Dreamspace

Another really early entry that I seem to have in my music library, a remnant from about two or three computers back, is… Dreamspace by Stratovarius. This one’s gonna be a doozy to review, and I’ll tell you why. I have a strong suspicion that Timo Tolkki is one of the major reasons—if not the major reason, alongside Luca Turilli and the members of Rhapsody of Fire—for the development of the phenomenon, particularly among Finnish and Italian power metal bands, of the category broadly and pejoratively referred to as ‘flower metal’. This is a subgenre of which I am decidedly not a fan.

You know what I’m talking about. The syrupy, poppy, keyboard-laden direction that European power metal sometimes goes in. It’s the kind of power metal that goes in for nasally-sounding vocalists with really high tenor registers. It’s the kind that seems to have little lyrical breadth beyond the usual high-fantasy Tolkien and D&D tropes. It’s the kind that writes the liner notes in some kind of Elvish, or else some archaic 16th-century European script complete with ligatures and shit. It’s the kind that goes for broke on speedy double bass drumming. It’s the kind of power metal that gives me this unaccountable urge—and trust me when I say I’m far from the stereotypical fanatic quote-unquote ‘patriot’ material one occasionally sees in my country—to wrap a star-spangled do-rag around my head and wedge a Proudly Made in America steel-toed leather work boot straight into the crotch of the nearest narcissistic eye-liner-wearing metrosexual Eurotrash flower-metal vocalist I can find: solely to defend the good name of the style that Jag Panzer, Cirith Ungol, Manilla Road, Armored Saint and Omen have been playing in for decades.

Now, here’s the real kicker of a question to ask. Is it fair to judge an album, or an artist, retrospectively? Based on a trend that, from a simple logical perspective, they had no way of predicting or understanding ahead of time? Should the album instead be evaluated in its historical context according to the standards of its time? Or should it be evaluated in light of everything that has come since? Can someone standing in the present justly be expected put all perspective and hindsight to one side, in order to judge an album like Dreamspace solely by its standing among its contemporaries?

In the interests of being fair to this album, and in an attempt to put aside my utter detestation of Stratovarius’s and Timo Tolkki’s latter-day influence generally, I’ve decided to do something a little different in this review. I’m going to compare it directly against three other albums, representative of the prog-power vein, that were also released in 1994: Queensrÿche’s Promised Land, Savatage’s Handful of Rain and Threshold’s Psychedelicatessen.

This way, we’re really comparing ‘apples to apples’, and we have a better basis for discussing where Dreamspace actually fits within the contemporary prog-power scene, rather than trying to judge it by its retrospective reputation or trying to shoehorn it into a label that didn’t exist yet. This admittedly random choice of contemporaries for comparison actually gives us a pretty good baseline for comparison. We’re listening to Savatage at their most operatic and ballad-happy to date (apart from the following year’s Dead Winter Dead); we’re listening to Threshold as they leaned the closest they’ve ever done toward power metal; and we’re listening to Queensrÿche when they were at the cusp of a major shift away from anything progressive (or, indeed, metal). Actually a fairly good baseline for judging what Stratovarius were up to on Dreamspace, no?

Ahem. Moving along… Quite a bit of Dreamspace is technically impressive and interesting. True, it’s not the early Helloween and Blind Guardian-inspired stuff they started out playing. But it actually reminds me pleasantly of pre-Urban breed Tad Morose. This album really finishes off with some strong tracks (except for ‘Wings of Tomorrow’, but we’ll get to that): listen to ‘Abyss’ and ‘Shattered’ to understand what I mean by that. Playing with reverb and negative space in interesting ways, while still putting together a memorable song—these two tracks really recapitulate a promising direction for Stratovarius that I feel like they abandoned on future albums of theirs. ‘Shattered’ is just a plain straight-up awesome speed metal song, and comes very close to redeeming the album as a whole for me.

I think one of the big problems I have with Dreamspace itself is that the band definitely knows how to start a song well, but chooses not to follow through. Listen to those intros on ‘Chasing Shadows’, ‘We Are the Future’ and ‘Reign of Terror’. Those are pro-level intros: things that can really get a metalhead pumped to wreck the venue. They’ve got the drumming and guitar leads down to an art, building tension and anticipation with aplomb. But then what they follow it up with is really just kind of lightweight stuff. Like, sure, you can play fast—good for you. You can noodle around on a guitar solo on the bridge, yup—great. But where’s the bass at? Where’s the rhythm? Where’s that killer hook that resolves the tension in the cathartic release? Where’s the chorus that just invites the audience to stand up and shout? It’s like: you made this really fancy artisan dough, let it rise just right, rolled it out perfectly, added lots of locally-produced fresh mozza and primo ingredients on top, but then forgot to put it in the damn oven before serving it.

And here’s where we get to my ‘anachronistic’ criticism of flower metal. You can see the roots of it on these kinds of tracks. To extend the pizza metaphor: they’ve assembled a lot of the ingredients of good power metal (kick-ass leads, theatricality, speedy drumming and riffage, guitar solos), but they aren’t baked. The rhythm, the crunch, the oomph isn’t there. It’s examples like these that led all sorts of later bands (Sonata Arctica, Epica, Rhapsody, Power Quest, X and so on) to think they could slide by on offering these ingredients without bringing any actual heat.

And then scattered throughout the album you’ve got these poppy, drizzly, limp-wristed tracks like ‘Eyes of the World’, ‘Tears of Ice’ and ‘Wings of Tomorrow’. Point of comparison time: take a look at how many EM reviewers laid into Savatage with scores in the low 70s (and one at 30!), for recovering from the death of a bandmate by playing through it with what you can clearly tell is genuine grief. But then Dreamspace somehow gets a pass for this sappy bullshit? Let’s keep some perspective here: did Timo lose a brother to a car crash before writing these tracks? No. (His dad did take a window dive when he was a kid, but these tracks aren’t about that.) He’s writing about some dudes looking at him funny on the street one time, breaking up with some chick, and daydreaming about some bullshit-utopian John Lennon ‘Imagine’ future. Sorry, nope. Not quite in the same league.

And then there’s the weird stuff: ‘4th Reich’ and ‘Thin Ice’. I still don’t quite know what to make of these tracks—and for another point of comparison, I can only really point to tracks on Queensrÿche’s Promised Land, like ‘Disconnected’ and ‘My Global Mind’, which attempt something similar. Lots of negative space, acoustic discordant passages, punctuated by the occasional high scream. Like several of the tracks on Promised Land, Stratovarius is exploring interesting concepts, but as completed songs they don’t quite connect.

So let’s move on to the final appropriate comparison du jour here. Similar to Stratovarius, Threshold plays a fun, catchy blend of heavy and progressive music that’s indelibly influenced by pop-rock. And in 1994, Threshold came close to earning themselves a ‘power metal’ label with Psychedelicatessen. But here’s the key difference between Psychedelicatessen and Dreamspace. Groom and West offer us these complete compositions and actual progressions to appreciate and enjoy. They’re happy to experiment—and they do experiment with every album—but they take special care to blend these experiments seamlessly into a meat-and-potatoes heavy metal composition that leaves you in the end feeling like you’ve listened to something substantial and truly cathartic.

This is something that Stratovarius struggles to do, and ultimately doesn’t do, on Dreamspace. And, what’s worse, they ended up making a habit of this on their later albums. And… here I wave a hand with a gesture of disgust in the general direction of Finnish/Italian/Dutch pop metal… we have seen the result in the meantime.

12 / 20

Stratovarius' third album "Dreamspace" is the last to feature guitarist Timo Tolkki on vocals. This was also the first album that long-time bassist Jari Kainulainen performed on. "Dreamspace" is the first album where we start to see the form of the 'famous' lineup of Stratovarius. On the whole, this album has a bit more fat on it that needed some trimming than "Twilight Time" did, but at the same time, the actual meat is even tastier this go around, too. It really is a shame that this is the last album Tolkki takes lead vocals on, because "Dreamspace" is also far and away his peak vocal performance. On this album specifically, I would personally put Tolkki in the running of top power metal vocalists. He has stated that he stopped singing to focus on his guitar work, which happens to many bands who have a musician that both sings and plays an instrument, but I can't help but wonder if Tolkki thought he couldn't top himself vocally after this release.

"Shattered" is what I find to be his shinning performance vocally. The track's main riff is an energy fueled train with a catchy yet aggressive melody. From the very first shriek he delivers to open the song, Tolkki's vocal work is on full display. Even the verse melodies show a lot more character and range in his voice than normal, but his high notes that he sprinkles all across this track are over the top. "Shattered" is direct and to the point. It hits hard and fast, and ends before it overstays its welcome. "Thin Ice" is another example of Tolkki delivering incredible range and high notes. The track itself is an eerie and darker one, harkening back to "Twilight Time." The core riff has an odd time signature, and the repetitive and whirling nature of it along with Tolkki's almost rambling verse melodies give it an uneasy feeling. "Thin Ice" is an extremely atmospheric track. While I certainly wouldn't call it a highlight of the band's career, as it overstays its welcome a bit too long, the ending riff that fades the song out is a REALLY powerful, heavy stomper. Tolkki also holds his best high note of his career to close the track out, and unless some editing magic was done, he holds it for over 30 seconds long, which is really impressive.

"4th Reich" very well might be what I consider the last great "dark" Stratovarius track. The track is pure old-style Strato, and it has a style that the band dropped when Tolkki handed over vocal duties. The opening builds epically with dark, yet hopeful riffs and perfectly crushing drumming that switches to a marching style. Tuomo's style of drumming along this whole track helps make it. He isn't trying to do too much. He isn't trying to upstage anything with his drumming, but every pattern, beat, and hit he delivers is to build on the song and compliment the other instruments. The main riff right before the vocals begin has a flow and groove to it that is both catchy and smooth as can be. Tolkki's chorus melodies have a mixture of sadness and power behind them that complete the song's theme. "Abyss" is another darker track on "Dreamspace," but also much different than "4th Reich." "Abyss" is a tune that I absolutely love, but I honestly can't put my finger on exactly why I love it like I often can. I think the chorus riff in particular is a fantastic one. The riff is so catchy despite being a simpler one from Tolkki, and the chorus melody is equally simple and catchy enough to help it shine. The intro has tasty percussive woodblock usage that shouldn't go unappreciated.

A bit ironically, the track on the album that really has the biggest 'signs of things to come' is the opener "Chasing Shadows." (It's either this or "We Are the Future.") Without a doubt, this song is the most straight ahead power metal track on the record that is most like what Stratovarius is going to become very shortly. Tolkki's vocal melodies are beautifully done with power and that hint of depressing sadness that he nails so well. The chorus is just pure Stratovarius. Catchy and effective. Tuomo's ride cymbal pattern behind it is really the bread and butter of the entire chorus, though. It's such a tasty beat that gives a lot of variety to a maybe slightly too repetitive chorus melody. "Magic Carpet Ride" gets my vote for favorite track on the album. This song is Tolkki's first attempt at a middle-eastern kind of theme and musical style. The slow intro has keyboards that really put the listener in the mood right out of the gate, and remain the most important part of the entire track. The chorus, for me, is by far the best on the album. The keys lift up and really capture the feeling of soaring through the sky. Tolkki's vocal melody and higher notes give the keys the wind needed to bring the climatic chorus to life.

"Reign of Terror" is one more highlight of the record that shouldn't go unnoticed. I wish Strato continued to do songs like this as the band's career went on. This one wasn't trying to force itself to be a power metal track. It's just a great, heavy, metal song. The main riff kicks so much ass and the drumming has an awesome groove behind it. Tolkki's vocals have tons of variety and march the song along. His vocal have this 'pissed off' aura to them, but he also busts out the higher register here and there to accent the track nicely. "Reign of Terror" is just fun in almost any measure you want to look at it with. Unfortunately, "Dreamspace" has one big misstep that keeps it from being a flawless record. "Eyes of the World" is that aforementioned fat on the record that needed to be trimmed. The riff before the vocals kick in is very boring, and most of the song's musicianship dies a painful death the moment the uninspired vocal melodies kick in. The nice piano work here and there is literally the only interesting thing going on for this entire track. Especially for the verses, everything else is just playing the blandest single note patterns you can imagine. To put the cherry on this awful sundae, the chorus is PAINFULLY whiny. It's a chorus that tries so hard to make a statement that you just end up rolling your eyes and gritting your teeth. "Dreamspace" already had thirteen tracks (fourteen if you want to count the instrumental interlude), so I don't think anyone would have complained if this one was left off the record. It's not like it needed an additional track to fill time.

When all is said and done for Strato's first 'era,' it's honestly hard for me to pick a favorite between "Dreamspace" and "Twilight Time." I find "Twilight Time" to be a much more consistent record, while "Dreamspace" has higher highs and lower lows. For every fantastic track like "Magic Carpet Ride," "Reign of Terror," and "Abyss" this album has, there is an "Eyes of the World," "Tears of Ice," and "We Are the Future" to dilute it just a bit. Tolkki's vocals might really be the difference maker here. In any case, "Dreamspace" ended up being both a great album and an important one for the band. This is the first release where you start to see the frame of what the group would become. Starting with their next album, the hazy frame would start to get a clearer form. Whether you love Stratovarius or don't, I highly recommend their first three albums. Especially this and "Twilight Time." If you have yet to give these albums a chance, I can guarantee you'll find something much different than you're expecting.

Widely inspired by Helloween's Keeper's saga, "Dreamspace" represents a step back from what would become the band's definitive sound. Still, it is even more decent than the albums brought out afterward. The proposal in this release is interesting, the musical ideas are brilliant at moments, and the atmosphere perfectly fits the intended context of the album. However, it tends to become dull in certain moments, and there are certain flaws in the songwriting department, giving as a result very forgettable moments. Indeed, the listener is punished, for instance, with numbers like the lengthy cheesy ballad "Tears of Ice" or the slow-paced "Abyss." Both numbers ended up demonstrating that their creative potentials were not adequately exploited, more so, taking into account the kind of stuff they were able to develop in previous albums.

Although the fast-paced numbers tend to start with glorious intro-riffs, the reality is that they tend to lose punch. Their choruses feature guitar riffs that are merely repetitions of the "Freewheel Burning" intro-riff, which suddenly get lost as soon as the choruses progress. "Chasing Shadows" begins menacingly, showing itself as a very promising number, but it is easy to get disappointed when the chorus kicks-in. In any case, the chorus is rescued by the power-chords introduced in-between the Freewheel Burning stylized riffs. "We Are the Future" is another example, though it is way cheesier than the opening track, especially the chorus. Not everything is lost when all is said and done. "Shattered" is an astonishing number that recalls the band's speed metal juggernaut "Future Shock" and contains similar rhythmic patterns to those from Motöirhead's hit "Ace of Spades," this should be the best number in here. The mid-paced "Reign of Terror" is also a tremendous number that features a riff-obsessed and penetrating guitar performance seemingly inspired by the 90s Megadeth style.

The proggy side is also well exploited in some cases. The title track runs in a very astonishing fashion, mainly in the drumming performance. It gets better when the atmosphere is less highlighted, and a more vicious guitar playing is included. It does not mean that the atmosphere is terrible; it is very impacting. Perhaps, a good comparison could be "The Sorcerer" by the Lords of the Crimson Alliance, though the latter is a more forceful and balanced US power metal number. That said, the album is a combination of glorious moments, powerful tracks, and boring slow-paced stuff and ballads. It is worth it to insist on the need for an enhanced and more forceful guitar playing to improve the album and make it a Euro power metal masterpiece. Regardless of its flaws, the release is still a decent work, considering the crap released in Italy and Finland during those years.

Having grown to like power metal through listening to Helloween and Gamma Ray, a friend gave me all of the Stratovarius albums up to the self-titled effort. Listening to those 11 albums (I know what you're thinking - that's a great friend right?) as well as the later 'Polaris' and 'Nemesis', which I had bought around the same time, I had rather a troubling time trying to work out what had happened to the band's sound along the way. Sure, over 25 odd years a band's sound should change, but the extent to which 'Fright Night' differs compared to 'Fourth Dimension' or the two 'Elements' albums differ to 'Nemesis' is almost frightening, and certainly confusing. In many ways, all this change - progress may be a more fitting word - suggests that Stratovarius deserve to be marked with the progressive tag as much as power metal, certainly since there have always been certain songs on any given album that have ventured out of the box regarding song structure and ideas.

That brings us to 'Dreamspace', which I have seen labelled as "dark power metal" on several occasions. However, that label seems a little wayward (especially if one thinks of Helloween's 'The Dark Ride' as a dark power metal album) and would appear to have been applied retrospectively to explain Stratovarius's movement within heavy metal. Certainly a power metal band by the time 'Visions' rolled around, the Finns' early work has as much in common with classic metal bands like Black Sabbath and Deep Purple, speed/thrash bands like Overkill and Megadeth, or slightly cheesier characters like Ozzy Osbourne and other stadium rock/metal bands as it does with Helloween, Blind Guardian, and the like. When 'Dreamspace' was released in 1994, those influences weren't quite so obvious as a couple of years previously, but there was still a long way to go towards power metal, sometimes dwelling at a crossroads between Savatage, Metal Church, and Rush that reflects the propensities of those bands to play thunderingly heavily, powerfully quickly, and quirkily. Other reviewers have already commented on the "dark" sound of this album, which separates it strongly from power metal, making it a much more varied and atmospheric album. I would put that darkness down to two main things - speed and Timo Tolkki's vocals.

As such, I'm going to start with the songs that have nothing to do with power metal in order to highlight the misunderstanding that I believe has been upheld regarding the kind of music that Stratovarius once played. From the first half of this album, down to 'Tears of Ice', there are 5 songs that clearly show an exploration of different sounds, many of them at slow or mid-pace and often containing atmospheric introductions or interludes courtesy of guitar or keyboard melodies. 'Magic Carpet Ride', fluffy name aside, has a real desire to oppress the listener with its unnerving opening (I shit you not, it reminds me of Mayhem until the keyboards come in) and those slightly hidden vocals. '4th Reich' is a pure progressive adventure, paying no heed to song structure or normal components like riffs and melodies, forging ahead by dint of atmosphere alone, while 'Chasing Shadows' takes a very slow and dour route towards traditional heavy/power songwriting. There are numerous examples in 'Dreamspace' of Tolkki banging out a very straight-ahead riff that is clearly designed to flatten with its heft in the same style as Savatage mastered in the mid-to-late 80s, not least in the chugging title track or the stomping 'Reign of Terror'. All of these experiments are satisfying to some degree, particularly the aforementioned riffing style, though the slow pace and frequent creepy crawls through insanity ('Thin Ice' is all tension and spidery acoustic guitar until its rather optimistic outro) do make the album seem longer than it is and cause some focus to be lost.

Of the other songs, 'Hold on to Your Dream', 'We Are the Future', and the kind-of-ballad 'Wings of Tomorrow' are the first clear signs of the direction that the band would head in before long, while 'Shattered' would arguably sit comfortably with fans of 'Painkiller'-era Judas Priest. What's surprising about hearing those songs on 'Dreamspace' is that, while they certainly stand out from the other songs on the album, they don't sound distinctive compared to other bands in the same field, and are much less creative than the tracks that surround them. Tolkki's vocals are not quite right for this kind of style, rarely jumping out with energy, so that the rather tired-sounding chorus of 'Chasing Shadows' gives the whole song a downbeat atmosphere that remains unique to my knowledge. He isn't a great singer, though he provides some great moments, such as his searing screams on 'Shattered' and the surprisingly poignant performance on 'Tears of Ice', which you would imagine should suck so hard from reading the lyrics alone. His solos are decent though due to the prevailing mood are less exuberant than on other albums, while his rhythm section actually have more to do, especially when filling in parts of the slower songs.

'Dreamspace' would be rather a surprise to the modern Stratovarius fan and deserves attention on its own merits, since it is a largely unique album, combining influences that have rarely met before or since. The themes, pace, and atmosphere are atypically downbeat for this kind of metal, yet do often work if one listens with an open mind. At times, the range of styles and experimentation can become a little wearing, especially as the album continues for more than an hour and often requires attention to the subtleties of the music. More interesting than great, but still not bad.

For any band with a substantial history and discography, particularly for any band that is somewhere within the Helloween paradigm, there is usually a point where a significant fork in the road is reached. While you usually see types and shadows in the sound of any band during their earliest period, this particular point is marked by a very noticeable, though usually not overwhelming change in direction. In some respects, the previous Stratovarius album and also the one that followed this one showcased elements of this, but “Dreamspace” is probably the most significant stylistic departure of what has otherwise been a very gradual transition out of the 80s metal paradigm into what became the late 90s sound as typified by a more formulaic and accessible songwriting style with safer melodies and a more Michael Kiske-like vocalist.

Whereas previous albums showcased an occasional flirtation with the readily known mishmash of speed metal riffing and AOR sounds, about half of this album is all but pointing at what became standard fare by “Visions”. But by the same token, the progressive and darker character of the last 2 albums is still heavily present, though softened a bit and localized to specific songs that stick out massively and, unfortunately, tend to not be featured on their live sets. When listening to bleak, politically relevant songs with a rather unusual feel such as “4th Reich” or slower, somewhat groove driven thrash numbers like “Reign Of Terror” it gets difficult to recognize this as the same band as the one that put out even the earliest subsequent albums with Koltipelto taking over the vocals. In fact, the quirky, progressive, all but Rush inspired number “Thin Ice” showcases Timo Tolkki belting out a few high notes that the current front man might have trouble hitting.

The breakdown of songs that can be classified as flirting with “Visions” material are actually quite varied in presentation, though indicative of a more formulaic direction. The vintage mid-80s speed metal cooker “Chasing Shadows” and the slightly lighter and happier “We Are The Future” definitely raise the eyebrows a bit if they tend towards such a reaction with typical Freedom Call and Gamma Ray songs from the 1999 glory period. The drum sound is still a bit light and 80s sounding and the general atmosphere reflect a more restrained and distant sound that could be more associated with 80s Leatherwolf and Accept. While these respective songs are quite firmly lodged in the Helloween paradigm, there are other instances such as “Hold On To Your Dream” and “Wings Of Tomorrow” that more closely resemble that vintage, 80s heavy metal with a dash of hard rock that typified Dio’s mid-80s releases, right up to the somewhat video game sounding keyboard parts.

The bright spots on this fine offering are plentiful, and the weaknesses all but non-existent, but three songs really jump out to anyone looking for some surprisingly different sounding songs. The first is “Eyes Of The World”, which is about as 80s cliché as Dokken’s discography from that area, and released in the thick of anti-80s 1994. “Abyss” takes another dive into dark, progressive territory with an intro and continuous keyboard character that bounces back and forth between a number of Ozzy solo songs and Rush’s “Trees”. And when all territory within the still undefined parameters of early 90s Euro power metal have been seemingly hit, they bust out a killer speed metal riff monster in “Shattered” which reeks of a colossal homage to “Painkiller”, right down to the crunchy, sci-fi sounding guitar tone. Everything is perfectly on point on all these songs, even Tolkki’s vocal display which is derided by some as being too generically 80s.

While one can barely see the connection between “Twilight Time” or “Fright Night” with Stratovarius’ mainline material, here the connection is a bit more ascertainable. But to be fully precise, this is an album that is firmly caught between two worlds, in a much more evenly divided way than “Fourth Dimension”, and still has enough dark elements to be able to stretch the divide between USPM fans and some in the European scene. However, like the other two early releases, this album is often passed up by Euro fans as being too stylistically confused and being just another one of those albums that Koltipelto is not on. It might not quite reach the same euphoric pinnacle as “Destiny” or “Visions”, but damned if it doesn’t get dangerously close to doing so.

Normally, I have always know Stratovarius as a band that plays charming, but mostly average European power metal, sometimes a little bit better stuff like "Twilight time", sometimes mediocre stuff like "Destiny" and sometimes even bad stuff like "Polaris". I recently started to have a look at the less known albums from the band but I never expected to discover something like this album here. I can't believe that it only has a few reviews and that some of the biggest fans or so it seems don't classify this masterpiece amongst the best stuff this band has ever done. I would not only go as far to say that it is really by far the best album of Stratovarius, but maybe the best power metal album ever from a band that I never thought it would be able to do so.

There are maybe two or three very good songs on this record like the catchy but not yet outstanding opener "Chasing shadows" and "Reign of terror" with its standard riffs. The rest of this album is pure genius. Let me point out only some highlights. The epic and dark "4th reich" is the first brilliant track and transmits a haunting atmosphere. The song is permanently changing and in not even six minutes more progressive than the band's recent songs that peak at eighteen minutes. Strange sound effects, military parade drumming and an epic chorus leave me surprised. "Magic carpet ride" seems to be a song filled with stereotypes, but the track is haunting with its slow and heavy riff and Asian folk influences. The atmospheric and emotional ballad "Tears of ice" almost makes me cry and has a somewhat devastating beauty. "Dreamspace" truly feels like a dream with many weird and progressive passages, changes in style and highly atmospheric or even haunting and frightening passages. "Thin ice" has a science-fiction touch with its voice effects, smooth high hat drumming, imperfect acoustic guitars and simple staccato guitar riff interludes. Every time I think that there must come a weaker song at some point, the album seems to laugh at me and presents even stronger tracks. Needless to say that there are no fillers on the entire record. I would like to point out the Japanese bonus track "Full moon" that can be found on some new versions that surprises once again with weird voice effects, smooth acoustic guitars, tribal drums played by hand and dark choirs in the verses. The guitar solos are haunting and play some imperfect harmonies that create an uneasy atmosphere. The song is exotic, relaxing and disturbing at the same time. If you get a chance to purchase a version with this track, you will be pleasantly surprised without the glimpse of a doubt.

This album is dark and far more than just power metal. With all its changes in style, I would rather talk about progressive metal with some folk and avant-garde influences. The musicians are at their creative heights and felt free to experiment with whatever they wanted to and you can feel this freedom of choice and courage on this album. Timo Tolkki isn't a perfect singer from a technical point of view, but his imperfect and hypnotizing voice fits simply perfectly to this masterpiece and I really ask myself why he led a rather ordinary Timo Kotipelto in the band that has great vocal skills but not this haunting and unique ability to tell strange stories and drown you into weird atmospheres. This album is perfect for lonesome nights in isolated rooms to dream along and get drowned into a devastating beauty. This album has nothing of the later happy metal style of the band and isn't comparable to anything I have ever heard before. “Twilight time” showed me that this band was able to create dark and epic songs and I admired the album. This album is a logical consequence and follow-up and at the same time not as this album outdoes the brilliant previous one easily. This is something for the ages, one of those well hidden gems to get discovered. This is a unique masterpiece and I would recommend this album immediately to anyone that is into power or progressive metal.

Stratovavarius is often remembered and characterized by their catchy, anthemic later works. It's a shame, because people with only passing interest in the band, or just plain don't like Strato's brand of Power Metal are missing out on a truly great album. More progressive than the "strictly followed, almost rulebook-like set of song-styles" Stratovarius of later albums such as, well, every album after this one, Dreamspace is an album full of awesome riffs, progressive song structures, pounding drums with alot of great, creative patterns and perfectly executed catchy, melodic vocals which include awesome high pitched screams that just absolutley slay (i.e., right before the outro melody comes in on the title track "Dreamspace" -- holy crap!).

What I really like best about this stellar album is just the overall quality of the way the songs come together. A perfect example of what I'm describing is the song "4th Reich". The interplay between the military style drums, the awesome, atmospheric melody and the mood setting keyboards is absolutely breathtaking and is 100 percent epic in a totally different way than Stratovarius is usually acclaimed for (think Queensryche). And then the melodic solo comes in and if you haven't creamed your pants by now, you have got to have defective equipment. Not only that but the way all the songs flow during the length of the album is awesome. Every song is perfectly placed with purpose on the track listing and to switch the tracks could spell disaster. Opener "Chasing Shadows" sounds like a regular ol' slab of killer power/speed metal, which then leads into the next, more brooding and progressive "4th Reich" which then leads into the dreamy "Eyes of the World", etc... As you listen to the album you are taken on a trip through what I would describe as the dreams of someone a little fucked up. Don't think it sounds appealing? Oh, but how wrong you are.


I have to dedicate some time to what I think differentiates this album from typical Stratovarius albums: the riffs! Pretty much every song has a killer intro filled with fast, intense, melodic riffs. Some standouts are "We Are the Future", title track "Dreamspace" and my personal favorite, "Abyss". Almost every riff on this album rules in every sense of the word. The only tracks that I'd say has a subpar riff would be the albums pretty much only straightforward rocker "Reign of Terror". It actually sounds a lot like Megadeth's "Symphony of Destruction" except even less thrashy which results in... well, nothing too great. The song is actually not that bad as a whole, but it is pretty lacking and I'd rank it probably as the worst track on the album. "Shattered", one of the album's least progressive tracks is also a little worse off than the rest in the riff department. Too me, it sounds like a quicker, more "power metal" version of "Reign of Terror". with palm muted sixteenths everywhere. The closer "Wings of Tomorrow" isn't really too great either, but it serves as the perfect closer. Like described in previous reviews of the album it really serves to conclude or end basically what could be describe a nightmare in music form.


As a passing, I would like to at least mention the production. Most Kotipelto era Stratovarius albums have VERY slick production (maybe with the exception of "4th Dimension", but the production is much more gritty and echoey. Indeed it sounds much more "metalic" than their later works. The snare drum has this awesome reverb and the guitars have a great "Queensryche" like tone to them alot of the time. It really does add to the atmosphere, making this album sound a lot less upbeat than it's successors.


Really, the only other thing I'd like to point out is Tolkki's vocals. I really think everyone saying they are a little lacking or sub-par is just a slice of unabashed Kotipelto worship. Don't get me wrong, Kotipelto is obviously very talented, but Tolkki delivers some really great vocal melodies and can also hit some awesomely high notes. Like I said before, listen to the outro on the title track. You know who else is often described as sub-par? Kai Hansen (think Walls of Jericho). You know what else he is on that album? Awesome.


All of this stuff considered, I really must say that I think this is probably Stratovarius' best effort. Really, songwriting-wise, this album is positively solid all the way through with some slight speed bumps. I think even people who don't like Stratovarius really should at least give this album the old college try, cause it's definintely their best effort.

And I don't give a 100 because there are even better albums.

I will try not to be a fanboy, but since this will be difficult, I can't promise anything. This album is for me one of the best, if not the best album that Stratovarius has made. It's heavy and very powerful, dark in some moments and very uplifting in others, especially in the choruses.

Many tracks start with a fast, killer riff. 'Chasing Shadows', 'We are the future', 'Shattered' and 'Reign of Terror' are some examples. The album is indeed very guitar-driven, but the keyboards are not as much in the background as in, say, Malmsteen's Rising Force. They are mostly used to create an uplifting feeling or to enhance the darkness in the already dark guitar passages. The bass is mostly following the guitars, but when it's not, it is just so well placed. For an example, check the interlude in 'Tears of Ice'. The guitar, bass and piano make a perfect three-voice harmony, one of those where if you take away one instrument, the whole thing is destroyed.

Other tracks like 'In the eyes of the world', 'Thin Ice', 'Abyss' or 'Tears of Ice' start slowly and then build up reaching the same power of the earlier mentioned tracks, with the obvious exception of 'Tears of Ice', since it's a ballad. 'Atlantis' is a short instrumental, and while it does not add much to the album, it is still quite good.
The final track 'Wings of Tomorrow' is the perfect closer, since it's very uplifting and gives a final feeling of hope after much darkness.

The vocals from Tolkki are good, but just good, nothing more than that. At this point it's obvious that if the band wants to progress more, they'll need a new vocalist. His distant and muted vocals are well achieved, and the production is quite flawless - it's no news that Tolkki has an excellent ear when it comes to mixing and producing an album. This album was intended to sound dark, and the production accomplishes its goal.

I highly recommend this to any power metal fan, but don't expect a happy album in the lines of Keepers-era Helloween. This one is dark and scary at times.

Stratovarius's third release is it's best release that far. The leaders of finnish progressive power metal movement was bigger in Japan than in it's home country. Stratovarius was earlier persecuted in Finland, because it wasn't musically trendy.

This is the last album to feature the guitarist and leader Timo Tolkki on vocals. Dreamspace is the band's darkest creation to date. Fourteen songs of the album fitted in about 64 minutes sounds a bit long, and it is.

The album starts with fast and light "Chasing shadows", which is one of the best tracks of the album. It's even a bit cathchy, but it gives a wrong picture of rest of the album. The sad "happiness" is soon ended when the album seems to go down on more misty, darker and scarier places. "4th reich" is progressive as hell, thought it has some metallic bursts, it's a bit army style drumming combided with Tolkki's sometimes very distant and muted vocals is really stunning.

"Eyes of the world" has an acoustic guitar driven intro. The song is dark and scary, but it still gives some distant hope with it's chorus. "Hold on to your dream" is something between two previous tracks and "Chasing shadows". It's more faster and clear, but it isn't too happy. Actually this band can make songs which sound like they're happy, but they aren't. "Hold on to your dream" has even a keyboard driven, progressive interval session. "Magic Carpet Ride" starts again scarily. Overall, it's pretty dim with it's threatening keyboards, which sometimes give even hope. Song actually sounds like it's arabian.

"We are the future" is faster and it has a simple riff opening it, and it's leaning to more traditional power metal. Some parts of it are quite similar to Helloween's Keeper era. "Tears of ice" is more progressive and sad, mainly by it's flute session in the start. Tolkki's singing in it's beginning is more singing and less screaming. This can be said that it's the album's ballad. It's depressive, but not tired and weepy, thought the beautiful piano and flute sessions gives wings to this song.

Title track "Dreamspace" is one of the album's highlights. The tempo changes couple of times in this song, what is also one the most progressive tracks of the album. The song sounds very normal for the first two minutes, then it becames progressive and scary. Just listen to that "space" section in the middle! Tolkki's vocals end scarily. He then sings again, till the best guitar riff of the album starts. The end of the track is hope giving. "Reign of terror" offers a very strong riff what makes this the heavist track of the package. "Thin ice" makes return to more progressive, scarier and more hostile waters. Tolkki's vocals are distant and muted. Suddenly he starts his muted screaming, and the song becames more heavier and sturdy. The track ends heavily and Tolkki screams on the background.

"Atlantis" is scary but fast guitar-only driven instrumental. It's also the shortest one (1:09). I was beginning to wonder if there wasn't no instrumental tracks. "Abyss" is already a scary name without the song making it even scarier. It's guitar parts are one the best ones of the record. "Shattered" starts with very solid and promising riffing. It appears to be faster side of the album. It's dark, but not that scary. The final track, "Wings of tomorrow" sounds more hope-giving and it completely fits to be the ending track. It's moods are like getting out from some strange and gloomy abyss, where the album was getting in after the starting track "Chasing shadows", and where the album has been all the time. It's like getting in and out of darkness, to the light. Got the point?

Dreamspace is overall the most accomplished album from Stratovarius to that date, and it's still stong. The music is gloomy keyboard driven and progressive, what fits to this album's thematics. The scariest album the Stratovarius has ever made.

This is the album where Stratovarius gets their shit together and forms a really coherent sound that serves as the foundation of their international success. All they need now is a good vocalist, and the band is good to go.

What we have here in Dreamspace is the complete maturity of the band's sound. Timo Tolkki gets his shit together and irons out all the kinks in his style to create his original sound that fans love so much. The riffs are here, and they're very well-done; we hear a lot of those can-do-no-wrong opening riffs and chords that Timo never seems to run out of. The drum work is steadier here and is more indicative ofthe complementary rhythms that mark the golden era of the band. The keyboards aren't quite as much of a presence as they are in later albums, but that's only because we don't have Jens Johanssen yet. Who we DO have is Jari Kainulaerinsfaufnaelfnefmd, who came in at about the halfway mark of recording but definitely adds his own unique sound to the bass playin that works perfectly with the other band members.

We also have some songs that mark some important styles in Stratovarius's repertoire. 4th Reich is that sort of slower epic power song that we get over and over again in later Stratovarius albums, while Eyes of the World features the Stratovarius trademark of having a solo acoustic opening ditty followed by an explosion of riffage playing the same thing. Hold On to Your Dream is, for all intents and purposes, the birth mother of Hunting High & Low; the styles are almost identical. There are no throwaway tracks on here, and everything blends in really well with Stratovarius's sound. The other song worth a special mention is Atlantis, which is the first of a small and oft-overlooked group of Stratovarius songs that features drumless instrumentals that are short yet very cool.

This is the first absolute must-have for any fan of Power Metal, but certainly not the last. The legend has begun.