ETERNAL ALBUM
I don't think Stratovarius needs any introduction. So, I'll jump right in to what matters in this phase of the band's life. After losing their founding member, and chief song writer, Timo Tolkki, the band has be lauded for having recovered so well with the last three albums they've produced. Some would even argue that among those three, namely Nemesis, is their best work so far. And there is no denying the quality of those albums, especially in light of Tolkki's departure, but I would disagree, only because this album is the best contender for that honor. Yes, I would argue that 30 years after forming, and having no founding members, this band has strangely, against all odds, produced their best work.
The key words to defining this album, are the words you would use to describe a great deal of the body of work throughout those 30 years: uplifting and energetic. Stratovarius' sound and theme have touched on the melancholy, but have always in true power metal fashion, sought to see the positive in things. To keep it on the better side of the corny spectrum they've always tempered their upbeat spirit with heart-felt melancholy and darker reflections. To hone this balance further, they've always added high tempo and quick licks to the equation. Both of these things, however, I feel they've done better than ever on this album.
The base of their sound is of course, the synth-heavy, double-bass-tastic speedy European power metal. But balancing their older sound which was maybe a bit more on the emotional side, with the last three albums, which have a bit more of a new school, riff-oriented and downtuned guitar sound, they've produced in this album their most well balanced and refined music. Both elements are here. The dream-like quality of the keyboards mesh with some legit headbanging guitar riffs.
The drums are thunderous, bassy with pop. Very tasteful playing here, not going crazy with the double bass, like they might have done in the past. The more modern leanings on the guitar show up at just the right moments, like in a sort of slow down in Rise Above It with some nice epic choir keyboards and guitar screams, giving a nice little punch to the song before it moves on to the next part.
Kotipelto's vocals are as powerful, full ranged and expressive as ever. This might be his best vocal performance. A true legend. The opening track is one of the most "Stratovarius" sounding songs ever. It's the band in a single song. Powerful, uplifting, catchy as all Hell. Speedy drum fills, grandiose keyboards and quick guitar licks abound. Classic stuff.
But what really pushes this album from really good, to something truly special is the epic final track, The Lost Saga. This track is essentially perfect from a song writing standpoint. It opens with the epic choir vocals, slowly building the theme, then breaking into a sweet chugging, headbanging riff that is uncharacteristic for this band but so, so spot on, going back to the epic theme in the melody. Later there is use of polyrhythms and nice metric variations, getting a little proggy, done so tastefully. The song unfolds so nicely, seeing flashes of many genres, and many moods throughout the course of the narrative. Impeccably written, and so fucking potent. This is quite possibly the best song in this band's long history. I have no qualms in calling it a masterpiece.
Even the bonus track of Giants is a fantastic track. Reminiscent of Fourth Dimension era stuff, it's catchy, and cheesy and awesome. I can't quite remember the last time I heard a power metal album of this magnitude. Don't sleep on this album. Absolutely top notch!
Daftar lagu
1. My Eternal Dream 06:04
I still remember when I was a child
So curious, adventurous and wild
Looked at the world with open eyes
I couldn’t tell the truth from all the lies
I was taught how to live, how to behave
I was told, how to walk, to talk, to know my place
All those years I was searching for my way
All the world was my stage
So I will turn every dream into reality
And through the dark they will be the light to guide me
I’m on my own, walking down this road alone
I’ll go on, I’ll be strong, all I need is my eternal dream
Now I can see it all so clear
There are no boundaries and no frontiers
I wouldn’t change the road I’m on
My dream lives on long after I am gone
I have learned I must do whatever it takes
I make mistakes, I must fall to rise again
Break the rules, all the chains that hold me down
I may sink but I won’t drown!
So I will turn every dream into reality
And through the dark they will be the light to guide me
I’ll show that I can’t be tamed
When I’m gone remember my name
And I won’t give up the fight
Go gently into the night
I’m on my own, walking down this road alone
I’ll go on, I’ll be strong, all I need is my eternal dream
(Oh...)
(Oh...)
(Oh...)
(Oh...)
Turn every dream into reality
And through the dark they will be the light to guide me
I’ll show that I can’t be tamed
When I’m gone remember my name
And I won’t give up the fight
Go gently into the night
I’m on my own, walking down this road alone
I’ll go on, I’ll be strong, all I need is my eternal dream
I’ll go on, I’ll be strong alone
All I need is my eternal dream...
2. Shine in the Dark 05:05
When I was young and life had only just begun
The days were long and bright
So warm and full of life
I never knew that one day you would fade away
Your colors fade to gray
It seems like yesterday
Still you’re shining in the dark
You’re still safe within my heart
Where my memories lie and
I will follow you
Wherever you go
I am what you made of me
Your blood is my blood, and your heart is my heart
We are what we leave behind
An eternal stream
You flow through me
And I fear no more though you’re gone
I know we’ll meet again
I know you’re there, still somewhere
You are waiting
You are the mystery that only I can know
The gentle wings that glow
The glitter on the snow
I never speak about you
Never say your name
It’s not that I don’t care
It’s just that I’m not dead
You’re still gone and I’m still here
Yet I always feel you near
Wherever I go
I am what you made of me
Your blood is my blood, and your heart is my heart
We are what we leave behind
An eternal stream
You flow through me
And I fear no more though you’re gone
I know we’ll meet again
I know you’re there, still somewhere
You are waiting
Still you’re shining in the dark
You’re still safe within my heart
Wherever you are
I am what you made of me
Your blood is my blood, and your heart is my heart
We are what we leave behind
An eternal stream
You flow through me
I am what you made of me
Your blood is my blood, and your heart is my heart
We are what we leave behind
An eternal stream
You flow through me
And I fear no more though you’re gone
I know we’ll meet again
I know you’re there, still somewhere
You are waiting
(Oh...)
3. Rise Above It 04:26
Scam is their way
How they play, how they make their move
Damned everyday what they say
How they forge our truth
We’ve seen it all so many times before
Make a stand, their demands don’t matter anymore
Uprising, uniting, all those who fear no more
Confusing, misleading, media’s hard to read
What is real, what’s the deal?
Is it all done in the name of greed?
What we feel is right and true
What we have is still inside our burning heart
Not torn apart, now we need to rise above it
They can write another lie
They can try to make us weaker
We won’t bend, fight ‘til the end
We won’t yield
We’ll rise above it
What they write isn’t right
It doesn’t matter if it serves the plan
Don’t believe what you see
Just try to understand
We’ve seen it all too many times before
Make a stand, their demands don’t matter anymore...
What we feel is right and true
What we have is still inside our burning heart
Not torn apart, now we need to rise above it
They can write another lie
They can try to make us weaker
We won’t bend, fight ‘til the end
We won’t yield
We’ll rise above it
What we feel is right and true
What we have is still inside our burning heart
Not torn apart, now we need to rise above it
They can write another lie
They can try to make us weaker
We won’t bend, fight ‘til the end
We won’t yield
We’ll rise above it
We’ll deny their every lie
And we, we’ll rise above it
We won’t bend, we won’t yield
They’ll see we’ll rise above it!
We are free, you and me
And we, we’ll rise above it
We won’t bend, we won’t yield
They’ll see
4. Lost Without a Trace 05:28
I can’t explain the way I feel sometimes
The loss of words, the chaos in my mind
It seems like I can only bring you pain
The passion fades away like tears in the rain
And every time you try to reach for me
I feel afraid, I feel I’m in too deep
It’s not your fault we ended up this way
It’s just that I can’t be what you want from me
I must walk away again
You will never see me
You will never hear me calling out your name again
I’m out of words to say so I’ll stay away
You will never heal me
You will never feel my touch upon your skin, your face
For I... I’m lost without a trace
I did not want to fight, not make you cry
I was too weak, the time was not right
I hope one day you can forgive me
For everything I’ve done, how I let you down
You will never see me
You will never hear me calling out your name again
I’m out of words to say so I’ll stay away
You will never heal me
You will never feel my touch upon your skin, your face
For I... I’m lost without a trace
You will never see me
You will never hear me calling out your name again
I’m out of words to say so I’ll stay away
You will never heal me
You will never feel my touch upon your skin, your face
For I... I’m lost without a trace
5. Feeding the Fire 04:12
Reading all the daily news
Full of crime, hate and abuse
Where is this world heading to
Can’t you get it in your head?
No brighter future lies ahead
There’s nowhere to hide
We’re lost and we’re out of time
So hear me now
The time has come to make a stand...
We lost, no one won
We fell one by one and
All we had slipped out of our hands
We will be the last
The die is cast
Open your eyes, here the dreams burn
And light up the skies
No return, no lesson learned
We watch and we wait while everything burns
And we’re just feeding the fire
While you’re watching daily feeds
Have you done all of your deeds
To make our world a better place
It is not so hard to tell
It’s all going straight to hell
We’ll leave like we came
We’ll be gone without a trace
So hear me now
The time has come to make a stand
We lost, no one won
We fell one by one and
All we had slipped out of our hands
We will be the last
The die is cast
Open your eyes, here the dreams burn
And light up the skies
No return, no lesson learned
We watch and we wait while everything burns
And we’re just feeding the fire
So hear me now
The time has come to make a stand
We lost, no one won
We fell one by one and
All we had slipped out of our hands
We will be the last
The die is cast
Open your eyes, here the dreams burn
And light up the skies
No return, no lesson learned
We watch and we wait while everything burns
And we’re just feeding the fire that will rise
The die is cast
Open your eyes, here the dreams burn
And light up the skies
No return, no lesson learned
We watch and we wait while everything burns
And we’re just feeding the fire...
6. In My Line of Work 04:19
In my line of work
You deserve everything
Everything that you need
And all that you long for
But I, I’m rarely around
Every train feels outbound
I wish I could give you so much more
I must roam
Follow the road I’ve chosen
Leave our home
The land is dark and frozen
Night by night
You’re still in my mind
Everything I must do
Is your burden too
Still the road goes on and on
We just have to play along
Days are lonely, nights long in my line of work
This is how the story goes
Highest highs and lowest lows
Home is never too close in my line of work
Here the rules don’t apply
Another town passes by
New faces, new strangers
And you could use someone new
Someone better than me
But I still hope you will be waiting
I must roam
Follow the road I’ve chosen
Leave our home
The land is dark and frozen
Night by night
You’re still in my mind
Everything I must do
Is your burden too
Still the road goes on and on
We just have to play along
Days are lonely, nights long in my line of work
This is how the story goes
Highest highs and lowest lows
Home is never too close in my line of work
In my line of work
Still the road goes on and on
We just have to play along
Days are lonely, nights long in my line of work
This is how the story goes
Highest highs and lowest lows
Home is never too close in my line of work
Still the road goes on and on
We just have to play along
Days are lonely, nights long in my line of work
This is how the story goes
Highest highs and lowest lows
Home is never too close in my line of work
In my line of work
7. Man in the Mirror 04:43
Cry for the man in the mirror
See his empty eyes, where nothing lies beyond...
You rape all the world for nothing
You made fire and curse the flame
You suck dry the fount of wonder
You turn sorrow into hate
A lone wolf, a walking carcass
A sore sight for putrid eyes
What doesn’t kill you makes you fouler
A dying whore by heaven’s gate
We took the bait
We took the bait
The big millstone slowly turning
You make mud from hidden gold
You weigh down and crush my spirit
For every step of the road
Your dead lips embrace deception
My head filled with wasted words
You kill what you can’t devour
You wanna drown me in a lake of filth
Cry for the man in the mirror
See his empty eyes, where nothing lies beyond
Cry for the man in the mirror
See his empty eyes, where nothing lies beyond
We lost the race
And then you spat right in our face
A mouth open, flies ascending
A paradise of empty souls
The black skies an empty ocean
It took the wink of an eye
From our pleasant tree of knowledge
A long shadow touches death
Lose sight of a broken promise
And in a moment nothingness descends
Cry for the man in the mirror
See his empty eyes, where nothing lies beyond
Cry for the man in the mirror
See his empty eyes, where nothing lies beyond
Cry for the man in the mirror
See his empty eyes, where nothing lies beyond
Cry for the man in the mirror
See his empty eyes, where nothing lies beyond
Cry for the man in the mirror
See his empty eyes, where nothing lies beyond
Cry for the man in the mirror
See his empty eyes, where nothing lies beyond
Cry for the man in the mirror
See his empty eyes, where nothing lies beyond...
8. Few Are Those 04:11
Don’t fear the darkness
Let it find you if it must
Open the door and embrace the sadness
Pain won’t stain you
It will only make you strong
Hurt won’t haunt you
But lead you where you belong
Let your grief fade away
He’s a guest, not here to stay
For one more day
Keep the flame, let it burn
Through the night let it shine
A light divine
For few are those who see with their own eyes
Few who feel with their own hearts
And few are those who reach for the stars
And few who do more than their part
Let the daylight wipe away your fears
For this is your life
And nothing can hold you back
Take a moment
Take a breath and start again
You’re not broken
And it can’t rain all the time
Keep the flame, let it burn
Through the night let it shine
A light divine
For few are those who see with their own eyes
Few who feel with their own hearts
And few are those who reach for the stars
And few who do more than their part
For few are those who see with their own eyes
Few who feel with their own hearts
And few are those who reach for the stars
And few who do more than their part
For few are those who see with their own eyes
Few who feel with their own hearts
And few are those who reach for the stars
And few who do more than their part
9. Fire in Your Eyes 04:15
On the long and winding road
If I say there’s no tomorrow
If I say there’s only sorrow
Would you ever let me be?
‘Cause I’m drowning in despair
I can barely stay in focus
And I can’t get it together anymore
But somehow it’s all worth it and the pain inside me dies
When I see the fire light up in your eyes
But somehow it’s all worth it and the pain inside me dies
When I see the fire light up in your eyes
When you’re tired to the bone
And your batteries are empty
When your dreams have turned to ashes
Would you ever just let go?
I would hope you change your mind
‘Cause the road goes on forever
And a song can help find your way back home...
But somehow it’s all worth it and the pain inside me dies
When I see the fire light up in your eyes
Somehow it’s all worth it and the pain inside me dies
When I see the fire light up in your eyes
When I see the fire light up in your eyes
Somehow it’s all worth it and the pain inside me dies
When I see the fire light up in your eyes
Somehow it’s all worth it and the pain inside me dies
When I see the fire light up in your eyes
When I see the fire light up in your eyes
When I see the fire light up in your eyes
10. The Lost Saga 11:39
(Oh...)
Sail away from my homeland
My mission’s to raid and plunder
I fight, I will rage, I will sunder
I hail the Thunder God
I look at the sky
Watch the waves turning into foam
I send my prayers against the wind
And I hope they’ll reach my home
I spent weeks on the ocean
My heart filled with devotion
At last in the mist there’s a shoreline
A sight that is so divine
As I set my feet on foreign soil
I feel so anxious my blood begins to boil
I leave my ship and walk across the shore
The journey goes on, I search and I explore
Now I prepare for war!
As the day goes by
I must fight or die
When the crows fly low
It’s my time to go
I won’t fall today
I see the arrows are flying
I will be the last man standing
I hear desperate cries of the dying
Lives lost for the land, the king
See the enemy flee
Still I’m holding my bloodstained sword
My brother’s laying by my side
They have lived, they have died for victory
A whisper’s heard in the air
“Don’t hang your head in despair”
I make offers to keep gods satisfied
I honor the friends who fought for them and died
We’ll meet on the other side for one more time
As the day went by
I was standing still
All the crows flew high
Above the blood I’d spilled
I felt my guilt
I will raise my horn
And I’ll drink the ale
For the dead I mourn
For the gods I hail
It’s been a long day
It’s time to go home
I hope someone’s waiting for me there
I’ll bring home fortune and fame and pain
Now I’m on my way
Through stormy waters I will sail
And I hope they’ll know my name
They’ll know my face!
Long have been these years away
I know they’ve brought you into tears
And I pray I’m there one day
I’m back to stay
I won’t have to fight
I feel my heart beat
I can sleep at night
My life is complete
And I know I’m home again!
(I will raise my horn)
(And I’ll drink the ale)
(For the dead I mourn)
(For the gods I hail)
So I have done
I will raise my horn
And I’ll drink the ale
For the dead I mourn
For the gods I hail
So I have done
I did raise my horn
And I drank the ale
For the dead I mourned
For the gods I hailed
And my day went by
Time to say goodbye
Now the crows fly low
It’s my time to go
My name lives on
I am going home
(Oh...)
***Disclaimer***
I do not own any copyright
for any of this material!
Copyright belongs to Stratovarius
and ear MUSIC Recordings!
Purchase your remastered copy today!
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