review by: Roberto Martinelli

Stratovarius won't let you forget that they're on hiatus until 2003 because they need some rest after years of constant touring. This is pretty odd, since every time you look, Stratovarius members are releasing some side-project album. And so it is the case with Timo Kotipelto, the singer of Finland's most important power metal band, who has made his first solo album.

This is soooo much better than that horrible mess that the other Timo in Stratovarius, Timo Tolkki, put out a few months ago. No, Waiting for the Dawn isn't an embarrassment. In fact, there are some genuinely good moments on this disk. The main asset here is Kotipelto's singing, which is the best he's ever done. Sounding a bit like Bruce Dickinson at times, Kotipelto uses a range that sounds more suited to his natural talents, thereby not sounding strained or yelping like he sometimes does in Stratovarius.

Backing Kotipelto up is a laundry list of big name metal musicians. Naturally he's got fellow Stratovarius member Jari Kainulainen (who also isn't resting) on bass, Roland Grapow of Helloween fame on guitar, Janne Wirman of Children of Bodom on keyboards, as five other guys from bands such as Sonata Arctica, H.I.M. and Symphony X. There are a lot of people in this lineup.

And while some of the moments - and even songs - are quite good, Waiting for the Dawn doesn't have enough strength to hold up as an album. There's just too much filler on this disk to recommend it. Sure, fans of Timo Kotipelto's will want to hear it, and probably will enjoy it to some extent, but save your money.