Timo Tolkki’s Avalon - The Land of New Hope
The Land of New Hope is a “Metal Opera.” In other words, it’s a concept album with multiple vocalists. It’s a pretty ambitious project, and while it succeeds on a certain level, it’s still hidebound by the conventions of Power Metal. The basic story behind The Land of New Hope is a little heavy-handed and more than a little hokey, but hey, this is fucking Power Metal we’re talking about. I’m not expecting Edgar Rice Burrows or J.R.R. Tolkien level storytelling from Timo Tolkki. All I expect from the guy is a great guitar solo. Let me begin by saying that the name of the band might mislead folks into thinking that this has something to do with the mythical place known as Avalon, where King Arthur’s body was taken after his death. This has nothing to do with that place even though the destinations share the same name. The Land of New Hope has nothing to do with King Arthur, the Holy Grail, the Round Table, or Excalibur. The setting is post-apocalyptic. The world as we know it has been destroyed by various natural disasters that were supposedly caused by global warming. The basis is a bit shaky because the disasters referenced are not manmade and have nothing to do with global warming. According to the story, civilization was destroyed by earthquakes, tsunamis and fire (volcanoes?). Tsunamis are caused by earthquakes. Earthquakes are caused by tectonic plates floating on the molten mantle of the Earth shifting and colliding with each other. Volcanoes are caused by shifts in the tectonic plates or by molten rock from the mantle breaking through a weak spot in the Earth’s crust. None of this is affected by CO2 levels in the atmosphere. You don’t have to spend a fair sized chunk of your LP apologizing for fucking up the planet if none of the disasters that destroyed civilization are our fault. Those things happened before humans existed and they’ll continue to happen long after we’re gone. After all of the “we fucked up the planet and we’re sorry” bullshit is over, the real story begins. In a nutshell, it’s like the story of the Quest for the Holy Grail (only with a pristine land substituted for the Grail). A bunch of people go searching for this mythical “Promised Land” where they can start anew because unlike the rest of the planet, it isn’t all messed up and inhospitable. A bunch of trials and tribulations ensue as the group searches for this place. A seer guides them along and advises them on their journey. Why is a seer running around in a post-apocalyptic world? Because this is Power Metal. As it turns out, the so-called “Promised Land” doesn’t actually exist as a real place. It’s in your heart, and if you’re good and pure, you can manifest this land of new hope or whatever around you. It was there all along and all you had to do was find it inside yourself (insert sarcasm where appropriate). As I said, it’s hokey and heavy-handed, but it’s kind of what I expect when I listen to a concept album written by a guy who plays in a Power Metal band. As for the music, it’s good, but not out of the realm of expectation. Timo Tolkki is a great guitar player. He doesn’t wank off too much with his guitar and he knows how to write good Power Metal music. Still, I’ve heard all of this before, mostly from Stratovarius, a band that Timo used to be in. Musically, there’s not that much distance between Stratovarius and Avalon. If you like Stratovarius already, you’ll probably like this too. My advice, though, is to not have lofty expectations for this album. It doesn’t break any new ground. It’s good for what it is: a Power Metal album that adheres to the genre’s conventions.
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