Stratovarius - Visions (1997)++ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Timo Kotipelto - Lead Vocals Timo Tolkki - Guitars Jari Kainulainen - Bass Jens Johansson - Keyboards Jorg Michael - Drums Produced by Timo Tolkki. Engineered and Mixed by Mikko Karmila. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track Listing 1) Black Diamond (Tolkki, Kotipelto) 5:40 2) The Kiss Of Judas (Tolkki / Kotipelto) 5:49 3) Forever Free (Tolkki / Kotipelto) 6:00 4) Before The Winter (Tolkki) 6:07 5) Legions (Tolkki) 5:43 6) The Abyss Of Your Eyes (Tolkki / Kotipelto) 5:38 7) Holy Light (Tolkki) 5:45 8) Paradise (Tolkki / Kotipelto) 4:27 9) Coming Home (Tolkki) 5:36 10) Visions (Southern Cross) (Tolkki) 10:19 11) Black Diamond 5:08 - Demo version 12) Uncertainty 6:13 - Live version ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1) Black Diamond (Tolkki, Kotipelto) 5:40 Again... I see... you standing there, watching me Your gaze, those eyes... are tantalizing openly Inviting me to get - close to you Can't help myself There's fascination in the air I try... to fight... this strong sensation But there's... no chance... to escape from this temptation Feels like I've known you before Repeating phrases But I yearn for something more Chorus: I - know I can't stay - by your side... forever But I know - I won't forget - your beauty My black diamond Chorus (2) I won't forget No, I can't stand... by your side ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2) The Kiss Of Judas (Tolkki / Kotipelto) 5:49 I hear footsteps... closing in I recognize them from my early days The times are different, the image remains the same Repeating backflashes, remembering the name Chorus 1: Approaching visions... of things I can't recall A familiar smile... awakes the pain Chorus 2: Unkept promises The night awaits - the act of confidence The kiss of Judas - I feel the lips on my cheek The kiss of Judas - haunts me once again In your private chamber... you're all alone The well earned silver pieces... falling to the floor The flame of the candle casting... movement to the wall Your eyes filled with guilt... keep - staring at the door Chorus 1 & 2 Chorus 2 (2) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3) Forever Free (Tolkki / Kotipelto) 6:00 They try to give me answers... to questions I've never asked I'll have no part in their - conspiracy I guess I am the kind of... guy that will never stray The thing I need is privacy Chorus 1: Some guiding, depriving Misleading and combining They're watching - our every move Chorus 2: They can - try to bind our arms But they - can't chain our minds or hearts We will keep our faith inside our souls... and never let it go We are forever free Forever free, yeah You see them making headlines New pictures tell old stories Explaining what they have - said and done Media's new illusion... creating more confusion But I know that they'll soon be gone Chorus 1 & 2 They can - try to bind our arms But they - can't chain our minds or hearts We will keep our faith inside our souls... and never let it go Chorus 2 Forever free, yeah Forever free Forever free, yeah We are... forever free Forever We are, we are forever free ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4) Before The Winter (Tolkki) 6:07 Chorus 1: Before... the summer turns to winter Before... the dreams will turn to snow I see... the yellow leaves are falling And soon... I know I have to go But I'll be back... before the summer Next year you're in my arms again The winter breeze will send my message It will... keep you warm until then Chorus 2: The path... to home... is long and winding I'll - keep the flame - alive for you until I am back You... and I... will walk that road together I'll - show that all the dreams - are true if you only let them be... Before the... winter Chorus 1 The path... to home... is long and winding I'll - keep the flame - alive for you until I am back You... and I... will walk that road together I'll - show that all the dreams - are true if you only let them be Chorus 2 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 5) Legions (Tolkki) 5:43 Far in the core of the Earth... first it was given birth We heard the call, the message was so clear The tracks were laid for the future to come Sons and daughters of the Rising Sun The armies in Europe, here we come We run like the wind, we play from the heart Now we are here, together we sing Chorus: Faster than light, higher than the sky Tonight we're together again We never give up... and never give in Stronger than steel, we're the Legions of the Twilight Back from the day We survived the hard times, never accepted the lies You run like the wind, you sing from the heart Now that we're here, together we'll sing Chorus When we have to go - back home again We'll keep the memories we gained... inside our hearts Yeah yeah yeah Faster than light, higher than the sky Tonight we're together again We never give up ... and never give in Stronger than steel, we're the Legions of the Twilight Chorus Back from the day Legions of the Twilight (2) Raise... your... hands... for... us! ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6) The Abyss Of Your Eyes (Tolkki / Kotipelto) 5:38 I feel like I'm drowning Trying to catch my breath Don't know what is happening There's no sense of time Chorus 1: Deep underneath my skin Feeling the pain within Hear my cry (2) I feel drawn towards you, can't resist I don't know why (don't know why) Chorus 2: My life is changing I cannot recall... Chorus 3: Where I've been before The abyss of your eyes Meaning so much more Am I losing my mind The sun isn't shining But your eyes light my way I've found what I've been searching for My love won't go astray Chorus 1 & 2 Where I've been before The abyss of your eyes Meaning so much more Am I lost So many years... my drifting heart... has wandered around Don't turn on me, won't you stay... by my side Oh yeah Chorus 3 (2) Where I've been before The abyss of your eyes Meaning so much more The abyss of your eyes ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 7) Holy Light (Tolkki) 5:45 Instrumental ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 8) Paradise (Tolkki / Kotipelto) 4:27 Late at night I find myself again... Wondering and watching TV I can't believe what is on the screen (screen, screen, screen...) Something that I wouldn't care to see Many rare species will perish soon... And we will be short on food Why do we have to be so selfish We've got to change our attitude Chorus 1: I know that I am not... the only one that's worried Why don't we all... wake up, and... realize Chorus 2: Like the birds in the sky we are flying so high... Without making anykind of sacrifice We've got so little time... to undo this crime... Or we'll lose... our paradise It seems to me that there's no sense at all Nobody cares, it's always the same (same, same, same...) Mother nature's crying out in pain We are the ones to blame Chorus 1 & 2 Chorus 2 (2) Like the birds in the sky... we are flying so high... We've got so little time... to undo this crime... Or we'll lose our paradise Ooh So high ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 9) Coming Home (Tolkki) 5:36 I wake up in the morning... so far away from home Trying to make it through the day Many miles... are between us I'm sending my love... from this payphone Through the storms we've wandered Many mountains we have climbed But all the bad times are behind The road is free... I'm coming home Without you I am like a ship without its sails Calling the wind... to save me I'd climb the highest mountain I'd cross the seven seas... just to see you smile again All the trust that was built along the years is coming back to stay I know, just look ahead The road is free... I'm coming - home I'm coming - home With every step I'm closer to home When I'm back you won't be... alone Soon I'll see the familiar door before my eyes... and you Oh, through the storms we've wandered Many mountains we have climbed Oh, but all the bad times... are behind The road is, the road is free... I'm coming home I'm coming home Through the storms we've wandered Many mountains we have climbed And the road is free... and I'm, I'm coming home Through the storms we've wandered Just look ahead, the road is free, yeah yeah yeah ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 10) Visions (Southern Cross) (Tolkki) 10:19 I have seen the, I have seen the future of mankind The wisdom of my prophecies you'll find Follow the truth... and be careful Are we the last? Hundred years has passed, what have we done Inconceivable damage under the sun I think it's too... late to change the man We are the last Chorus: World keeps turning while... people yearn for more Mother nature is crying for a change Time will come when we... all must pay for what... we have done Are you prepared for that? As we are reaching the end... of the century, there's message we can send Be strong and bold and never lose... your mind Cause we are the last Chorus The signs of the end... I see, yeah Let them hear my voice... in every corner of the world Take heed... of the warnings that - I give I have seen the southern cross forming in the sky Yeah yeah (Spoken): There shall be heard in the air... the noise of weapons And in the same year... the divines shall be enemies They shall unjustly put down the holy laws And by thunder and war... true believers... shall die (Nostradamus: Century IV:43) For forty years... the rainbow... shall not appear For forty years... it shall be seen... every day The parched earth shall wax ... drier every day And a great flood... when it shall appear (Nostradamus: Century I:17) After us... the road goes on... forever Many changes lie along the path That's the price - we pay for our... selfishness We are headed for the end From the skies shall come the powerful king Before and after the Mars reigns at will Not far from the great age of Millenium Buried ones shall come out of their graves (Nostradamus: Century X:72,74) When the comet tears out the sky you and I must die After all this... the time will come for the chosen ones... To rise from their graves to be free again The beast is gone forever, there's no more pain Instead so many things for us to attain The sun is shining brightly... after the rain The land is green and full of life again The sorrows wiped away now, it's time to smile And learn from the past, together we will... try (Spoken): Twenty years of reign of the moon having past Seven thousand years another shall hold his monarchy When the sun shall resume his days past Then... is fulfilled and ends my prophecy (Nostradamus: Century I:48) ------------------------------------------------------------------------