Stratovarius - Polaris [2009]

Stratovarius's 2005 self-titled release was the worst album I've ever heard by far. It was absolutely abysmal in so many ways that it was hard to write an appropriate summary of that album's utter failure to convey any emotion or effort in any sense. After such an unspeakable release, what was there to expect from this new album? I faced a similar dilemma after hearing the dreadful Fourth Dimension, and that was answered by the good, solid Episode. So isn't it just right that their very worst album would be answered by one of their best? That's just what Polaris is, as, despite all odds, this really is good, and there's a lot that makes it that way. It was painful being forced to go through this entire catalogue, but at least it ends on a good note. Well then, shall we?

First of all, the production of Polaris is wonderful. By far the best of any Stratovarius album, the sound generates this very approprate spacey feel. The atmosphere is what truly carries the music within it, and Polaris uses its environment perfectly, crafting every song with a light, playful air, a refreshing change from the horrible faked seriousness of the self-titled. The result is an album that has all its songs (and its heart) in the right place. Polaris is probably one of the most consistent albums they've ever released, too, as it goes the entire fifty-five minute runtime without losing too much steam once. There are a lot of tracks that aren't really all too exceptional, but they're also not boring and manage to hold your attention for just enough time to get to the highlights...

And what good highlights we have here! King of Nothing is an awesome, epic fist-pumper that culminates in the spectacular soaring chorus. Semi-ballad Winter Skies is pure excellence all around, probably the best song here. Floating on dreamy verses and feeding off the elegant atmosphere, this song always inspires awe. Another ballad, Somehow Precious is a also another great track thanks to its slow moving, ambient passages. The two part Emancipation Suite is rather nice as well (although it borrows heavily from their previous song Babylon in its epic buildup). Finally, we have the closer ballad, When Mountains Fall, which greatly succeeds despite the fact that it's an obvious attempt yo recreate Forever. It's a really good obvious attempt, though, almost reminding me of the arcane beauty of Elements Pt. 1.

If you noticed that I named just about the entire second half of the album, then good for you; here's a star. That is another good quality about Polaris, admittedly, as most second halves of albums fail to live up to the first ones, especially with the consistently inconsistent Stratovarius discography. I wouldn't call myself a Stratovarius fan, as such a title would bring shame and humiliation onto myself, but if half of their releases were this good, then I might. Polaris is just about the best a band such as Stratovarius can accomplish at this late date in this dated, overplayed genre. It's a nice collection of good songs from a bunch of old guys that doesn't feel too forced in its nostalgic display of archaic, familiar-sounding songs. If they can continue at this speed, then we'll have another good release on our hands soon. There; everyone's happy.

   Overall: 8/10 (Great - they never fail to surprise me)