Stratovarius (album)
{{Infobox album
| name = Stratovarius
| type = studio
| artist = Stratovarius
| cover = Stratovarius (album) cover.jpg
| released = {{start date|2005|9|5|df=y}}
| recorded = April 2004 – March 2005
| studio = Soundtrack Studios and Sonic Pump Studios, Helsinki; Goldenworks; Timo Tolkki's home studio; New York City
| genre = {{hlist|Heavy metal|progressive metal|hard rock}}
| length = 49:17
| label = Sanctuary
| producer = Timo Tolkki
| prev_title = Elements Pt. 2
| prev_year = 2003
| next_title = Polaris
| next_year = 2009
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Stratovarius
| type = studio
| single1 = Maniac Dance
| single1date = 14 August 2005
}}
}}
{{Album ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1score = {{rating|3|5}}Prato, Greg. [https://www.allmusic.com/album/stratovarius-mw0000529633 "Stratovarius - Stratovarius"]. AllMusic. RhythmOne. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
}}
Stratovarius is the eleventh studio album by power metal band Stratovarius, released on 5 September 2005 through Sanctuary Records.[https://finnishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Stratovarius&titel=Stratovarius&cat=a "Stratovarius - Stratovarius (album)"]. finnishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 September 2021. The album reached No. 4 on the Finnish albums chart as well as the top 100 in six other countries. "Maniac Dance" was released as a single, reaching No. 4 on the Finnish singles chart and the top 100 in three other countries.[https://finnishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Stratovarius&titel=Maniac+Dance&cat=s "Stratovarius - Maniac Dance (song)"]. finnishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
It is the last album to feature the band's longest-standing line-up which had been consistent since Episode (1996), as bassist Jari Kainulainen would leave Stratovarius later in the year, followed by guitarist and bandleader Timo Tolkki in 2008.
Overview
The release of Stratovarius came after a highly troubled period for the band in 2004, during which they temporarily split up following a nervous breakdown suffered by Tolkki. After a year-long hiatus, they reunited in 2005 and toured worldwide in support of 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 his usual high vocal range. 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.Priest, David (2007). {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070418030439/http://www.ontrackmagazine.com/03interviews/stratovarius.htm |date=April 18, 2007 |title="The Legacy Of Stratovarius!" }}. On Track Magazine. 2007. Archived from [http://www.ontrackmagazine.com/03interviews/stratovarius.htm the original] on 2007-04-18. Retrieved 2014-01-07.
Track listing
{{Track listing
| all_music = Timo Tolkki
| title1 = Maniac Dance
| lyrics1 = Tolkki
| length1 = 4:35
| title2 = Fight!!!
| lyrics2 = Tolkki
| length2 = 4:03
| title3 = Just Carry On
| lyrics3 = Timo Kotipelto
| length3 = 5:28
| title4 = Back to Madness
| lyrics4 = Tolkki
| length4 = 7:42
| title5 = Gypsy in Me
| lyrics5 = Kotipelto
| length5 = 4:27
| title6 = Götterdämmerung (Zenith of Power)
| lyrics6 = Tolkki
| length6 = 7:12
| title7 = The Land of Ice and Snow
| lyrics7 = Tolkki
| length7 = 3:04
| title8 = Leave the Tribe
| lyrics8 = Tolkki, Jens Johansson
| length8 = 5:42
| title9 = United
| lyrics9 = Tolkki
| length9 = 7:04
| total_length = 49:17
}}
Personnel
Stratovarius
- Timo Kotipelto – lead vocals
- Timo Tolkki – guitar, engineering, mixing, producer
- Jens Johansson – keyboard arrangement, orchestral arrangement (track 7)
- Jörg Michael – drums
- Jari Kainulainen – bass
Additional credits
- Max Lilja – cello (track 4)
- Petri Bäckström – tenor vocals (track 4)
- Marko Vaara – backing vocals
- Kimmo Blom – backing vocals
- Pasi Rantanen – backing vocals
- Anssi Stenberg – backing vocals
- "Starbuck" – spoken vocals (track 4)
- Mikko Oinonen – engineering (drums)
- Svante Forsbäck – mastering
Charts
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
! scope="col"| Chart (2005) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| {{album chart|Finland|4|artist=Stratovarius|album=Stratovarius|rowheader=true|accessdate=June 20, 2024}} |
| {{album chart|France|88|artist=Stratovarius|album=Stratovarius|rowheader=true|accessdate=June 20, 2024}} |
| {{album chart|Germany4|58|artist=Stratovarius|album=Stratovarius|id=23024|rowheader=true|accessdate=June 20, 2024}} |
| {{album chart|Italy|52|artist=Stratovarius|album=Stratovarius|rowheader=true|accessdate=June 20, 2024}} |
| scope="row"|Japanese Albums (Oricon){{cite book|title=Oricon Album Chart Book: Complete Edition 1970–2005|publisher=Oricon Entertainment|location=Roppongi, Tokyo|year=2006|isbn=4-87131-077-9|language=ja}}
| align="center"| 39 |
|---|
| {{album chart|Spain|93|artist=Stratovarius|album=Stratovarius|rowheader=true|accessdate=June 20, 2024}} |
| {{album chart|Sweden|37|artist=Stratovarius|album=Stratovarius|rowheader=true|accessdate=June 20, 2024}} |
| {{album chart|Switzerland|92|artist=Stratovarius|album=Stratovarius|rowheader=true|accessdate=June 20, 2024}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.stratovarius.com/pages/stratovarius.php Stratovarius] at stratovarius.com
{{Stratovarius}}
{{Authority control}}