Polaris (2009)

   Given the tumultuous time Stratovarius have had this past decade especially with the departure of their oldest member and long time guitarist, Timo Tolkki, the Finnish prog metal legends return with new blood on the frets and the bass to put forth their best album since 1998's Destiny. With Tolkki being the band's main songwriter thus far, the expectation after his departure was for the band to radically change their signature sound, though they do nothing of sort and instead churn out classic Stratovarius from start to stop. They seem to be willing to add new elements to the old winning formula.

   Polaris encompasses all that is great about Stratovarius, it has tons of variety while maintaining a fine balance of speedy, old school power metal pieces; the up-tempo neo-classical bits and the slower, more epic, progressive, power ballads. The progression is almost natural and album runs like a well oiled machine. On occasion, pieces and riffs do seem to be a bit derivative. 

   Johansson's keyboards find a prominent place throughout the album and it's heartening to see that they aren't buried underneath all the percussion and bass. Kupiainen is almost like a Tolkki clone at times, reproducing the classic Stratovarius style with neo-classical, Malmsteem-esque overtones. Lauri Porra is a great new find and does a splendid job on the bass. Kotipelto's vocals soar throughout the album and age hasn't done much to diminish the man's vocal prowess. Jorg Michael resonates the same thought showing that he too hasn't slowed down and is still able to pound the skins.

   The lyrical theme of the album deals with regions far beyond terra firma, celestial topics now seeming to be a favourite for the band.

   Polaris kicks off with Deep Unknown, a fast paced, roaring power metal song that is very reminiscent of Blood Diamond. Kupiainen's prog tinted composition goes through the motions effortlessly. A slightly off-kilter start, but not a bad one nonetheless.

   Falling Star makes a big mark on the album. With great choruses, hooky, emotive riffing akin to the style in Fourth Dimension, this is a steadfast Stratovarius number that will appeal to the older bunch of fans.

   What is probably the most powerful song of the album makes it's entry at position 3. The epic King of Nothing is an intense, melodic masterpiece that will not cease to stun throughout it's entirety. The focal point of the song is Johansson's keys, instead of merely backing up the guitars, he steals the show right from the start. Beautiful composition, that with its military rhythm, majestic soloing and melodic riffing shows you that new lineup shows some promise and that if the current lineup is stable, the fans have something to look forward to.

   Up next is the neo classical Blind. The breakneck paced, melodic thrash of this track is a sort of letdown after King of Nothing, but then again isn't bad given that it's just a filler. 

   Almost midway through the album we encounter the heavy power ballad Winter Skies. One of the slower songs of the albums, it's quite unlike anything they've done before, but is extremely enjoyable. Kotipelto's unique wail fits brilliantly with the mood of the song. The keys again aren't there just to accentuate the guitars but add that certain something to the track especially during the solo. One of the better songs of the album.

   Forever is Today, power metal staple or sorts is a sudden jolt after Winter Skies. Nothing particularly outstanding about the track, yet another necessary filler. Though the solo towards the end is the savior of the track.

   Higher We Go continues in the same vein, another charged, melodic number. Interesting rhythm sections and great choruses save the song. Excellent neo classical soloing, as I mentioned before - like something out of a Malmsteem album, finishes the song. Standard Stratovarius from start to stop.

   The elegant Somehow Precious comes in at position eight. Another slow ballad, it does not have the panache and style that Winter Skies did but feels poignant for some reason. This is Kotipelto's song all the way, yet another great vocal performance.

   The extensively progressive, two pronged epic Emancipation Suite brings in the rear of the album. Filled oriental influences that alternates between drop dead heavy riffing, and slower melodic parts. Together, these are some the highlights of the album. The first part has the best soloing throughout the album. This is where Stratovarius truly return to form and you can really see the band working as a cohesive, multifaceted unit. Kotipelto hits some incredibly high pitches during the second part, which is again vocally driven. All is all, a well crafted opus that is a certifiable classic in the years to come.  

   The surprisingly short When Mountains Fall ends the album. The simple, vocally driven song that endears itself to the listener easily. If you listen hard, you'll notice Kotipelto's thick accent for the very first time on the album, seems like he loses himself emotionally on this particular piece.

Overview : Polaris is definitely a return to their old glory days. A renaissance for Stratovarius was long in order given the nightmarish turn their career had taken and Polaris is exactly the revival they needed. The infusion of new blood does not the see the band changing the proggy-power metal they pioneered, rather bringing it back in a grandiose manner. The same old Stratovarius sound that the fans have come love is still there, it's just got a brighter sheen with Polaris. Matias Kupiainen is a fine addition on the guitars. It almost seems like Tolkki's departure did little to spoil the sound of the album. In the end, a solid effort from Stratovarius.

Genre : Progressive Metal, Power Metal

Track Listing : 

Title	Writer(s)	Length
1."Deep Unknown"	Kotipelto, Kupiainen	4:28
2."Falling Star"	Porra	4:33
3."King of Nothing"	Johansson	6:43
4."Blind"	Johansson	5:28
5."Winter Skies"	Johansson	5:50
6."Forever is Today"	Porra	4:40
7."Higher We Go"	Kotipelto, Kupiainen	3:47
8."Somehow Precious" 9."Emancipation Suite (Part I : Dusk)" 10."Emancipation Suite (Part II : Dawn)" 11."When Mountains Fall"	Kotipelto, Kupiainen Porra Porra Porra	5:37 6:57 3:40 3:12

Total Album Time : 54:55

Personnel/Contributors : 

• Timo Kotipelto  - Lead Vocals
• Matias Kupiainen - Lead Guitars
• Lauri Porra - Bass, Backing Vocals
• Jorg Michael - Drums
• Jens Johansson - Keyboards

Release Date : 15 may 2009

Recorded : September-December 2008

Supporting Tour : Polaris World Tour

Live Albums : Polaris Live

Trivia : This is the first Stratovarius album not to feature Timo Tolkki   

   

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...And Justice for All (1988)

...And Justice for All is Metallica’s fourth studio album and their first without Cliff Burton, therefore is also the first to feature Flotsam and Jetsam bassist Jason Newsted. The anger and outrage the band feels at the time is evident everywhere, in the lyrics, in the cover and in the music itself. The album in it’s entirety is nothing but a shout of protest.

     

       The album saw Metallica take a highly progressive approach with their compositions, the songs having complex guitar sections with incredibly long and fast solos. The album is probably Metallica’s most technical and yet with brutally heavy riffs, speedy solos and spitfire drumming. The drumming is extremely noteworthy here, Ulrich having produced some of his best pieces on this album. The production is dry, almost sterile and leaves a lot left to be desired. The bass is almost inaudible through out the length of the album, one among many (rather weird) things that has lead to this album being called a flawed masterpiece. Like with their previous albums melody is key in the beginning half of the album after which it’s brutal thrash to finish anything left standing.

     

      Being the album that came right after Burton’s death, the songs are soaked and drenched with the band’s emotion. Conceptually the album has an almost uniform theme running, that of modern society in decay. Lyrically the album deals with war, nuclear winters, corruption, euthanasia and in general the various injustices prevalent in society. This ideology is also seen on the album cover, where Lady Justice, or Doris as the fans call her, is seen in ruins. Justice getting raped to put it quite bluntly.

An epic intro is followed by some deadly shredding and fantastic drumming. 

Yeah, it’s Blackened, amongst the most well-loved and easily recognizable pieces of this album. The riff drills just right into your mind and puts you in a head banging mood. Hetfield is at his very furious best vocally. After the second chorus you are hit by a blast of melody, a Kirk special, that adds melody to an otherwise aggressive song. The song is about nuclear warfare and its consequences - a nuclear winter. A great album opener that sets the adrenaline going.

...And Justice for All, the title track, is one of Metallica’s longest non instrumental song. It is their most difficult and ambitious composition, with all the band members showcasing their craft. This is the only song in the album to feature the bass clearly. The song consists of multiple guitar sections with the solos and riffs extended leading to lengthy jams. The intro of the song is very melodic and requires the use of three guitars. Lyrically the song is about corruption and social in justice and is conveyed quite effectively with the reference of Lady Justice being raped.

Eye of the Beholder begins with a slow riff that gathers momentum as the song carries on, Ulrich’s drumming forms the backbone of the riff creates an interesting vibes. The song has a more direct approach with it being along the lines of songs from their earlier albums. Vocally, the song sees Hetfield going for slight changes in pitch to match the guitar work. It also has another great execution by Hammett. Lyrically the song deals with the freedom of speech.

 
One - Metallica’s most  heart wrenching number ever, a powerful composition both musically and lyrically. The song tells the story of a soldier who’s lost his limbs, and all his senses but his mind works perfectly leaving him a person who has nothing to do but to live the rest of his life imprisoned in his own body. The song begins with the sound of staccato machine gun fire, artillery bursts and a helicopter within the first 19 seconds adding a spine-chilling effect that gels with the mood of the song. Brilliant solos from Hammett in an acoustic background lead to the Hetfield passionate cries. The feeling of pain and helplessness in Hetfield’s voice is truly amazing. The song gets heavier as it progresses with the mellow acoustic parts making way for electrics. At just about 4:39 the song switches from heavy metal to pure thrash. “Darkness, imprisoning me, absolute horror...”,these famous words give me goosebumps every time I listen to them. Ulrich’s double bass replicates the machine gun fire recreating the atmosphere where the soldier sadly met with his fate. What follows is simply out of this world, Kirk uses the guitar as a wand and lets go a solo which only he can come up with, the solo sums up the whirlwind of emotions going through the soldiers mind. A minute of sheer musical genius. A song that has captured the imagination of people across the world, and by far, the best song in the album.

The Shortest Straw begins with a good, steady riff, Hetfield barks out the vocals instead of singing that gives the song an aggressive tone. The highlight of the song is Kirk’s solo, a solo to which you absolutely have to air guitar to. The song is about the blacklisting that took place during the fifties when communism was outlawed.

Up next, Harvester of Sorrow starts off with a crackerjack of a riff, it brings dark atmosphere in the song. It is a song dominated by anger, frustration and sorrow, the heavy guitar riffs and the bass and drum rolls only confirm this. Ulrich effectively transmits all his wrath with his pounding. Kirk as always delivers a good solo but the solo is far too short for my liking. The song deals with a sad man who uses drugs and alcohol as recreation leading him to torment his family and finally murdering them.

Frayed Ends of Sanity is again a song which brings with a dark atmosphere, Hetfield’s vocal prowess incorporated into the riff is something novel for the band. A textbook thrash riff follows the intro, the song loses plot somewhere in between with it getting very monotonous. The paranoia and the ability to distinguish fantasy from reality is the main theme of the song.

To Live is to Die is Metallica’s last instalment in their trilogy of instrumentals with the first two being Call of the Ktulu and Orion. From the lyrics the bit “...cannot the Kingdom of Salvation take me home” comes from Cliff Burton’s memorial stone. Incidentally Burton is given the songwriting claims. The song begins with a nice medley of acoustic symphonies. The riffs, coming in short bursts have a sort of sedative effect at times, but that then again is relatively speaking and is bound to happen given the energy the rest of the album packs. It’s also one of the few songs where the bass is audible for the better part of the song. It’s almost like mournful thrash if such a thing were possible. A fitting epitaph for the legendary Burton.

If To Live is to Die had calmed you down, then get ready to thrash that fucking neck because Dyer’s Eve is all about speed! The song is about Hetfield’s troubled childhood and how he was brought up in a strict environment leaving him exposed to the world outside after his mother‘s death. The passion and emotion Hetfield displays in this song is mesmerizing, Ulrich’s great drumming somehow portrays his feelings, his mood et al and this song is a great example for that. What a great way to end the album.

Overview : ...And Justice for All showcases some of the band’s most progressive and technical leanings, showing just what the band was capable of. This album was among many that set the precedence for technical thrash among the late eighties and early nineties. Everything - the vocals, the guitarring, the drumming and the overall performance as a band will leave you in awe. The angst the band feels resonates everywhere, the cover, the lyrics and the songs. It’s almost like they’re doing it just because they can. A well composed piece of intelligent thrash metal that saw the band slowly bid adieu to their thrash roots. Newsted’s bass being fairly inaudible and unrecognizable cannot be used to judge the man’s talents. At the end of the day it’s a great album, but one that’s not meant for everyone.

Genre: Thrash Metal, Heavy Metal

Track Listing :

Title	Write(s)	Length
1."Blackened"	Hetfield, Ulrich, Newsted	6:41
2."...And Justice For All "	Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett	9:46
3."Eye of the Beholder "	Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett	6:30
4."One "	Hetfield, Ulrich	7:27
5."The Shortest Straw "	Hetfield, Ulrich	6:36
6."Harvester of Sorrow"	Hetfield, Ulrich	5:46
7."The Frayed Ends of Sanity "	Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett	7:44
8.”To Live is to Die”	Hetfield, Ulrich, Burton	9:48
9."Dyers Eve"	Hetfield, Ulrich, Hammett	5:13

Total Album Time : 65:29

Personnel/Contributors :

James Hetfield — Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar

Kirk Hammett — Lead Guitar

Jason Newsted — Bass, Backing Vocals

Lars Ulrich — Drums, Percussion

Stephen Gorman — Mix Engineer

Release Date : 25 August 1988

Recorded : 28 January - 1 May,  at One on One Studios in Los Angeles

Supporting Tour : Damaged Justice Tour

Trivia : 

This is the first album with Jason Newsted, right after the death of Cliff Burton.

The song One is the first Metallica song to have a video, after years of resisting pressure to do so.

One is also the song that won Metallica it's first Grammy Award, in the category for Best Metal Performance.

...And Justice for All was Metallica's first album to be nominated for a Grammy Award but lost to Jethro Tull's Crest of a Knave amidst much controversy.

Cliff Burton receives co-writer's credits on the song To Live is to Die.

The bass is almost inaudible through the entirety of the album.

The concept behind the cover was given by Hetfield and Ulrich who wanted to show "Lady Justice getting raped". The cover depicts Lady Justice cracked and splintered, bound by ropes, her breasts exposed and both her scales filled with dollars. The album title "...And Justice for All" appears as a graffiti scribble at the left bottom. 

The Seattle show in 1989 is part of Metallica's Live Shit : Binge and Purge, a live album that contained footage and audio from various concerts. 

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At the Edge of Time (2010)

Here we go, it's 2010 and symphonic metal and power metal have all diversified into infinite sub genres, yet only some bands can pull of a solid album which highlights the uniqueness of the genre. Blind Guardian's new album is all that every fan of the band expected and more. If you were disappointed with their last offering, I can assure you the band have more than made up for it. The first thing about the album which stands out is it is more progressive than previous stuff yet it has elements which make it comparable to Nightfall In Middle Earth coupled with some neat orchestral arrangements. But the stand out from this album have to be Hansi's powerful vocals by far.

Here's how the songs progress.

Sacred Worlds: The opening song starts of with a prog-symphonic orchestral arrangement leading in to some captivating and exhilarating rhythm section work but after the initial buzz, feels somewhat stagnant and repetitive. A decent start to the proceedings though.

Tanelorn(Into the Void): This song is probably the most commercial song form the album. Again what hampers the song in the end is its repetitive nature. Regardless it's a very fast tempo song with a catchy and addictive chorus which will make you cry for tanelorn.

Road Of No Release: A keyboard solo and vocals aren't always a great way to start off a song straight on the tracks of a fast one, but this one builds up to become an epic (of sorts) filled with melodies which reminded of me of Guardian's yesteryear.

Ride Into Obsession: This one has definite shades of thrash mixed with old school german power metal beats. Upon further research I found out that this song and the final track are inspired by Wheel Of Time by Robert Jordan. Some strong vocal performances create a truly scintillating listening experience on this one with some nice thumping bass work.

Curse My Name: Starts of in the same vein as their most popular and well know songs The Bard's Song. Some amusing and tongue-in cheek lyrics with folk metal is all that this album needs as an antidote to lighten the mood. The drums though feel a little out of place on this one.

Valkyries: With this song, in come the Norse Mythology references. The drums are much more pronounced here and feel apt for the varied vocal styles being put on display by Hansi. Lyrically I found this song to be the most straight forward. A couple of good guitar solos seal this as a definite live hit. Off the 6 songs till now, Valkyrie is the standout track which I'm sure every listener will be humming due to its infectious choruses.

Control The Divine: Is probably the most monotonous song on the album and might make you push the skip button more than once. On the up-side vocals again are top notch and the chorus is the only thing saving this song from going under.

War Of The Thrones: The second ballad of the album (different from the version on the B-side single) , it is miles ahead of Curse My Name in terms of its lyrics. Some good piano work helps build this song from just an ordinary one to a good "sing along".

A Voice in the Dark: released as the first single from the album, this is "THE" true masterpiece of the album expected to be embraced instantly by all fans of the band as a classic. I like the way how the bass is up front and on some occasions even over shadows the lead guitars. The guitar solos although short and scattered, have a Celtic feel about them which wrap in nicely with the overall feel of the song.

Wheel Of Time: The story arc continued from Ride Into Obsession has unexpected time changes galore. Starting off with an Arabic feel, the song builds into a war cry-esque epic with excellent choruses and neat solos all around.

In closing. the whole album might be too hard to get into in one go especially with is progressive leanings, but a couple of spins on your stereo will make it one to be revisited more often rather often than not.

Genre : Progressive/Power Metal

Track Listing :

1. "Sacred Worlds" – 9:17

2. "Tanelorn (Into the Void)" – 5:58

3. "Road of No Release" – 6.30

4. "Ride Into Obsession" – 4.46

5. "Curse My Name" – 5:52

6. "Valkyries" – 6:38

7. "Control the Divine" – 5:26

8. "War of the Thrones" (piano version) – 4:55

9. "A Voice in the Dark" – 5:41

10. "Wheel of Time" – 8:55

Total Album Time: 63:58

Personnel :

Hansi Kürsch – Lead vocals

Marcus Siepen – Rhythm guitar

André Olbrich – Lead guitar

Frederik Ehmke – Drums and Flute

Release Date : July 30, 2010

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