Stratovarius (album)
Encyclopedia
Stratovarius is the self-titled eleventh studio album
by Finnish
power metal
band Stratovarius
, released in 2005 through Sanctuary Records
. It is the last album to feature the band's longest-standing lineup which had been consistent since Episode
(1996), as bassist
Jari Kainulainen
would leave later in the year, followed by guitarist
and bandleader Timo Tolkki
in 2008.
suffered by Tolkki. After a year-long hiatus, they reunited in 2005 and embarked upon a worldwide tour for the album, playing for the first time in the United States
and Canada
.
Stylistically the album displays a dramatically noticeable shift from the symphonic
power metal
sound of previous albums: the songs are more hard-edged and slower, with Tolkki's signature neo-classical
shred
soloing
almost completely absent. Keyboardist
Jens Johansson
's role is particularly restricted, as well as Jörg Michael
's drumming, which features hardly any of his signature double bass playing. Singer Timo Kotipelto
also attempts a different vocal approach, mostly avoiding high notes. Tolkki has since stated in interviews that he was unsatisfied with the end result of the album, due to it being too far removed from the band's true style.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
power metal
Power metal
Power metal is a style of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. The term refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a...
band Stratovarius
Stratovarius
Stratovarius are a Finnish power metal band that formed in 1984. Since their formation they have released 13 studio albums and one live album. Along with Helloween, Blind Guardian, Rhapsody of Fire and Gamma Ray, Stratovarius are considered one of the leading groups of the power metal and symphonic...
, released in 2005 through Sanctuary Records
Sanctuary Records
Sanctuary Records Group Limited was a record label based in the United Kingdom and a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. Until June 2007, it was the largest independent record label in the UK and the largest independent music management company in the world...
. It is the last album to feature the band's longest-standing lineup which had been consistent since Episode
Episode (album)
Episode is the fifth studio album by Finnish power metal band Stratovarius, released in 1996 through Noise Records. This is the first recording to feature keyboardist Jens Johansson and drummer Jörg Michael, who would form part of the band's most stable line-up for nine years.-Track...
(1996), as bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Jari Kainulainen
Jari Kainulainen
Jari Kainulainen is a Finnish born bassist of the metal band called Devil´s Train. He was previously a member of, Stratovarius and the progressive power metal band Evergrey.Kainulainen plays Ibanez 6 string basses and uses Ampeg amplifiers...
would leave later in the year, followed by guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
and bandleader Timo Tolkki
Timo Tolkki
Timo Tapio Tolkki is a Finnish musician best known as the former guitarist, songwriter, and producer of the power metal band Stratovarius. He left Stratovarius in 2008 and formed a new band, Revolution Renaissance. To this day, with his tenure extending for more than twenty years, Tolkki was the...
in 2008.
Background
The release of Stratovarius came after a highly troubled period for the band in 2004, during which they temporarily split up following a nervous breakdownNervous breakdown
Mental breakdown is a non-medical term used to describe an acute, time-limited phase of a specific disorder that presents primarily with features of depression or anxiety.-Definition:...
suffered by Tolkki. After a year-long hiatus, they reunited in 2005 and embarked upon a worldwide tour for the album, playing for the first time in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
Stylistically the album displays a dramatically noticeable shift from the symphonic
Symphony
A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, scored almost always for orchestra. A symphony usually contains at least one movement or episode composed according to the sonata principle...
power metal
Power metal
Power metal is a style of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. The term refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a...
sound of previous albums: the songs are more hard-edged and slower, with Tolkki's signature neo-classical
Neo-classical metal
Neo-classical metal is a subgenre of heavy metal music that is heavily influenced by classical music. It refers to a very technical performanceExact quote from the french text: "L'arrivée du néoclassique remet au goût du jour la virtuosité et le travail de l'instrument", « Les secrets du metal-...
shred
Shred guitar
Shred guitar or shredding is lead electric guitar playing that relies heavily on fast guitar solos. While some critics argue that shred guitar is associated with "... sweep-picked arpeggios, diminished and harmonic minor scales, finger-tapping and ... whammy-bar abuse", several guitar...
soloing
Solo (music)
In music, a solo is a piece or a section of a piece played or sung by a single performer...
almost completely absent. Keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
Jens Johansson
Jens Johansson
Jens Ola Johansson is a Swedish power metal keyboardist and pianist. He is notable for his high-speed neoclassical and fusion style.-Biography:...
's role is particularly restricted, as well as Jörg Michael
Jörg Michael
Jörg Michael is a German drummer. He is well-known for his time in the Finnish power metal band Stratovarius and several other bands....
's drumming, which features hardly any of his signature double bass playing. Singer Timo Kotipelto
Timo Kotipelto
Timo Antero Kotipelto is the vocalist of the Finnish power metal band Stratovarius and is the creator and vocalist of the power metal band Kotipelto...
also attempts a different vocal approach, mostly avoiding high notes. Tolkki has since stated in interviews that he was unsatisfied with the end result of the album, due to it being too far removed from the band's true style.
Track listing
Personnel
- Timo KotipeltoTimo KotipeltoTimo Antero Kotipelto is the vocalist of the Finnish power metal band Stratovarius and is the creator and vocalist of the power metal band Kotipelto...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Timo TolkkiTimo TolkkiTimo Tapio Tolkki is a Finnish musician best known as the former guitarist, songwriter, and producer of the power metal band Stratovarius. He left Stratovarius in 2008 and formed a new band, Revolution Renaissance. To this day, with his tenure extending for more than twenty years, Tolkki was the...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, engineeringAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
, mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
, productionRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - Jens JohanssonJens JohanssonJens Ola Johansson is a Swedish power metal keyboardist and pianist. He is notable for his high-speed neoclassical and fusion style.-Biography:...
– keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, arrangementArrangementThe American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents... - Jörg MichaelJörg MichaelJörg Michael is a German drummer. He is well-known for his time in the Finnish power metal band Stratovarius and several other bands....
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Jari KainulainenJari KainulainenJari Kainulainen is a Finnish born bassist of the metal band called Devil´s Train. He was previously a member of, Stratovarius and the progressive power metal band Evergrey.Kainulainen plays Ibanez 6 string basses and uses Ampeg amplifiers...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick.... - Max LiljaMax LiljaMax Lilja is a cellist, formerly of cello metal/chamber music band Apocalyptica and currently in the band Hevein. He left Apocalyptica in 2002...
– celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is... - Petri Bäckström – tenorTenorThe tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
- Marko Vaara – background vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
- Kimmo Blom – background vocals
- Pasi RantanenPasi RantanenPasi Rantanen is a Finnish singer. Best known for his power metal band Thunderstone, which he was a member of from the band's creation in 2000 until 2007....
– background vocals - Anssi Stenberg – background vocals
- "Starbuck" – spoken vocalsSpoken wordSpoken word is a form of poetry that often uses alliterated prose or verse and occasionally uses metered verse to express social commentary. Traditionally it is in the first person, is from the poet’s point of view and is themed in current events....
- Mikko Oinonen – engineering
- Svante Forsbäck – masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
Charts
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Finnish Chart | #4 |
| 2005 | Japanese Chart | #39 |
| 2005 | Italian Album Chart | #52 |