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Stratovarius
Stratovarius is a Finnish power metal band. Formed in 1984, they have released sixteen studio albums, six DVDs and six live albums. The band's line-up has changed many times, with no founding member left since the departure of drummer Tuomo Lassila in 1995, and no member from their early recording days left following guitarist Timo Tolkki's departure in 2008. Currently, the longest standing member is singer Timo Kotipelto, who joined in 1994. The band was founded in August 1984 as Black Water, consisting of Lassila as singer and drummer, guitarist Staffan Stråhlman, bassist John Vihervä, and, later, keyboardist Antti Ikonen. In Summer 1985, the band changed its name to Stratovarius, which was soon followed by line-up changes. Tolkki replaced Stråhlman and with this line-up, the band released its first album '' Fright Night'' in 1989, with Tolkki as sole songwriter. While going through many bassists, the band released the albums '' Twilight Time'' in 1992 and '' Dreamspace ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Polaris (Stratovarius Album)
''Polaris'' is the twelfth studio album by power metal band Stratovarius, released on 15 May 2009. It is the first Stratovarius album to feature bassist Lauri Porra and guitarist Matias Kupiainen, following former bassist Jari Kainulainen's departure from the band in 2005 and former guitarist Timo Tolkki's departure in 2008. Timo Kotipelto, who at the time of ''Polaris'' release had been a member of Stratovarius the longest (since 1994) among the current members, considered ''Polaris'' to be "the album that saved the band" and said that "without it there would not be any Stratovarius."Timo Kotipelto photocard released with Digipak edition CD of Stratovarius' Elysium (Stratovarius album), ''Elysium''. More time passed between the release of Stratovarius' eponymous album Stratovarius (album), ''Stratovarius'' in 2005 and the release of ''Polaris'' than between any other two consecutive albums released by the band. Stratovarius in 2006 [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jens Johansson
Jens Ola Johansson (born 2 November 1963 in Stockholm) is a Swedish keyboardist and pianist. Jens got famous in the early 80's when he and his brother Anders (drums) joined Yngwie Malmsteen's "Rising Force". Jens is the son of the Swedish Jazz pianist Jan Johansson. Jens has also worked with the guitar player Allan Holdsworth. He's currently working with the Finnish power metal band Stratovarius and Ritchie Blackmore's rock project Rainbow. He is notable for his high-speed and technical skills in the style of neoclassical , fusion and rock. Biography Johansson is son of Swedish jazz pianist Jan Johansson and brother of Ex- HammerFall drummer Anders Johansson. He is highly influenced by classic rock keyboardists like Don Airey, Eddie Jobson and Jon Lord. In 1982, the classically trained Johansson left the jazz fusion band Slem and joined the Swedish metal band Silver Mountain, which also included Anders. In 1983 he left Sweden for California and joined guitarist Yngwie ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Timo Tolkki
Timo Tapio Tolkki (born 3 March 1966) is a Finnish musician best known as the former guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer of the power metal band Stratovarius. With his tenure lasting for more than twenty years, he was the longest standing member of the band before his departure in 2008. After leaving Stratovarius he formed two supergroups named Revolution Renaissance and Symfonia, both of which have since disbanded. In a 2011 article by '' Guitar World'' magazine, Tolkki was included in the all-time top 50 list of the world's fastest guitarists. Early years and Stratovarius Tolkki started playing guitar at the age of seven and practiced intensely, sometimes eight hours a day. When he was twelve years old, his father committed suicide by jumping from the fourth floor of his apartment.Tolkki, Timo (2010). Loneliness of a Thousand Years'. Finland. p. 4. Retrieved 31 July 2012. Before joining Stratovarius in 1984, Tolkki had played with the bands Antidote, Thunder and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Timo Kotipelto
Timo Antero Kotipelto (born 15 March 1969) is a Finnish musician best known as the lead singer of the power metal band Stratovarius, whom he joined in 1994, as well as fronting his own band Kotipelto. Biography He studied vocals at the pop/jazz music school, conservatory in Helsinki, briefly singing for an amateur cover band named Filthy Asses. In summer of 1994, he applied to Stratovarius, who were looking for a singer at the time, and was accepted. His arrival corresponds closely with the band's rise to international fame. The first album he recorded with the band was ''Fourth Dimension'', in 1995. Stratovarius has then become a top name in the European heavy metal scene, recording 12 more albums and performing in numerous notable rock festivals. In late 2003, Kotipelto split from Stratovarius after intra-band disagreements, notably with guitarist Timo Tolkki. After much turmoil throughout 2004, he rejoined the band in January 2005, recorded the album ''Stratovarius (album), ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Twilight Time (album)
''Twilight Time'' is the second studio album by the power metal band Stratovarius. The album was originally recorded and released in the band's native Finland as ''Stratovarius II'' in early 1992 by Bluelight Records."History" stratovarius.com. Retrieved 17 January 2014. Stratovarius got a new international record deal from Shark Records later in the same year. The album was released worldwide under a new name, ''Twilight Time'', and different artwork, although it remained musically unchanged. In June 1993, the album was also released in Japan by as ''Twilight Time''. Bluelight Records made two reissues of the album in Finland, retaining the name ''Stratovarius II''. Releas ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Visions (Stratovarius Album)
''Visions'' is the sixth studio album by Finnish power metal band Stratovarius, released on 28 April 1997 through Noise Records. The album reached No. 4 on the Finnish albums chart and remained on that chart for 23 weeks. It is a concept album about Nostradamus. Critical reception Steve Huey at AllMusic gave ''Visions'' four stars out of five, calling it "as ambitious as neoclassical metal gets" and saying "there are some fine moments on the record", but also remarking that "too much of the material sinks under its own weight, particularly the ten-minute title track." In 2005, the album was ranked No. 297 in '' Rock Hard'' magazine's book ''The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time''. ''Loudwire'' named the album at sixth in their list "Top 25 Power Metal Albums of All Time." ''Metal Hammer'' also named the album in their list "The 10 essential power metal albums." Track listing Personnel *Timo Kotipelto – lead vocals *Timo Tolkki – guitar, background vocals, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jörg Michael
Jörg Michael (born 27 March 1963) is a German drummer who is known for playing with numerous groups, including the power metal band Stratovarius, with whom he played from 1995 to 2011, and Saxon (2004–2005). He has also been a member of Mekong Delta, Rage, and many more heavy metal bands. Biography Michael left Stratovarius in 2011 for "personal reasons". Around the same time he was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, from which he later made a full recovery. He is currently a member of Heavatar, a German power metal band founded in 2013. Michael is considered to be one of the most important and influential power metal drummers. Discography ;Avenger *'' Prayers of Steel'' (1985) *'' Depraved to Black'' (EP, 1985) ; Rage *'' Reign of Fear'' (1986) *'' Execution Guaranteed'' (1987) *'' 10 Years in Rage'' (1994) ;Der Riss *''They All Do What Their Image Says'' (EP, 1986) ;100 Names *''100 Names'' (1986) ;The Raymen *''Going Down to Death Valley'' (1986) *''The Rebel Year ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fright Night (album)
''Fright Night'' is the first studio album by the power metal band Stratovarius, released in May 1989 by Columbia Records."Stratovarius - Fright Night (album)" ''finnishcharts.com''. Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 January 2014. A ed edition was issued in 1993. . Retrieved 17 January 2014. Cover art The cover art for ...[...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Matias Kupiainen
Matias Kupiainen (born 11 May 1983 in Helsinki) is a Finnish guitarist, songwriter and record producer. He is the current guitarist in Stratovarius. Biography Kupiainen was chosen as the new guitarist for the Finnish power metal band Stratovarius after Timo Tolkki's departure from the band in 2008. He started playing with the band in 2009, on their album ''Polaris (Stratovarius album), Polaris'' for which he composed three songs. In addition to Stratovarius, Kupiainen founded the grindcore band Fist in Fetus, which released a self-produced Extended Play, EP in 2007. He guested on the 2007 album ''Guitar Heroes'', on the song "12 Donkeys", that was also released as a single, and appeared on the record release concert at Tavastia Club. At the 2007 Tuska Open Air Metal Festival, Tuska festival, he appeared as the one-man house band of the TV station YLE Extra. Kupiainen has also played as a session musician, among others, on albums of Olavi Uusivirta and Milana Misic, and worke ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Destiny (Stratovarius Album)
''Destiny'' is the seventh studio album by power metal band Stratovarius, released on 5 October 1998 through Noise Records."Stratovarius - Destiny (album)" ''finnishcharts.com''. Hung Medien. Retrieved 2014-11-07. It reached No. 1 on the Finnish albums chart and remained on that chart for 17 weeks. "SOS" was released as a single, reaching No. 2 on the Finnish singles chart and remaining on that chart for eleven weeks."Stratovarius - S.O.S. (s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jari Kainulainen
Jari "Jartsi" Kainulainen (born 29 April 1970) is a Finnish bass guitarist. He is best known as the former bassist of the power metal band Stratovarius from 1993 to 2005. He is currently the bassist of Masterplan, having joined 2012. After his period in Stratovarius he founded his own band called Mess. Between 2002 and 2006, Kainulainen played bass with Kotipelto, a Finnish power metal band formed by Timo Kotipelto, singer of Stratovarius. In 2007, he joined the Swedish progressive power metal band Evergrey. In 2010, Jari Kainulainen created the power metal supergroup Symfonia along with Andre Matos, Timo Tolkki, Mikko Härkin and Uli Kusch. He joined Masterplan in 2012. In 2013, he created the melodic power metal band Shadowquest. Kainulainen plays Ibanez six-string basses and uses Ampeg amplifiers. He is influenced by Geezer Butler, Billy Sheehan, Cliff Burton, and Steve Harris. Discography Masterplan *'' Novum Initium'' (2013) *''Keep Your Dream Alive'' (2015) * ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tuomo Lassila
Tuomo Ollinpoika Lassila (born 1965) is a Finnish percussionist and heavy metal drummer. He is best known as the former drummer, founding member and co-songwriter of the power metal band Stratovarius from 1985 to 1995. Currently he is the principal percussionist of the Lohja City Orchestra and the drummer and percussionist for the Finnish metal band Conquest. Music career Lassila was born in Helsinki in 1965. He studied the flute in Helsinki Conservatory of Music, but after being asked to be the drummer in a rock band, he concentrated his studies in percussion instead.Lohjan kaupunginorkesteri - Viikon soittaja (in Finnish) Archive.org. Retrieved on 15 June 2023. Lassila became one of the original founding members of "Black Water" (early |
