The last years were really exhausting for the blonde vocalist from the finnish band
Stratovarius who, since the year 2003,
The Beginning of the crisis between the
Stratovarius' members, which appeared under the form of two really discussed albums ('
Elements Part 1' and '
Elements Part 2', with the first one paradoxally being excellent), has lived some difficults moments, full of doubts and questionings. This quite dark period has given birth in 2004 to a very good solo album (his second one after '
Waiting for the Dawn'), which is intitled '
Coldness', with a mainly night blue color cover artwork, reflecting the Timo
Kotipelto's tendency to pessimism (during this period)...
Since this period, time has passed by,
Timo Tolkki excused himself to all the members of
Stratovarius for acting as he has done, and Timo
Kotipelto has emerged from the
Darkness to give us a new album, much more luminous and positive, as the artwork (a woman in a desolation landscape, walking to the Light) and the title, '
Serenity', are proving.
Musically, nothing has really changed : Timo K. is always doing an excellent melodic heavy speed metal, impregnated, this time, by some much more heavy metal riffs than in the past, which gives the impression of a found new energy. The choruses are merrier and more involving, a bit like those ones in
Stratovarius' music, but much better! Man can remind them since the first listening and you can't never forget them anymore.
We find on '
Serenity', as well, speed songs ("
Once Upon A Time", "
King Anti-Midas", "Angels
Will Cry"), as super-powerful mid-tempos (the 1st single "
Sleep Well", the title-song "
Serenity", "City Of Mysteries", "Mr Know-it-All", "Dreams
And Reality"), as a splendid ballad ("After The
Rain"), or a wonderful epic track ("The Last
Defender") of more than 8 minutes long!! During the listening-session of '
Serenity', everyone will surely find a reason to like this marvellous and very melodic album, supported by 5 talented musicians and lead by Timo.
Even though this album is enlightened by the Light, some parts seem, however, a bit dark, which gives the impression of a dual atmosphere, between the
Serenity and the fear of the future, between which the vocalist still seem to be a bit torn...The texts are proving it and seem to be not as optimistic as the music ("There's no hope, I feel so cold/All is lost, I've been told/We shall fight till we die/But tonight, I won't cry/Last defender" in 'Last
Defender' or "Angels will cry/
And the moon will disappear/The sun slowly dies/We'll be fading into the dark so I fear" in 'Angels
Will Cry')!
'
Serenity', more than ever else, is an outlet for Timo
Kotipelto, who can express straight out his fears, feelings and vision about the world. But, there is this cover artwork and those keyboards' atmospheres clerverly scattered by Janne Wirman (
Kotipelto,
Children Of Bodom,
Warmen), which bring some touch of hope and of light to the album!
Timo
Kotipelto has managed to exorcise the past to give us an album with some magic clarity and inspired, which doesn't let people insensitive to this poetry. He has a gift to make fans and other music lovers vibrating on the rythm of his songs and we can affirm that '
Serenity' could really appear into the
Stratovarius discography, that it's containing innovative ideas and power! A attempt has been managed prodigiously! Bravo to Timo for this masterpiece!!
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