STRATOVARIUS Mainman Refuses To Drop 'Hitler' Song From Upcoming Album

February 10, 2005

According to an article in the Finnish daily newspaper Iltalehti, STRATOVARIUS' record label is refusing to allow the group to release a newly recorded track featuring a sampled speech by Adolf Hitler.

The song, entitled "Hitler", was recently recorded by the group for inclusion on their next album. However, some of the executives at the German branch of the band's record label, Sanctuary, are objecting to the song's lyrical content and are threatening to pull the cut from the album's final track listing.

"I won't give up on the song," Tolkki told Iltalehti. "This is a matter of principle.

"The German Interior Ministry has formed a branch dedicated to preventing youth from being exposed to the Nazi ideology. Our manager sent this special branch the lyrics to the song and the intro to be used in the beginning of the track [containing Hitler's speech]. It is up to them to judge if it is acceptable for release or not. If the Ministry sees this song as inappropriate, I will, of course, refrain from releasing it, and I will record a new version of the track that is acceptable. If, on the other hand, the song is found to be 'legal,' the record company should not have the right to limit my freedom of expression."

Tolkki says that he is certain the Ministry won't have anything against the song.

"It's as strongly against Hitler as a song can be," he claimed.

To prove this, Tolkki read the song's lyrics to the Iltalehti reporter. In the song, Hitler is described as a monster who spread fear across the world.

"These issues have to be discussed," Tolkki explained.

Tolkki said that he has been interested in Hitler-related literature for a long time.

"I have been interested in Hitler since I was a teenager," he said. "As far as I can tell, every child is innocent when born into this world. I'm interested in finding out what happens to turn an innocent child into a Hitler-type figure."

Tolkki said that he doesn't know yet how long it will take for the German Interior Ministry to make a decision regarding the song. However, he believes that it won't delay the making of the group's new album.

"This shouldn't affect that [the recording process for the new album]," he stated confidently. "I believe that we will get the clearance to release the song as it is. [This subject matter is something] that you must be able to talk about."

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