It's finally here, the long awaited and much anticipated new release by Stratovarius. There's been so much hype about this album by the press and some of Timo Tolkki's comments about the downloading of this album prior to it's release, really has sparked a lot of mixed feelings amongst the fans. I'm not about to get into a discussion on that here as it's already been discussed in a news article on Metal Reviews a few months back. So, the burning question....is all the hype true about this being the best Stratovarius album ever? It depends. If your looking for a melodic speed metal masterpiece, it isn't. If you're a serious fan and enjoy it when bands start to branch out and experiment with new types of approaches and sounds including choirs and real orchestration, then this is may be the best one yet. I think this album is going to get mixed reactions in that, for what it lacks in the typical speedy melodic metal that Stratovarius is known for, is countered by a new epic and progressive sound that is found on some of the longer tracks on this album.

Eagleheart, the first single, was already reviewed a while back but I'll re-iterate by saying that it's a very typical up-tempo melodic Stratovarius song along the likes of Hunting High And Low from Infinite. It's a great melodic song with a good tempo, fairly simple arrangement, big chorus and is a great way to start an album. Soul Of A Vagabond, is one of several long epic tracks on this album and begins with some chunky heavy riffs accompanied by real orchestration. The slow pounding Heaven And Hell style dominates this song and it is highlighted by another big chorus with choir backing and some amazing drumming by Jorg Michael. The orchestration and choirs really add drama and atmosphere to the song that I don't think would quite have the same feel without them. Find Your Own Voice is one of several blisteringly fast songs that are found on this release. The speedy riffing and machine gun style double bass drumming should silence any critics that claim this band doesn't play this sort of stuff anymore. This track reminds me of such oldies as Against The Wind and Speed Of Light. This is a killer song except that Timo Kotipelto's voice really sounds strained, almost to the point of screaming, resulting in an almost unintelligible chorus section for the song. There are several instances on this album where his voice sounds a little strained in trying to reach the higher notes.

Fantasia, an almost 10 minute track, begins with a quiet mix of bells and flute-like keyboard sounds before changing gears into a more speedier double bass style song with orchestration. The song slows right down in tempo for the chorus and even has a dreamy Yes like "reflective" vocal soliloquy by Timo. The tempo quickly changes into a faster heavier beat near the end and finishes again with the big slow choir style chorus. It's an adventurous song, one that contains many styles and Timo's voice is superb throughout however, I think the band loses it's step a little on this track as it is almost too "over the top" in trying to be dramatic with too many different parts to the song. Arrangements like this remind of the style of some of the Yes epics from days long past.Learning To Fly is another faster speed metal song in the typical Helloween style. It's another smoking riff fest with some great off-beat drumming and a big happy chorus. Again, like Find Your Own Voice, Timo really strains his voice for the chorus and for the most part, the screaming style makes it difficult to decipher what he's singing.

Papillion, another epic track begins with a quiet nylon guitar and a haunting child solo voice. The track breaks into a slower heavier style and the orchestration is featured throughout. This track has a great atmosphere and a melodic sense that flows through the entire song with some of the lead guitar playing the same melody lines as the vocals giving it a feeling of completeness. Stratofortress is an entirely instrumental song that features some very fast playing by all members of the band especially by Timo Tolkki and Jens Johansson (keyboards). Lots of very fast and technical soloing dominate the track and it is highlighted by several very technical speed scale runs featuring both guitar and keyboards. The title track, Elements is a 12 minute epic with a choir intro chanting "Elements.....wind, fire, water, earth.......Elements......fear, anger, sorrow, joy". This serves as the eventual chorus to the song and explores the world of emotional "elements" that we as humans feel that are as natural to us as the natural "elements" found on the planet we live on. It has a big dramatic sound and ranges from mid-tempo heavy to slow pounding heavy for most of the duration of the track. The final track A Drop In The Ocean is a fairly simple track with mainly acoustic guitar and voice with some orchestration. A spirited song with a nice uplifting chorus. One thing worth mentioning is the increased use of keyboards over previous releases. Jens Johansson really adds a lot more to the sound than before. Not only does he play some slightly more abstract melody lines, he is actually a lot more up front in the overall mix and is heard more clearly than ever. It's about time this band took advantage of this truly wonderful keyboard player.

This certainly is an album that demands more than a couple of listens to really appreciate. First impressions of this album left me with the feeling that this was a failed attempt at expanding and enriching the Stratovarius sound. It took me about 4 or 5 really serious listens before I started to appreciate the songs and what the band is trying to accomplish. Being a big progressive rock fan, there's that aspect to this album that I also find appealing. It has everything that this band is known for as far as styles and speedy tempos but with it comes a new fresh epic approach that some fans may take a while to get adjusted to. Although not everything is executed perfectly, I applaud this band for undertaking what must have been a monumental task in writing, arranging and recording this album. Sound-wise, I don't think this band has ever sounded better. Stratovarius, like a lot of other metal bands, could very easily fall into the trap of releasing the same sort of album time after time. That would satisfy die hard fans but accomplish nothing for the band. Growth and experimentation is needed in order to mature and keep up the interest and excitement level to continue delivering quality music. Is this the best Stratovarius album yet? Maybe not, however it's one that shows the band moving in a slightly different direction all the while maintaining the quality, style and character that we've come to expect from them.