Stratovarius - Elements Part 1 (2003/Nuclear Blast)
Rating - 8.5

Learning to Fly--RealAudio

A good, solid semi-"comeback". The band has been fairly consistent throughout its career, but the edge had slowly begun to wear off over the past two releases. That aggressiveness and bite now returns, matching (and perhaps surpassing) the sounds of 'Destiny'. Not quite 'Visions' quality... but few discs are.
First single "Eagleheart" has a lighter feel to it, mood-wise, which is likely why it was chosen for that distinction. It's decent... but the rest of the album is better.
"Soul of a Vagabond" has some good grinding, "Find Your Own Voice" is fast and swift, and "Learning to Fly" is a moving and etched track. Light-to-heavy movements occur throughout the mood-setting "Fantasia", and title song is a nearly 12-minute track, with many strong moments. A good instrumental shows up in the form of "Stratofortress".

TRACK LIST: Eagleheart/Soul of a Vagabond/Find Your Own Voice/Fantasia/Learning to Fly/Papillon/Stratofortress/Elements/Drop in the Ocean

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