Reconsidering Stratovarius
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Suggest New Bands and Artists
Forum Description: Suggest, create polls, and classify new bands you would like included on Prog Archives
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=76253
Printed Date: February 23 2025 at 00:09 Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Reconsidering Stratovarius
Posted By: Daggor
Subject: Reconsidering Stratovarius
Date Posted: February 26 2011 at 15:33
I saw that a few years ago there was quite a lengthy discussion on the inclusion of Stratovarius that ultimately sided with them not being included shortly before the release of "Polaris", in 2009. I think, given especially their latest release, "Elysium", that maybe they should be looked at again?
The case: First of all, the first 4 albums (Fright Night, Twilight Time, Dreamspace, and Fourth Dimension). The next 4 (Episode, Visions, Destiny, and Infinite) moved in a power direction, but it was a kind of progressed power metal that made heavy use of keyboards, technicality, classical influence, and at times, nonstandard song structure.
The next 2 albums (Elements Pt. I, and Elements Pt. II) after that, were very symphonic, different from the previous 4, but more power than prog.
After that, was the highly controversial self titled album, while it wasn't necessarily a consensus GOOD album, it was very prog, making use of instrumental variety, and very dark, prog atmospheres, somewhat similar to Dreamspace.
After that, the band goes through a creative upheaval, with main songwriter Timo Tolkki leaving the band, replaced by Matias Kupiainen, and along with Keyboardist Jens Johansson, and Bassist Lauri Porra (Who had been in the band 3 years before Tolkki's departure) take over the sound. Jens comes from a background of both neo-classical and jazz fusion playing, while Matias comes from a prog background, and Lauri has quite a few different things going on with his writing.
Their newest album, Elysium, contains an 18 minute title track, and the album as a whole very much moves the. band in a prog direction.
My main argument would be that if the band was on the fence before, the previous 2 albums should push them clearly into the prog category. Enjoy
Samples:
Era 1(Tolkki Vocal era): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4rGPDE747Y" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4rGPDE747Y
Era 2(Late 90s fame): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9-ZX3flJIg" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9-ZX3flJIg
Era 3(Elements): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqJ6ybCrEcA" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqJ6ybCrEcA
Era 3(Self Titled): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9AuKN85M7c" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9AuKN85M7c
Era 4 (Post-Tolkki): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUen6rOlzPw" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUen6rOlzPw
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Replies:
Posted By: DamoXt7942
Date Posted: February 26 2011 at 17:42
They've been rejected (as Prog-Metal and also Prog-Related) every time they be suggested ... at least till previous album was released. Their new album I've not listened to, but are there some dramatic changes in them?
------------- http://www.facebook.com/damoxt7942" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Daggor
Date Posted: February 26 2011 at 19:07
There have been 2 released since the topic was closed. As I explained, there's an entirely new core of songwriters, the first 4 albums speak for themselves as prog, and I think the new album pushes it over the top as prog.
Here's an 18 minute song if you're not convinced. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikDS1TBAElo" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikDS1TBAElo
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Posted By: CCVP
Date Posted: February 26 2011 at 19:16
OK, listen, this band have only been somewhere close to progressive metal @ Dreamscape, period.
One song from their newest album, which I own, is NOT a good enough argument to make them become prog out of nowhere. It was not three weeks ago that I (and the rest of the team) mentioned that their latest isn't prog enough and I don't think our convincement is going to change so fast.
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Posted By: Daggor
Date Posted: February 26 2011 at 19:37
"Somewhere close to" on Dreamspace. I get that you're trying to make a point, and thus drastically overstating your argument, but there is no way to classify Dreamspace anything but absolute prog metal.
I think the site's decision is a matter of bias, because I would say of their 13 studio albums, the first 4 and the most recent 3 (IE more than half) are easily prog metal.
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Posted By: CCVP
Date Posted: February 26 2011 at 20:39
Posted By: Bonnek
Date Posted: February 27 2011 at 05:42
CCVP wrote:
I doubt that a concensus made of 25 people would repeatedly make the very same mistake over the course of 6 years and many different evaluations by very different team members.
If I will give you a piece of advice and ask you to contribute about Stratovarius http://www.metalmusicarchives.com" rel="nofollow - here .
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This
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Posted By: The Great Duck
Date Posted: February 27 2011 at 10:52
Are people here really unaware of the other,bigger Metal Archives,making MMA more or less useless?
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Posted By: Bonnek
Date Posted: February 27 2011 at 11:34
The Great Duck wrote:
Are people here really unaware of the other,bigger Metal Archives,making MMA more or less useless?
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Boo! Metal Archives has a clumsy interface, it doesn't offer half of the functionality that MMA has, and it doesn't promote the reviews enough. I appreciate the site as a reference for facts but that's it.
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Posted By: The Neck Romancer
Date Posted: February 27 2011 at 11:35
The Great Duck wrote:
Are people here really unaware of the other,bigger Metal Archives,making MMA more or less useless?
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Kinda, and they also want to show to everyone their favorite band is "progressive".
I've done that before once though 
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Posted By: Easy Livin
Date Posted: February 27 2011 at 12:32
I have always supported this band's inclusion, but they were rejected again (for prog related) only last year, and this was confirmed by mailto:M@x" rel="nofollow - M@x the site owner. There really is no point in resurrecting the issue now, they will not be added.
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Posted By: Desoc
Date Posted: February 27 2011 at 14:50
Easy Livin wrote:
I have always supported this band's inclusion, but they were rejected again (for prog related) only last year, and this was confirmed by mailto:M@x" rel="nofollow - M@x the site owner. There really is no point in resurrecting the issue now, they will not be added. |
I don't know or care about Stratovarius, but I recall a similar if not identical argument being used when people kept bringing up Metallica and Black Sabbath back in the days... 
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Posted By: Andy Webb
Date Posted: February 28 2011 at 15:39
I didn't even read any of the posts, but I say NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
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Posted By: Andy Webb
Date Posted: February 28 2011 at 15:42
Daggor wrote:
Here's an 18 minute song if you're not convinced. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikDS1TBAElo" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikDS1TBAElo |
And one thing I hate that people assume: long songs = prog. not true at all. the pop band MGMT released a 12 minute long song on their 2010 album. Is MGMT prog? Nope.
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Posted By: The Pessimist
Date Posted: February 28 2011 at 18:25
andyman1125 wrote:
Daggor wrote:
Here's an 18 minute song if you're not convinced. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikDS1TBAElo" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikDS1TBAElo |
And one thing I hate that people assume: long songs = prog. not true at all. the pop band MGMT released a 12 minute long song on their 2010 album. Is MGMT prog? Nope.
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No, but to create an 18 minute song with interest requires putting progressive elements in.
My argument is that just one song isn't enough to get them on here. Otherwise we'd have to include about 70% of the bands in music history.
------------- "Market value is irrelevant to intrinsic value."
Arnold Schoenberg
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Posted By: Gorloche
Date Posted: March 01 2011 at 01:42
I'm not so sure I would agree with you on the MGMT account; they feel at times like they are moving in a progressive direction. I feel, if they keep shifting the way they have been, we're soon going to have to retroactively reconsider some of their previous pieces as prog. As it stands, I think they definitely have progressive elements in their sound, but it is not the predominant or overarching theme of what they do.
On topic, I would say that Stratovarius is more proggy than not; their exclusion doesn't make much sense to me, given that they are widely considered, at least in the power metal community, as one of the proggiest bands of the type. However, I can see a bit (a bit) of logic in their continued exclusion, given that their progressive songs are not the main body of their albums like, say, Sonata Arctica or Kamelot or Blind Guardian.
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Posted By: harmonium.ro
Date Posted: March 01 2011 at 11:38
I have no clue about Stratovarius, but I want to thank Daggor for searching for other previous discussions about the band he suggested. Very few suggesters do this.
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Posted By: ferush
Date Posted: March 01 2011 at 18:42
Stratovarius is a mean good band, but definitively progressive.
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Posted By: CCVP
Date Posted: March 01 2011 at 19:16
The Pessimist wrote:
andyman1125 wrote:
Daggor wrote:
Here's an 18 minute song if you're not convinced. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikDS1TBAElo" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikDS1TBAElo |
And one thing I hate that people assume: long songs = prog. not true at all. the pop band MGMT released a 12 minute long song on their 2010 album. Is MGMT prog? Nope.
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No, but to create an 18 minute song with interest requires putting progressive elements in.
My argument is that just one song isn't enough to get them on here. Otherwise we'd have to include about 70% of the bands in music history.
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Then Venom is now diamonds prog.
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Posted By: Andy Webb
Date Posted: March 01 2011 at 19:50
The Pessimist wrote:
andyman1125 wrote:
Daggor wrote:
Here's an 18 minute song if you're not convinced. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikDS1TBAElo" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikDS1TBAElo |
And one thing I hate that people assume: long songs = prog. not true at all. the pop band MGMT released a 12 minute long song on their 2010 album. Is MGMT prog? Nope.
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No, but to create an 18 minute song with interest requires putting progressive elements in.
My argument is that just one song isn't enough to get them on here. Otherwise we'd have to include about 70% of the bands in music history.
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Sure, but still, long songs =/= prog.
------------- http://ow.ly/8ymqg" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: rogerthat
Date Posted: March 01 2011 at 21:10
CCVP wrote:
The Pessimist wrote:
andyman1125 wrote:
Daggor wrote:
Here's an 18 minute song if you're not convinced. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikDS1TBAElo" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikDS1TBAElo |
And one thing I hate that people assume: long songs = prog. not true at all. the pop band MGMT released a 12 minute long song on their 2010 album. Is MGMT prog? Nope.
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No, but to create an 18 minute song with interest requires putting progressive elements in.
My argument is that just one song isn't enough to get them on here. Otherwise we'd have to include about 70% of the bands in music history.
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Then Venom is now diamonds prog.
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I would say we are already at that point through the addition of you-know-which-bands.
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Posted By: Daggor
Date Posted: March 12 2011 at 13:04
It's true that 18 doesn't always equal prog, but listening to that song, I hear more prog elements than power elements.
Before Polaris/Elysium, I agreed with the original ruling that Stratovarius wasn't prog, as it only constituted an early part of their career and one album at the end (The self titled). Given the increasingly strong prog elements recently however, and the fact that 7 of their 13 albums either contain strong prog elements or are prog altogether, I'd say there's need of a recount.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjV2ee-YtKw" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjV2ee-YtKw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Z6cbqfdTww" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Z6cbqfdTww http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEYZqdA0SL8&playnext=1&list=PL767AF5BD1E0CC658" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEYZqdA0SL8&playnext=1&list=PL767AF5BD1E0CC658 There are three other strong examples of the band's recent direction.
Deep Unknown is on the power/prog border more than the other two, but the composition, and especially the solos are far more complex and intricate than any power metal I've heard recently.
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Posted By: DavetheSlave
Date Posted: June 13 2011 at 06:02
I didn't see this set of posts when it was entertained in Feb / March but I have to tell you Daggor that it is a battle that you cannot win.
When I first started with my love of music there was no such term as "prog" relating to music. All the music that I loved was placed in a category called "underground" and I remember listening through headphones to and old valve radio to a radio station called "radio Nederlands" on Sunday nights where for two hours they put me into music bliss by playing "underground" music. I was around 14 years old at the time and I had discovered the magical thing that is prog music. I watched (or rather listened) as prog was born.
I am in agreement with most of what happens here on prog archives and I have found it to be a wonderful resource relating to the kind of music that I love. I've only been a member for a few years but I watched the site grow from inception and I have immense respect for many of the reviewers and the admin here relating to their knowlege of music.
I entered the Stratovarius fray around two years ago and I must say that I found the experience to be a painful one and in many ways a humiliating one as I was severely attacked over my insistance that Strat is a prog band irrespective of the feelings of some people here.
I watched prog music form and grow, I have a music collection that if I began to play it back to back today I would be dead before the last track played. I personally know a few "prog" artists on a friendly basis - all meaning only that I do feel that I have some idea what I'm on about relating to music.
For anyone to state that Stratovarius is not progressive relating to music is for them to state that they either haven't heard much of Strats music, that they do have a dislike for progressive symphonic (or power) metal, or that they have some other bias relating to Stratovarius.
Anyway - nuff said - I do not want to be placed in the same situation as I was once in here as I walked away from that not wanting to ever come back, such was the level of the attack on me relating to my simple belief that Strat should be given a place here.
------------- I'm a normal psychopath
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Posted By: Easy Livin
Date Posted: June 13 2011 at 09:37
I've said it a number of times, but I have always supported this band's admission.
I think though they were given very fair consideration for inclusion, the matter eventually ending up with the site owner. That's quite unusual, most decisions are taken without the need to involve mailto:M@x" rel="nofollow - M@x .
Given all this, I think we have to accept that they have been fully considered and move on.
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Posted By: Chris S
Date Posted: June 13 2011 at 10:00
Part of the sites evolution.....all things will pass
------------- <font color=Brown>Music - The Sound Librarian
...As I venture through the slipstream, between the viaducts in your dreams...[/COLOR]
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Posted By: sukmytoe
Date Posted: March 27 2013 at 17:36
"Stratovarius has become one of the most respected Progressive-Metal or Power-Metal bands in Europe. Their recent Elements Pt.1 has some of the richest sounds in today's Metal, and Elements Pt.2 is due for release in early November. Senior Sea Of Tranquility writer mailto:[email protected]" rel="nofollow - Duncan Glenday recently held a conversation with Stratovarius's keyboard wizard Jens Johansson, who has also worked with Yngwie Malmsteen, Dio, Arjen Anthony Lucassen, and Mastermind. We asked Jens about his background, Stratovarius's creative process, and the new album"
Quoted from the Sea of Tranquility website.
"One of the best prog. metal albums I have heard - 85%"
quote from the Metal Archives website relating to Stratovarius's Infinite album.
I could probably find a 100 references in ten minutes to Stratovarius being regarded as prog if I sifted the net. How is it that the feeling here is that Strat aren't prog when the almost universal feeling elsewhere is that they are? I've heard the arguments here over time and those arguments hold no weight with me whatsoever. The members of PA must have a large percentage of believers in my argument that Stratovarius should be represented here. Kamelot are more proggy than Strat? Where does that thinking come from?
I could post plenty of links to youtube of Stratovarius showing the ingrediants that we here say make up prog music but the exercise would be pointless as all it takes is a serious listen to their music and albums. I dare anyone to tell me that the track Destiny is not prog music because if I hear that I'm going to question the person who states that regarding his feeling for what prog music is. Destiny is by far not the only example in their discography that I could point to but it is an example.
My feeling is that new folk joining this site may never get to hear or know Stratovarius as they are highly influenced by this (very good in most ways) website which is an absolute shame as Strat's music is both stunning and very uplifting aside from fully falling into the prog category of metal music. I get that those who love Opeth wouldn't go for Strat - they are very different sides of the musical coin - Strat being uplifting and as melodic as all hell.
Sorry to those that my attempt to revive this subject may upset  but this thing is something that I will not give up on.
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Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: March 27 2013 at 17:50
Are you DavetheSlave reincarnated?
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Posted By: aapatsos
Date Posted: March 27 2013 at 17:54
No single member of the past prog metal teams has given a positive vote for their inclusion, I hope this explains some things
http://progfreak.com/Stratovarius-52034.html?path=pa/pm" rel="nofollow - http://progfreak.com/Stratovarius-52034.html?path=pa/pm
Yes, they can play some good neo-classical power metal at times, some slow melodic power metal with great keyboards at times but they are not a progressive metal band
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Posted By: sukmytoe
Date Posted: March 27 2013 at 18:00
As I recall DavetheSlave got quite heated about the subject although he didn't articulate his reasons for wanting Stratovarius here well enough. I know him personally but no, I'm not him. What's your take on the Strat subject?
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Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: March 27 2013 at 18:11
This is my take on it.
Easy Livin wrote:
I have always supported this band's inclusion, but they were rejected again (for prog related) only last year, and this was confirmed by mailto:M@x" rel="nofollow - M@x the site owner. There really is no point in resurrecting the issue now, they will not be added. |
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Posted By: sukmytoe
Date Posted: March 27 2013 at 18:15
Hey aapatsos - I'm afraid that many outside of PA don't quite agree with that but everone has his or her own definition of what prog is. Strat include in their music all of the elements that our own recipe here for prog music contains. Those same people who voted anti Stratovarius voted yes to Kamelot? How did that happen? I enjoy Kamelot but the two bands are chalk and cheese when it comes down to prog elements in their music. I'm not one of those comparison guys who says that one is here how come not the other but relating to Strat there are many inclusions that may cause some to raise eyebrows when looking at Stratovarius and not just the Kamelot thing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-ER5---jSk" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-ER5---jSk
How many people have sat and analysed the above track properly - and that is one example.
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Posted By: sukmytoe
Date Posted: March 27 2013 at 18:27
rushfan4 - I know that DavetheSlave had the deepest respect for you as he felt that you were one of the only members here not to take him to task regarding his request for Stratovarius's inclusion. I believe that things kind of got out of hand where he suggested that there was some other agenda relating to Strat's non inclusion but that was because he felt a complete non understanding relating to the argument and the direction that the whole thing went in. He felt stonewalled is how he put it to me.
My only question would be how intimately did those who voted against Strat look at their music and did they sit back and really listen. I note a strong metal movement here for the other side of the Strat coin being the really heavy tech metal / Death Metal scene and to those people who appreciate that Strat would be a red flag because that isn't what they do at all. The beat / tempo change thing in Strat's music, the different direction that many of the tracks take, the journey that those tracks take the listener on, the heavy use of keyboards - all those things as to our own recipe to what prog is are inherent in the music and that can't be denied.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpcaGDs82gA" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpcaGDs82gA
How many tempo changes can you count here? This track on its own blows any arguments totally out of the water - how about I post links to another ten or so tracks to seal my side of the story?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikDS1TBAElo" rel="nofollow - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikDS1TBAElo
What happen's at the point around 5.25 into the track? This isn't regarded by the powers that be here to be proggy?
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Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: March 27 2013 at 19:04
I can't speak for the prog metal team members so I don't know what each individual member considers when choosing to accept or exclude a band, but I respect that they were selected for the prog metal team based on their interest and knowledge of prog metal, and the site has entrusted them with the decision to accept or exclude the bands that they evaluate. That doesn't mean that I agree with every decision that they make, but it does mean that I respect their conclusions as being representative of their team and the site. Strat may meet my definition of progressive power metal, but for whatever their reasoning over the years Strat haven't met the various prog metal team members definition. They have been kind enough to evaluate them multiple times with different team members and have still reached that same conclusion.
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Posted By: sukmytoe
Date Posted: March 27 2013 at 19:26
Rushfan4, since that time there have been a further 3 album releases by Strat so the argument that I see relating to the Easy Livin post relating to the fact that they have been considered and won't be included carries little weight with me. It in fact says what it says and that leads me to presume that the argument will always remain closed irrelevantly of what anyone now happens to say. By the very definition that I read on this site as to what prog music is I have a lack of understanding relating to what the real problem is when it comes down to Stratovarius. Hell, on the Elements track I pick up a flute aside from the various tempo changes and direction changes in the track itself.
I accept that some may percieve that Death Metal has prog elements, all I'm saying is that the non inclusion of what is obviously prog music by PA's own definition of what is on the other side of the prog metal spectrum is really not, to my mind, fair. My argument is not with you my friend, it is with the powers that be who I believe didn't make a wrong decision but maybe should review that decision properly.
I feel that the Strat argument has become, over time, a sticking point and it isn't only DavetheSlave who brought it up - prior to him there were the same arguments over time and after him others attempted to revive it with no joy. Looking back at all the Strat posts I do percieve a kind of stonewalling for whatever reason relating to the topic.
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Posted By: rushfan4
Date Posted: March 27 2013 at 19:59
I have not heard their most recent albums, but would hope that members of the prog metal team have. I don't know on that. Unfortunately at this point, the addition of Strat falls under being a controversial band and it would take a unanimous vote by the members of the prog metal team to get them in. I suspect that unless it is so progressive that it makes Dream Theater blush that they won't unanimously change their minds.
We are usually told that a band can be re-evaluated if they release a new album after being rejected, so I guess I would hope that someone on that team would at least give the new album a listen to determine whether it is progressive enough in their minds to warrant another reconsideration on the band. That is really about it though.
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Posted By: Earendil
Date Posted: March 27 2013 at 20:35
I've always thought they were one of the least progressive major power metal bands
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Posted By: sukmytoe
Date Posted: March 28 2013 at 01:47
Earendil - if that were the case then it would open a whole new can of worms - being that there is an exclusion of a whole prog side to metal that certain entities here don't accept whereas they accept the opposite side to the Strat kind of music which again when listening to Strat they fullfill all of the laid down prog attributes posted on this very site for determining what is prog. Personally I have many "power metal" bands in my collection and they don't strike me as being progressive in terms of what I would like to see here represented on PA. It is too easy to listen to a lot of Strats material and dismiss them however a large percentage of their music is (whether you or I or anyone else likes it) prog music. Some of the more profound musical journeys that I have been taken on in my mind listening to music with my eyes closed have been driven on the Stratovarius bus). Certainly they have a lot of tracks that are pure power metal cheese however there is that large percentage of their tracks that fit, like a glove, prog metal. This is not coming from a Stratovarius fanboy by the way as I am a fanboy of a whole lot of prog music ranging from different genres within the prog sphere. I have and love the new Steven Wilson album, the new Comedy of Errors album and many many others from through the early 70's to date - so I'm not vectoring from the Strat fanboy arena - I'm a fanboy of prog music full stop. This is an easy connect the dots exercise to indulge in - look at what we ourselves here state is the recipe for prog music and then spool up just about any Stratovarius album and ignore the cheese tracks while listening to the prog tracks - and then make a judgement call. I could fill this page with examples of why Strat are prog but that would be an exercise that I don't really want to indulge in. I do sense a biase for the darker side of prog metal on this site and I personally do not like the darker side of prog metal (the growling type of sonic noise metal) however I would never say that that side of the spectrum isn't prog - why is the opposite being said to me then? It's easy to spool up the Stratovarius album of the same name and listen to the first three tracks and dismiss Strat as a prog metal band however then comes the monster track Back to Madness which kind of says whoa hold on there mate. The Stratovarius album of the same name is a bad example as looking at that whole album I personally would dismiss my own argument however there are many albums before and after that one that exude prog in spades.
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Posted By: aapatsos
Date Posted: March 29 2013 at 07:24
I will have another listen to the samples you provided above at some point
Another question to ask: how many PROG sites include Stratovarius?
I can see your point about Kamelot, not all their releases are representative of progressive metal but their beginnings were, so maybe that is another reason why thery are include here (I cannot speak for the team at the time, I just assume)
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Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: March 29 2013 at 08:23
I honestly don't hear it. Keyboards infused in metal don't necessarily equate prog. This sounds like power metal to me - not in the vicinity of prog imho. Sorry but that's how I feel - and I've listened to all of the samples given in this thread.
------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.”
- Douglas Adams
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Posted By: sukmytoe
Date Posted: March 29 2013 at 16:01
For me it is simple - what music takes me on a journey? Pop music doesn't, standard rock or metal doesn't. Strat does, often. Off centre or uncommon rythm structures, rythm tempo changes, compositional direction changes, the full on keyboard usage, the ability of the musicians with their instruments - those things by our own very defintion of prog on this site are flags to what is and what is not prog music and those things are very apparant in Strat's music. I have always included Strat in my own personal prog music section as opposed to putting them in metal, rock or pop because of the musical journey thing. I could easily listen to a number of their standard tracks and write them off as a pure power metal band however there are the tracks that say very much otherwise for example those on the Elements albums and a number of their other tracks e.g Destiny. I'm not necessarily pushing for them to be included under the prog metal but I would like to see them represented here if only to allow many people here to make up their own minds. We do know that this is a controversial subject - the Strat one - and the only reason for that controversy is that the argument exists and holds water. If someone had to put them under prog related I wouldn't cry about that - I purely believe that they should have a showing on PA.
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Posted By: Triceratopsoil
Date Posted: March 29 2013 at 16:09
You think the fact that many people think they don't belong here but they keep getting suggested reveals that they are progressive? I don't follow.
For me they sound exactly the same as every other generic power metal band, none of which I would consider prog at all.
The Great Duck wrote:
Are people here really unaware of the other,bigger Metal Archives,making MMA more or less useless?
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The biggest difference is a community that isn't sh*t
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Posted By: Windhawk
Date Posted: March 29 2013 at 16:33
Heh, even I feel that this is a dead horse that should be saved from further torment. For those who know me a bit, that should speak volumes.
The vids posted at the start of the thread further cemented my view really. Yeah, they've got a thing for grandiose arrangements and yeah they are fond of mellow interludes and ambient inserts. But this isn't structurally advanced in any manner, and at the core of the compositions all along are steady, predictable rhythms and patterns that doesn't really offer anything truly adventurous or beyond the scope of what is fairly common.
I wouldn't have objected at seeing them in prog-related, as they have structural elements, effects as well as arrangements that does reach beyond what is common in mainstream metal. But they started out about a decade too late to make a viable case for inclusion in that part of the database. They aren't innovators in their chosen field when utilizing those approaches nor can they be described as influential towards the development of progressive music per se when being slightly proggy or arty beyond being a popular entity in their own right.
Perhaps in 20 or 30 years, if numerous artists performing what is then regarded as progressive metal/rock describe them as a seminal influence, that this might be a case for further consideration. Or if they release several purebred indisputable prog albums later on. For this band just one album wouldn't suffice I suspect, as there are quite a few other bands around with one undisputed prog album to their name not a part of the database here due to their plentiful mainstream releases.
------------- Websites I work with:
http://www.progressor.net http://www.houseofprog.com
My profile on Mixcloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/haukevind/
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Posted By: Guldbamsen
Date Posted: March 29 2013 at 16:42
Very nice post Olav
Another dead horse being beaten is the proposition of individual prog albums from non-prog artists being added to the database....
------------- “The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.”
- Douglas Adams
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Posted By: sukmytoe
Date Posted: March 29 2013 at 17:18
Windhawk - I hear you but if PA applied that rigidity throughout a lot of what has been included here on PA and in fact is being included would never have succeeded or would never succeed in future. We have a recipe for what is prog music being the definition of progressive rock music as PA sees it and if music fits that then to me it is prog music relating to PA. Whether you, I or anyone else likes it Stratovarius meet that definition - the only way around that is to change the definition as we see it. There is a world of difference between standard metal music and Stratovarius. If I look at the standards that you set - then why is Alice Cooper not here? Influential? In Spades. Groundbreaking at inception? Hell yeah. My thinking relating to Alice Cooper does not vector from todays standards but would I have called him prog back when he released Billion Dollor Babies, Killers, From the Inside etc - most definately. Would I like to see him here - I don't know about that. Would I have called Strat prog when they released Elements? Hell yeah. Would I like to see them here - Hell yeah.
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Posted By: Windhawk
Date Posted: March 29 2013 at 17:37
I'll have to disagree with you there. Alice Cooper not the best example to pull out either I'd say - The Amboy Dukes would have been a better one for that line of argument. Still, it's not my decision nor is it yours. Those who make the decisions have decided, and until the situation changes radically this discussion is just a waste of forum space. Whatever you, I or anyone else has to say in the matter will be of no consequence whatsoever until time have passed, most likely quite a lot of it.
------------- Websites I work with:
http://www.progressor.net http://www.houseofprog.com
My profile on Mixcloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/haukevind/
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: March 29 2013 at 19:02
Oh for f##k's sake, not again.
*sigh*
THEY'RE NOT PROGRESSIVE ROCK DAVE - GET OVER IT AND MOVE ON.
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Posted By: sukmytoe
Date Posted: March 30 2013 at 02:29
That's a loud and extreme statement to make Dean - I'll tell you what to do - google the words Stratovarius and progressive together and see what you come up with. This topic is probably the only one where you and I are in total disagreement however PA is not my site and neither am I anything like a decision maker here so accordingly I cannot but suggest a change of thinking. I'm going to let this rest because obviously I can't win here however you state that they aren't progressive and I say that they are. One of us is wrong and the other is right but it would be arrogant of me to beleve that I have a greater music theory understanding than you do and so I don't state or believe that. Strat will stay in the progressive side of my collection to me and you can keep it wherever you like to presuming you have any of their albums. Let's just say that Strat music is damn good and leave it at that and then we will be in agreement about something relating to them.
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Posted By: DamoXt7942
Date Posted: March 30 2013 at 03:30
The result is obvious.
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http://www.myspace.com/officialstratovarius" rel="nofollow"> |
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http://progfreak.com/Stratovarius-52034.html" rel="nofollow - Stratovarius |
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 | Thread closed before a bad carnival.
------------- http://www.facebook.com/damoxt7942" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: Dean
Date Posted: March 30 2013 at 03:36
Dave, if you had read the posts in this thread before you did a Lazarus on it then we would not be having this conversation. My exasperation is that every time you return to this site you drag-up this dead horse for another beating.
------------- What?
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