Spain's Hall Of Metal has issued a new interview with STRATOVARIUS vocalist Timo Kotipelto. The following is an excerpt:

Q: New hopes, new label and new CD. How are you going through this new period in your musical career?

A: "I feel like it's a fresh new start for the band. After all the trouble during the last few years it's very nice to go back to the basics: music."

Q: How are relationships among the band members? This is a very important question, as after that dark period you had after Tolkki’s departure, the atmosphere has probably been affected, hasn’t it?

A: "The athmosphere is better than ever! We are good friends and enjoy making music together. Also very often we hang out together which was not the case with Tolkki."

Read the full interview at this location.

Upcoming Stratovarius Polaris World Tour dates with support from MYSTIC PROPHECY, WINTERS VERGE and DREAM EVIL on different legs can be viewed below:

January

15 - La Riviera - Madrid, Spain (with Mystic Prophecy)
16 - Rockstar Live - Bilbao, Spain (with Mystic Prophecy)
17 - Razzmatazz 1 - Barcelona, Spain (with Mystic Prophecy)
19 - Transbordeur - Lyon, France (with Mystic Prophecy)
20 - Z 7 - Pratteln, Switzerland (with Mystic Prophecy)
21 - Alcatraz - Milan, Italy (with Mystic Prophecy)
23 - SKC - Belgrad, Serbia (with Winter’s Verge)
24 - Hristo Botev Hall - Sofia, Bulgaria (with Winter’s Verge)
26 - Petöfi Hall - Budapest, Hungary (with Winter’s Verge)
27 - Szene - Vienna, Austria (with Winter’s Verge)
28 - PKO - Bratislava, Slovakia (with Winter’s Verge)
29 - Masters of Rock - Zlin, Czech Republic (with Winter’s Verge)
30 - Backstage - München, Germany (with Dream Evil)

February

1 - Longhorn - Stuttgart, Germany (with Dream Evil)
2 - Garage - Saarbrücken, Germany (with Dream Evil)
3 - Markthalle - Hamburg, Germany (with Dream Evil)
4 - The Rock - Copenhagen, Denmark (with Dream Evil)
6 - Mejeriet - Lund, Sweden (with Dream Evil)
7 - Trädgarn - Gothenburg, Sweden (with Dream Evil)
8 - Rockefeller - Oslo, Norway (with Dream Evil)
9 - Tyrol - Stockholm, Sweden (with Dream Evil)

January 10th-21st: with MYSTIC PROPHECY

January 23rd-29th: WINTERS VERGE

January 30th-February 9th: with DREAM EVIL