Album: Elysium by Stratovarius

Setting the scene

Stratovarius were one of the pioneering bands in power mental yet they were also a band of incredible bad luck. Considering that Stratovarius have faced internal disputes, were plagued with record label catastrophes, legal battles and emotional traumas its a miracle the band still stands.

There is no hiding that the current line up is completely different to that of the first two albums, but some how despite seemingly endless changes to their line up Stratovarius have created consistently quality albums that are all recognizable. Their previous album Polaris was still very much a Stratovarius album but also heralded a change in the wind.

According to Timo Kolipelte; 'Polaris was the album that saved the band. Without it there would not be any Stratovarius. With "Elysium" we are showing the people that Stratovarius are back at the top of power metal!' Even with a new diplomatic system of organisation and a 'burst of creative energy' can Elysium really live up to the hype and re-crown Stratovarius?

The Box

I found when my Pre-ordered copy of the album arrived it was the special edition, which will certainly stand out in a CD collection as the box made from hollific shimmering metallic card. Also included are small post cars from each band member with their thoughts on the album that are great for any fan and a quality booklet. All the imagray is of the style seen in the album cover. 

The Album

My first thoughts were of heart break, it was not at all what I was expecting and in fact I was very disapointed. Dispite this I placed it in my car CD player and after listening to it serveral times I began to understand that Eylsim is a great album.  Eylsim offers variety of tracks with some ballad like tracks such as 'Fairness Justified' but also high pasted power metal tracks like 'The Game Never Ends'.

Notable Tracks

I think everyone will pick their own favourate track from this album, personally I love the first track Darkest Hours, its an uplifting power metal athem with classic Stratovarius stamped all over it. ;Move the Mountain' is notably moving.

Summary

Does the album live up to all the hype, is it one of the great metal albums of all time, no. Although Elysium is a good album and I would not discourage anyone from purchasing it, its not amazing. You get the feeling Stratovarius could do better with this album, although it has more depth than Polaris its not much of a stride forward. 

4.0/5 - Elysium is a display of potensional opposed to a master piece, deffinatly take a listen but don't expect to have your mind blown. 

Buy it herenyone cares to disagree, please comment away :-)

Important News: DragonForce finally reveal new singer

The UKs favourite guitar hero metal band are back in business. Perhaps one of the most widely known British (despite most members having foreign ties) metal band has revealed Marc Hudson as their new singer as seen bellow:

Not all looking out of place amoung his new band mates Marc Hudson was selected through a fan video submitting scheme. 
Upon listening to the first samples realised by DF, I like Marc. I think it was a wise move to go with a different sound to ZP. it eases the pressure off Marc and allows ZP's albums to stand out as they rightly should. Considering DF broke up with ZP over the direction of the band I'm exited about what to come and I hope with a new singer they can produce an album that lives up to the hype of the previous albums. Personally I'd like to see an album closer to Vally of the Damned rather than the insane direction they were heading.. although I 
we will wait for their next album out in September 2011 to find out. 

Album: Death & Legacy by Serenity

Today, it seems like there are many bands out there looking to the past to weave a conceptual album that is rich in a specific history, whether bashing or glorifying something specific about it. Of course, war seems to be the big topic button in Metal, primarily about specific events that were important to that band's region, or the most influential to that member that typically affected that country. For the band's third full-length effort, Legacy & Death, Serenity follow the same educational but would never be used in a classroom premise by delving back into history to tell more then one specific tale. This conceptual piece happens to take a look at many pivotal and influential people throughout time, such as Christopher Columbus, Queen Elizabeth I, Sir Francis Drake, and more, in a beautiful, powerful, symphonic Power/progressive Metal one hour plus album. Honestly, had any of my History classes been this kick ass, I probably would have paid more attention in school.

Serenity compose an album that is both moving and powerful through a stylish Symphonic Power Metal sound that is complimented with a suiting clean vocal style. Many of the songs go by at a somewhat faster pace, but utilize the Symphonic aspects for a more epic sound, though some tracks have a much faster and more technical approach that contradicts the vocals that clash against the music in a manner that causes the two to end up complimenting each other perfectly. "Far From Home" is the perfect mixture of this faster and techie sound, though retaining that epic approach, retaining a more deeper, richer, even forceful Power Metal style.

The album is set up nicely as well from the conceptual aspect. It seems that each interlude or introduction acts as the start of another historical figure that the band intends to follow, and the music they perform often reflects that individual, and the setting these introductory tracks create. "Set Sail To..." manages to create an epic atmosphere that feels curious and majestic, matching the exploratory nature the lyrics portray. "Prayer" is more a spoken word segment that builds up the pieces to follow, which smoothly transitions into the war-based drumming and keyboards of the start to "State of Siege", which sets up the much harder and despairing Power Metal atmosphere for this chunk of material. These tracks do seem to focus a little more on the keyboards and other Symphonic elements at times, such as the violins really aiding the emotion of "Changing Fate", but the guitars do still steal the show, especially the opening solo on "State of Siege". Next you're transported to another native country through a tribal interlude track "Below Eastern Skies", clearly setting a Middle Eastern regional atmosphere for the song, though not carried into the actual songs after it, and "Lament" is a spoken word track that doesn't do anything and just feels tacked on with "My Legacy" coming off as another track the band had recorded but had no place for on the album in a conceptual way.

The album also features a number of female guest appearances of vocalists from various bands. this impressive list features Charlotte Wessels of Delain on "Serenade of Flames", Ailyn of Sirenia on both "The Chevalier" & "Prayer", and Amanda Sommerville, a female singer and songwriter who recorded with a number of bands including Kamelot and After Forever on "Changing Fate". All three of these vocalists do a superb job and really add a lot of emotion through the duets they take part in, and it really just makes these tracks stand out the most. The songs come off just as breathtaking as the others, if not more so, and they wind up being a very welcome addition to the recording.

Overall: 4.8/5 - A brilliant take on many historical figures that leaves you begging for more. This album certainly deserves a place among the greats of Metal. It's easy to fall in love with, give it a go!

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Album: The Enigma Of Life by Sirenia

For his fifth Sirenia project, The Enigma of Life, founder and guitarist Morten Veland seems to have settled on a female vocalist as Spain's Ailyn returns to the mic. once more. The Enigma of Life has all the elements that define Sirenia: symphonic, melodic, and sometimes bombastic metal with signature soaring female vocals and guitar solos. The songs 'This Darkness' and 'A Seaside Serenade' are typical of this formula. Yet, over the course of listening, The Enigma of Life seems to have a more accessible nature, a lively almost melodic rock feel. 'Fallen Angel', 'Darkened Days to Come', and extremely catchy 'Winter Land' swell with foot tapping rock appeal. 'Winter Land' certainly has commercial, radio-friendly, viability.

Having made this assessment The Enigma of Life closes with four songs that could pitch either way. 'Coming Down' and 'This Lonely Lake' couple that rock sensibility with the drama of symphonic metal. 'Fading Star' moves closer to bombastic and melodic black metal with addition of death growls. The closing piece, the title cut, is pure epic symphonic melodic metal. While typical of the genre, the songs on The Enigma of Life are varied and entertaining, having an alluring and unexpected attractiveness. Quite possibly this could be Sirenia's best work.

Having said all this, however, many fans feel that the album is a large departure from Sirenia's previous albums. But my advice to those naysayers is stick with it and you'll see that while still a variation from other albums it follows the progression Sirenia have shown through their albums. It is a classic album following in the sound of After Forever and Nightwish.

Overall: 4.1/5 - A stunning and evocative album showing that there is still hope for the Female-fronted metal genre. Stick with it and you'll see what I mean!

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Disagree or just want to say what you think? Feel free to comment down below ;-)