TIMO TOLKKI’S AVALON (Eng.)
– Hello, lots of thanks for answering our interview. How is everything going into the TIMO TOLKKI’S AVALON camp right now?
Hello Tania. All well. Good and positive reactions to the new album.
– First off, as I guess some people won’t be familiar with this project yet, how was TIMO TOLKKI’S AVALON born? If I’m not mistaken Serafino, from Frontiers, had quite a lot to do with that.
He gave me a call and asked if I would be interested in doing a Metal Opera. Thats how it started. Then I wrote the story and started to compose the songs.
– You have just released the first album with this project, «The Land of New Hope», which is the first part of a trilogy. Was your idea to make atrilogy out of it? And do you already have any ideas for the next two parts?
Actually The Land of New Hope is the last part of the trilogy but it comes out first. So I started with the end of the story. Originally, to make it a trilogy was the idea of the record company.
– And, getting a bit deeper into this album, could you please elaborate a bit on the album’s concept? And how did you work on it? I mean, did you have the storyline to write to or does the concept come later?
I wrote the complete story first before any music and I chunked it into 3 pieces. The story ends to the end of mankind destroyed by the elements of nature due to hundreds of years of greed and misusing the planet earth. Small group of people survive and embark on a journey to find a place they have heard about in a fairytale called The Land of New Hope.
– The concept has a real background, a pretty social message I would dare say so, where did you take inspiration from? I guess the world’s current situation itself might be pretty inspiring…
I have always written about this. If you look at the Stratovarius discography, you can find it as early as 1992. For me, the story is true. I am absolutely convinced that mankind will stop to exist within the next 100 years. It is only a logical thinking when you look at the facts.
– As any Metal Opera, we can find on «The Land of New Hope» several guest artists, specially vocalists. How did you get to have them all on the release?
I just asked them 🙂
– And did you compose with them in mind? As for the vocals for instance, I guess it might be important to know what the singer is capable to do.
In some cases yes but mostly I wrote the songs first and then it started to get clear who could sing what.
– I could say TIMO TOLKKI’S AVALON has a more straight-forward and catchy approach than some of your previous projects, maybe going a litle bit back to the early STRATOVARIUS’ albums, with a strong Power Metal vibe. Was this the kind of sound you wanted this project to have or did you just let things flow naturally?
With me dear, things always flow naturally. I don’t think there is any other way for me to work.
– All this about «The Land of New Hope» being said; how could you describe it in just 3 words?
Chaos, destruction, beauty
– With projects of this kind I guess it might be difficult to bring it to the live scenario but, do you plan doing it?
Maybe later. It takes a lot of money to bring something like this to the road. We’ll see.
– And from now on, what can we expect from TIMO TOLKKI’S AVALON and from you in general?
The follow up!
– That’s all, thank you once more for answering our questions. If you want to add some final words; feel free to do it.
Hang in there. I wish I could say it gets better, but unfortunately Im afraid it won’t.
