• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Spawned from what was obviously a tiff with band leader Timo Tolkki, Stratovarius vocalist Timo Kotipelto decided to use whatever material Tolkki discarded from the frontman on what was his rather desultory debut solo record Waiting For The Dawn, and while that album somehow warmed on me due to the nature of its guest players, it still pales in comparison to the two records that followed it, namely, the Kot's second and more direct attempt, Coldness. Yes, before all you smart-mouth naysayers point out, Kotipelto's troop of hired virtuosos are perhaps wasted on a project as simple and austere as this (Michael Romeo, Janne Wirman, Jari Kainulainen, and Mirka Rantanen playing trouble-free verse-chorus-verse-chorus song structures appears nothing if not laughable) but the actual compositions themselves aren't half bad, being short, catchy, melodic tomes of mid-paced Power Metal that appropriately reeks of its country of origin. While "Reasons" stands alone as the most appealing track on offer, there are many enjoyable moments, including the Strato-esque double-kicker "Seeds of Sorrow", the infectiously synth-led "Can You Hear the Sound" and the melancholic "Evening's Fall".

Kotipelto is on top form throughout, giving it his all with as little grit and balls as possible, but it fits the light allure of the record, fulfilling the beguiling nature it assures from the outset with charismatic charm. The production is incredibly chilly, giving the album the appropriate setting outlined by its title. In all, Coldness is a decent Power Metal record and a nice alternative to the utter shit Stratovarius ended up peddling in the end, but to enjoy its merits to the maximum it has to be played during the winter months, just as the frontman intended. I presume...