We got contact to mr. Timo Tolkki, who's In the country side of Skane and excited about the upcoming gig with Symfonia. The band built of experienced veterans will take the stage at Kaapelitehdas in Helsinki on the 18t of february at the FME.

Timo: That gig will surely be filled with energy.. I mean, my last live-performance was about three years ago. But I've done more than 3000 shows, so I know what it will be like. It's great to go on stage with these guys, when you know it's gonna work like a train. This has been a very easy process. The easiest one on my career. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that all of these guys have played a little, Tolkki laughs.

Even though the word power metal is the word used for Symfonias music, not a single song has been heard. Timo Tolkki, what kind of music are we actually getting?

Timo: The material sounds really good. I'm very satisfied. It's melodic power metal, even though I'm not a big fan of terms of genre. I never considered Stratovarius a power metal band for example. If the songs go from Forever to Legions, you can't talk strictly about power metal.

According to Tolkki Symfonia has great melodic heavy rock songs. He makes an interesting notion about the feeling he gets from the record as a whole.

Timo: Now when that i'm perceiving the album, there is an Episode like flow going on, which is pretty surprising. This record has the same type of arc. One of the songs is long, three double bass tracks, two mid tempo and a few ballads. I've mentioned before that this would be Visionslike, but now it feels more fresh. according to Tolkki easiness is a sign that the album will be good.

Timo Tolkki's doings, especially during the times of his split with stratovarius were the least to say confusing. Now the fellow is clearly doing well and is excited about the upcoming material. He quit boozing five years ago and now he's been jogging as well.

Timo: The fire in me to make music never went anywhere. Iv'e been pretty creative all the time. But there's been some messy hickups on the road. , and ofcourse the departure from Stratovarius is a huge process, you don't overcome a thing like that in a week. My recovery from it has taken all the way till these days.

Symfonia stept up by surprise at the end of the year. Tolkki states that the band was kept a secret for a long time, because they didn't want to start boasting about a "supergroup" until everything was a 100% certain.

Timo: We were very hush, hush abbot it for a good while. We wanted to think for ourselves for at least six months. When we revealed ourselves, people were like "what's this?". It was all by purpose.

When we are talking about hardboiled, experienced musicians, egos wont become a problem either. There have been some speculations about head to head situations, but those things just make Timo laugh.

Timo: That's just the point, when you have played for so long, egos stay outside of the premisses. We haven't had any fights or arguments about anything.

The album is coming out on the 25th of march.

Tour plans are also under construction.

Timo: We will propably start doing some shows in may. First to Asia, then South America and then some summer festivals. The touring of Europe will propobly happen in autumn.

If you want to hear Symfonia fresh from the oven, haul yourselves to FME.

Interview by Vilho Rajala (for Inferno Magazine)