Finland
Power Metal
Last update/review:
October 1, 2022
Stratovarius
Stratovarius will go down as one of Finland's most successful metal bands
of all time,
with a melodic, symphonic power metal style that has served as a blueprint
for many a European band.
They are often regarded as one of the most influential Euro
melodic power metal bands, recogniazed alongside
Helloween ,
Blind Guardian , and
Gamma Ray
as leaders of the genre.
The group was founded by a young trio of guys in 1984, and was jumpstarted
a year later when guitarist Timo Tolkki joined the band.
Their debut album,
Fright Night , was released in 1989, and in the
succeeding years they built their fan base, gradually shifting lineups
and fine-tuning their sound.
By 1996 the band had released its fifth album,
Episode , and that
album marked the debut of what would become their most solid and well-known
debut with the group.
For the next several years it was clear sailing for the band, they were
clearly on top of their game at this point, culminating in the epic
Elements releases in 2003.
And then, it started to fall apart, with
amidst rampant and
sometimes bizarre reports of erratic behavior from leader Timo Tolkki.
Eventually the situation settled down (Tolkki admitted to some
mental difficulties which he has since overcome) and the former
lineup was restored, and the band released the self-titled
Stratovarius effort in September 2005.
Behind the scenes, though, the spirit was fading, as admitted by Tolkki
in 2008 when he finally pulled the plug on the band, citing differences
between him and the other members (particularly Kotipelto and Michael)
and a lack of drive to continue.
He went on to form
Revolution Renaissance ,
attempting to continue his musical vision, though the band only
lasted a few years.
The remaining members, instead of throwing in the towel,
resurrected the Stratovarius name themselves,
with a new guitarist recruited to take Tolkki's place.
The post-Tolkki version of the band has continued to cement
Stratovarius' legacy as one of power metal's all-time greats.
Former Members/Guests
Timo Tolkki
guitars (ex-Revolution Renaissance , ex-Symfonia )
Jyrki Lentonen
bass
Jari Kainulainen
bass (ex-Evergrey , Masterplan , ex-Symfonia )
Antti Ikonen
keyboards
Tuomo Lassila
drums
Jörg Michael
drums (ex-Grave Digger , ex-Headhunter , ex-House Of Spirits , ex-Mekong Delta , ex-Axel Rudi Pell , ex-Rage , ex-Running Wild , ex-Saxon , ex-Schwarzarbeit , ex-Unleashed Power )
Discography
Studio
Live
Compilation
Video
Fright Night
1989
T&T
Future Shock
False Messiah
Black Night
Witch-hunt
Firedance
Fright Night
Night Screamer
Darkness
Goodbye
Timo Tolkki
Jyrki Lentonen
Antti Ikonen
Tuomo Lassila
Twilight Time
1992
T&T
Break The Ice
The Hands Of Time
Madness Strikes At Midnight
Metal Frenzy
Twilight Time
The Hills Have Eyes
Out Of The Shadows
Lead Us Into The Light
Timo Tolkki
Antti Ikonen
Tuomo Lassila
Dreamspace
1994
T&T
Chasing shadows
4th Reich
Eyes of the world
Hold on to your dream
Magic carpet ride
We are the future
Tears of ice
Dreamspace
Reign of terror
Thin ice
Atlantis
Abyss
Shattered
Wings of tomorrow
Timo Tolkki
Antti Ikonen
Tuomo Lassila
Fourth Dimension
1995
T&T
Against the wind
Distant skies
Galaxies
Winter
Stratovarius
Lord of the wasteland
030366
Nightfall
Twilight symphony
Call of the wilderness
Timo Kotipelto
Timo Tolkki
Jari Kainulainen
Antti Ikonen
Tuomo Lassila
1995 Readers' Album
#15
Episode
1996
T&T
Father Time
Will The Sun Rise?
Eternity
Episode
Speed Of Light
Uncertainty
Seasons Of Change
Strasphere
Babylon
Tomorrow
Night Time Eclipse
Forever
Timo Kotipelto
Timo Tolkki
Jari Kainulainen
Jens Johansson
Jörg Michael
1996 Readers' Album
#47
Visions
1997
T&T
The kiss of Judas
Black diamond
Forever free
Before the winter
Legions
The abyss of your eyes
Holy light
Paradise
Coming home
Visions (southern cross)
Timo Kotipelto
Timo Tolkki
Jari Kainulainen
Jens Johansson
Jörg Michael
1997 Readers' Album
#5
Visions Of Europe
LIVE
1998
T&T
Forever Free
Kiss Of Judas
Father Time
Distant Skies
Season Of Change
Speed Of Light
Twilight Symphony
Holy Solos
Visions
Will The Sun Rise?
Forever
Black Diamond
Against The Wind
Paradise
Legions
Timo Kotipelto
Timo Tolkki
Jari Kainulainen
Jens Johansson
Jörg Michael
Destiny
1998
T&T
Destiny
S.O.S.
No Turning Back
4000 Rainy Nights
Rebel
Years Go By
Playing With Fire
Venus In The Morning
Anthem Of The World
Cold Winter Nights
Timo Kotipelto
Timo Tolkki
Jari Kainulainen
Jens Johansson
Jörg Michael
1998 Readers' Album
#11
The Chosen Ones
COMPILATION
1999
Noise
Black Diamond
Twilight Time
Father Time
The Hands Of Time
Dream With Me
Paradise
Out Of The Shadows
Forever
Full Moon
The Kiss Of Judas
S.O.S.
Dreamspace
Against The Wind
Speed Of Light
4000 Rainy Nights
Will The Sun Rise?
Infinite
2000
Nuclear Blast
Hunting High and Low
Millennium
Mother Gaia
Phoenix
Glory of the World
A Million Light Years Away
Freedom
Infinity
Celestial Dream
Timo Kotipelto
Timo Tolkki
Jari Kainulainen
Jens Johansson
Jörg Michael
14 Diamonds
COMPILATION
2000
JVC
The Hands Of Time
Distant Skies
Tomorrow
Coming Home
Destiny
Future Shock
Black Diamond
Why Are We Here?
We Are The Future
Forever
Hunting High And Low
The Kiss Of Judas
Rebel
Mother Gaia
Intermission
2001
Nuclear Blast
Will My Soul Ever Rest In Peace?
Falling Into Fantasy
The Curtains Are Falling
Requiem
Kill The King
I Surrender (Live)
Keep The Flame
Why Are We Here?
What Can I Say
Dream With Me
When The Night Meets The Day
Its A Mystery
Cold Winter Nights
Hunting High & Low (Live)
Timo Kotipelto
Timo Tolkki
Jari Kainulainen
Jens Johansson
Jörg Michael
Elements Part 1
2003
JVC
Eagleheart
Soul Of A Vagabond
Find Your Own Voice
Fantasia
Learning To Fly
Papillon
Stratofortress
Elements
A Drop In The Ocean
Timo Kotipelto
Timo Tolkki
Jari Kainulainen
Jens Johansson
Jörg Michael
2003 Readers' Album
#22
Elements Part 2
2003
JVC
Timo Kotipelto
Timo Tolkki
Jari Kainulainen
Jens Johansson
Jörg Michael
Stratovarius
2005
Mayan
Maniac Dance
Fight!!!
Just Carry On
Back To Madness
Gypsy In Me
Götterdämmerung (Zenith of Power)
The Land of Ice and Snow
Leave The Tribe
United
Timo Kotipelto
Timo Tolkki
Jari Kainulainen
Jens Johansson
Jörg Michael
2005 Readers' Album
#55
Polaris
2009
Edel
Deep Unknown
Falling Star
King of Nothing
Blind
Winter Skies
Forever Is Today
Higher We Go
Somehow Precious
Emancipation suite: I Dusk
Emancipation suite: II Dawn
When Mountains Fall
Timo Kotipelto
Matias Kupiainen
Lauri Porra
Jens Johansson
Jörg Michael
2009 Readers' Album
#69
Darkest Hours
EP
2010
Edel
Darkest Hours
Infernal Maze
Darkest Hours (Demo)
Against The Wind (Live)
Black Diamond (Live)
Timo Kotipelto
Matias Kupiainen
Lauri Porra
Jens Johansson
Jörg Michael
Elysium
2011
Edel
Darkest Hours
Under Flaming Skies
Infernal Maze
Fairness Justified
The Game Never Ends
Lifetime In A Moment
Move The Mountain
Event Horizon
Elysium
Timo Kotipelto
Matias Kupiainen
Lauri Porra
Jens Johansson
Jörg Michael
2011 Readers' Album
#70
Under Flaming Winter Skies - Live In Tampere
LIVE
2012
earMUSIC
Timo Kotipelto
Matias Kupiainen
Lauri Porra
Jens Johansson
Jörg Michael
Under Flaming Winter Skies - Live In Tampere
VIDEO
2012
earMUSIC
Unbreakable
COMPILATION EP
2013
earMUSIC
Unbreakable
Falling Star
The Game Never Ends
Freedom
Why Are We Here
Nemesis
2013
earMUSIC
Abandon
Unbreakable
Stand My Ground
Halcyon Days
Fantasy
Out of the Fog
Castles in the Air
Dragons
One Must Fall
If the Story Is Over
Nemesis
Timo Kotipelto
Matias Kupiainen
Lauri Porra
Jens Johansson
Rolf Pilve
2013 Readers' Album
#60
Eternal
2015
earMUSIC
My Eternal Dream
Shine in the Dark
Rise Above It
Lost Without a Trace
Feeding the Fire
In My Line of Work
Man in the Mirror
Few Are Those
Fire in Your Eyes
Lost Saga
Timo Kotipelto
Matias Kupiainen
Lauri Porra
Jens Johansson
Rolf Pilve
2015 Readers' Album
#40
Enigma: Intermission 2
2018
earMUSIC
Enigma
Hunter
Hallowed
Burn Me Down
Last Shore
Kill it with Fire
Oblivion
Second Sight
Fireborn
Giants
Castaway
Old Man and the Sea
Fantasy
Shine in the Dark
Unbreakable
Winter Skies
Survive
2022
earMUSIC
Survive
Demand
Broken
Firefly
We Are Not Alone
Frozen in Time
World on Fire
Glory Days
Breakaway
Before the Fall
Voice of Thunder
Timo Kotipelto
Matias Kupiainen
Lauri Porra
Jens Johansson
Rolf Pilve