KOTIPELTO, the band led by STRATOVARIUS singer Timo Kotipelto, has inked a deal with AFM Records. The group's third album, "Serenity", is due in April. The CD was recorded at Sonic Pump Studios in Helsinki, Finland and was mixed by Mikko Karmila. The album's first single, "Sleep Well", entered the Finnish chart at No. 5. A video for the song has been posted online at YouTube.com. The track is also included in the new Finnish movie "Vares 2", which had its premiere on January 12. "The song is a main theme and can be heard when the credits are scrolling at the end of the movie," said Kotipelto. "The music video include[s] clips from the movie. Some of the actors who are playing the characters on these clips are my personal friends and are very well known in Finland."

KOTIPELTO will team up with CHRIS CAFFERY for a European tour in April. The dates so far are as follows:

Apr. 16 - HU - Budapest - Wigwam Rock Club
Apr. 17 - CZ - Prague - Rock Café
Apr. 18 - I - Milan - Transilvania Live
Apr. 19 - CH - Pratteln - Z7
Apr. 20 - GER - Stödtlen - Springtime Festival
Apr. 21 - B - Wieze- Oktoberhallen Pestpop Festival
Apr. 22 - NL - Helmond - Plato
Apr. 24 - F - Paris - La Locomotive
Apr. 26 - E - Madrid - Caracol
Apr. 27 - E - Barcelona - Mephisto
Apr. 28 - E - Bergara - Sala Jam
Apr. 30 - GER - Flensburg – Roxy

KOTIPELTO's sophomore solo album, "Coldness", was released in Europe in April 2004 through Century Media Records. The follow-up to 2002's "Waiting for the Dawn" was recorded by CHILDREN OF BODOM keyboardist Janne Wirman at his Beyond Abilities Studios as well as by Tero Kostermaa at High and Loud's ELK Studios and Finnvox Studios in Helsinki, where the mixing (Mikko Karmila) and the mastering (Mika Jussila) also took place. Matthias Norén, who has previously worked with bands like INTO ETERNITY, LOST HORIZON and EVERGREY, designed the album's artwork.

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