal" was, but then I seen you were only kidding. lol
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| Darkside Momo Retired Elite Posts: 9089  |
I'm amazed at the reactions, as usual when it's about power metal. Moreso when a reviewer who doesn't like the style admits to enjoy an album. Written by Death To Posers on 27.01.2011 at 00:54 Great reaction from you, good sir. at least YOU understood the crux of the message...
---- My Author's Blog (in French)  "You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you" "I've lost too many years now I'm stealing back my soul I am awake"
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| Death To Posers Hate Thy King Posts: 268 |
Written by Angelic Storm on 27.01.2011 at 00:59 haha I agree with the rating though, somewhere between 8.0 -8.5 is about right in terms of my taste.
---- The word gen means "illusion" or "apparition." In India, a man who uses conjury is called a genjutsushi ["a master of illusion technique"]. Everything in this world is but a marionette show. Thus we use the word gen.
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| iaberis Advice Troll Posts: 1698  |
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| Angelic Storm Melodious Posts: 6675 |
Written by Death To Posers on 27.01.2011 at 01:10 lol xDYeah, I pretty much agree with it too. 8.5 is probably what I would give it.
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| -Mayhem- Posts: 63 |
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| Luneth Account deleted |
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| Angelic Storm Melodious Posts: 6675 |
Written by [user id=107773] on 27.01.2011 at 18:44 And here, we have entered the Twilight Zone.. where someone who normally hates power metal likes this album, and a power metal fan hates it. Its a strange world.. lol
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| Luneth Account deleted |
Luneth
Account deleted Written by Angelic Storm on 27.01.2011 at 18:55 Makes sense, as parallel universes are in constant motion with us :p But yeah, I never liked Strat, always found their music incredibly boring. Destiny was brilliant, but the accepted 'good' albums such as Visions and Episode I found incredibly avergae/good lol.
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| BlankFile Posts: 705 |
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| Stratoman Posts: 73  |
Is this a review? This guy is only talking about power metal, stratovarius old sound and a shallow historical review of the band... Oh now that i see there's a couple of comments about two or three songs... Perhaps someone's just writing to piss off many people or just because he needed some attention... By the way the reviewer was generous while giving the rate if he hated the genre....
---- Metal Is Made For All Men, But Not Every Man Is Made For Metal
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| RavenKing Posts: 1941  |
Written by Darkside Momo on 27.01.2011 at 01:07 Powermetal and criticism don't belong to the same sentence. Unless the reviewer gives a rating over 9 and praises the album as a masterpiece, many fans of the genre will bitch and moan about it.
---- They shake your hand and they smile and they buy you a drink They say we'll be your friends we'll stick with you till the end But everybody's only looking out for themselves And you say who can you trust I'll tell you nobody
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| RavenKing Posts: 1941 |
Written by X-Ray Rod on 26.01.2011 at 19:34 Indeed. Fans of other genres don't overreact as much as flowermetal fans.
---- They shake your hand and they smile and they buy you a drink They say we'll be your friends we'll stick with you till the end But everybody's only looking out for themselves And you say who can you trust I'll tell you nobody
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