METTLEANGEL (8/10)

The new album by Finnish favorites STRATOVARIUS is here, and it is exceptional! This is honestly their best effort since "Infinite". I have enjoyed "Elysium" and "Polaris", but the songwriting here is just better. I recently interviewed Timo Kotipelto, and he agrees the band has just found their proper niche'. With new local drummer Rolf Pilve replacing Jörg Michael everything has clearly fallen into place.

Whether it is the punishing opener "Abandon", the catchy single "Unbreakable", the powerful and evocative "Stand My Ground", the bellicose "Out Of The Fog", the elevated and uplifting "Fantasy", or the killer closing title track, everything just works, and it works well.  The musicianship, the production, the lyrics, all gel and allow for a true vision of paradise.

Honestly, there is no one bad song on here. "One Must Fall" is the weakest link, and this is still better than anything I have heard from SONATA ARCTICA in the past few years.  I actually like the eerie key elements, and Moog moments. This is a full-length album, but there will still be a digipak version with two more bonus tracks, and another one for the Japanese region.

The one song that really stands out though is "Halcyon Days". Kotipelto and I both agree that this is the best song on here. Besides reminding the band of better times, before all the chaos of the Timo Tolkki trials, this song utilizes keyboard arrangements in a whole new non-Metal fashion. They have an almost Dance-like vibe, and a whizzing Techo beat which somehow enhances the sound, and makes the music even more enjoyable.

Kotipelto's vocals sound better here than they have in quite a while. Just listening to him bellow on the softer side of "Castles In The Air" or the somber ballad "If The Story Is Over" just sends chills down my spine. While "Dragons" far from being mere flight of fantasy, recalls the rebellious mettle might of "EagleHeart".

Matias Kupiainen's guitar belligerence is spot on, and he is able to play fast, sounding the freedom call of an unbreakable spirit, while he also incorporates slow, heavy, or melodic melodies in to the mix, all balanced out by Jens Johansson keyboard fanatics, and Lauri Porra's pummeling bass lines.

If it is your destiny to be a STRATOVARIUS fan, this is mandatory. If you have been hunting high and low and a bit skeptical of the band as of late; especially, after the very disappointing self-titled, and overzealous "Elements 1& 2", then I encourage you to polish up that black diamond, because the story is definitely not over! This is a whole new band, a third incarnation, like what DEEP PURPLE have done for over 40 years. In fact, Jens even honors the late Jon Lord with his Moog style overtones, as afore-mentioned, while Kotipelto pays homage to the honored Man on the Silver Mountain.

For nigh three decades both HELLOWEEN and STRATOVARIUS are both still proving Power Metal is a vivacious and effective way of seeking your bliss, sealed with the kiss of Judas!

TUOKSU HOLOPAINEN (9/10)

I have always said that the best Metal bands come from Finland, and the release that I'm reviewing today is merely another testimony.

After a slight regression over the last years, STRATOVARIUS are back with an amazing album which is, as the title suggests, a sort of retaliation, retrieving the glory of their older albums. Being a Power Metal lover, this is exactly the kind of stuff I want to hear: enchanting melodies of an unprecedented catchiness, symphonic interludes, soaring vocals and an amazing guitar work, conjuring the most pleasing waves of sound to my ears. Hold your breath, some groundbreaking material is about to rock your ears.

Every single track is absolutely breathtakingly and flawless at every level. The magnificent bullish sound can be heard right from the beginning in the opening track "Abandon". Timo Kotipelto's singing is astonishing as usual, and the choirs are outstandingly thrilling, particularly in "Dragons". It's in tracks like "Unbreakable" and "Castles In The Air" where we notice a more prominent use of keyboards, something which can only add the myriad of awesome elements constituting this masterpiece.

The former SONATA ARCTICA guitarist Jani Liimatainen contributed to the writing of "Out Of The Fog", and also played the acoustic guitar and sang with the choirs. At a first look at the tracklist, I thought "Stand My Ground" is a WITHIN TEMPTATION cover and fortunately I was wrong since it turned out to be a brisker and heavier track than the others, accentuating Lauri's terrific bass job.

"Halcyon Days" has a more modern feeling to it, with additional effects and a slightly different vocal approach. On the other hand, the following track "Fantasy" is a very STRATOVARIUS track. "One Must Fall" is slightly more aggressive vocal-wise followed by the soft and mellow yet powerful "If The Story Is Over", whereas "Nemesis", which is aptly the title track, captures all the power and glory of the album.

There's not a single boring moment throughout the seamless fifty seven minutes of pure typically-Finnish awesomeness and magic. This is by far the band's best release since the "Elements" days, and certainly one of their best albums ever. It is also their first album with their new drummer Rolf Pilve. To sum it up, "Nemesis" will definitely rank high among my top favorite released of 2013.