Kotipelto - Serenity

Year of Release: 2007
Label: AFM Records
Catalog Number:
Format: CD
Total Time: 45:23:00

Progressive Metal has been done in this manner many times prior to this band. While it is rudimentary fare, I still found it highly entertaining. As one artist recently said, don't mess with the classics. Paralleling his advice, Kotipelto pays homage and changes little. The end total is something that's not at all groundbreaking, and for that reason, their belligerence to innovate adversely affects their bottom line and score.

Alternatively, on the sanguine region of the equation, it is lathered in lithe keyboards, which is why this will appeal to progressive rockers like me. That offsets the off-putting and bumps it up a notch or two towards the brighter tip of the totem pole.

This mainly occurs in "City Of Mysteries," "King Anti-Midas" and "Angel's Will Cry." As you might venture to guess, these tracks were among my favorites and they constitute the focal point of this album's aural lens. That's a poetic way of saying that these songs run successively in the middle.

In particular, the keyboard solo in the title track is quite buoyant and tasty. The keyboardist reminds me of Matt Guillory when he weaved rainbows in Dali's Dilemma or when he otherwise showered the earth with sustainable crystals in James LaBrie's pseudo-accessible side-project, MullMuzzler.

[After checking this out in order to squelch my curiosity, it seems the keyboardist is actually Janne Wirman who is known around Metal circles for Children of Bodom and Warmen. While we're at it, the front man and lead singer is the vocalist for Stratovarius.]

"Sleep Well" was a highlight, too, as its composition was very Queensr&yauml;chean in nature. Additionally, in terms of comparisons, "After The Rain" could be put on display at the Aerosmithonian Museum of Music as if it were authentic works commissioned by The Darkness.

Not to mention, the music improves as the album continues and this makes it apparent that they save the best for last. "Mr. Know-It-All" and "Dreams And Reality," for example, lob riffs farther than The Hulk throws an M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank.

Furthermore, "The Last Defender" does just that, and holds the fort till the only remaining arrow is hurled and the final battering ram unfurls. At this stage, the drums are discharged in the company of string instruments in order to plunder and reek havoc before the campaign is ultimately over.

Other than that, if you enjoy familiar strains of metal, Kotipelto is your band, which puts it on your side, and makes it a close ally and by default, your friend.

Tracklisting:
Once Upon A Time (3:21) / Sleep Well (4:16) / Serenity (3:32) / City Of Mysteries (4:20) / King Anti-Midas (4:06) / Angels Will Cry (3:57) / After The Rain (3:54) / Mr. Know-It-All (5:19) / Dreams And Reality (4:27) / Last Defender (8:17)

Musicians:
Timo Kotipelto - vocals
Tuomas W?in?l? - guitars
Lauri Porra - bass
Janne Wirman - keyboards
Mirka Rantanen - drums

Discography:
Waiting For The Dawn (2002)
Coldness (2004)
Serenity (2007)

Genre: Progressive-Power Metal

Origin FI

Added: June 27th 2007
Reviewer: Joshua "Prawg Dawg" Turner
Score:
Artist website: www.kotipelto.com
Hits: 2625
Language: english