2009 marks a period of transition for prog metallists
Stratovarius, as longtime guitarist
Timo Tolkki has bid the band sweet adieu, while two new members -- guitarist Matias Kupianen and bassist
Lauri Porra -- have signed on. But with vocalist
Timo Kotipelto at the helm (are
Stratovarius the only rock band in the universe to ever have two chaps named "Timo" in the same band?), the signature
Stratovarius sound and approach are very much still intact, as evidenced by their 12th studio album overall,
Polaris. In other words, there are oodles of tricky musical bits,
Geoff Tate-meets-
Bruce Dickinson-like vocals, bombastic production, and all the elements that longtime
Stratovarius connoisseurs demand in a new album by their Finnish heroes. This approach is exemplified on such tracks as the album opening "Deep Unknown," while tracks such as "King of Nothing" combine the aforementioned musical approach with some pretty darn fierce metal (especially the song's opening). ~ Greg Prato