MTM 2000
Review by

Storyteller play classic AOR, but with a sound of their own. They cannot be described as being "Journey-like" or "Bon Joviesque" or anything like that, their style is a bit more complex. Imagine a sound that's has elements of White Sister, Harlan Cage, Tall Stories and Mark Spiro, add some progressive touches, and you're somewhere near the truth. Quality melodic rock with a lot of keyboards and big vocal harmonies!

"What She Wants" is a good introduction to the bands' sound, an accapella intro followed by a wall of synths and guitars. The vocals of Jeromy Story sound very impressive, like a mixture of Harlan Cage's Larry Greene and current Journey vocalist Steve Augeri. "In Your Arms" comes across like a Mark Spiro-Tall Stories collaboration, with again great vocals and a healthy dose of keyboards. Even better is the balladic "Hello Heaven", which sounds like a US Top Ten Hit it never was!

"Why Cry" is another highlight, a great uptempo AOR gem with a strong hook. "Like It Or Not" doesn't have a hook quite as sharp, but othewise it's an OK fastpaced pomp rocker. "Wait Till You Find Me" sees the band going a bit progressive, but I prefer the next couple of songs, the semi-ballad "Corridor Of Windows" and especially the fantastic and highly melodic Journey/Hugo-like "She-Sherea". "Never" is a bit harder-edged number, yet catchy and melodic all the same. "Where Is Daniel" is an acoustic ballad, a nice one but nothing more. "Private Eye" follows, a fast melodic rocker in the Valentine-vein, while the closing number "White Liar" is a pomp rocker in the best 70'ies/early 80'ies fashion.

Most of these tracks were written during the years 1988-1990, when the band was quite popular on the west coast of the USA. That means the real test will be the next album, which will prove if they've still got what it takes to write great melodic rock. Meanwhile, you won't be disappointed with the fruits of the band's first 12 years!

No Fashion Records 2001
Review by 22 January 2002

Not to be confused with US AOR group Storyteller, THE Storyteller hails from Sweden, and does not play AOR, but melodic metal with some medieval music influences. Basically their sound will appeal to those who can not get enough of Helloween, Stratovarius and the likes. Yep, it's classic "Trottel Metal" with big choirs and the unavoidable double bass drums! I'm pretty sure that our resident Trottel Queen Satu would've rated 'em higher but since she's out of the country my rating will have to do.

The Storyteller are very good at what they do, but having said that, their songwriting is only occasionally on the same level as the "big ones" of melodic metal. "The Unknown", "Ambush" and "Kingdom Above" are perfectly solid tracks, but even they could have used some sharper hooks. I guess it might be the fact that I am not the world's biggest fan of "speed metal", but I think the number of "doublebassdrumbangers" exceeds my limit on this album. I mean, take the title song for instance: it starts with a cool riff, but then the drums kick in and the whole song turns into yet another ultra-fast banger...and everything kind of "blurs".

This is not by any means a bad album, but I would only recommend it to our more completist metal-oriented readers.

Black Lodge 2003
Review by 29 November 2003

The "Tales Of A Holy Quest" is the latest chapter from Sweden's Storyteller and it's once again power metal with medieval influences. They are now signed to Black Lodge records, formed in the end of 2002 as the first in-house label for Sound Pollution, Sweden's leading independent distributor.

"Tales Of A Holy Quest" is the third effort by these lads and perhaps it's time to breakthrough to a larger audience by now? With hobbits and tolkien just around the corner... who knows? Vocalist L-G Persson is however not a high-pitch screamer as Helloween's Michael Kiske etc. Nah, instead he actually have more in common with Messiah from doom metal-ers Candlemass, even if he's neither a deadringer of the man.

Indie 2004
Review by Kimmo Toivonen, 27 May 2003

Strange Heart is an interesting new band/project based around songwriter/guitarist Toni Sjöman and vocalist Arto Kantola. This 3-track CD is their first effort, and it's easy to hear that the guys have created something worth keeping an eye on!

First track "Tearing My Heart" is a laid-back track that reminds me of a strange combination of Journey and HIM! I guess the latter comparison rises from the vocals of Arto Kantola, which are a bit in the vein of Ville Valo....without Valo's overtly dramatic style and falsetto. At first I thought Arto's vocals were a bit too "nonchalant and cool", not dramatic at all, but it didn't take too long for me to start liking his style. The Journey comparison comes is for everything else, the song structure, Toni's melodic guitar playing, the lyrics...Second track "Follow Your Soul" is more progressive, yet still highly melodic and instantly likeable. "Alone In The Dark" is my favourite of the three tracks, the most uptempo one out of them, with cool keyboards and excellent chorus.

The production is very good for a demo, but the fact that the recordings are very computer-based does create a bit clinical, cold sound. Still, some bands are releasing recordings of similar production quality as full-blown albums, especially on the smaller labels...Anyway, if the rest of the band's material is as strong as this, I wouldn't be surprised if they were the next Finnish melodic rock band to be signed. Who knows, with the eighties' retro boom going on and gothic rockers like HIM doing very well, they might even attract the major labels, as they are a combination of both...All in all, this is the best demo that I've heard in months, and something you should investigate...like now!

Nuclear Blast 2003
Review by 5 January 2003

One of the most influencal hardrock bands from Scandinavia is back with a new album. Not to mention that Stratovarius are leaders of this so called "new wave" of symphonic "Power Metal". I can still remember when a friend of mine played their first album to me, back in 1990 or so. We ended up laughing til' we almost cried/died.

Man, their debut album is still a shocker or rather the vocals by guitarist Timo Tolkki(!?). I still can't believe it took some 3-4 albums for the label(?), to bring in the excellent Timo Kotipelto. This is the advanced promo from the upcoming album "Elements Pt.1", release later this month. They decided to take a break from music last year and ended up writing tons of new material. This is actually only the first of two parts/albums to be released.

Nuclear Blast 2003
Review by 20 january 2003

On the first listen “Elements” didn’t reach me too well. As the title says, the album has all kinds of elements and because of that it doesn’t work at first. It took me a few listens to find out that this album is good. The first things that stuck out here were Kotipelto’s really high vocals in the songs “Find Your Own Voice”, “Learning To Fly” and “Papillon”. He’s going higher than before and that made me wonder if he can get any higher than this ! But it’s not the point in my opinion in music, just as long as you get it right and understand your limits. Also there’s more orchestra and the music is more playful and experimenting than before.

The first song here is the single release “Eagleheart”, of which I was disappointed at first when I heard it from the radio. It is so typical from Stratovarius, a fast track so similar to “Hunting High And Low”. But now I’m thinking it’s a great party track ! It was the same thing when I first heard “Hunting”. So never judge on first listen ! The second one “Soul Of A Vagabond” was one of the tracks that sounded the most interesting here and turned out to be my faves. The beginning reminds me of the style of the finnish band Timo Rautiainen & Trio Niskalaukaus, it’s really heavy, nothing like Strato has been before. Then there’s catchy chorus and hooks, typical Tolkki guitar solo, playful violins, fragile and hurtful vocals and the song is really bombastic and not short either, stretching to over seven minutes. The whole album doesn’t really have short tracks and “Elements” is the longest one with twelve mins !

“Find Your Own Voice” is another typical Strato song, fast and powerful with a scary beginning with the keys, a prediction of something evil coming your way ! But no, this is a happy track, at least from the crushing tempo and will probably work best for the male fans. The really high vocals here will surely give you goosebumps ! “Fantasia” was yet again one of the best tracks here, the whistling beginning promises just what I was expecting from this song, a mind travel to the world of “The Neverending Story”, one of my favourite movies. This song really does justice for the flick, eventhough it is loosely based on it, but it is a massive piece of art, a different side of Stratovarius. Though in “Infinity” the guys were doing something alike, but here you’ve got strange harmonies (french ?) that are new to this band. The vocals are somewhat different from earlier Stratovarius on the whole album too. It’s those dreamy and fragile parts that stand out and make the songs more delicate than before.

On “Learning To Fly” you don’t get these vocals, but again it’s work-out time brought to you by Strato, up and down, work your feet ! Geez, who the heck can dance these songs !? “Papillon” is giving you the shivers once again. The song begins with a choir boy singing and then Kotipelto takes lead with his beautiful voice. One of the best tracks too, which turns into a massive piece in the style of “Babylon” and “Venus In The Morning”. What a sad song ! “Stratofortress” is the albums instrumental, which always has to be there. It’s fast with a typical Strato-bass drum start and has again strange elements, something I think could be from a Russian or Greek folk music. You know, throw some plates and dance the cossack ! Then comes “Elements”, which starts with a choir singing “Elements; wind, fire, water, earth...elements; fear, anger, sorrow, joy” and this line continues through the song, which kicks off after that, but then again loses the speed. And rollercoaster we go here. This is another good massive song, but the band could’ve left some of those “elements” lines away, there’s simply too many of them. One of the best parts here was where Kotipelto ends his singing and Tolkki comes with the guitar solo, which isn’t earth shaking, but it’s a touching, simple solo. It doesn’t really need much more than this to touch you.

Nuclear Blast 2003
Review by 9 September 2003

If you can produce two new albums in one year, then you must be pretty confident that your material is good. “Elements Part 1” was released in the beginning of this year and now (release date October 27) the second part will hit the stores. Maybe this album comes too soon and is it quantity instead of quality?? I rather prefer the first part with killer songs like “Soul Of A Vagabond”, “Fantasia”, “Papillon” or “Elements”, tracks of a high quality that I unfortunately did not find on this album.

So what can you expect on this album; 9 new songs that you can compare with the material from the album “Destiny”(1998). “Alpha & Omega” is the opener and is a typical Stratovarius song; bombastic, mid tempo, with high-pitched vocals and speedy guitarsolos; so it is not a “commercial” opener like “Hunting And High And Low” or “Eagleheart” from previous albums. “I Walk To My Own Song” (strange title, by the way) is a fast song and sounds very familiar; a great sing-a-long live track. After that “I’m Still Alive” is even faster and has a catchy chorus. A true song for metal heads, but also a song that you will forget very fast. Then in the fourth song the guys put their foot on the brake and with “Season Of Faith’s Perfection” we have the first ballad on this album. This is one of the highlights; a main role for Timo Kotipelto (great singing) and Timo Tolkki who treats us to a spectacular, melodic guitarsolo. “Awaken The Giant” is a heavy song again with some “weird” vocal parts and an excellent driving guitarriff. “Know The Difference” starts with a keyboardsolo and develops into again a typical Strato-song; not bad, but also not spectacular. “Luminous” is the second ballad and has some great vocal parts by Timo, but the song has a tendency to become too “sweet”. Then “Dreamweaver” is a very mediocre song, before they end with the third ballad called “Liberty”. A nice powerballad with excellent guitarplaying from Timo; a great song to end a live show with.

Frontiers / Now & Then 2000
Review by

This CD sounds like Thin Lizzy/Blue Murder if a comparison is needed. A very good CD by these fine musicans. I wish that these guys would have been with Thin Lizzy when Lizzy played in Helsinki, this would have pleased the audience much better.

Let's go into the album itself more. I really like the second song called "Chasing the Rainbow" ( aren't we all) and the CD does get better with every spin. This is a sign of a good record but...the vocalist Bjorn Boge's voice fits well the rockin' songs but the ballads sound weak in my opinion. The rockin' tunes carry this CD and hopefully the next one will have only the one "necessary" ballad if even that. Don't get me wrong, this is a good record but I just don't like the guys' voice on the ballads.

These guys really must have listened to Thin Lizzy a lot because they sound a lot like them. This CD brings really nothing new to me but I do like this kind of music. This band probably rocks likes hell when they play live. Someday maybe I'll get the change to see them.

Even though I like this I only give this 3 because the ballads just weren't my liking.

For more info, here is their webaddress: Streetlegal Website

STREET TALK: "Collaboration" 6

USG Records 1997

Not a bad start from a new swedish AOR band named after the Steve Perry album (I presume?). Indeed, the band is obviously influenced by Steve Perry and Journey. Most of the tracks remind me of the softer midtempo numbers of Journey.

The opener "Walk Away From Love" is without a doubt the best song here, a cool AOR track with a big, big chorus. It is also one of the few rockier songs on this album. The band also delivers when it comes to ballads; "Where Does Love Go" is a fine example of AOR balladry. I am not too crazy about the softer midtempo tracks though, I think they are just too "westcoast" for my taste.

AOR Heaven 2000

Street Talk follow their WestCoastish debut "Collaboration" with a slightly more uptempo second effort. This time around G”ran Edman does all the vocals, but is still only a "hired hand" according to his own words. He does a good job anyway.

The opener "Someday (I'll get Over You)" gets the album going, a good fast pop rocker with a reasonably strong hook. Journeysque midtempo track "Need Someone" sounds a bit nondescript between "Someday" and another uptempo rocker "If Anybody Breaks Your Heart", which sounds quite similar to the opener actually. "Let Me Be The One" is another midtempo track, and again a bit too understated for my taste.

"I Always Stand By You" starts with an understated midtempo beat too, but is rescued by maybe the best chorus of the album. Finally a really strong hook! The interestingly titled "Ye Gods And Little Fishes" is another uptempo track, sounding like a cross between Toto and TNT! "Everything I Do Is Just For You" takes us back to the mdtempo stuff, but it isn't quite as bland as the first couple of them, as it has a much stronger chorus.

The uptempo-midtempo pattern continues with "Energizer Bunny", which is funny little track with a hilarious "pa-pap-pa-pa-pa-paa" background vocal. Then, as one can predict, it's time for yet another midtempo track "Don't Give Up On This Love", an OK track with an OK chorus. When we get closer to the end of the album, the tempos are really brought down with the ballad "When You Lose The One You Love". The Japanese version has an extra track, the instrumetal "I'll Always Remember", but I think the album is better off without it, as it is clearly the weakest track on offer.

"Collaboration" had too many slow and midtempo tracks for my money, and in that respect this one is an improvement. It does suffer of a "similarity syndrome", as some of the songs tend to sound alike, and I miss a couple of real "hits" with in-your-face choruses and really bombastic arrangements!

MTM Music 2002
Review by 16 September 2002

You like your melodic music the traditional way with fluffy keyboards, superb vocals and not too loud guitars huh? Well, then look no further as the new CD with Street Talk will surely please all your filthy little needs for pure AOR [:-)].

"Restoration" is the third release by the Swedish act with keyboard player /songwriter Fredrik Bergh at the frontline. We are once again blessed by the presence of out of ordinary vocalist Göran Edman (Kharma, Yngwie Malmsteen, Madison, Glory, John Norum etc.) as he sings 8 out of the 10 tracks here. Add that Hugo "I'm A Deadringer For Steve Perry" Valentine (ex. Valentine - the band, solo artist) sings the other two tracks and you're in for a treat.

STREET TALK: "Destination" 10

MTM 2002
Review by 3 October 2002

"Mother Invention" is the second album by the Italian band Stramonio and their first release at Frontiers Records. I'm not sure if the band members are long time friends with the label manager, but I'm pretty sure that Tony-two-finger is involved here somehow.

The band actually started out under the monicker Trilogy Suite back in 1992. They even won the prestigious Italian music award 'Ritmi Globali' in 1994. Which gave them the opportunity to record their first demo shortly after. Fast forward to 1997 when Stramonio was finally born and their first record "Seasons Of Imagination" was released in 2000.

MTM Music 1997
Review by

Another older release...StunLeer are the new band featuring Doug Howard of Touch fame on lead vocals. Their music is quite far from the pomp rock of Touch though, closer to the likes of Def Leppard, House Of Lords and Heavens Edge - powerful yet melodic songs with a world-class production.

The song material on "Once" is certainly world-class too, the likes of "Love Is A Liar", "Eye To Eye" and "Hungry Eyes" are the kind of songs that every AOR fan should enjoy. Apart from a couple of more average numbers, this is a fine start for promising new band.

Sanctuary/Noise 2003
Review by 3 February 2003

Yawn... another comeback going down the drain!!! That's pretty much what we all said or thought, after 'Brave New World' in 1999. Let's be honest, how many of these dino bands has managed to release good music since the comeback? It's mostly just nostalgia tours and a bunch of compilation/live CD's, right?

Wrong! At least this time I'm glad to say I was dead wrong! The mighty 70's rockers of Styx have built a strong boat, to take them across the river here. "Cyclorama" is without a doubt their best release since the heydays. It's also the first release without Dennis DeYoung and guess what... they're doin' just fine without him. It's actually an pretty impressive line-up they have nowadays consisting of: Tommy Shaw (vocals/guitar), James "JY" Young (guitars/vocals), Glen Burtnik (bass/vocals), Lawrence Gowan (keyboards/vocals) & Todd Sucherman (drums). The latter replacing the original drummer John Panozzo, who sadly passed away a couple of years ago.