In 2000, the album Infinite was released. Destiny contained "S.O.S." and "Rebel", as well as the 10-minute title track "Destiny". In the same year the band recorded the album Destiny which reached No.1 on the Finland charts. "Black Diamond" has since become one of their most recognised songs, and has been included in almost all live setlists since its release. This album was released to a very positive reception, and featured notable songs "The Kiss of Judas", "Black Diamond" and the title track "Visions (Southern Cross)", a 10-minute epic that was their longest song at the time. In 1997 the band released their sixth studio album titled Visions. The line-up on this album proved to be their most stable, remaining the same until the release of Polaris in 2009.
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This new line-up released Episode, an album that showcased their new symphonic direction with a full orchestra and choir utilised on tracks such as "Season of Change" and "Forever".
Jörg Michael from Rage was hired as their drummer and soon after Jens Johansson of Yngwie Malmsteen-fame was hired as keyboardist, a position he has held to this date. Unhappy with the new direction the band was heading, Tuomo Lassila decided to leave the band along with Antti Ikonen, leaving Stratovarius searching for a new drummer and keyboardist to fill their places. It was in this period that the last founding member left the band. This was the first album that showed signs of the new direction the band was heading, with tracks such as "Twilight Symphony" using an orchestra for the first time in their recordings.ĭeparture Of Tuomo Lassila And Antti Ikonen, Episode, Visions & Destiny This was the last album with a singing performance by Timo Tolkki, being featured as a backing vocalist on this album. In 1995, the band released their first album with Kotipelto on vocals Fourth Dimension, which was accompanied by a music video for the song "Against the Wind". The band started auditions for a new singer, eventually choosing Timo Kotipelto.
This album was the last album that followed the style of the initial releases, because when Tolkki abandoned his position as lead singer the group adopted the more neo-classical/symphonic style which they became famous for.Īrrival Of Timo Kotipelto, Fourth DimensionĪfter releasing the album Dreamspace, Timo Tolkki decided to step down from lead singer of the band to concentrate on guitar and songwriting as well as to move Stratovarius in a new direction. In 1994 Dreamspace, their third album, was released. After Twilight Time was released, Behm was fired and replaced with Jari Kainulainen. On this album Tolkki played bass as well as guitar on all tracks, despite Jari Behm receiving credit on the album. In 1991 the group released their second album, which was initially released under the name Stratovarius II but was later re-released in 1992 with the name Twilight Time. In 1989 their debut album Fright Night was released, which would be accompanied by a small tour of Europe. By 1985, the name had changed to Stratovarius (a portmanteau of Stratocaster and Stradivarius, which is also the name of an early Kraftwerk song), and guitarist/vocalist Timo Tolkki entered the band in December of that year, replacing Stråhlman.In 1988 they released their first two singles, "Future Shock" and "Black Night". The founding members were Tuomo Lassila, Staffan Stråhlman, and John Vihervä. They went through a number of personnel, style and name changes before the band found its own voice. Stratovarius was founded in August 1984 in Finland under the name Black Water. The band has known many chaotic lineup changes: there are no founding members in the band since Tuomo Lassila's departure in 1995, and currently, the longest standing member is Timo Kotipelto, who joined in 1994. Along with Helloween, Blind Guardian, Gamma Ray, HammerFall, Angra, Rhapsody of Fire and fellow Finnish power metal bands Nightwish and Sonata Arctica, Stratovarius are considered one of the leading groups of the power metal and symphonic metal genre. Since their formation (originally as Black Water), they have released 15 studio albums and one live album. Stratovarius is a Finnish power metal band that formed in 1984. Stratovarius - Discography (1989 - 2013)