Timo Tolkki (REVOLUTION RENAISANCE, STRATOVARIUS) has announced that he will record another album with former STRATOVARIUS members Tuomo Lassila (drums) and Anti Ikonen (keyboards). Tentatively titled "Return To Dremspace", the CD is slated for a September 2009 release. The fans will decide the name of the project in some sort of contest. Tolkki says, "If the fans decide that it should be called STRATOVARIUS, then it will. Then I will face the consequences, but that will be one interesting trial, I tell you that."

Regarding the musical direction of the CD, Tolkki said, "It has been 15 years from [STRATOVARIUS' 'Dreamspace'] album, so it will be interesting, for sure... It's not a 'remake,' but a brand new album. A closure for [what] I consider to be the end of STRATOVARIUS. It completes the cycle and returns to the beginning."

Tolkki drew up and signed an official waiver on May 20, 2008 giving up all rights to the STRATOVARIUS name. The remaining STRATOVARIUS members — Timo Kotipelto (vocals), Jens Johansson (keyboards) and Lauri Porra (bass) — have since announced plans to carry on with new guitarist Matias Kupiainen.

Tolkki drew up and signed an official waiver on May 20, 2008 giving up all rights to the STRATOVARIUS name. The remaining STRATOVARIUS members — Timo Kotipelto (vocals), Jens Johansson (keyboards) and Lauri Porra (bass) — have since announced plans to carry on with new guitarist Matias Kupiainen.

Former STRATOVARIUS leader and current SYMFONIA guitarist Timo Tolkki has teamed up with fellow ex-STRATOVARIUS members Tuomo Lassila (drums), Anti Ikonen (keyboards) and Jari Kainulainen (former member of EVERGREY) to record a new studio album. The CD, which will be released in January 2012, will celebrate STRATOVARIUS' 30-year anniversary and will feature the same lineup as the one that recorded STRATOVARIUS' "Dreamspace" LP, originally released in 1994.

For legal reasons, the band's original name — PROJECT STRATO — had to be scrapped. More than 20 songs have been written for the project, including "Return To Dreamspace", "Digital Jesus", "Santiago", "Chevaliers De Sangreal", "Full Circle" and "Farewell No. 2".

"Return To Dreamspace" will see Timo Tolkki handling the vocals again and the fans of the "Twilight Time"/"Dreamspace" era will surely not be disappointed.

Regarding the musical direction of the CD, Tolkki previously said, "It has been [17] years from [STRATOVARIUS' 'Dreamspace'] album, so it will be interesting, for sure... It's not a 'remake,' but a brand new album. A closure for [what] I consider to be the end of STRATOVARIUS. It completes the cycle and returns to the beginning."

Former STRATOVARIUS, REVOLUTION RENAISSANCE and SYMFONIA mainman Timo Tolkki recently launched a PledgeMusic.com campaign to support the release of his fourth solo album, "Classical Variations 2: Credo". Tentatively due on October 29, 2012, the double album will include over two hours of music and will feature guest appearances by Michael Kiske (< b="">, HELLOWEEN), Jens Johansson (STRATOVARIUS), Derek Sherinian (BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION, DREAM THEATER), Tuomo Lassila (the founder of STRATOVARIUS) on drums, Michael Vescera (OBSESSSION, LOUDNESS, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN) on vocals and Michele Luppi (THAUROROD, ex-VISION DIVINE) on vocals. In addition, Tolkki, Lassila and Antti Ikonen (original STRATOVARIUS keyboardist) will re-record 12 songs from the first three STRATOVARIUS albums for a separate CD called "Dreaming In Twilight". A digipack version of the "Dreaming In Twilight" album will include a bonus DVD featuring footage of Tolkki, Lassila and Ikonen performing those songs live in the studio recorded with six cameras.

Re-recorded STRATOVARIUS songs to be included on the "Dreaming In Twilight" CD:

* Future Shock
* Witch Hunt
* Night Screamer
* The Hands Of Time
* The Hills Have Eyes
* Out Of The Shadows
* 4th Reich
* Abyss
* Dreamspace
* Eyes Of The World
* Wings Of Tomorrow
* Hold On To Your Dream