No question, some albums are well worth resurrecting.
As with
'Elements Part 1', those metal afficionados, Metalmind Productions, have given this stylish release a remastering, and rereleased it on a gold, limited edition disc.
'Alpha & Omega' opens
'Elements part 2' in truly bombastic style, with mainman
Timo Tolkki nailing his operatic colours to the
Stratovarius mast, setting a course for Power and Symphonic Metal greatness.
While his songs continue to advocate love and peace, he develops several more lyrical themes in Part 2, touching on humanism and existentialism - a far reaching ambition, matched only by his powerful, spine tingling musical arrangements.
As always in this genre, those twin threats, bloat and bluster lurk expectantly in the shadows. Tolkki deftly keeps these at bay by limiting his eloquent, elegant songs to gripping, self contained choruses, and by keeping his arrangements well this side of frenzy and indulgence.
If you'll excuse the double negative, that's not to say he doesn't lead his band out onto the edge, occasionally teetering there tantalisingly, in glorious widescreen, hi def Technicolor. The shimmering, torqued up symphonic metal of
'I'm Still Alive' and
'I Walk To My Own Song' show exemplary balance, elevated by fantastically theatrical delivery and belting tunes.
Elsewhere, '
Seasons Of Faith's Perfection' positively pulses with humanity, building, soaring, sounding much like a lost outtake from King Crimson's 'Court Of . . . '.
In places, and only on rare but notable occasions, the bombast is replaced by an insouciant, contemporary cool . . . especially on
'Awaken The Giant' and
'Liberty'. These are memorable moments, proving that Tolkki was capable of so much more than that for which he was known.
For each of those two songs of course, there is a neoclassical romp like
'Know The Difference' or a
Kansas like symphonic progrock construct like
'Luminous'.
The ungenerous may claim that
'Elements, Part 2' is a stylistic mess, with Tolkki unsure of his direction.
Equally so, others will argue that he was simply exploring different musical avenues. And yes, sometimes he took us down dead ends and cul-de-sacs. But for many, like me, the journey was always a thrilling, rewarding experience.
Written by
Brian Wednesday, January 27, 2010
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