When I think of the classic Stratovarius albums and the era in which they really kicked ass, I think about fast paced songs, galloping/melodic riffs, beautiful keyboards, and of course, outstanding vocals. It's not surprising to realize that the songs on Serenity are all built around the instrument that is Timo Kotipelto's voice and this is the number one thing that the album has going for it. In fact it's safe to say that "the man with the golden voice" sounds as good as he ever has and displays a full onslaught of high and low notes here. While the vocals may bring back memories of albums like Episode and Visions, the riffs and guitarwork tend to fall a little bit flat. For starters, except for a few tunes, the majority of the songs tend to hover around a mid tempo pace. I've always thought that Timo's vocals are best suited for faster paced songs & there just aren't enough of them on Serenity to satisfy my cravings. My other beef with this record is the lack of memorable riffs, many of them sounding generic and just providing a background for Timo's vocal melodies. It would be nice if there was some more shredding axework, but besides a lengthy solo contained within "Mr. Know It All" the well is pretty dry.

So Serenity does not provide a riff-o-rama of guitarwork but there are still some good things going on. First song "Once Upon A Time" is a pretty solid opener with its catchy chorus and Timo's delivery perfectly on cue. "Angels Will Cry," containing some gorgeous keyboard work reminiscent of old Stratovarius, is the most upbeat song on the album, and probably the best track as well. Sandwiched in between these are a bunch of other mid-paced songs containing catchy hooks and choruses which should at least keep listeners temporarily satisfied. Of course the album wouldn't be complete without some softer moments and "After The Rain" is the prototypical Helloweenesque ballad of the CD.

So to sum things up then, Kotipelto has delivered yet another release consistent with their back catalogue and consistent with the Stratovarius catalogue as well. This may be one of the most predictable CDs ever, but it's still a pretty good listen and is apparently making a strong presence on the European charts. Timo's fans will definitely dig this but the casual fan will still be better suited to dig up those old Stratovarius albums.

written by Joe Grammatico

Playing time: 45:27