]Second album from Finnish band of Timo Tolkki (ex-Stratovarius) now with permanent lineup including Gus Monsanto (Takara, ex-Adagio) on vocals, the band has signed on with Scarlet Records for one album expecting better promotion and distribution than provided for debut album “New Era”, which featured several guest performers.

With Tolkki having been the main songwriter for Stratovarius, “Age of Aquarius” expectedly stays true to style.  The album maintains the classic Stratovarius feel minus the signature sound of Kotipelto’s vocals.  Tune into ‘Ixion’s Wheel’ for proof coupled with a fist-pumping beat.

Soft/loud dynamics mix things up in ‘Sins of My Beloved’, but drags a bit at 6+ minutes long. Monsanto’s harsher vocals are impressive in ‘Kyrie Eleison’, a solid song with a faster tempo than most on the album. Well written song ‘Behind the Mask’ employs keyboards to add plenty of atmosphere and symphonic sound. Nestled within the ballad ‘Ghost of Fallen Grace’ at 4 minutes into the song is a 45 second gold nugget – an incredible, melodic guitar solo. This is the style of guitar solo I just can’t get enough of! Not a shred-style solo, but rather a spontaneous and emotive passage of beautiful guitar mastery. Saving the best for last, the final song titled ‘Children of the Future’ is an infectious anthem-style song with a strong melody line interspersed nicely with flute.

Stratovarius and similar fans advised to give this album a spin and you’ll likely become a follower.

http://www.revolution-renaissance.com

http://www.myspace.com/revolutionrenaissance

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Reviewed By: Mark Gromen

Rating: 2/10

Second post-Stratovarius offering from guitarist Timo Tolkki and the dichotomy between the Strats new “Polaris” and this melodic AOR sounding platter confirms the camps hold differing opinions of what they should sound like in 2009. If there were even preliminary discussions regarding ideas for future Stratovarius collaborations with Tolkki involved, I can see why breaking up and carrying on under another name would be preferable! Even the hippie tile hints at Tolkki’s mindset (peace, love & mellowness, man). Take the Tolkki name off this and I wonder how many people would even bother to pick it up. Sure, the guitarist gets a few moments to shine, like a brief run in the otherwise pedestrian ‘Sins Of My Beloved’ and ‘Ixions Wheel’ is a decent mid-tempo rock tune, but much like everything else, the project screams mediocre.

Unlike the “New Era” debut, where the Finn (wisely) got vocal input from some of the better known singers (Edguy/Avantasia’s Tobias Sammet and ex-Helloweenie Michael Kiske), this time around RR is a full band effort. ‘Behind The Mask’ is a poor re-write of Motley Crue, circa “Girls, Girls, Girls”. Starting with orchestral enhancement can’t save the whiny, acoustic tinged ballad ‘Ghost Of Fallen Grace’. Follow-up ‘Heart Of All’ is likewise annoying.

In the continuing downward trajectory, the 7:11 ‘So She Wears Black’ commences with sporadic piano notes, then a symphony backed, multi-voiced choir before returning to the sparse emptiness of its two immediate predecessors. ‘Kyrie Eleison’, with chanted Lord’s Prayer beneath the spoken lyrics, is about the last straw. Seems as if Tolkki is auditioning to co-write with Andrew Lloyd Weber, which ain’t a band thing, if you’re Nightwish or even Rhapsody, but melodrama, simply for the sake of melodrama is pretentious and taxing, if not outright boring.

Save your money and buy a shirt at the upcoming Stratovarius North American tour.