Timo Antero Kotipelto (born 15 March 1969) is a Finnish musician best known as the lead singer of the

power metal Power metal is a subgenre of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional heavy metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. Generally, power metal is characterized by a faster, lighter, and more uplifting sound, in contra ...

band

Stratovarius Stratovarius is a Finnish power metal band that formed in 1985. Since their formation, they have released sixteen studio albums, five DVDs and six live albums. In its history, the band has gone through many chaotic lineup changes, and after fo ...

, whom he joined in 1994, as well as fronting his own band

Kotipelto Kotipelto is a Finnish power metal self-named band by Timo Kotipelto, created during a hiatus in activity for power metal band Stratovarius. Kotipelto has been commercially well received in their native Finland, with a top 10 single "Beginning" ...

Biography

He studied vocals at the pop/jazz conservatory in Helsinki, briefly singing for an amateur cover band named Filthy Asses. In summer of 1994, he applied to

, who were looking for a singer at the time, and was accepted. His arrival corresponds closely with the band's rise to international fame. The first album he recorded with the band was ''Fourth Dimension'', in 1995. Stratovarius has then become a top name in the European heavy metal scene, recording seven more albums and performing in numerous notable rock festivals. In late 2003, Kotipelto split from Stratovarius after intra-band disagreements, notably with guitarist

Timo Tolkki Timo Tapio Tolkki (born 3 March 1966) is a Finnish musician best known as the former guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer of the power metal band Stratovarius. With his tenure lasting for more than twenty years, he was the longest standin ...

. After much turmoil throughout 2004, he rejoined the band in January 2005, recorded the album ''

'', and performed live on tour that covered North America, South America, Europe and Asia. In 2008, Timo Tolkki made public that he and Timo Kotipelto had arguments but Kotipelto never really left the band and the announcement that he left was part of a big publicity stunt. In 2002 Kotipelto started his

solo project A musical ensemble, also known as a music group or musical group, is a group of people who perform Instrumental music, instrumental and/or vocal music, with the ensemble typically known by a distinct name. Some music ensembles consist solely ...

, called Kotipelto. So far he has released three albums: ''"Waiting For The Dawn"'', ''"Coldness"'' and the last one, released 20 April 2007, ''"Serenity"''. Aside from Stratovarius and Kotipelto, Timo Kotipelto has also provided additional vocals to

Sonata Arctica Sonata Arctica is a Finnish power metal band from the town of Kemi, Finland. Created as a hard rock band named Tricky Beans, they later changed to Tricky Means and finally to Sonata Arctica, when they shifted to power metal. The current lineup c ...

Silence Silence is the absence of ambient audible sound, the emission of sounds of such low intensity that they do not draw attention to themselves, or the state of having ceased to produce sounds; this latter sense can be extended to apply to the c ...

album along with lead vocals with his close friend, ex-Sonata Arctica guitarist

Jani Liimatainen Jani Allan Kristian Liimatainen (born 9 September 1980) is a Finnish musician, songwriter and backing vocalist, currently a member of melodic death metal band Insomnium. He is the former guitarist and one of the founding members of the power m ...

and his band

Cain's Offering Cain's Offering is a Finnish power metal supergroup that formed in 2008. History Cain's Offering was formed by former Sonata Arctica members Jani Liimatainen and Mikko Härkin, Stratovarius singer Timo Kotipelto, Norther and Wintersun bass play ...

. and lead vocals for the song "Out of the White Hole", on

Ayreon Ayreon is a musical project by Dutch songwriter, singer, musician and record producer Arjen Anthony Lucassen. Ayreon's music is described as progressive rock, progressive metal and power metal sometimes combined with genres such as folk, elect ...

's 2000 release Universal Migrator Part 2: Flight of the Migrator. Kotipelto also provided vocals for the track "Eye of the Storm" on Warmen's 2009 album '' Japanese Hospitality''.

Discography

With Stratovarius

*'' Fourth Dimension'' (1995) *''

Episode An episode is a narrative unit within a larger dramatic work or documentary production, such as a series intended for radio, television or streaming consumption. The noun ''episode'' is derived from the Greek term ''epeisodion'' (), meaning th ...

'' (1996) *''

Visions Vision, Visions, or The Vision may refer to: Perception Optical perception * Visual perception, the sense of sight * Visual system, the physical mechanism of eyesight * Computer vision, a field dealing with how computers can be made to gain un ...

'' (1997) *'' The Past and Now'' (Compilation, 1997) *'' Visions of Europe'' (Live, 1998) *''

Destiny Destiny, sometimes referred to as fate (from Latin ''fatum'' "decree, prediction, destiny, fate"), is a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual. Fate Although often ...

'' (1998) *"''Visions Of Destiny''" (DVD, 1999) *'' The Chosen Ones'' (Compilation, 1999) *''

Infinite Infinite may refer to: Mathematics * Infinite set, a set that is not a finite set *Infinity, an abstract concept describing something without any limit Music *Infinite (group), a South Korean boy band *''Infinite'' (EP), debut EP of American m ...

'' (2000) *"''14 Diamonds - Best Of Stratovarius''" (Compilation, 2000) *'' Infinite Visions'' (DVD, 2000) *''

Intermission An intermission, also known as an interval in British and Indian English, is a recess between parts of a performance or production, such as for a theatrical play, opera, concert, or film screening. It should not be confused with an entr'acte ( ...

'' (2001) *'' Elements, Pt. 1'' (2003) *'' Elements, Pt. 2'' (2003) *''

'' (2005) *"''Black Diamond: The Anthology''" (Compilation, 2006) *'' Polaris'' (2009) *"''Polaris live''" (2010) *''

Elysium Elysium (, ), otherwise known as the Elysian Fields ( grc, Ἠλύσιον πεδίον, ''Ēlýsion pedíon'') or Elysian Plains, is a conception of the afterlife that developed over time and was maintained by some Greek religious and philos ...

'' (2011) *"''Under Flaming Winter Skies (Live in Tampere - The Jörg Michael Farewell Tour)''" (DVD, 2012) *"''Under Flaming Winter Skies – Live in Tampere''" (Live, 2012) *'' Nemesis'' (2013) *"''Nemesis Days''" (DVD, 2014) *''

Eternal Eternal(s) or The Eternal may refer to: * Eternity, an infinite amount of time, or a timeless state * Immortality or eternal life * God, the supreme being, creator deity, and principal object of faith in monotheism Comics, film and television * ...

'' (2015) *''

Best Of A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be creat ...

'' (2016) *'' Enigma: Intermission 2'' (2018) *''Survive'' (2022)

Kotipelto

*'' Waiting for the Dawn'' (2002) *'' Coldness'' (2004) *'' Serenity'' (2007)

With Cain's Offering

*'' Gather the Faithful'' (2009) *'' Stormcrow'' (2015)

Kotipelto & Liimatainen

*''

Blackoustic ''Blackoustic'' is a collaborative acoustic album by Stratovarius and Cain's Offering vocalist Timo Kotipelto and ex-Sonata Arctica and Cain's Offering guitarist Jani Liimatainen (credited as Kotipelto & Liimatainen). The album was released on O ...

'' (2012)

Guest appearances

With Gamma Ray

* ''Time To Break Free'' Song live (1996)

With Tarot

* '' For The Glory of Nothing'' (1998) – ''Backing vocals on 'Warhead' and 'Beyond Troy

With Tunnelvision

* '' While The World Awaits'' (2000) - ''Backing vocals''

Timo Kotipelto and Klaus Flaming

* ''I Wanna Love You Tender (cover of Danny & Army)'' (2002)

With Warmen

* '' Beyond Abilities'' (2002) – ''Vocals on 'Spark' and 'Singer's Chance * '' Accept the Fact'' (2005) – ''Vocals on 'Invisible Power' and 'Puppet * '' Japanese Hospitality'' (2009) – ''Vocals on 'Eye of the Storm

With Sonata Arctica

*''

'' (2001) – ''Backing vocals and last line on 'False News Travel Fast *'' Stones Grow Her Name'' (2012) – ''Backing vocals''

With Klamydia

*'' Seokset (2003) – ''Vocals on 'Metanol Man'

With Ayreon

* '' Universal Migrator Part 2: Flight of the Migrator'' (2000) – ''Vocals on 'Out of the White Hole (M31 – Planet Y – The Search Continues)

Monstervision Freakshow

* ''Welcome to Hellsinki (2007)

With Ella Ja Aleksi

* ''Takapihan Tavikset'' (2009)

With Leningrad Cowboys

* ''I Will Stay'' (2006) * ''Let's Have A Party '' (2006)

With Amberian Dawn

*'' Circus Black'' (2012) – ''Vocals on 'Cold Kiss

With Hevisaurus

*''Räyhällistä joulua'' (2011) – ''Vocals on 'Pieni liekki *''Bändikouluun'' (2019) – ''Vocals on '100

With Soulspell

*''The Second Big Bang'' (2017) *''The End You'll Only Know at the End'' (2017) *''Alexandria (Apocalypse version)'' (2017)

With La suma de las partes

* '' Vergel'' (2020) - Vocal on ''"Rain In The Ocean"''

With Tarja

* '' Feliz Navidad'' (2017) - Vocal on ''"Feliz Navidad''" * ''

From Spirits and Ghosts (Score for a Dark Christmas) ''From Spirits and Ghosts (Score for a Dark Christmas)'' is the second classical and Christmas album, and the seventh studio album released by the Finnish soprano Tarja Turunen. The music was arranged and orchestrated by Tarja's frequent collabo ...

'' (2020) - Vocal on ''"Feliz Navidad (Barbuda Relief and Recovery Charity Version)''"

With Jani Liimatainen

* '' My Father's Son'' (2022) - Vocal on ''"Who Are We"'' & "''Into The Fray"''

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kotipelto, Timo 1969 births Living people People from Lappajärvi Finnish heavy metal guitarists Finnish heavy metal singers Stratovarius members English-language singers from Finland Cain's Offering members