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5 Excellent - Masterpiece. A classic.
4.5-4 Great - Almost perfect records but there's probably a lacking.
3.5 Good - Most of the record is good, but there may be some filler.
3 Average - Some good songs, some bad ones at about a half/half ratio.
2.5-2 Fair - Worth a listen, but best obtained by collectors.
1.5-1 Bad - Major problems with music, lyrics, production, etc.
0 Terrible - Waste of your life and time.

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The best way to determine how much you may like certain music is to listen to it yourself.
Band
Stratovarius
Title
Intermission
Type
LP/EP
Company
Nuclear Blast
YOR
2001
Style
Traditional
Popular Reviews
3/11/2003 - Review by: Frank Hill
Stratovarius - Intermission - reviewed by: Nailer

Track Listing
1. WILL MY SOUL EVER REST IN PEACE?
2. FALLING INTO FANTASY
3. CURTAINS ARE FALLING
4. REQUIEM
5. BLOODSTONE
6. KILL THE KING
7. I SURRENDER (live)
8. KEEP THE FLAME
9. WHY ARE WE HERE?
10. WHAT CAN I SAY?
11. DREAM WITH ME
12. WHEN THE NIGHT MEETS THE DAY
13. IT'S A MYSTERY
14. COLD WINTER NIGHTS
15. HUNTING HIGH AND LOW (live)
I don't know if Stratovarius was releasing this disc as a gift to its fans or just clearing out junk from their metal closet. Maybe a bit of both.

The majority of the songs on Intermission are slow to mid-tempo ballads with little or no emotion. When I hear a ballad from a band, I want it to have some feeling to it. Give me a sense, at least the illusion, that the band members are having a mental breakdown in the studio and are alive with the creative energy of pain, loss and grief. This record is the band sipping tea and nibbling on short-bread cookies.

There are a couple decent live cuts with "Hunting High And Low" the highlight. It has to be one of the most catchy, uplifting songs I've heard for quit a while...those lucky fans in Helsinki! If only the rest of the cd was this good. They also do a cover of Rainbow's "Kill the King" giving creedence to the greatness of the original song.

Fans of hyperspeed Strat. won't find much here other than "The Curtains Are Falling", but if you're a fan of bland, metal-lite or a Strat. collector, you might get something out of this.

I'd like to also like to add a few comments on the packaging. I know the cover is by Derek Riggs and a combination of prior covers, but it looks like Photoshop took ill and threw up a bunch of various images. Then on the inside you have the guys in various stages of undress hanging out drinking Heinies. Now, If they were drinking Heinies from hot chick's hineys it would be a lot more interesting but dudes sitting in Fruit of the Looms aren't that interesting.

Reviewed by --Nailer 3.11.03
  • 1 :REVIEW COUNT
    2 :AVE RATING

ALL REVIEWS FOR: STRATOVARIUS
TITLE
DOR
COMPANY
 REVIEWER DATE MADE RATING
Intermission
2001
Nuclear Blast
Frank Hill3/11/2003
2
Polaris
2009
Victor Entertainment
Vinaya Saksena3/18/2010
3
Stratovarius
2005
Sanctuary Records
Ken Pierce10/14/2005
-

ALL INTERVIEWS FOR: STRATOVARIUS
INTERVIEW INTERVIEWER DATE TAGLINE


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