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Band Name: Stratovarius
Album Name: Polaris
Rating: 4.5 / 5 User Rating: 3.7 / 5
Label: Eagle Vision Records
Buy Album: Amazon.com
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Tracklist
1. Falling Star
2. King of Nothing
3. Blind
4. Winter Skies
5. Forever is Today
6. Higher We Go
7. Somehow Precious
8. Emancipation Suite I Dusk
9. Emancipation Suite II Dawn
10. When Mountains Fall
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It's rare for a band to be around for over 25 years let alone craft consistently potent material throughout their entire run. That is what makes Stratovarius's history all that more impressive. On previous albums like 'Visions' and 'Fourth Dimension,' the Finnish group's knack for packing their songs with anthemic choruses and memorable guitar and keyboard melody lines have made them giants in the power metal scene. In 2008 the band's long-time guitarist and songwriter, Timo Tolkki left the fold under less than amicable circumstances. The band quickly rebounded with the addition of hotshot guitarist Matias Kupiainen who predominantly came from the session work world.
Polaris is the Stratovarius's new album and from the opening gate, "Deep Unknown" shows that the band knew they had something to prove. The vocals soar, the rhythms drive forward with intense force, and the guitars pack punch. The self-produced album was mixed by Kupiainen and keyboardist Jens Johansson and they do a wonderful job of capturing the strengths in their sonic attack. The keyboards pop out when they need to but sit nicely next to the guitars for most of the album while Timo Kotipelto's world class vocals float on top of the mix. The softer moments find them weaving gorgeous sections like the piano part in "Winter Skies" the more traditional metal/hard rock leaning tracks ("Forever is Today") sound as glorious at their most loved catalog highlights.
One of the prerequisites for being a true power metal band is having a powerhouse vocalist. In Kotipelto Stratovarius have one of the genre's best all-around singers and on Polaris he never disappoints. His range is just as widespread as ever and he hits every note with the ease usually only veterans can show. In terms of the higher register of his voice, Kotipelto doesn't overdo it reserving it for optimum impact. Anyone who listens to power metal on a regular basis knows how an overzealous vocalist can cripple a great song so that makes Timo's work here so valuable to the material. If he's already not considered to be in the same league with guys like Michael Kiske (ex-Helloween), Hansi Kursch (Blind Guardian), and Eric Adams (Manowar), this album will change that.
When Tolkki exited the group, the metal community largely wrote off Stratovarius. Not only has the band silenced critics with Polaris, they have turned in one of the most enjoyable albums of their heralded career. Songs like "King of Nothing" and "Higher We Go" will make terrific additions to their set lists when they tour arenas throughout Europe. Matias Kupiainen should get the power metal rookie of the year award for his standout performance on Polaris. Instead of being overshadowed by the circumstances that got him in the band, he rises above and shows off a killer knack for guitar hooks that falls in beautifully with Stratovarius's epic writing style. Naysayers should give Polaris a fair shot because records this fully realized deserve it.
Review by: Carlos Ramirez
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