The NIGHTWISH/REVAMP singer Floor Jansen will appear in the leading role on the next album of Timo Tolkki’s Avalon Metal Opera.
Jansen is the main vocalist on the album and sings lead vocals on the first single and promotional video. The release date for both single and the video is planned for March. The recordings are currently taking place in East Sound Studios in Helsinki, Finland. Jansen joins the cast that already includes Epica singer Simone Simons and the reunion of the early Stratovarius. Lineup: Tuomo Lassila on drums (the founder of Stratovarius) and Antti Ikonen on keyboards (the original keyboard player of Stratovarius).
A European Tour is also planned for May 2014, to coincide with the release of the album. More details on the live lineup and dates will be revealed later.
Timo Tolkki comments straight from the studio: “I am right now recording probably the best vocalist I have worked with in my whole career. This has been a jaw dropping experience and I thought I have already seen it all. Floor has proven me wrong. For example in the 10 minute title track of the album, she delivers in my opinion the best vocals of her career so far. This song is probably the biggest sounding of my whole career and Floor simply makes it an astonishing, almost breathtaking experience! We are both surprised of how amazing this has turned out to be and both very happy to hear how amazing it sounds.”
Frontiers Musichave announced that Finnish composer/producer and guitar player Timo Tolkki will enter East Sound Studios in Helsinki, Finland on the 25th of November, to start the recording for the follow up album to the highly acclaimed debut “The Land Of New Hope”.
His former STRATOVARIUS bandmate Tuomo Lassila is going to join him on drums and together with the two guys, the early Stratovarius line up reunion will be rounded up by keyboard player Antti Ikonen, who played on such classic albums as “Fright Night”, “Twilight Time” and “Dreamspace”, who has been added to the Avalon line up of musicians and singers.
The new Timo Tolkki’s Avalon album will feature 11 tracks with a release slated during 2014 on Frontiers Records.
Timo Tolkki states: “It is incredibly refreshing to create and play new music with his old friends and that the spirit and the atmosphere has been absolutely great and positive!”
‘Enshrined In My Memory‘, the first single off the TIMO TOLKKI’S AVALON new metal opera The Land Of New Hope is available for download at Amazon.
The coinciding video clip of the song, shot by Patric Ullaeus (EUROPE, AMARANTHE, KAMELOT) can be viewed below:
The Land Of New Hope is due out in North America on May 21st (May 17th in Europe), The Land Of New Hope takes place more than 40 years in the future when most of the planet has been destroyed by natural disasters. The title of the opera refers to the safe haven that a small group of survivors seek. The Land Of NewHope is composed by one of the forefathers of the power metal genre, former STRATOVARIUS main songwriter and guitarist, Timo Tolkki.
The album will be available in two formats: a standard CD and a deluxe edition featuring a 30-minute documentary on the making-of the album and two videos.
The Land Of New Hope tracklisting:
‘Avalanche Anthem’
‘A World Without Us’
‘Enshrined In My Memory’
‘In The Name Of The Rose’
‘We Will Find A Way’
‘Shine’
‘The Magic Of The Night’
‘To The Edge Of The Earth’
‘I’ll Sing You Home’
‘The Land Of New Hope’
The album artwork can be seen below:
For this unique concept album, Timo Tolkki was able to gather some of most accomplished international singers: Michael Kiske (UNISONIC), Elize Ryd (AMARANTHE), Rob Rock (IMPELLITTERI), Russell Allen (SYMPHONY X), Sharon Den Adel(WITHIN TEMPTATION) and Tony Kakko (SONATA ARCTICA). Rounding up the lineup of this album are world-renowned musicians Alex Holzwarth (RHAPSODY OF FIRE) on drums, JensJohansson (STRATOVARIUS), Derek Sherinian (DREAM THEATER, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION) and Mikko Härkin (SONATA ARCTICA) on keyboards, and Tolkki himself taking care of all guitars, bass and production duties.
Check out an album EPK below:
The Land Of New Hope came about as the result of a discussion that began years ago between Timo Tolkki and Frontiers Records President Serafino Perugino. Perugino, a longtime STRATOVARIUS fan, suggested Tolkki return to the original STRATOVARIUS sound in a more symphonic fashion. In August, 2012 Tolkki began work on what would become The Land Of New Hope.
Tolkki explained, “I sort of rediscovered myself musically in the process of making this album. I wrote the story first and started composing the music after that. My aim was to write memorable songs with good melodies that would support the story. In Stratovarius back in the early 90’s, I was one of the creators of the power metal genre, so it is only natural that people may associate this music style with me…but on this album you will find lot of dynamics including fully-orchestrated songs that sound very, very big.”
With the full support of Frontiers Records and Serafino Perugino‘s executive production, The Land Of New Hope opens a new chapter in Tolkki‘s career.
Tolkki added, “The Land Of New Hope is one part of the story, the end of it actually. The story is longer and goes back to the time before this album’s concept, so two more metal operas are likely to follow to complete a trilogy. In general, I find the metal opera concept fascinating and logical to me at this point of my career. I love classical music and just like in classical opera, in metal opera you can also create stories and have almost limitless possibilities musically. It is not so easy to stay fresh after a 25 year career, but this album is truly something special.”
Check out teasers below:
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