The great expected return of the Finnish power metal heroes is a fact. The known comically things that happened within the last years, set “Polaris” as the most important album in Stratovarius’ perennial career, at least for the band’s viability as a third bad album would have been the band’s gravestone.

Fortunately, “Polaris” didn’t confirm my fears, and it puts Stratovarius again at the top of European power metal. A huge bet that Stratovarius won as Timo Tolki was almost the exclusive composer of the band, and the man that had given us tens of great songs. Tolki was replaced by unknown –so far- Matias Kupiainen who proves from the first song that he is a capable Tolki’s replacement. The new cd is based on Jens Johansson’s keyboards that now, free from Tolki’s directions, show us all his talent and along with Kotipelto’s voice these two are the highlights of the album. However, possibly this is the reason why we don’t hear many things from the new guitarist, whose role was debased at the final result.

“Deep Unknown” is the first single and, from the first listening, the fresh air that blows in the band, which has as first concern to create good music and not hits like “Eagleheart” etc., is undisguised “Blind”, “Forever Is Today” (the only song in the album that the new guitarist spreads out his talent), and “Higher We Go” are 3 great classic up-tempo Strato songs  that we hadn’t heard in years and years (particularly since “Elements Pt1”). Another amazing song is “Winters Skies”, a beautiful ballad that reminded me the old song from “Visions” LP “Coming Home”. The rest of the songs are more atmospheric, but even though they are good they don’t reach the high standards of the songs mentioned above, something showing that the classic euro-power songs fit more the new Stratovarius line up. Furthermore, this is the kind of songs that made them a top band back in the 90’s.

“Polaris” is suggested to all Stratovarius fans despite the doubts that they may have because of the all the things that have happened. For the rest of the metallers, I suggest them to firstly listen to “Dreamspace” and “Episode”, two of the greatest albums of the last decade…