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After joining Stratovarius 23 years ago in 1984, Timo Tolkki did not expect to exceed sales of over 2.5 million records, win a Finnish Grammy, and collect 3 gold discs with his band. The renowned American Guitar World magazine ranked Tolkki as the 27th fastest guitar player in the world, as well as the 84th in their list of the top 100 metal guitarists of all time.
 
Tolkki is the pioneering force behind the often copied Stratovarius sound, producing all the band’s albums. In addition, Timo Tolkki and his bandmates helped put the melodic and symphonic power metal genre on the map.  This particular sound gave birth to a whole generation of new bands that in one way or another pay a tribute to Stratovarius. But after writing over 120 songs and playing over 1200 shows with Stratovarius, Timo Tolkki decided it was time to dissolve the band in October 2007. In a drastic move, he gave away all rights to the entire Stratovarius catalog, including all the rights to the name he owned, to his former bandmates. He did it in protest, upon hearing that the former members would continue without him under the Stratovarius moniker.

Tolkki recorded an album called "New Era" and named the project REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE. This highly acclaimed melodic metal album included performances from such legends as Michael Kiske and Tobias Sammet.

Following the Stratovarius turmoil, Timo Tolkki was not sure if he wanted to have a new band or ever tour again. After some time passed, he was encouraged by the positive feedback "New Era" was receiving from press and fans alike and decided to carry on with Revolution Renaissance. A call for auditions on his MySpace page resulted in over 2000 applications from all over the world.  Tolkki chose the new members based on their personalities, life views, and of course, their playing skills.
 
With Gus Monsanto (vocals), Bruno Agra (drums), Mike Khalilov (keyboards), and Justin Biggs (bass), the new band enjoyed a mix of different nationalities and youthful energy.

In March 2009, "Age of Aquarius" was released worldwide through JVC and Scarlet Records. The album was a dark and symphonic, yet melodic, recording full of drama and passion that eventually led them to sign a 3-album deal with Napalm Records.
 
Revolution Renaissance cherishes the legacy of Timo Tolkki's songwriting skills. He contributed 95% of Stratovarius’ material in 23 years. Songs like “Paradise”, “Season of Change”, “Father Time”, “Black Diamond”, “Hunting High and Low”, “Kiss of Judas”, and “Forever” among other tracks boast Tolkki's trademark Stratovarius sound. Revolution Renaissance continues his songwriting legacy with new energy, enthusiasm, and attitude.

The new Album "Trinity" introduces 2 new members: Magnus Rosen (ex Hammerfall) on bass and Bob Katsionis (Firewind) on keyboards.
 
Timo Tolkki describes "Trinity", an album recorded in Brazil and Finland, as a "back to the roots" album. Unlike "Age of Aquarius", Tolkki is the sole composer.  He received lyrical support from vocalist Gus Monsanto and drummer Bruno Agra.
 
"I just did what I have always done. I wrote some songs and then we recorded them. The album features ‘back-to-the-roots’ power metal with a strong focus on catchy choruses. It also features the fastest song I have ever composed."
 
Indeed, the album sees the band going back to Timo Tolkki's roots and its title track, with a playing-time of over 10 minutes, proves that the mastermind is still full of pleasant surprises.
 
 
Line-Up:
Timo Tolkki – Guitars
Magnus Rosen – Bass
Bob Kastionis – Keyboards
Gus Monsanto – Vocals
Bruno Agra – Drums

Official Site:  http://www.revolution-renaissance.com
MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/revolutionrenaissance