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Stratovarius
Stratovarius is a Finnish power metal band that formed in 1985. Since their formation, they have released sixteen studio albums, five DVDs and six live albums. In its history, the band has gone through many chaotic lineup changes, and after founding guitarist Timo Tolkki's departure in 2008, there are no founding members of the band that remain. Currently, the longest standing member is singer Timo Kotipelto, who joined in 1994. The first incarnation of the band had the name Black Water, founded in August 1984 by singer and drummer Tuomo Lassila, guitarist Staffan Stråhlman, and bassist John Vihervä. After reforming as Stratovarius, line-up changes started to occur, including Timo Tolkki replacing Black Water member Stråhlman and taking over singing duties as well, and the band expanding to a quartet with the arrival of keyboardist Antti Ikonen the following year. Under this line-up, the band released its first album ''Fright Night'' in 1989, with Tolkki as the only songwri ...
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Rolf Pilve
Stratovarius is a Finnish power metal band that formed in 1985. Since their formation, they have released sixteen studio albums, five DVDs and six live albums. In its history, the band has gone through many chaotic lineup changes, and after founding guitarist Timo Tolkki's departure in 2008, there are no founding members of the band that remain. Currently, the longest standing member is singer Timo Kotipelto, who joined in 1994. The first incarnation of the band had the name Black Water, founded in August 1984 by singer and drummer Tuomo Lassila, guitarist Staffan Stråhlman, and bassist John Vihervä. After reforming as Stratovarius, line-up changes started to occur, including Timo Tolkki replacing Black Water member Stråhlman and taking over singing duties as well, and the band expanding to a quartet with the arrival of keyboardist Antti Ikonen the following year. Under this line-up, the band released its first album ''Fright Night'' in 1989, with Tolkki as the only songwrit ...
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Jens Johansson
Jens Ola Johansson (born 2 November 1963 in Stockholm) is a Swedish keyboardist and pianist who currently plays in the Finnish power metal band Stratovarius and Ritchie Blackmore's rock project Rainbow. He is notable for his high-speed neoclassical and fusion style. 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 Malmsteen as a member of his band, Rising Force. Numerous records and world tours ensued and he stayed with Yngwie until 1989. Johansson also played with the band Dio between 1989 and 1990. Like Anders, he began an ongoing collaboration with Jonas Hellborg in 1989 which has resulted i ...
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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 Road ...
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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''. More time passed between the release of Stratovarius' eponymous album ''Stratovarius'' in 2005 and the release of ''Polaris'' than between any other two consecutive albums released by the band. Stratovarius in 2006
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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 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 seven 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'', and performed l ...
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Nemesis (Stratovarius Album)
''Nemesis'' is the fourteenth studio album by power metal band Stratovarius, released on 22 February 2013 through Edel AG. It is the first Stratovarius album to feature new drummer Rolf Pilve, who replaced Jörg Michael in 2012. The album was first announced on the band's official website on 24 November 2012, with the track listing being revealed on 5 December 2012. ''Nemesis'' reached No. 3 on the Finnish albums chart. A preview of "Unbreakable", the album's first single, was made available on YouTube and was released on 25 January 2013."Stratovarius Reveal Album Cover & First Song "Unbreakable""
stratovarius.com. 2012-12-05. Retrieved 2012-12-06.


Background and recording

Former

Elysium (Stratovarius Album)
''Elysium'' is the thirteenth studio album by power metal band Stratovarius, released on 12 January 2011 through Victor Entertainment (Japan) and on 14 January through Edel AG (worldwide). It is the last Stratovarius album to feature longtime drummer Jörg Michael, who left the band in 2012. ''Elysium'' reached No. 1 on the Finnish albums chart, as well as reaching the top 80 in five other countries."Stratovarius - Elysium (album)"
''finnishcharts.com''. Hung Medien. Retrieved 2014-01-10.
" Darkest Hours" was released as a single, reaching No. 4 on the

Stratovarius (album)
''Stratovarius'' is the eleventh studio album by power metal band Stratovarius, released on 5 September 2005 through Sanctuary Records."Stratovarius - Stratovarius (album)"
''finnishcharts.com''. Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
The album reached No. 4 on the as well as the top 100 in six other countries. "" was released as a single, reaching No. 4 on the



Eternal (Stratovarius Album)
''Eternal'' is the fifteenth album by Finnish power metal band Stratovarius, released on 11 September 2015 (Europe) and 18 September (United States)."Stratovarius Announce Final Release Dates And Cover For Eternal"
. stratovarius.com. 23 June 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
''Eternal'' reached No. 5 on the . Singer composed three tracks and wrote most lyrics together with his

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. 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 Years (best-of)'' (1995) ;Met ...
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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. 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'' for which he composed three songs. In addition to Stratovarius, Kupiainen founded the grindcore band Fist in Fetus, which released a self-produced 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 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 worked as a producer, recording engineer, and mixer, as well. He has studied at Sibelius Ac ...
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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."Stratovarius – Fright Night"
. Retrieved 17 January 2014.


Critical reception

Antti J. Ra ...
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