This is great stuff from start to finish and fans of more recent stratovarius should defeintly seek it out: this is not a straightforward power emtal album, for intstance there is no big vocal choirs at the chorus, it is more simple than that and also more progressive: there are quite a few slow tracks that get heavy and simply slow tracks, like every strato album: that IS what they specialise in, but this album is actually one of their more straightforward albums, and the result is VERY good. OUT OF THE SHADOWS is akin to the opener, and is also great, very powerfull, but the albums two best tracks are TWILIGHT TIME, a progressive, and stunningly powerfull, haunting song, and THE HANDS OF TIME, very similar to twilight time, very progressive, and VERY VERY good: it is one of strato's best tunes (and it really does have a great tune).
all in all this is essentialy a faultless album, with no weak tracks, a great closing balad, great vocals and a a cool rough and ready distant like production, which i think ADDS to the albums sound.
A Faultless album. one of their best. buy this now if you are a fan of this band!