Finnish power metal legends Stratovarius are back with their 16th studio, Survive, out now on EarMusic/Edel. Coming seven years after 2017's Eternal, the band have created their most immediate and anthemic release in many years, as Survive captures your attention from the opening hook laden blast of the title track, and never looks back from there. The choruses are off the charts catchy on standout songs "Demand", "Broken", "Firefly" and the crushing symphonic power metal attack of "We Are Not Alone". Lead singer Timo Kotipelto is the defacto leader of the band now, alongside keyboard player Jens Johansson, but the rest of the band are a formidable bunch, and they include hotshot guitarist Matias Kupaininen, drummer Rolf Pilve, and bassist Lauri Porra, all of whom who have been with the band now for quite some time. Much of the album bridges the gap between traditional symphonic power metal and prog-metal, as you don't get lots of instrumental interplay between Johansson & Kupaininen, and the arrangements are often times fairly intricate, like the blazing "World in Fire" and the wild speed metal frenzy of "Glory Days". Those who like Stratovarius' more epic & symphonic fare will love "Frozen in Time", the soaring "Breakaway", and the incredible, lengthy closer "Voice of Thunder", complete with excellent lead & backing vocals from Kotipelto & crew.
From start to finish, expect lots of big riffs, soaring vocals, and exquisite keyboards, plus the memorable melodies and choruses are instant ear candy from the very first listen. Honestly, I think this might be my favorite Stratovarius album since Polaris and Elysium, which was over a decade ago. Highly recommended!
Track Listing
1 Survive
2 Demand
3 Broken
4 Firefly
5 We Are Not Alone
6 Frozen in Time
7 World on Fire
8 Glory Days
9 Breakaway
10 Before the Fall
11 Voice of Thunder
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