Stratovarius was founded in Finland in 1984 from former members of the band Black Water. They went through a number of personnel and musical changes before the band found its own voice. In 1984, the name was changed to Stratovarius (a portmanteau of Stratocaster and Stradivarius), an idea of Stråhlman's. By 1984, Timo Tolkki entered the band, replacing Stråhlman in the guitar. He took up the vocal duties as well. Tolkki became the driving force and mastermind of the band assuming almost complete control of the song writing. He brought along not only strong rock influences but also a neo-classical tinge. The band released a demo to various record companies by 1987, finally being picked up by CBS Finland. In 1989, their debut album Fright Night was released followed by two singles.
After being dropped by CBS the band went through several member changes but they managed to release on another label and they also toured a bit. In 1994 they released their third album, Dreamspace, featuring new bass player Jari Kainulainen, (who joined the band when 70% of the new material was already recorded) which was a great success. Tolkki decided to stop singing for the band and they hired a new full-time singer, Timo Kotipelto. The release of Fourth Dimension in 1995 was a great success, but internal differences in the band particularly about the style the band was going for, prompted the departure of long-time drummer Tuomo Lassila and keyboardist Antti Ikonen. Two new non-Finnish members were recruited: Swedish keyboardist Jens Johansson of Yngwie Malmsteen fame; and German drummer Jörg Michael. With the fifth release Episode, Stratovarius had finally found its sound and had a strong, diverse line-up. Episode was a grand project featuring a large choir and a string orchestra. It spawned some of the all-time greatest Stratovarius hits, such as "Father Time" and "Will The Sun Rise".
This line-up released three hugely successful albums over the years: Visions in 1997, Destiny in 1998, and Infinite in 2000. With every album their fame and fan-base expanded and they started gaining a stronger following outside the Nordic countries particularly in Japan.
In 2003 the band released its most epic project yet, the two album suite named Elements. With these albums they reached a peak in their progressive and symphonic style of power-metal. The first album, Elements pt. 1, was released in early 2003 followed by a world tour. Elements pt. 1 was naturally followed by Elements pt. 2, also released on Nuclear Blast records in the same year with the hit single "I Walk To My Own Song".
In late 2003 the band broke up with Timo Kotipelto and Jörg Michael leaving after a very vaguely explained conflict. Tolkki hired a new singer, Katriina ''Miss K'' Wiiala, and Anders Johansson of Hammerfall (Jens's brother) temporarily on drums. Tolkki's behaviour rapidly began to become extremely strange. He published a long news article on the band's website, detailing how he had converted to Kabbalah after reading Madonna's autobiography and being contacted by Jesus himself. He wrote extensively on the principles of Kabbalah but according to some Jewish forum members, this has nothing to do with any actually practised form of it. The webmaster removed the news article from the site. Then Tolkki even stabbed himself in the shoulder first claiming that a crazy Spanish fan had done it because of band had broken up. Tolkki also phoned Anders Johansson, speaking nonsense about Adolf Hitler – Anders freaked out and left the band. Nobody really understood the situation and fans were worried about Timo's mental condition. In April 2004 he was hospitalised with chronic depression and a nervous breakdown and, after being released from the mental hospital, negotiations and attempts at reconciliation with the rest of the band began. The rest of 2004 was virtually complete silence from the band.
In January 2005 an announcement was released that Stratovarius had reunited with the old line-up. Tolkki seemed to have recovered from his strange illness. In June 2005 Timo Tolkki announced that the band's bassist, Jari Kainulainen, had left the band due to personal reasons. He was later replaced by Lauri Porra.
Stratovarius then released the self-titled album Stratovarius in September 2005 featuring the popular single "Maniac Dance". During this time Stratovarius began a world tour starting in Argentina. It also included a North American leg where they toured the United States and Canada for the first time in the band's history. They played at such events as Atlanta's "Prog Power", and in well-known venues such as "B.B. King's House Of Blues" in New York and Philadelphia's "Trocadero Theatre". The tour also included some European and Japanese cities.
On April 2 2008 Timo Tolkki announced on his official website that the band has officially stopped due to various issues between the band members.
Timo Tolkki has formed a new band, Revolution Renaissance. He released his first album on june 6, 2008 and it featured guest appearences by Michael Kiske (ex-Helloween) and Tobias Sammet (Edguy, Avantasia)
The band has since made an announcement on the Stratovarius website stating that the band will continue without Timo Tolkki.
After the announcement, the band began to search for a new guitar player, making the announcement on the band's official forum and in soundi magazine that Matias Kupiainen would replace Timo Tolkki and that 15 songs had already been demoed for the new album.
On May 13 2009 Stratovarius released their 12th studio album, Polaris, now with the new members Lauri Porra and Matias Kupiainen playing bass and guitar respectively.
Early 2011 saw the release of their new album, Elysium, containing the songs that were written during the Polaris tour. Also during 2012 saw the departure of long-time drummer Jörg Michael for personal reasons and his replacement Rolf Pilve.
2013 saw the release of their newest album "Nemesis".
Studio albums:
- Fright Night (1989)
- Twilight Time (1992)
- Dreamspace (1994)
- Fourth Dimension (1995)
- Episode (1996)
- Visions (1997)
- Destiny (1998)
- Infinite (2000)
- Intermission (2001)
- Elements, Pt. 1 (2003)
- Elements, Pt. 2 (2003)
- Stratovarius (2005)
- Polaris (2009)
- Elysium (2011)
- Nemesis (2013)
Eternity
Stratovarius Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't help thinking what's behind
In a fading evening
I feel strange thoughts in my mind
What if we aren't alone here
There's a clone of everyone somewhere
That duplicates all that we do
Not like me not like you but our other ego
There ain't no wars or crises
Only joy and compromises
Time has stood still
Why don't you take me there
Want to feel some infinity
Why don't we just dare
Coz after all remains, eternity
A landscape with no trees
And a mist arising from the distance
An illusion just for me
Or a proper reward and a chance
There ain't no wars or crises
Only joy and compromises
Time has stood still
Why don't you take me there
Want to feel some infinity
Why don't we just dare
Coz after all remains, eternity
The lyrics of "Eternity" by Stratovarius are a contemplation of the infinite possibilities that lie beyond our earthly realm. The opening lines speak of clouds hiding the sky, which can be seen as a metaphor for the limits of human vision and perception. The singer then questions what lies beyond these limits and imagines the existence of clones of everyone, suggesting the idea of parallel universes or alternate realities. The "other ego" mentioned is an interesting concept, highlighting the duality or multiplicity of selves that may exist within us.
The second verse paints a picture of a surreal and mysterious landscape with mist and no trees, creating a sense of isolation and otherworldliness. The repetition of the lines "There ain't no wars or crises, only joy and compromises" emphasizes the idea of an idyllic and peaceful existence beyond our current world's conflicts and struggles. The chorus reveals the singer's longing for this type of existence, wanting to experience infinity and daring to imagine a state of being that transcends time.
Overall, the lyrics of "Eternity" are open-ended and leave plenty of room for interpretation. The song can be seen as a meditation on the human condition, our curiosity about the unknown, and our desire for something beyond our current reality.
Line by Line Meaning
When clouds are covering the sky
During a time when things seem uncertain
I can't help thinking what's behind
I'm curious about what lies beyond what I can see
In a fading evening
At the end of a day
I feel strange thoughts in my mind
I have unsettling thoughts
What if we aren't alone here
What if there are other beings with us
There's a clone of everyone somewhere
There's another version of each of us out there
That duplicates all that we do
That replicates everything we do
Not like me not like you but our other ego
Similar to us but not identical, this other version is like an alternate version of ourselves
There ain't no wars or crises
There are no conflicts or major problems
Only joy and compromises
People are happy and work together to find solutions
Time has stood still
Everything is frozen, nothing changes
Why don't you take me there
Asking someone to take them to this place of peace
Want to feel some infinity
To experience something beyond what's possible in everyday life
Why don't we just dare
Why not take a risk and try to reach this place
Coz after all remains, eternity
Because, ultimately, what lasts forever is all that matters
A landscape with no trees
A barren and empty environment
And a mist arising from the distance
An unclear and ambiguous image in the distance
An illusion just for me
Something that appears real but might not be
Or a proper reward and a chance
Possibly a legitimate opportunity or compensation
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TIMO KOTIPELTO, TIMO TAPIO TOLKKI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@aidacailar1126
The Intro is incredible
@broserker8576
100%
@blackfeathers2166
The song in its entirety is incredible
@d4v1d415
@@blackfeathers2166 Exactly
@apyupoc
First time reading comments, seen yours, and legit its an incredible intro⚡
@jeffreysanchez7996
The best intro
@changheonkim7069
The guitar solo is absolutely amazing. I've loved this part since 90's.
@Sabbathman1979
For me, this song is the finest and most powerful moment of Stratovarius. I consider this song to be right there at the same level with classics like Heaven And Hell, Metal Gods, Mr. Crowley, Holy Diver, Alexander The Great, The Eagle Has Landed, Keeper Of The Seven Keys, Tomorrow's Gone, The Idol, Gates Of Babylon, Stargazer...all titanic songs that I will love until the day I die...and beyond.
@regulus123
Thanks to you I've just listened to the songs you've listed for the first time. "Gates of Babylon" is one of the best songs I've ever heard. Wow
@jellyh6545
And The Frayed Ends Of Sanity?