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We're talking about four albums that preceded the classics "Episode" and "Visions".
We're talking about four albums that preceded the classics "Episode" and "Visions".
by Leonardo Correia
There's no doubt that Stratovarius conquered the world in the second half of the 90s. Their Power Metal, full of catchy choruses and extremely melodic sound, defined a new standard for the genre, followed by many bands afterward. Although this golden age of the band is always remembered, their early works often go unnoticed. We're talking about four albums that preceded the classics "Episode" (1996) and "Visions" (1997), and it's this somewhat obscure phase of the band that we'll discuss in this text.
"Black Water" (1984-1985)
In August 1984, in the city of Helsinki (Finland), the band was formed under the name Black Water. Its initial lineup consisted of Tuomo Lassila (Drums and Vocals), Staffan Stråhlman (Guitar) and John Vihervhä (Bass). However, shortly after, they opted to change their name to Stratovarius (a suggestion from Lassila), a combination of the names Stratocaster (guitar model) and Stradivarius (violin model). At the end of that year, bassist John Vihervhä left the band and Jyrki Lentonen took his place.
Little is known about the band's early days, as no recordings from this period have ever been released. There are reports that two demos were recorded and that they were heavily influenced by Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne, in addition to incorporating elements of classical music (brought in by guitarist Staffan Stråhlman). It's interesting to note Lassila's dual role, somewhat similar to that of the band Exciter (could they have been another influence?).
At the end of the following year, Stråhlman decided to leave the band a week before a show in Aalborg (Denmark). Not wanting to give up the concert, Lassila called Timo Tolkki (who had previously played in a band with Lentonen) asking to join the group, and he ended up becoming a permanent member. Tolkki brought his influences of Ritchie Blackmore and Baroque music, giving their sound a more melodic feel.
Due to Lassila's somewhat limited vocal range and the difficulty in finding a vocalist, Tolkki also took on the band's vocal duties. In 1987, another demo was recorded with the songs Future Shock, Fright Night, and Night Screamer.
The first disc
After sending their demos to several record labels, they signed a contract with CBS Finland in 1988. With Antti Ikonen joining them to add keyboard parts, the band began recording their first album and released their first single, " Future Shock/Whitch Hunt" . In addition to the single, the song "Future Shock" also became the band's first music video.
At the beginning of the following year, the single "Black Night/Night Screamer" was released, serving as an appetizer for the debut album, titled "Fright Night," which would be released in May of the same year.
Recorded at Finnvox Studios and produced by the band themselves, the album features extremely fast, aggressive songs (quite different from the sound everyone is familiar with) and some virtuoso passages. The album follows the mold of 80s Heavy Metal bands, but also defines what would become Power Metal. Its lyrics feature the dark and fantastical themes that are already well known in the genre. Highlights include the fast-paced opening track "Future Shock ," the creative composition of " False Messiah ," and the instrumental "Fire Dance ."
After several shows in the summer and autumn of 1989, bassist Jyrki Lentonen decided to leave the band. At the beginning of the following year, Tolkki and Lassila were already preparing to record the successor to "Fright Night," but CBS didn't seem very interested in releasing any new material. Furthermore, the contract required the band to cover all recording costs, causing them to abandon the label. After much insistence, the band managed to get into the studio with Tolkki recording the bass lines. This happened because Jari Behm, who took over as the new bassist, had a playing style that didn't fit well with the music. In early 1992, "Stratovarius II" was released by Bluelight Records.
The album was recorded at Millbrook Studios (Helsinki) and once again produced by the band. Now, with keyboardist Antti Ikonen as an official member, the keyboards are more prominent (not just serving as background as in most of the previous album). In this work we find a more confident band, which has toned down the heaviness a bit to focus on strong melodies. We can highlight the Hard Rock of Break The Ice , the beautiful choruses of The Hands Of Time and Out Of The Shadows , as well as the progressive feel of the instrumental Metal Frenzy . The lyrical themes remain similar to those of the previous album.
To draw attention to the new album, the single " Break The Ice/Lead Us Into The Light" that same year. Despite the support given by Bluelight Records, their albums were only released in Finland. Seeking to reach the international market, the band sent tapes to various record labels, and Shark Records became interested after hearing the song "The Hands Of Time" . Due to a lack of compatibility with the group, Jari Behm was dismissed.
Heading abroad
In October 1992, the band released "Stratovarius II" in Europe under the title "Twilight Time." The album remained in the Top 10 of imported albums in Japan for five months, leading to a contract with JVC Victor Entertainment and the album's release in the country in July 1993. Later that year, the band reunited to compose and record their next album. Bassist Jari Kainulainen joined the group, even though most of the album was already finished. However, Tuomo Lassila suffered a severe stress injury to his hands, forcing him to take an eight-month break from playing. Sami Kuoppamäki (drummer of Kingston Wall) then finished the album.
Recorded and mixed at Soundtrack Studios under the T&T Records label, the third album, "Dreamspace," was released worldwide in February and March of 1994. It was highly praised by critics and took the band's popularity to a different level. The songs sound more polished, with more varied rhythms (sometimes leaning a bit towards Progressive Metal) and approaching the sound that would elevate the band to its highest level. It's worth checking out the strong melodies of " Chasing Shadows ," " Hold On To Your Dream," and " We Are The Future ," as well as the melancholic ballad " Tears Of Ice" and the strong progressive influence of the introduction to "Dreamscape .
In June, the band went to Japan on their first tour, playing in Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya, seeing Japanese fans face-to-face for the first time. At this point, Tolkki reached his breaking point and decided the band needed to find a good vocalist. After an audition, Timo Kotipelto became the new vocalist, leaving Tolkki as the guitarist. Still under the same label, the band released their fourth album, "Fourth Dimension," in April 1995.
Times of change
Recorded again at Soundtrack Studios, the band abandons some elements from previous works and begins a new sound that would mark their golden age. This time the vocal lines seem to sound somewhat freer, due to Kotipelto only performing the role of vocalist. Among the tracks we can highlight Distant Skies , the instrumental Stratovarius and the classic We Hold The Key .
It can be said that this album served as Stratovarius' gateway to fame. The band played major shows throughout Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Finland, Greece, and Japan. At the end of the tour, Tuomo Lassila and Antti Ikonen, long-time members, were asked to leave the band. There were many reasons for this change in direction, the most important being personal chemistry and musical differences. Primarily because Timo Tolkki didn't believe they had the technical ability to play the new material he was envisioning.
In October of the same year, the band returned to Finnvox Studios to record the successor to "Fourth Dimension". Now featuring German Jörg Michael (drums) and Swedish Jens Johansson (keyboards), the band's classic lineup was formed. The fifth album, "Episode", remembered to this day as an absolute classic, began to be composed. However, everyone already knows this story.
*This text was written by a Wikimate and does not necessarily represent the opinions of the site's authors.
