Polaris (Stratovarius album)

Polaris
Studio album by Stratovarius
Released	May 26, 2009 (2009-05-26)
Recorded	September–December 2008 at Finnvox Studios, Hästfittan Studios and 5 by 5 Audio in Pitäjänmäki, Helsinki, Finland; Musicworks; Timo Kotipelto's home; Der Bunker
Genre	Power metal, progressive metal, heavy metal
Length	54:55
Label	Victor
Producer	Stratovarius
Stratovarius chronology
Black Diamond: The Anthology (2006) Polaris (2009) Elysium (2011)
Singles from Polaris
"Deep Unknown" Released: April 29, 2009 "Higher We Go" Released: April 29, 2009

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic

Polaris is the twelfth studio album by power metal band Stratovarius, released on May 26, 2009 through Victor Entertainment (Japan) and Edel Music (Europe), and on May 21, 2010 through Armoury Records (United States); the latter containing a bonus disc of live material from the 2009–10 Polaris world tour. It is the first album to feature guitarist Matias Kupiainen and bassist Lauri Porra, following former guitarist Timo Tolkki's and bassist Jari Kainulainen's departures in 2008 and 2005 respectively.

Track listing

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"Deep Unknown"	Timo Kotipelto	Matias Kupiainen	4:28
2.	"Falling Star"	Lauri Porra	Porra	4:33
3.	"King of Nothing"	Jens Johansson	Johansson	6:43
4.	"Blind"	Johansson	Johansson	5:28
5.	"Winter Skies"	Johansson	Johansson	5:50
6.	"Forever Is Today"	Porra	Porra	4:40
7.	"Higher We Go"	Kotipelto	Kotipelto, Kupiainen	3:47
8.	"Somehow Precious"	Kotipelto	Kotipelto, Kupiainen	5:37
9.	"Emancipation Suite Part I: Dusk"	Porra	Porra	6:57
10.	"Emancipation Suite Part II: Dawn"	Porra	Porra	3:40
11.	"When Mountains Fall"	Porra	Porra	3:12
Total length:				54:55

Digipak edition bonus track
No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
12.	"Deep Unknown (Mikko Raita Vinyl Mix)"	Kotipelto	Kupiainen	4:46

Japanese edition track listing
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Deep Unknown"	Kotipelto, Kupiainen	4:28
2.	"Falling Star"	Porra	4:33
3.	"King of Nothing"	Johansson	6:43
4.	"Second Sight"	Kotipelto, Kupiainen	4:25
5.	"Blind"	Johansson	5:28
6.	"Winter Skies"	Johansson	5:50
7.	"Forever Is Today"	Porra	4:40
8.	"Higher We Go"	Kotipelto, Kupiainen	3:47
9.	"Somehow Precious"	Kotipelto, Kupiainen	5:37
10.	"Emancipation Suite Part I: Dusk"	Porra	6:57
11.	"Emancipation Suite Part II: Dawn"	Porra	3:40
12.	"When Mountains Fall"	Porra	3:12

7" Vinyl Collector's edition
No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Second Sight (Mikko Karmilla Polycarbonate Mix)"	Kotipelto, Kupiainen
2.	"King Of Nothing (Matias Kupiainen Death Star Mix)"	Johansson

United States edition live bonus disc
No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	"Destiny"	Timo Tolkki		10:12
2.	"Hunting High and Low"	Kotipelto		5:07
3.	"Speed of Light"	Kotipelto		3:14
4.	"Kiss of Judas"	Kotipelto		6:54
5.	"Deep Unknown"	Kotipelto		5:08
6.	"A Million Light Years Away"	Tolkki		5:33
7.	"Bach: Air Suite"			2:17
8.	"Winter Skies"	Johansson		5:19
9.	"Phoenix"	Tolkki		6:08
10.	"SOS"	Tolkki, Kotipelto		3:55
11.	"Forever is Today"	Porra		5:15
12.	"King of Nothing"	Johansson		6:39
13.	"Father Time"	Kotipelto, Richard Johnson		5:19
14.	"Higher We Go"	Kotipelto		4:07
Total length:				75:07

Personnel

• Timo Kotipelto – lead vocals, background vocals, production
• Matias Kupiainen – guitar, background vocals, engineering, production
• Jens Johansson – keyboard, background vocals, engineering, production
• Jörg Michael – drums, production
• Lauri Porra – bass, background vocals, production
• Seppo Rautasuo – strings (track 11)
• Heikki Hämäläinen – strings (track 11)
• Heikki Vehmanen – strings (track 11)
• Kari Lindstedt – strings (track 11)
• Perttu Vänskä – strings arrangement (tracks 1, 8), programming, engineering, Pro Tools
• Pessi Levanto – strings arrangement (track 11)
• Alexi Parviainen – background vocals
• Marko Waara – background vocals
• Tipe Johnson – background vocals
• Tony Kakko – background vocals
• Tommi Vainikainen – engineering
• Mikko Karmila – mixing
• Mikko Raita – mixing
• Svante Forsbäck – mastering

Chart performance

Year	Chart	Position
2009	Finland's Official List	2
2009	FIMI Italian Albums Chart	47