Review Summary: Calm after the storm.
Power metal is a divisive beast. The genre draws as much praise as it does mock and scorn. Yet even power metal fans and purists can't always agree on what constitutes a good or bad album. This is more or less what happened following Stratovarius' 2013 effort,
Nemesis. Many embraced the zealous album's nature, yet a vocal portion regarded it as a band straying even further from their roots. As one who initially viewed power metal and
Nemesis through such a dismissive lens, I can confidently argue that the movements Stratovarius have taken as of late are subtle, especially compared to their peers (see Sonata Arctica and Nightwish). Furthermore, an album like
Nemesis, despite featuring odd moments like the DJ-esque sequence in "Halcyon Days," was a necessary injection for the band to reestablish their once firm rule over the power metal kingdom. After a comfortable two-and-a-half year grasp, the Finnish outfit have bestowed us with another supply of melodies to nod and sing along to. That much is a given with Stratovarius. The real question, however, is how it moves the band forward (or doesn't).
A long-standing appeal of Stratovarius has been their ability to craft indulgently catchy tunes. They've always been supremely accessible, often thanks to the combination of light production, complementary guitars and keyboards, intelligible vocals and agreeable track length. And though these casual appeals can make the band seem like just that, any dedicated listener can tell you the music goes further than simple fun. Timo Kotipelto and company haven't even strayed from more ambitious material (see
Elysium's title track and
Eternal's own "The Lost Saga"), but they've always expressed a harmonious charm in their music. It's not just that the aforementioned aspects work, it's how they work when the pieces fall together. No matter the taster, Stratovarius is super sweet, but ongoing fans can attest to why that sweetness tastes so damn good. This is where
Eternal comes in.
Rather than being a strict continuance from
Nemesis,
Eternal feels like a bit of a retread. This may suggest a sense of indecision and stagnation after the strides made from
Elysium to
Nemesis, but it's a logical decision. Stratovarius were already charging at full speed, to go further would make the band more prone towards speed metal. Certainly not the worst of concepts, but also far from the best.
Eternal even preserves much of what made
Nemesis such a reckoning force in the first place; the silky smooth production is intact, high octane moments ("Rise Above It" and "Feeding the Fire") still shout loud, chant-inducing choruses are in high supply, etc.
However, where
Eternal reveals its differences is in how it chooses to incorporate these (and other) facets. This time we see more toned down tempos brought to light, with "Lost Without a Trace" being the most lax moment of the entire album. Similarly, "In My Line of Work" and "Shine in the Dark" effectively showcase the band on autopilot. The good news is that Stratovarius on autopilot is far more engaging than most bands, regardless of genre. And like I said, it's still effectively done. The not-as-good news is that we never get a sense of the band challenging themselves.
Nemesis came at the exact time it needed to, unleashing what felt like a siege of sheer power (pun not intended) from start to finish.
Eternal, by comparison, feels more like an album stuck between dimensions throughout Stratovarius' career. It's a far more defensive affair than its predecessor. Whether that's good or bad rests on whether you expected another potential game-changer.
If
Eternal is an indication of what Stratovarius thinks is the best course of action, then whatever they bring us next will be a bit more retroactive.
Nemesis' naysayers may find more to enjoy from
Eternal, since there is a sense of longing to return to the olden days. Meanwhile, new and ongoing fans alike will be able to savor the new material with hardly a qualm. The music is still competent and more than a little enjoyable, it just doesn't drive the power metal nail deep enough to leave a more lasting impression.
