Released	22 February 2013[1]
Recorded	August to October 2012 at 5 by 5 Audio in Pitäjänmäki, Helsinki, Finland
Genre	Power metal
Length	57:39
Label	Edel
Producer	Matias Kupiainen

Nemesis is the upcoming fourteenth studio album by power metal band Stratovarius, scheduled to be released on 22 February 2013 through Edel AG. It will be the first Stratovarius album to feature new drummer Rolf Pilve, who replaced Jörg Michael in 2012. The album was first announced on the band’s official website on 24 November 2012, with the track listing being revealed on 5 December 2012. A preview of “Unbreakable“, the album’s first single, was made available on YouTube and was released on 25 January 2013.

Former Sonata Arctica guitarist Jani Liimatainen, who released the collaborative acoustic album Blackoustic in 2012 with singer Timo Kotipelto, will guest perform onNemesis, having also co-written two songs in “If the Story Is Over” and “Out of the Fog”.^[3]

The band considered hiring an orchestra to perform in the album, but they abandoned the idea in the end.^[4]

The name of the album came up when guitarist Matias was sitting on the airport of Madrid and suggested it to his bandmates.^[4] At that point, most of the lyrics were already done. The woman on the cover may be a savior, an avenger or the author of all the destruction, according to Jens.

Track listing

No.	Title	Lyrics	Music	Length
1.	“Abandon”	Timo Kotipelto	Matias Kupiainen	4:51
2.	“Unbreakable“	Kupiainen, Kotipelto	Kupiainen	4:37
3.	“Stand My Ground”	Kupiainen, Kotipelto	Kupiainen	4:14
4.	“Halcyon Days”	Kotipelto	Kupiainen	5:29
5.	“Fantasy”	Lauri Porra	Porra	4:19
6.	“Out of the Fog”	Kotipelto, Jani Liimatainen	Kotipelto, Liimatainen, Kupiainen	6:58
7.	“Castles in the Air”	Jens Johansson	Johansson	6:02
8.	“Dragons”	Johansson	Johansson	4:04
9.	“One Must Fall”	Kupiainen	Kupiainen	4:27
10.	“If the Story Is Over”	Liimatainen	Liimatainen, Kotipelto	6:06
11.	“Nemesis”	Kotipelto	Kupiainen	6:33
Total length:				57:40

Lyrics

1. Abandon

[Kupiainen/Kotipelto]

I’m waiting for a train
To take away the pain and ease my mind
I hear the tracks squeal
It makes me want to scream and let the world know how I feel

One way journey, no need for a seat
I’m beat, I won’t be coming back
And what I’m learning, this life will be turning
Around at the end of the tracks

Freedom, the life of a drifter
Who know, if I’ll ever find home
When its time to go I’m already there
I’m never scared, I’m living one day at a time

Freedom is my crime

Another hazy night
Nothing is in sight, no hope in the air
Would I leave behind
All that’s on my mind, would I forget, would I dare

One way journey, no need for a seat
I’m beat, I won’t be coming back
And what I’m learning, this life will be turning
Around at the end of the tracks

Freedom, the life of a drifter
Who know, if I’ll ever find home
When its time to go I’m already there
I’m never scared, I’m living one day at a time

The sun ain’t burning the skies aren’t blue
For me it’s a sign to move on
And what I hear has made it so clear
I’m heading towards the new dawn

Freedom, the life of a drifter
Who know, if I’ll ever find home
When its time to go I’m already there
I’m never scared, I’m living one day at a time

2. Unbreakable

[Kupiainen/Kupiainen/Kotipelto]

Reckless wheel of time, we follow how it flies by
We still keep believing in white and comforting lies.

When it’s our turn, together we stay stronger
We lay still and silent and watch how our world burns for eternity.

You carry me away, ’til ‘morrow we’re unbreakable
I hold my breath and wait, this moment is unbreakable
I can feel it deep within my heart and my soul
You make me whole.

I want to live this second forever
Always together, forevermore.

I hold my breath and wait.

Reckless wheel of life, we see how years keep flying by
I never really cared until I opened my eyes.

The final day awaits, and the firestorm’s getting closer
Under falling stars we will seal our fate for eternity.

You carry me away, ’til ‘morrow we’re unbreakable
I hold my breath and wait, this moment is unbreakable
I can feel it deep within my heart and my soul,
You make me whole.
I want to live this second forever,
Always together, forevermore.

I hold my breath and wait ’til the end, until ‘morrow we’re unbreakable.

[Solo]

You carry me away, ’til ‘morrow we’re unbreakable
I hold my breath and wait, this moment is unbreakable
I can feel it deep within my heart and my soul,
You make me whole.
I want to live this second forever
Always together, forevermore.

We are stronger than ever, always together, forevermore.
We are stronger than ever, always together, forevermore.

I hold my breath and wait ’til the end, until ‘morrow we’re unbreakable.

3. Stand My Ground

[Kupiainen/Kupiainen/Kotipelto]

This is my way, these are my rules
These are my rhymes, this is my song
Don’t take me for some bloody fool
For I still dream, you can’t hurt me, I’m strong

You can try to bring me down, to keep me down
I will rise and I’ll be fighting back
There’s no way you can break my will

My dreams are guiding my every step
I have a destiny to fulfill

No one can bring me down
I will defend my beliefs
And I will stand my ground
I need to see where it leads

No one can bring me down
I will defend my beliefs
And I will stand my ground
I need to see where it leads

You can try to bring me down, to keep me down
I will rise and I’ll be fighting back
There’s no way you can break my will

My dreams are guiding my every step
I have a destiny to fulfill

No one can bring me down
I will defend my beliefs
And I will stand my ground
I need to see where it leads

4. Halcyon Days

[Kupiainen/Kotipelto]

What I feel inside my mind
Is driving me insane
It’s so hard to explain
What lies behind it all, what goes around
So I’m twisting here within loneliness

And all the pain inside now
Don’t matter anyhow

There’s something in the air
Something isn’t there
Something that I had just yesterday
Every time I try
Reaching for the sky
Something’s coming up and blocks my way
And I know that-I just need
To walk away from this
There’s something in the air
Something isn’t there
The storm rages on
I’m waiting for my halcyon days

I will try to avoid it all
But they try to pull me back
If I try will I fall off this track

I don’t care cos I’m free
I’m still twisting here within loneliness

And all the pain inside now…
There’s something in the air…

5. Fantasy

[Porra]

Reach a star, travel so far or find out who you really are
Climb a hill, learn a skill, all of your dreams you can fulfill
Take a dream, make it real, don’t let yourself give in to fear
Come with me you can make it anywhere

Sing along, to this song, and let it show that you’re strong
Don’t pretend, help a friend, they are with you until the end
You will see, you can be whatever you would like to be
Come with me you can make it anywhere

Fantasy, I want to meet you there
You will see, fantasy can become reality
Come with me, this is my fantasy
I believe, fantasy can become reality
Can you be my fantasy

Take your time, it’s not a crime cause life it’s always in its prime
Show you care, if you dare, because true friendship’s really rare
Take a dream make it real, don’t let yourself give in to fear
Come with me you can make it anywhere

Fantasy, I want to meet you there
You will see, fantasy can become reality
Come with me, this is my fantasy
I believe, fantasy can become reality
Can you be my fantasy

6. Out Of The Fog

[Kotipelto/Liimatainen/Kupiainen/Kotipelto/Liimatainen]

Black day is dawning
All prayers unanswered, laid to rest
If there’s a god he ain’t here now
In daunting darkness we will march
Towards the end with desperate hearts
Too tired to hope, too scared to dream

Let innocence fade, make no sound
Let blood that we’ll shed stain the ground

No turning back now, the orders are clear
It’s time to attack, let the shadows appear
Heeding the call, brave, standing tall
Relentless and ready to die

There’s fear in the wind, there is death in the air
Thousands of souls screaming out in despair
Falling for honor, dying for freedom
Making the last sacrifice

Rising higher flames will burn
A mournful choir of souls that yearn

Red rain is falling
Baptized in blood and sin we see
Everyone was someone’s son
A soldier fighting for someone
Just a man defending what he believes in

If we found out that we were betrayed
Misguided and fallen from grace

No turning back now, the orders are clear
It’s time to attack, let the shadows appear
Heeding the call, brave, standing tall
Relentless and ready to die

Rising higher flames will burn
A mournful choir of souls that yearn

Let innocence fade, make no sound
Let blood that we’ll shed stain the ground

No turning back now, the orders are clear
It’s time to attack, let the shadows appear
Heeding the call, brave, standing tall
Relentless and ready to die

Rising higher flames will burn
A mournful choir of souls that yearn

7. Castles In The Air

[Johansson]

When the day turned into night
When the stars run out of light
Will you be there to sing my song
I call your name
To maybe shield the flame
Cause the night is dark and long

In the kingdom of the visible
In the kingdom of the sun
Was a man who saw the years go by
He was always on the run

And the clock ticks fast for everyone
Father time wins every race
And the kingdom of the fading sun
It’ll pass without a trace

Our castles in the air
We build them in despair
But maybe there is no one to answer your prayer
Our castles in the air
We build them in despair
But you can help me smile on this road to nowhere

There’s a small black hole inside my heart
And it’s just the size of you
And the road goes on forevermore
And we will turn to dust

Holding on to hope against the hope
While the silence rages on
We would like to try to shield the flame
While we climb a burning rope

Our castles in the air
We build them in despair
But maybe there is no one to answer your prayer
Our castles in the air
We build them in despair
But you can help me smile on this road to nowhere

When the day turned into night
When the stars run out of light
Will you be there to sing my song
I call your name
To maybe shield the flame
Cause the night is dark and long

8. Dragons

[Johansson]

You wanna go to heaven but you never want to die
A silent scream for freedom turn to
Fire turn to water turn to
Stone’s the same, the sky’s the same, it doesn’t roll away
The other side where life goes on is
Close and yet you know it’s just a lie

But you’re stronger than they are
Feel the wind in your hair
And you’re faster than they are
And it feels that you’re lighter than air

When you’re drawn to the ground by the dragons
Would you raise up your head, would you gaze at the sky
When you’re drawn to the ground by the dragons
Would you raise up your head, would you cry

And all the wicked prisons that they built inside your mind
And all the wicked borders that unite us, that divide us, until
Death ever different will embrace us in the end
But roll away the stone, and hear the
Wind will whisper out your name

But you’re stronger than they are
And it feels that you’re lighter than air

When you’re drawn to the ground by the dragons
Would you raise up your head, would you gaze at the sky
When you’re drawn to the ground by the dragons
Would you raise up your head, would you cry

9. One Must Fall

[Kupiainen]

Take all that I have left
Take everything I have spared for you

Tear down all my veils
Tear down ‘til you see my naked core

Burn down my Eden
Burn down all that I had built for you

Save me-it is all that I have
Spare me-or we all will be damned
Save me

One must fall- and stay in the shadow
There’s no thrall- no hope, no salvation
One must fall- under the black rainbow
Fight no more and maybe there is a better day
But in the end no one will be saved

Bring down the rain on us
Bring it down so we can drown in the flood

Harvest the seeds I’ve sown
Harvest until you have drained my blood

Save me- what are you fighting for?
Spare me- or there’s no tomorrow
Save me- your reign is no more
Save me

One must fall- and stay in the shadow
There’s no thrall- no hope, no salvation
One must fall- under the black rainbow
Fight no more and maybe there is a better day
But in the end no one will be saved

But in the end no one will be saved!

10. If The Story Is Over

[Kotipelto/Liimatainen/Liimatainen]

Once upon a time I was the scribe of all my dreams
I’ve seen the years turn into dust, now feel the rust in me
I’ve walked the shores of Avalon, I’ve seen the seasons change
I’ve laughed and cried, I’ve lived and died, but only on the page

Now all I have, all I am
All I ever was is here, on the page
It’s all the same, it never mattered anyway
It’s all a lie so let it burn

All empty words and all rhymes will fade
As the light of last candle flickers away
If the story is over, this chapter my last
Let it be my best one, let it be my own

I hope it’s not too late to learn to live and learn to love
I yearn to fight, to turn the tide before the tender dark
For I never drew the sword from stone, there’s no Helen in my Troy
I stand alone, I stand forgotten, just gazing into the void

Come night, test my will, test my soul
Test my faith and test my heart, torn apart
Make me strong, make me whole again and
Guide through the dark ‘til the morning comes

All empty words and all rhymes will fade
As the light of last candle flickers away
If the story is over, this chapter my last
Let it be my best one, let it be my own

11. Nemesis

[Kupiainen/Kotipelto]

The night turns to dawn
The city’s left behind
Those who’ve been blind they will be saved
White stripes on the road they’re guiding my way
Reciting my prayers the road is paved

Through all the years I’ve carried the flame
In the darkest nights as the lightning strikes
I’m bringing hope to those who walk in the shadows

As I drive alone
My mission is unknown
Will it be revealed for me cause

Now I’m calling out for

Power- streaming through me
I will let out the angel or the beast
This power- will make you see
As the lightning strikes your pain will be released

Free me- that’s what I hear you
Screaming- in misery
Free me- from this pain while
Screaming- kneel before mighty
Power- my power
This power- my power

Calling out for

Power- streaming through me
I will let out the angel or the beast
This power- will make you see
As the lightning strikes your pain will be released

Free me- that’s what I hear you
Screaming- in misery
Free me- from this pain while
Screaming- kneel before mighty
Power- my power
This power- my power