Visions - Stratovarius > Reviews > Visions

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Outstanding
Value for Money	Good

Advantages:	Involving, I think it's Stratovarius best album .
Disadvantages:	You have to like the genre

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Introduction :
I must say I didn't listened a lot of rock music 5 or 6 years ago, and the genre is so complex and full of artists that I can't have a full vision of it. However a friend of mine made me listen to Stratovarius music when I was 17 years old, and I liked them since the first time, liking them more and more while I listened them.
Since them I tried to listen all of their album and I can say that in my opinion Visions is the best. The other had one or more tracks that I liked, while in Visions I simply can't find a track that doesn't meet my agreement. It was published in 1997.
Then, let's see what the album has to offer.

Track Listing :
1. The Kiss Of Judas (5.49)
2. Black Diamond (5.39)
3. Forever Free (6.00)
4. Before The Winter (6.07)
5. Legions (5.43)
6. Abyss Of Your Eyes (5.38)
7. Holy Lights (5.45)
8. Coming Home (4.27)
9. Paradise (5.36)
10. Visions (12.47)

Stratovarius alternate in their albums quick and calm tracks(above all the 4th and the 8th). I feel that the music surrounds you and you're pushed back and forth.
The quick ones are powerful and very rhythmic, the other sweet and melodic.
My favourite track is with no doubt Holy Lights. While the others are all lyrics one, this is only instrumental and very intense. It starts quickly with player-piano and drum, the here the piano stops to leave place to guitar and the over with piano. After that there's a delightful slow part with piano and guitar and then here we go with drums, the tracks starts fastening.
I really can't describe this track, I just thing one has only to listen to it… It just makes you want to start running faster and faster…
The good thing I like in Stratovarius is that they're able to create different kinds of songs, not only talking about music melodies, but also of the lyrics. I read some of them as romantic (Black Diamond, Before The Winter, Coming Home), but what really took my attention are tracks about environment problems, such as Paradise. (Another track I really suggest you to listen to is Mother Gaia from the Infinite album, I really love that)
Well I was talking about Paradise… Here the beginning:
"Late at night I find myself again wondering and watching tv.
I can't believe what's on the screen, something that I wouldn't care to see.
Many rare species will perish soon and we'll be short on food.
Why do we have to be so selfish, we've got to change our attitude."
And there they continue with inviting everyone to save our world, to respect it.
All the pieces are long, they last at last 4.27, but none of them is too long, I really don't feel them that way (as I sometime do with Ireland music…)
Well Visions, the last track it's very long, but I really love it also… It just seems so apocalyptical, like the lyric in reality is.

The album is different from a track to another as I said before and while sometimes you're just bored after listening a certain artist, I think this is not that case, I can keep listening to this album from one to fives or more times… I'm just so involved by the music, it really inspires visions in my mind, and no, I'm not that mad. So maybe If you like this kind of music you can give it a try.