Stratovarius
Visions Of Europe (live)

The review you are about to read aims solely to expand upon what has already been said about Stratovarius, one of the major power metal bands, essential in the evolution of the style. So you might ask yourself: why is there a need to expand on the topic if most of it has already been discussed and re-discussed? Well, I answer that live albums are the least sought after when first getting to know a band; people usually aim for the most famous, controversial record, and so forth, neglecting the live dimension, typically reserved for the dedicated fans of the bands, possibly due to poor recording quality.
This is not the case with this double live album from 1998 titled "Visions of Europe (live)" which brings back memories of the European tour undertaken by Stratovarius after the release of their successful "Visions", and here's why: first of all, this is a well-recorded disc, where the instruments are heard clearly and distinguished from one another (it's very pleasant to hear Jari Kainulainen's bass lines, as this is usually an instrument that doesn't immediately stand out to the listener); beyond the technical side of the album, there’s the artistic aspect to consider, which consists of a fairly satisfying setlist, and, of course, the impeccable quality of execution by the five Finns.
The first of the two discs documents a concert that took place in Milan on September 11, 1997 with an interesting setlist including standouts like "Speed of Light", "Forever Free", "Kiss of Judas", and "Holy Solos", a series of solos lasting a full 11 minutes where keyboards, guitar, bass, and drums are the stars (listen to the Tolkki/Johansson duels to believe it, or Jorg Michael's thundering drumming). From the intense roar of the crowd encouraged by a Kotipelto in full form, you can tell it must have been a true event for the Italian fans who elevate the Finnish musicians to idol status, as they leave the stage not before having a well-deserved bath of the crowd.

The second disc, however, was recorded in Greece, on September 14 in Athens to be precise. Clearly, the setlist includes pieces that, in my opinion, don't have the same impact as those on disc number one, but just two songs like the epic "Visions", and the beautiful "Black Diamond", one of the best power songs composed to date, are enough to lift the second disc to high levels. Also worthy of mention are older hits like "Paradise, Legions, Against the Wind" and a harmonious ballad like "Forever". Stratovarius has composed a setlist that mainly takes into account the then-latest album "Visions", but episodes from "The Fourth Dimension" and "Episode", now considered classics of the band, are not missing.

In conclusion, I can affirm that "Visions Of Europe" is a very well-recorded and well-played album, where Stratovarius confirm themselves as one of the best power metal bands ever, especially when it comes to live performances like this one. I recommend the album to fans, of course, but also to those who, like me at the time of my first steps into metal, want to get to know the band from a live performance rather than from an album, and for this album (rest assured) you can do so even with your eyes closed.