Stratovarius — the Scandinavian flagship of symphonic metal and one of the most famous bands of their genre — managed to establish themselves as one of the top names in the metal scene and have since influenced bands all over the world. Last week they released “Survive,” their first album in seven years, and today they have unveiled the official music video for the single “Broken”.
It’s a melodic metal song that represents a modern sound that Stratovarius has grown into. It’s also a brutally honest delineation about the hubris of mankind and what it may cause. For the video, the band joined forces with award-winning Argentinian director Mariano Biasin. He created a visually stunning and powerful contrast between a world that seems intact and an apocalyptic denouement as a result of egoism, greed, and self- absorption.
“The song is about mankind, and how we obviously are far from perfect,” says Jens Johansson. “Technology can be a savior and it can be our doom. If we don’t make it, what then?”
Seven years after the release of their last album “Eternal”, Stratovarius once more prove their status as Power Metal kings and come back with a big bang. A blistering comeback from one of heavy metal’s most seminal bands, “Survive” is full of dynamics and drama, feeding on a wide range of emotions along the way. But the core message that this triumphant endeavor conveys is one of struggle, defiance, hope and victory.
The band remains on the pulse of time with the new release. The environment and humanity’s future have always been an important and recurring theme in STRATOVARIUS‘s music. Therefore, “Survive” — the title of the new album and the accompanying artwork — aren’t surprising, especially in the view of the current global situation.
“Survive” Album Artwork
“This band has been through some strange days! The original lineup formed in 1984, so it’s been a long story. It was the middle of the summer, there were forest fires everywhere, there was a global pandemic, and all kinds of crazy shit was going on. Some of the lyrics are perhaps less uplifting than they could have been, but that reflects our mood at the time. There’s a lot of positive stuff on there as well.”
“Survive” track listing:
1. Survive
2. Demand
3. Broken
4. Firefly
5. We Are Not Alone
6. Frozen In Time
7. World On Fire
8. Glory Days
9. Breakaway
10. Before The Fall
11. Voice Of Thunder
STRATOVARIUS gained international success with albums like “Fourth Dimension” (1995),“Episode” (1996) and the epic project “Elements, Pt. 1” (a peak in the progressive and symphonic style of power metal) and “Elements, Pt. 2”, to name just a few of the band’s milestones. In 2009, “Polaris” marked a fresh start for STRATOVARIUS as guitarist and band leader Timo Tolkki left the group. Instead of being a difficult re-start, “Polaris” showed STRATOVARIUS in top form and perfectly able to captivate. The album became a hell of a comeback and charted higher than previous releases around the globe. Since then, STRATOVARIUS continue to walk the path of success, inspiring fans and other bands, young and old.
