Stratovarius

Stratovarius is a Finnish power metal band that formed in 1984. Since their formation, they have released 16 studio albums, 4 DVD and 3 live albums. Along with German bands Helloween, Blind Guardian, and Gamma Ray, Stratovarius is considered one of the leading and most influential groups of the power metal genre. In its history, the band has gone through many chaotic lineup changes and since 1995 there are no founding members of the band that remain. Currently, the longest standing member is singer Timo Kotipelto, who joined in 1994.

Stratovarius was founded as Black Water in August 1984 by singer and drummer Tuomo Lassila, guitarist Staffan Stråhlman, and bassist John Vihervä. Line-up changes soon started to occur, including Timo Tolkki replacing Stråhlman two months later and taking over singing duties as well, and the band expanding to a quintet with the arrival of keyboarist Antti Ikonen the following year. Under this line-up, the band released its first album Fright Night in 1989, with Tolkki acting as sole composer. While various changes of bassist occurred, the band released the albums Twilight Time (1992) and Dreamspace (1994). In 1994, Tolkki decided to stop acting as lead vocalist, with Timo Kotipelto joining the band. After the release of Fourth Dimension in 1995, last remaining founding member Lassila, as well as Ikonen, left the band and were respectively replaced by Jörg Michael and Jens Johansson respectively.

Darkness

Darkness, the polar opposite to brightness, is understood to be an absence of visible light. It is also the appearance of black in a colored space.

Humans are unable to distinguish color when either light or darkness predominate. In conditions of insufficient light, perception is achromatic and ultimately, black.

The emotional response to darkness has generated metaphorical usages of the term in many cultures.

Scientific

Perception

The perception of darkness differs from the mere absence of light due to the effects of after images on perception. In perceiving, the eye is active, and that part of the retina that is unstimulated produces a complementary afterimage.

Physics

In terms of physics, an object is said to be dark when it absorbs photons, causing it to appear dim compared to other objects. For example, a matte black paint does not reflect much visible light and appears dark, whereas white paint reflects much light and appears bright. For more information see color.

Light cannot be absorbed without limit. According to the principle of the conservation of Energy, energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only be converted from one type to another. Consequently, most objects that absorb visible light reemit it as heat. So, although an object may appear dark, it is likely bright at a frequency that humans cannot perceive. For more information see thermodynamics.

Darkness (1993 film)

Darkness, also known as Darkness: The Vampire Version and Leif Jonker's Darkness, is a 1993 American independent horror film written, produced, edited and directed by Leif Jonker and starring Gary Miller, Randall Aviks and Mike Gisick. The film was heavily circulated on the underground horror circuit and is famous for having a large number of exploding heads in it, more than any previous film of the genre. The special effects were created by Leif Jonker and Miller, who plays a vampire hunter.

Synopsis

When a group of boys come home after a concert they find plenty of reasons to be afraid of the dark. From the shadows of the night a legion of human-like bloodthirsty vampires breaks. The boys arm themselves to the teeth with chainsaws, machetes, guns and holy water. A pitched battle between the living and the undead is prepared. When the dawn is near, all eyes of humanity head towards a face that overwhelms even the dead.

Cast

The Darkness (video game)

The Darkness is a first-person shooter video game developed by Starbreeze Studios and published by 2K Games for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The game was released in June 2007 in North America and Europe and is based on the comic book of the same name. A sequel titled The Darkness II was released in February 2012.

Plot

The player takes the role of Jackie Estacado (voiced by Kirk Acevedo), with the story presented as a future-narrative on the present events observed by the player. On the eve of his 21st birthday, Jackie is targeted for assassination by "Uncle" Paulie Franchetti (voiced by Dwight Schultz), a New York Mafia boss, following a failed task to retrieve money for the latter. While hiding in a cemetery bathroom, the Darkness (voiced by Mike Patton), an ancient demonic force that has inhabited his family for several generations, awakens within Jackie and slaughters the remaining mobsters, with the benefit of Jackie becoming the possessor of seemingly unholy demonic abilities that work only in the dark. Using these powers, Jackie proceeds to destroy Paulie's business by killing his biggest drug peddler, Dutch Oven Harry (voiced by Richard Leighton), and burning down the slaughterhouse where he stores his money. In retribution, Paulie and his main enforcer, Captain Eddie Shrote (voiced by Jim Mathers) of the New York City Police Department, kidnap Jackie's girlfriend Jenny Romano (voiced by Lauren Ambrose). They take her to the orphanage where Jackie and Jenny grew up and murder her in front of a powerless Jackie, who is unable to save Jenny due to the Darkness deliberately restraining him.