Stratovarius (FI)

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Also known as: Stratovarious, stratovarius, ストラトヴァリウス, 스트라토바리우스

Few Finnish metal bands have left as deep a mark on the power metal genre as Stratovarius. Formed in Helsinki in 1984 under the name Black Water, they found their footing once guitarist Timo Tolkki took over songwriting duties and the band renamed themselves, blending neoclassical flair with driving, symphonic heavy metal. The lineup that really cemented their reputation, often called the classic lineup, held together for a decade and produced eight albums, including the crowd favorites that still get roared back at them live. Stratovarius have topped the Finnish charts four times and built a devoted following across Europe and Japan. The band kept going after Tolkki's 2008 departure, and the albums that followed were widely seen as a strong return to form. With singer Timo Kotipelto having been on board since 1994 and drummer Rolf Pilve completing the current lineup in 2012, this version of the band is actually the most stable configuration in their entire history. Sixteen studio albums in, they remain one of the genre's most influential acts.