Stratovarius-Episode (1996)

Finland is the birthplace of some of the best heavy metal and progressive metal bands of today: Nightwish, Apocalyptica, Children of Bodom, Sonata Arctica, Amorphis, HIM, Lordi, The Rasmus, and Stratovarius, among many others. Focusing on the latter, considered one of the pioneers of progressive power metal, they were one of the most creative and original bands for much of the 1990s, boasting one of the most extensive and productive discographies, with nearly thirty albums, including studio and live recordings. Formed from the ashes of another band called Black Water, Stratovarius was founded in the mid-1980s in Helsinki by drummer Tuomo Lassila, who, along with guitarist Timo Tolkki, bassist Jyrki Lentonen, and keyboardist Antti Ikonen, released their first album, "Fright Night", in 1989 under the CBS label. After three more albums, the band would release what is considered their best work, "Episode", where the prodigious neoclassical sounds of progressive metal, driven by Tolkki's apocalyptic guitar, together with the sublime keyboards of new member Jens Johansson, make up an outstanding album with devastating and tremendously crushing tracks like "Father Time", "Speed ​​Of Light", or "Will The Sun Rise?", not forgetting the more complex and progressive "Stratosphere", "Babylon", and "Uncertainty".