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Timo Tolkki's Avalon - The Land Of New Hope



7.8 | 110 votes |
Release date: 17 May 2013
Style: Power metal, Symphonic metal

Owners:

88 have it
14 want it


01. Avalanche Anthem
02. A World Without Us
03. Enshrined In My Memory
04. In The Name Of The Rose
05. We Will Find A Way
06. Shine
07. The Magic Of The Night
08. To The Edge Of The Earth
09. I'll Sing You Home
10. The Land Of New Hope

Additional info
The album is available in two formats:
- Standard CD
- Deluxe edition featuring a 30-minute documentary on the making-of the album and two videos.

Staff review by
R Lewis
Rating:
7.0
Since his departure from Stratovarius back in 2008, Timo Tolkki became a restless soul, and tried to vent the venom against his ex-fellows working frantically, but his 2008-2011 projects, Revolution Renaissance and Symfonia, mainly attracted detractors: the once brilliant composer seemed lost, his arrows blunt, his creativity sacrificed on the altar of some Stratovarius hollow imitations.

Read more ››
published 18.08.2013 | Comments (7)

Found in 12 lists
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Comments

Comments: 18   Visited by: 418 users
23.07.2012 - 02:37
JPR

I have to say that i got in touch of what happened with Stratovarius and Tolkki a few months ago, i mean, the true story. Also find out Tolkki retirement. It made me sad to find out that tragic story and its ending. Then i thought and realized Tolkkis life would be better without all that stress, and that would make him able to face his health problem in a better form. Now i find out this article and it makes me happy to know he is coming back
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20.05.2013 - 11:04
Rating: 6
Enissa

Way too boring
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21.05.2013 - 19:30
Rating: 7
R Lewis

Seems like Tolkki is no longer able to write good power metal songs, ala "Paradise". The mid-tempos are good ("Shine", "Enshrined In My Memory"), but the fast songs are simply terrible.
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We could be so much more than we are. Stop.
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23.05.2013 - 21:43
Rating: 8
Sword_Chant

It's a good step forward for Timo - better song structure and quality. It's just still a bit too predictable Tolkki format... I think some elements are still a bit too reminiscent of Strato and Kotipelto. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the album and it's definitely an improvement over RR and Symfonia, not a massive improvement, but a step in the right direction none the less. I think Tolkki just needs to spend a bit more time (eg. a couple of years as opposed to 1) to reinvent himself a bit more and kinda do what Strato have done with Nemesis, just make it that extra bit less predictable.
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28.05.2013 - 12:51
Rating: 8
M C Vice
ex-polydactyl
It's a good Avantasia album.
----
"Another day, another Doug."
"I'll fight you on one condition. That you lower your nipples."
" 'Tis a lie! Thy backside is whole and ungobbled, thou ungrateful whelp!"
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28.05.2013 - 23:03
Chriwalker
Account deleted
The album was good, not as great as I expected due to the singers on the album, still a good album. Hope to hear more of Tolkki's Avalon, maybe next time he might get an album as good as one of the Avantasia's we have, doubt it, yet here is to hope
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29.05.2013 - 13:19
Rating: 6
Patrick.

Written by Guest on 28.05.2013 at 23:03

The album was good, not as great as I expected due to the singers on the album, still a good album. Hope to hear more of Tolkki's Avalon, maybe next time he might get an album as good as one of the Avantasia's we have, doubt it, yet here is to hope


There are particularly two aspects about this album that I really enjoy, the production and the vocals. Tolkki (or someone else?) did an awesome job of bringing out the best in Elize, Kiske and especially Rob Rock (though for some reason I'm having a slight issue with how the singers are placed throughout the album. ). The production has that crystal-clear, yet punchy quality to it. It definetely sounds big, glossy and fitting to the songs.

But I fully agree, this album does not quite reach up to the brilliance of, shall we say, The Mystery Of Time. At least not in terms of lyrics and compositions. However, I feel the same as you - this is quality stuff. I'm very satisfied with both thus far. Let's see how Ayreon "measures up" when that one is due.
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30.05.2013 - 00:15
Chriwalker
Account deleted
Written by Patrick. on 29.05.2013 at 13:19

Written by Guest on 28.05.2013 at 23:03

The album was good, not as great as I expected due to the singers on the album, still a good album. Hope to hear more of Tolkki's Avalon, maybe next time he might get an album as good as one of the Avantasia's we have, doubt it, yet here is to hope


There are particularly two aspects about this album that I really enjoy, the production and the vocals. Tolkki (or someone else?) did an awesome job of bringing out the best in Elize, Kiske and especially Rob Rock (though for some reason I'm having a slight issue with how the singers are placed throughout the album. ). The production has that crystal-clear, yet punchy quality to it. It definetely sounds big, glossy and fitting to the songs.

But I fully agree, this album does not quite reach up to the brilliance of, shall we say, The Mystery Of Time. At least not in terms of lyrics and compositions. However, I feel the same as you - this is quality stuff. I'm very satisfied with both thus far. Let's see how Ayreon "measures up" when that one is due.


Oh that one!! Ayreon is definitely something I need to listen more to
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01.06.2013 - 12:15
Rating: 8
Sword_Chant

'A World Without Us' is by far the best track on the album. The first 3 songs are the best tracks.
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02.06.2013 - 09:53
RealEyes

I knew that timmo had one album too beside this one
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03.06.2013 - 05:33
Rulatore

Elize Ryd ? Must. Hear.
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27.06.2013 - 07:53
gopherhawk2@gmail.co

Is it just me or are the vocals mixed really high on this one?
----
Follow your heart, not trends.
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05.07.2013 - 20:57
Ellrohir
Heaven Knight
Worst power metal i have heard in a long, long time
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My rest seems now calm and deep
Finally I got my dead man sleep


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20.08.2013 - 05:13
Rating: 8
mikeprado30

Written by Ellrohir on 05.07.2013 at 20:57

Worst power metal i have heard in a long, long time

Better look for the ORIGINAL Metal Opera Avantasia's new stuff was way better.

This one is IMHO as bland and cheesy as New Era from RR (except we haven't here a song like Glorious and Divine, the MOST RIDICULOUS AND CHEESY LYRICS I EVER HEARD IN THIS GENRE!!!!!)
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BARDS WE ARE, BARDS WE WILL BE!
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21.08.2013 - 22:40
Ellrohir
Heaven Knight
Written by mikeprado30 on 20.08.2013 at 05:13

Better look for the ORIGINAL Metal Opera Avantasia's new stuff was way better.


orly?...well, that explains a thing or two i guess...
----
My rest seems now calm and deep
Finally I got my dead man sleep


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19.01.2014 - 11:40
Rating: 9
DieH@rd

I really enjoyed this album [did not listen much of Timo's standalone work before].
----
His is a name the world will never forget... He is Dargor!
-Rhapsody-
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05.02.2014 - 00:41
Rating: 8
rockeru101

While it brings nothing new to the table this album is definately good and worth listening to. Elize Ryd's performance on this album is stellar!
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25.03.2015 - 16:03
Rating: 7
me<3mertl

Not a bad album actually.Most power metal fans would enjoy it.
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