STRATOVARIUS — Intermission (review)

STRATOVARIUS — Intermission album cover Boxset / Compilation · 2001 · Power Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
UMUR
"Intermission" is a compilation album by Finnish power metal act Stratovarius. The album was released in June 2001 though Nuclear Blast Records. The liner notes in the booklet explains that "Intermission" is meant as a way to fill the gap between albums as the members of Stratovarius at this point needed a longer break from band activities to refill the batteries. After having released four consecutive successful albums in "Episode (1996)", "Visions (1997)", "Destiny (1998)" and "Infinite (2000)" and having toured almost constantly in support of those albums, the members of the band were burned out and needed a break and who can blame them? "Intermission" features four new tracks, a couple of cover tracks, a couple of live tracks and a lot of B-sides and tracks that have only previously appeared as bonus tracks on various limited editions of the above mentioned studio albums. So this is not a best-of compilation but rather a compilation of rarities.

While most of the material on "Intermission" are what I´d catagorize as "typical" B-side material we´re still talking Stratovarius in their prime, which means that even their leftover tracks are of pretty high quality. High level musicianship, professional songwriting and professional sound production. Nothing could compete with Stratovarius in those days. "Intermission" was the end of the most successful and musically consistent era of the band´s history though and trouble lay ahead. While "Intermission" may not be the most interesting entrance to Stratovarius music, and as most rarities compilations probably speaks most to the hardcore fans, it´s still a quality product deserving a 3 - 3.5 star (65%) rating.
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