When THUNDERSTONE's self-titled debut hit worldwide audiences in 2002, the buzz proved to be loud. Recorded at Laurenne's Sonic Pump Studios in Helsinki, Finland (with Laurenne as guitarist, producer, and engineer) and mixed by Mikko Karmila (Children Of Bodom, Amorphis) at Finnvox Studios (Sentenced, Moonspell, Stratovarius), the hunger so evident in those ten songs delivered an overall dynamite package, and the feel-good album easily etched itself into the annals of quality Finnish heavy metal. Featuring accomplished compositions, a guest appearance by Timo Tolkki (a friend of Laurenne's for over a decade who gave him his first-and-only guitar lesson) on "Like Father, Like Son," and artwork by well-known German visual artist Thomas Ewerhard (Hypocrisy, Sodom, Destruction), this new Finnish band ended the year with a strong presence on numerous year-end "Top Metal Albums Of 2002" lists. In 2003, after being named "Newcomer of the Year" by the readers of Rock Hard Magazine, THUNDERSTONE celebrated their accomplishments with an extensive European tour supporting Stratovarius & Symphony X.
Inspired by their own ability to leave a mark on the scene, THUNDERSTONE returned to Sonic Pump to record their sophomore album, The Burning, which featured Symphony X guitarist Michael Romeo on "Drawn To The Flame." The album not only coalesced the band's collective personality through faultless production, but captured a grittier and more uninhibited performance by vocalist Pasi Rantanen. Among many other accolades (such as the appearance of their promotional video for "Until We Touch The Burning Sun" on Finnish television), the album celebrated a meteoric rise to #13 on the official Finnish album chart. While their European tour with Iced Earth was cancelled due to Jon Schaffer's back injury, THUNDERSTONE were determined to maintain their momentum and quickly booked another tour with Axel Rudi Pell, crowning another successful year by playing for thousands of fans at the world's most well-known metal festival, Germany’s Wacken Open Air.
Despite a busy year the band entered the studio again in late 2004. The efforts of those sessions showcased the band at a new pinnacle. Tools Of Destruction (2005) – the band's third album recorded at Sonic Pump – is where you'll also hear THUNDERSTONE's accumulated live experience. One listen to the album's opening track, the breathtaking curtain-raiser "Tool Of The Devil," and the chorus' gargantuan hook will capture you as it did THUNDERSTONE's fellow Finns, who sent the song straight to #3 on the Finnish Singles Chart. Gigs in Finland and the first headlining European tour with label mates Crystal Ball followed.
After a short breather, the band returned yet again to the studio to record their fourth album in the fall of 2006. The same year also witnessed THUNDERSTONE’s first appearance in the USA. In October the band was invited to take part in the Finnish Eurovision Song Contest. Never shy to take on a new challenge they heartily agreed. Again, what started almost as a joke ended up in phenomenal success: The band was voted second, losing only narrowly to Finnish Idol Hanna Pakarinen. The Eurovision fame resulted in the release of two singles, 10 000 Ways and Forevermore/Face in the Mirror, which both went straight to the top 3 in the Finnish single charts. Finally, the efforts of the previous studio sessions came to fruition when THUNDERSTONE’s fourth studio album Evolution 4.0 was released in March 2007. Showing a darker side of the band and definitely moving them away from the “power metal” of their first release, the album was liked by the fans and entered the Finnish charts at #10. Again, a Finnish tour and summer festivals followed.
Already preparing for a co-headlining tour with Swedish colleagues Nocturnal Rites, the band announced a shocking surprise in August 2007: THUNDERSTONE had parted ways with singer Pasi Rantanen and keyboardist Kari Tornack. Musical differences and motivation problems were quoted as the main reasons for the unexpected split. Despite the difficult situation, the rest of the band decided not to disappoint their fans and do the planned European tour. The band recruited vocalist Tommi “Tuple” Salmela from Tarot and keyboardist Jukka Karinen and kicked ass all around the continent.
The temporary line-up created a flood of speculation, which came to an end with the announcement of the new line-up in early February 2008. The vocal duties were taken up by Rick Altzi, a Swedish powerhouse with an incredible voice that ranges from a rough whisper to a full-fledged scream. On the keyboards the band signed Jukka Karinen, who already handled the key duties on the 2007 European tour.
Never stopping even in the face of hardship, THUNDERSTONE rages on! In July 2008, the now multinational line-up retired to a cabin in the Finnish woods to write and record new songs. Inspired by the new sound, the band started laying down basic tracks for their fifth studio effort in August, while continuing pre-production on still more songs. The result was the aptly titled Dirt Metal, an album which is no doubt the culmination of the evolution toward a heavier and darker sound for THUNDERSTONE. Released in 2009 in Finland, the new masterpiece by the Finnish-Swedish Mayhem Crew is finally available worldwide! Hard-hitting yet ear-catching, rough yet subtle, the future of heavy metal: THUNDERSTONE!
Wasted Years
Thunderstone Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm travelling on, far and wide
But now it seems, I'm just a stranger to myself
And all the things I sometimes do, it isn't me but someone else
I close my eyes, and think of home
Another city goes by, into the night
Ain't it funny how it is, you never miss it til it's gone away
So understand
Don't waste your time always searching for those wasted years
Face up...make your stand
And realise you're living in the golden years
Too much time on my hands, I got you on my mind
Can't ease this pain, so easily
When you can't find the words to say, it's hard to make it through another day
And it makes me wanna cry, and throw my hands up to the sky
So understand
Don't waste your time always searching for those wasted years
Face up...make your stand
And realise you're living in the golden years
The song "Wasted Years" by Thunderstone is a reflection on the regrets of a person who has spent their life travelling around the world in search of something, but now finds themselves feeling lost and disconnected from themselves. The opening lyrics, "From the coast of gold, across the seven seas, I'm travelling on, far and wide," set the scene for this journey, but the singer admits to feeling like a stranger to themselves and wonders whether the person they have become is really them.
As the song progresses, the singer reflects on the fleeting nature of life, noting how easy it is to overlook the things that matter most until they're gone. The line "Ain't it funny how it is, you never miss it til it's gone away" highlights the importance of appreciating what you have and encourages the listener not to waste their time on things that won't ultimately fulfill them.
The chorus provides a call to action, telling the listener to "make your stand" and to realize that they're "living in the golden years." This is a reminder to appreciate the present moment and not to waste it on things that won't bring lasting joy.
Overall, "Wasted Years" is a poignant reminder of the importance of living in the moment and appreciating the little things in life, rather than constantly chasing after something that may not bring true happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
From the coast of gold, across the seven seas
I've been travelling extensively to somewhat exotic locations.
I'm travelling on, far and wide
I'm travelling all over the world to know more about new things.
But now it seems, I'm just a stranger to myself
Even though I've been travelling, I feel lost and disconnected with myself.
And all the things I sometimes do, it isn't me but someone else
I do things that I feel like isn't me, but of a different person entirely.
I close my eyes, and think of home
Amidst all of the travelling, I still miss home.
Another city goes by, into the night
I'm in yet another strange city, passing through it into the night.
Ain't it funny how it is, you never miss it til it's gone away
It's funny how we never really realize how much we miss something until it's gone.
And my heart is lying there and will be til my dying day
My heart is always going to be in a specific place I consider my true home until I die.
So understand
So get this,
Don't waste your time always searching for those wasted years
Don't waste your life searching for the things that you think you missed out on.
Face up...make your stand
Be brave and take a stand.
And realise you're living in the golden years
Understand that you're living in a time that will be considered great in the future.
Too much time on my hands, I got you on my mind
I have too much free time to think about something that bothers me.
Can't ease this pain, so easily
It's not easy to get over this pain or move past it.
When you can't find the words to say, it's hard to make it through another day
It's difficult to make it through the day when you don't know how to communicate what you're feeling.
And it makes me wanna cry, and throw my hands up to the sky
It's such a frustrating and sad feeling that makes me want to express it by throwing my hands up and crying.
So understand
So get this,
Don't waste your time always searching for those wasted years
Don't waste your life searching for the things that you think you missed out on.
Face up...make your stand
Be brave and take a stand.
And realise you're living in the golden years
Understand that you're living in a time that will be considered great in the future.
Contributed by Adalyn V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
TimeLord675
Slower tempo aside, this is probably my favorite cover of the song.
Anurag Thakur
@LillLawless it's pretty good but I prefer this one
LillLawless
Ever heard 'Nocturnal Rites' version?
MathsYknow
I like the big sound this band have, and I think this is a good cover. I was waiting for the big Maiden solo at about 3:38, which is one of my favourite parts of the original, and they didn't quite match that... but I think some more investigation of Thunderstone is in order!
Josh Brightwell
@MathsYknow aw man I was hoping that's not what your response would be to that comment. They're such a great band.
Anurag Thakur
@MathsYknow woah you replied after 9 fucking years!
MathsYknow
@Mats Silvander I can't remember, it was 9 years ago! More recently I found Witherscape's cover of Judas Priest's 'Last Rose of Summer', and although I liked it, I checked out their other stuff and it didn't really grab me. Maybe it was the same deal with Thunderstone.
Mats Silvander
How has your investigation gone after all these years?
Sythaz
Damn this is a good cover. Probably the best I've heard of this song.
Lemmy Motorhead
These guys have also covered Manowar's Heart of Steel...
Kudos to any metal band that's willing to pay tribute to legends...😎🤘