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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 in 1994. In 1994, Kotipelto replaced Tolkki as lead vocalist, and after the release of Fourth Dimension in 1995, Lassila and Ikonen left the band and were replaced by Jörg Michael and Jens Johansson respectively.
This line-up, sometimes identified as the "classic line-up" of Stratovarius, lasted ten years and released eight albums, including most of their popular works, until Tolkki's departure in 2008; Tolkki had originally intended to disband Stratovarius, but allowed the rest of the band to continue without him. The band's following albums were all positively received, and were acknowledged as a return to form for the band. The current line-up, which has remained the same since the arrival of drummer Rolf Pilve in 2012, is the longest-tenured in the band's history.
The group have topped the charts in their native Finland four times and are viewed as a significant and influential band in the power metal genre.
Black Water was founded in August 1984 in Finland. They went through a number of personnel and style changes before the band found its own voice. The founding members were Tuomo Lassila, Staffan Stråhlman, and John Vihervä. Towards the end of 1984, bassist John Vihervä left the band, being replaced by Jyrki Lentonen, Timo Tolkki's former bandmate in a band called Road Block. After some small live performances, Stråhlman also left the band in 1985, a few days before an important concert in Aalborg, Denmark. Staffan was replaced by Timo Tolkki, a skilled guitarist and singer influenced by the musical style of Ritchie Blackmore and Rainbow, as well as an admirer of gothic music. His entry into the band also allowed Tuomo to concentrate solely on the drums, leaving the vocals entirely to the new addition.
By the end of 1985, the band had disbanded and reformed as Stratovarius (a portmanteau of Stratocaster and Stradivarius, which is also the name of an early Kraftwerk song), with guitarist/vocalist Tolkki becoming the driving force and mastermind of the band, having nearly complete control of the song-writing. In 1988 they added keyboardist Antti Ikonen to their lineup, that same year they released their first two singles, "Future Shock" and "Black Night" and were signed by CBS Finland. In 1989, their debut album Fright Night was released which peaked at number 48 on the Finnish Charts. The album release would be accompanied by a small tour of Europe.
After being dropped by CBS, the band went through several member changes, In early 1990, they began composing new songs, and in 1991 they returned to the studio to produce a new album. The album was originally released in early 1992 in Finland, titled Stratovarius II, but later, due to its successful performance, it was released throughout Europe in October of the same year now under the title Twilight Time. The album was also released in Japan, where it reached number 10 in the Best Foreign Albums chart within a few weeks, and peaked at number 43 on the mainstream Japan charts, and in 1993 it became the Best Import Album. On this album, Tolkki played bass as well as guitar on all tracks, despite Jari Behm receiving credit on the album. After Twilight Time was released, Behm was fired and replaced with Jari Kainulainen, with the new lineup, the band embarked on a nearly year-long world tour, including numerous overseas stops.
New material was written from the spring to summer 1994 and band hit the studio following a Japan Tour. During this time Timo Tolkki also recorded a solo album "Classical Variations and Themes". Stratovarius spent the whole summer of 1994 in studio finishing its fourth album. The album Dreamspace was then released which help them continue with the success in Japan as it peaked at number 26. Following this release Timo Tolkki stepped down as lead singer to concentrate on guitar and songwriting as well as to move Stratovarius in a new direction. Dreamspace was the last album that followed the style of the band's initial releases before the group adopted the more neo-classical/symphonic style which they became famous for. In June of that year, the group flew back to Japan to play in Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya. The group also performed at the famous Finnish venue, the Shadow Club, in Helsinki.
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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 in 1994. In 1994, Kotipelto replaced Tolkki as lead vocalist, and after the release of Fourth Dimension in 1995, Lassila and Ikonen left the band and were replaced by Jörg Michael and Jens Johansson respectively.
This line-up, sometimes identified as the "classic line-up" of Stratovarius, lasted ten years and released eight albums, including most of their popular works, until Tolkki's departure in 2008; Tolkki had originally intended to disband Stratovarius, but allowed the rest of the band to continue without him. The band's following albums were all positively received, and were acknowledged as a return to form for the band. The current line-up, which has remained the same since the arrival of drummer Rolf Pilve in 2012, is the longest-tenured in the band's history.
The group have topped the charts in their native Finland four times and are viewed as a significant and influential band in the power metal genre.
Black Water was founded in August 1984 in Finland. They went through a number of personnel and style changes before the band found its own voice. The founding members were Tuomo Lassila, Staffan Stråhlman, and John Vihervä. Towards the end of 1984, bassist John Vihervä left the band, being replaced by Jyrki Lentonen, Timo Tolkki's former bandmate in a band called Road Block. After some small live performances, Stråhlman also left the band in 1985, a few days before an important concert in Aalborg, Denmark. Staffan was replaced by Timo Tolkki, a skilled guitarist and singer influenced by the musical style of Ritchie Blackmore and Rainbow, as well as an admirer of gothic music. His entry into the band also allowed Tuomo to concentrate solely on the drums, leaving the vocals entirely to the new addition.
By the end of 1985, the band had disbanded and reformed as Stratovarius (a portmanteau of Stratocaster and Stradivarius, which is also the name of an early Kraftwerk song), with guitarist/vocalist Tolkki becoming the driving force and mastermind of the band, having nearly complete control of the song-writing. In 1988 they added keyboardist Antti Ikonen to their lineup, that same year they released their first two singles, "Future Shock" and "Black Night" and were signed by CBS Finland. In 1989, their debut album Fright Night was released which peaked at number 48 on the Finnish Charts. The album release would be accompanied by a small tour of Europe.
After being dropped by CBS, the band went through several member changes, In early 1990, they began composing new songs, and in 1991 they returned to the studio to produce a new album. The album was originally released in early 1992 in Finland, titled Stratovarius II, but later, due to its successful performance, it was released throughout Europe in October of the same year now under the title Twilight Time. The album was also released in Japan, where it reached number 10 in the Best Foreign Albums chart within a few weeks, and peaked at number 43 on the mainstream Japan charts, and in 1993 it became the Best Import Album. On this album, Tolkki played bass as well as guitar on all tracks, despite Jari Behm receiving credit on the album. After Twilight Time was released, Behm was fired and replaced with Jari Kainulainen, with the new lineup, the band embarked on a nearly year-long world tour, including numerous overseas stops.
New material was written from the spring to summer 1994 and band hit the studio following a Japan Tour. During this time Timo Tolkki also recorded a solo album "Classical Variations and Themes". Stratovarius spent the whole summer of 1994 in studio finishing its fourth album. The album Dreamspace was then released which help them continue with the success in Japan as it peaked at number 26. Following this release Timo Tolkki stepped down as lead singer to concentrate on guitar and songwriting as well as to move Stratovarius in a new direction. Dreamspace was the last album that followed the style of the band's initial releases before the group adopted the more neo-classical/symphonic style which they became famous for. In June of that year, the group flew back to Japan to play in Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya. The group also performed at the famous Finnish venue, the Shadow Club, in Helsinki.
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