Stratovarius has passed through really serious problems in 2008. Many thought that the band would end (and in fact, they ended for a while). But despite the storm, they reappeared in 2009 with a modest return.
Although their resurrection, Polaris was below the expectations; so, if 2008 was the resurrection, we can say that 2011 marked the Finns’ rehab.
Wait! Do not expect something amazing too. Elysium doesn’t reach that much! Stratovarius is still far from their golden years, like classics that they did in Episode, Visions or Destiny. Elysium is a traditional and bureaucratic Power Metal. It seems that the band didn’t want to take risks.
Every (or almost every) genre’s clichés are present. You can see some guitar masturbation (Infernal Maze), romantic ballads (Move the Mountain) and overly long songs (Elysium). I’m not saying that those songs aren’t good. They’re good. Just it: Good. Good is enough for Stratovarius?
 |
| Rehabilitated after dismanting? |
The main track, Elysium, shows some incredible moments throughout his eighteen minutes. However, some parts are really boring and unnecessary. It would be much better if it had been condensed in a shorter song, eliminating some dispensable parts.
Move the Mountain is another which suffers from the lack of moderation. The introduction is very beautiful and it was supposed to be a perfect ballad for catching conquering girls inside your car. But the chorus is too squishy.
I liked two great moments. The first one is Fairness Justified: A romantic ballad (without overdoses) with Matias Kupiainen doing an admirable guitar solo. This time, the chorus performs his role well.
Lifetime in a Moment is another highlight. The sacred introduction pulls a powerful riff, combined with several choirs that give an extra feeling. Here, is possible to see Kotipelto displaying the best of his vocals.
And about the disc cover? One of the most beautiful in their discography!
“Crocodile tears from industrial giants; apologies counting for nothing. Graveyard obsessions and shallow confessions; the game never ends in a draw.”
----------------------------------------
FACTSHEET:
Artist: Stratovarius
Year: 2011
Album: Stratovarius
Genre: Power Metal
Country: Finland
Members: Jens Johansson (keyboards), Jörg Michael (drums), Lauri Porra (bass), Matias Kupiainen (guitar), Timo Kotipelto (vocals).
TRACKS:
1 - Darkest Hours
2 - Under Flaming Skies
3 - Infernal Maze
4 - Fairness Justified
5 - The Game Never Ends
6 - Lifetime in a Moment
7 - Move the Mountain
8 - Event Horizon
9 - Elysium
----------------------------------------
No comments:
Post a Comment