TIMO TOLKKI’S AVALON
“RETURN TO EDEN”
Album Review by Piers Penfree

7/10

Finnish musician, producer and composer Timo Tolkki was born in 1966. He started playing guitar at the early age of seven and practised intensely and is best known for his time in the power metal group Stratovarius, which he joined in 1984 and with whom he released twelve albums, beginning with 1989’s “Fright Night”, before he left the band in 2004. Timo Tolkki has also released three solo albums, three with Revolution Renaissance, two with Chaos Magic & one with Allen/Lande, and to date, three, with Avalon.

“Return To Eden” is the third chapter of Timo Tolkki’s Metal Opera, following “Land Of New Hope” in 2013 and “Angels Of The Apocalypse” in 2014. Timo Tolkki plays lead guitar and bass here and is aided by Andrea Buratto (bass), Antonio Agate (piano & keyboards), Giulio Capone (drums, piano & keyboards), Jami Huovinen (drums), Alao Lonobile (guitars) and Santtu (additional guitars).

Guest vocals come from Anneke Van Giersbergen (ex-The Gathering), Zak Stevens (ex-Savatage), Todd Michael Hall (Riot V), Mariangela Demurtas (Tristania, Ardours) and Edward Hovinga (ex-Elegy).

Produced by Italian producer Aldo Lonibile, the twelve songs (which run for 54:14) are crisp & clear, epic and melodic. This is great power metal and fans of the genre should lap this up.

TRACKLIST

Enlighten
Promises
Return To Eden
Hear My Call
Now And Forever
Miles Away
Limits
We Are The Ones
Godsend
Give Me Hope
Wasted Dreams
Guiding Star

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