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"The richness of "Survive" allows Stratovarius to resume its throne on the heights of a majestic metal at once speed, symphonic, powerful and melodic."
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5/5
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Even if the very good "Enigma: Intermission 2" (2018) had tried to make us wait, it was no less than a collection of unreleased material. The anxiety was therefore in order, while the last studio album of Stratovarius already dated from 2015 ("Eternal"). In all its existence, the Finnish legend had never left us so long without a new discographic delivery. So it's up to "Survive" to close these seven interminable years of waiting. While Tomi Kotipelto, Matias Kupiainen and Jens Johansson locked themselves up together to realize a collective work of composition, they found themselves surrounded by the current madness of the world between wars and fires ravaging our continent. This does not bode well for an opus transpiring joy and good humor.
However, let the fans be reassured because "Survive" will undoubtedly nail more than one in his underpants. Indeed, if the recipe of the Helsinki quintet hasn't fundamentally changed, it had all the time to simmer during these long years of waiting and Stratovarius offers us here one of the summits of its discographic career. First of all, you have the first listening which plants its federative and unstoppable refrains in your neurons. You can't wait to be in the pit of the next concert of our favorite Finns, you can't help but sing them at the top of your lungs. In this matter, Kotipelto & Co. hit particularly hard and no piece escapes it, even if the eponymous title, 'Firefly' and 'We Are Not Alone' represent summits of the genre.
Then comes the next listening, since you couldn't do otherwise than to start again this "Survive" hardly the eleven minutes of the epic and majestic 'Voice Of Thunder' passed. Then you notice the power and the scale of the production, as well as the flawless performance of the members of the band in which the three soloists are joined by an impressive rhythm section. You are also overwhelmed by the multiple soli shared by the guitar and the keyboards, alternating velocity and emotion with brilliance. There is also the sumptuous vocals of a Timo Kotipelto at the top of his art, capable of sensitivity ('Breakaway') or of transmitting lyrics with power ('Demand'). Each piece builds on classic elements of Stratovarius' identity, yet variety is the order of the day and there are plenty of surprises. Among the latter, the convoluted riff of a sharp 'Broken' and the nod to 'Destiny' in the melody of a theatrical and monumental 'Frozen In Time'.
The richness of this opus makes it impossible to mention all the points that deserve the listener's attention. With "Survive", Stratovarius takes back its throne on the summits of a metal at the same time speed, symphonic, powerful and melodic, and not hesitating either to integrate some progressive elements. The only downside, and even if this opus is the luminous proof that it was worth waiting for, we hope nevertheless that it will not take seven new years to have the pleasure to discover its successor. - Official website
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TRACK LISTING:
 01. Survive - 4:39
02. Demand - 4:03
03. Broken - 4:57
04. Firefly - 3:38
05. We Are Not Alone - 4:34
06. Frozen In Time - 6:43
07. World On Fire - 4:26
08. Glory Days - 5:07
09. Breakaway - 4:28
10. Before The Fall - 4:15
11. Voice Of Thunder - 11:10
LINEUP:
Jens Johansson: Claviers
Lauri Porra: Basse
Matias Kupiainen : Guitares
Rolf Pilve: Batterie
Timo Kotipelto: Chant
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(0) COMMENT(S)
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READERS
4/5 (5 view(s))
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STAFF:
4/5 (4 view(s))
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