Frontiers Music Srl will release the fourth album from TIMO TOLKKI’S AVALON, “The Enigma Birth”, on June 18. Again featuring a slew of talented guest vocalists, the album sees the Finnish guitar maestro’s skills on display once again. Today, the first single from the album, “Master Of Hell”, featuring up-and-coming Brazilian vocalist Raphael Mendes (ICON OF SIN) has been released. Watch the video below.
Over the past year, Timo started working on songs and once again connected with Aldo Lonobile (SECRET SPHERE, ARCHON ANGEL, SWEET OBLIVION) to craft music for a new album. The new record, “The Enigma Birth”, as with previous AVALON albums, features an absolutely awesome cast of vocalists, including James LaBrie (DREAM THEATER), Jake E (ex-AMARANTHE, CYRHA), Marina La Torraca (PHANTOM ELITE, EXIT EDEN), Brittney Slayes (UNLEASH THE ARCHERS), Raphael Mendes (ICON OF SIN), Fabio Lione (RHAPSODY, ANGRA, ETERNAL IDOL), Caterina Nix (CHAOS MAGIC) and YouTube vocal star Pellek.
With Lonobile overseeing the production, the main work on “The Enigma Birth” was completed in the winter of 2020. The resulting album is once again everything that you could expect from one of the true masters of the art. You have Tolkki‘s trademark fast songs with super catchy hooks, outstanding mid-tempo songs, and a couple of great power ballads thrown in the mix for a wonderfully balanced album.
The concept of the AVALON metal opera series was born in the second half of 2012 when the Finnish composer, producer and guitarist Timo Tolkki, one of the true figureheads of the modern power metal genre, decided to move forward with his career post-STRATOVARIUS. He wanted to work on a project which would allow him to express his musical creativity within the classic metal genre, while also pushing boundaries.
The debut album, “The Land Of New Hope”, was released in May 2013 and entered the national album charts in seven European countries, including a Top 10 entry in Tolkki‘s home country, Finland. The album featured performances by numerous internationally acclaimed singers and musicians such as Michael Kiske (HELLOWEEN), Elize Ryd (AMARANTHE), Russell Allen (SYMPHONY X), Sharon Den Adel (WITHIN TEMPTATION), Tony Kakko (SONATA ARCTICA), Alex Holzwarth (RHAPSODY), Jens Johansson (STRATOVARIUS, RAINBOW), and Derek Sherinian (SONS OF APOLLO, ex-DREAM THEATER).
Tolkki soon started the work on a sophomore release, “Angels Of The Apocalypse”, which came out approximately one year after the debut. In the second chapter, he reunited the legendary STRATOVARIUS “Dreamspace” lineup, with an amazing vocal cast appearing including Floor Jansen (NIGHTWISH), Simone Simons (EPICA), Fabio Lione (ETERNAL IDOL, RHAPSODY, ANGRA), David DeFeis (VIRGIN STEELE), Zak Stevens (ARCHON ANGEL, SAVATAGE), Elize Ryd (AMARANTHE) and Caterina Nix (CHAOS MAGIC).
Timo spent some time away after the release of the second album, so for the third album, after consultation with Frontiers, it was mutually decided to call in producer Aldo Lonobile to oversee the recording. The newly refreshed TIMO TOLKKI’S AVALON release that followed, “Return To Eden”, was a resounding success. It once again featured the trademark sound and melodies from Tolkki in that perfect power metal style. The amazing vocal cast appearing this time includes renowned Dutch singer Anneke Van Giersbergen (ex-THE GATHERING), Zak Stevens (ex-SAVATAGE), Todd Michael Hall (RIOT V), Mariangela Demurtas (TRISTANIA, ARDOURS) and Eduard Hovinga (ex-ELEGY).
Track listing:
01. The Enigma Birth (feat. Pellek)
02. I Just Collapse (feat. Caterina Nix)
03. Memories (feat. Caterina Nix, Brittney Slayes)
04. Master Of Hell (feat. Raphael Mendes)
05. Beautiful Lie (feat. James LaBrie)
06. Truth (feat. Jake E)
07. Another Day (feat. Marina La Torraca)
08. Beauty And War (feat. Raphael Mendes)
09. Dreaming (feat. Fabio Lione)
10. The Fire And The Sinner (feat. Jake E, Brittney Slayes)
11. Time (feat. Marina La Torraca)
12. Without Fear (feat. Fabio Lione)
Lineup:
Timo Tolkki – Guitar
Andrea Arcangeli – Bass
Marco Lazzarini – Drums
Antonio Agate – Keyboards, Orchestra
Additional guitars by Federico Maraucci and Aldo Lonobile
Singers:
Jake E
Marina La Torraca
James LaBrie
Fabio Lione
Raphael Mendes
Caterina Nix
Pellek
Brittney Slayes
