Senmayan

A masterpiece of music for sure. "Blue in Green" is orgasmically exhilarating! Coltrane's saxophone drives me wild even if he plays just one note!

Hi Mista, in fact, I'm one of the few who really likes "Episode" and not at all "Visions." I believe "Episode," besides having better production (but that doesn’t always make a difference), is more original and personal. I think with that album, Stratovarius takes more risks; "Visions" feels more like a classic power metal CD (double bass in almost every song, solos that are launched at lightning speed just for show). In "Episode," on the other hand, I find long and complex tracks, and above all, a lot of elegance, so much so that in certain parts it is influenced by class metal or prog metal. To sum up, "Visions," for me, is simply a power metal CD; "Episode," however, is an elegant and original album. Just think about one fact: "Forever Free" (from "Visions") has the same chorus as "Tomorrow" (from "Episode"). Although Sonata Arctica came after Stratovarius and were influenced by them, I consider "Silence" to be the beautiful copy of "Visions"!

I think this album might please those who are listening to Stratovarius for the first time, because unfortunately they often clone their own songs and recycle them a bit too much. For me, this band has created only one masterpiece, "Episode"; the rest are imitations and poor copies of that album. I've never appreciated "Visions," actually it's always made me feel a bit disgusted; from this point of view, Sonata Arctica's "Silence" is much, much better!

I miss this, anyway, great group!

It is right to become aware of pain; pain is a situation that leads to growth, but it is always part of the illusion. Now we are in a music space, and perhaps it is not appropriate to talk about these things. However, know that pain is not necessary; only in the limited human condition does it become important and guilty of generating, as you say, authentic experiences. But one of mankind's, or rather, the spirit's goals is to conquer pain—not to achieve an ephemeral happiness, that is, the satisfaction of a need, which lasts briefly and leads to dissatisfaction—but to transcend barriers or, as Nietzsche said, to go beyond good and evil!

I meant a more Buddhist kind of compassion, certainly not that type of compassion that judges and makes you feel superior to others and capable of handing out lessons! Maybe you don't talk about pessimism, but then what do you talk about? About indulging in pain, Feuerbach? My words were not words of hope, but words that everyone has experienced!

Look at Feuerbach, empathy is a form of compassion; indeed, to act in favor of the unfortunate, one must first feel compassion, otherwise it becomes an action done for mere utilitarian purposes. I wasn't at all pitying John; I just told him that the storm passes if one waits and commits to letting it pass! If you don’t think it’s a comment that’s too difficult and chic, that’s your problem! Don’t see pity and stuff like that; mine was a simple, disinterested statement from someone who, like everyone, has gone through shitty periods where it seemed there was no way out. It’s not that I’m doing much better today, but I’ve realized that in the end, the problem is only mental and depends on us. Then if we want to be pessimists and offload the blame onto others and the cruel world, that’s an interesting and cunning game, but I’m not in; this is not life, it’s an illusion!

Feuerbach, what I said was neither advice nor a “yes” to life, but rather an observation! Rest assured that for those who suffer deeply, it is much more comforting to know that this pain will end! Crying alongside the desperate is a kind of masochism that is unfortunately a flaw we all share! We like to wallow in the mire, to indulge ourselves and instill feelings of guilt! A pessimistic attitude is a bit too elitist and “I know everything!”

Feuerbach and various anonymous critics, you've condemned what you believe to be my trivial statement: our society lacks what you call commonplaces! The simplest things, precisely because they are of this nature, are the hardest to articulate and follow. When I read someone who writes that they have attempted suicide twice, I don’t play the pathetic role like many do, indulging in their pessimism, trying to be cool by quoting Schopenhauer or some other pessimist; instead, I tell them what I think might lift them up. So it’s you who mentioned the commonplace with your usual rant!

Oh fuck John, don't make us worry! In life, there are moments when you don't think you'll get out of it; you literally hit rock bottom, everything seems dark, and it feels impossible to see the light again; in fact, you've forgotten what light looks like. But these moments always pass, it's a logical thing, just like the fact that after the storm, the sun always comes out, no matter how long the storm lasts!