Artist: Stratovarius
Label: Nuclear Blast
Release Date: 6/26/01
Rating: 3 Skulls
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Title: Intermission Artist: Stratovarius Label: Nuclear Blast Release Date: 6/26/01
Rating: 3 Skulls |
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Submitted by Equinox (7/26/01):
Finland's Stratovarius have been at the top of the power metal heap for many years. Now, after a long stint as one of the most successful power metal bands of all-time, the band has decided, for personal reasons, to take a break from their hectic schedules. Intermission comes to us as a sort of "thank you" gift from the band, containing four all-new tracks as well as a generous helping of other rare studio and live tracks.Focusing on the four brand-new tracks, we see Stratovarius continuing down the road they paved with last year's Infinite, with no real change in songwriting style or delivery. The album's opener, "Will My Soul Ever Rest In Peace" is a slower to mid-paced ditty, complete with the ringing power chords, wailing solos and Rock 101 drumbeat that Stratovarius fans are so accustomed to. The track is seemingly built solely around the fantastic vocals of Timo Kotipelto, which again prove to be the strongest aspect of the Stratovarius experience. "Falling Into Fantasy" is another dreamy, mid-tempo track, with a solid base of good riffs and deft, intelligent soloing courtesy of axeman Timo Tolkki. In this song we also see the vocals climbing to higher, more powerful levels, which adds to the overall power of the composition. "The Curtains Are Falling" finally picks up the pace, and is considerably more exciting than the previous two tracks. This is the type of song that really brings out the best in Stratovarius - fantastic riffs, great, strong vocals and rumbling, double-bass drumming really create an air of majesty and glory. This is the power metal that I personally can't get enough of. The three-minute instrumental, "Requiem" closes out the newer tracks nicely with it's eerie keyboards and epic, regal overtones. This is the sort of song you'd be sure to hear when you meet with the King (not Elvis).
The bonus tracks on Intermission are nothing new, but most of them are entertaining nonetheless. There are a few cover songs here; "Bloodstone", originally penned by Judas Priest, is done well, and the playing is solid and tight, but the song doesn't stray far from the original and is just a carbon copy. The personality of Stratovarius could have easily been injected in this track, but here it is nowhere to be heard. "Kill The King" and "I Surrender (live)", both Rainbow covers, are both strong as well, but again they are just played note for note. True, these songs sound like Stratovarius could have written them themselves, but I still think the band could have loaned a bit more of their trademark sound to these tracks. The bulk of the rest of the tracks on Intermission are gems, previously released but available only in France or Japan. These include "Keep The Flame", "Why Are We Here", "What Can I Say", "Dream With Me" and "When The Night Meets The Day". The highlight of this release, a rousing live version of the anthemic "Hunting High And Low", finishes off the release on a high note, and the roar of the crowd singing along to the chorus will bring a smile to any fan's face.
For the diehard Stratovarius fan, Intermission is a fantastic buy - a chance to acquire a lot of hard-to-find tracks all on one album. Think of it as a sort of Stratovarius Encyclopedia. For someone who has not heard the band yet, this CD may not be the best choice. They would be better off checking out one of their more recent full-length efforts, such as 2000's amazing Infinite. Overall, Intermission is a cool release, plain and simple, and something tasty to hold our appetites until the band returns with a new full length.
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