STRATOVARIUS frontman Timo Kotipelto entered Sonic Pump Studios in Helsinki, Finland in August to begin recording his third solo album, tentatively due in early 2007 via his own label, High and Loud Records . He has since issued the following update on the album's recording sessions:

"All the guitars, bass and drums are recorded. Some vocals and keyboards are still missing. I am very pleased [with] what Lauri [ Porra , bass], Tuomas [ Wainölä , guitar] and Mirka [ Rantanen , drums] have done so far. Also I have heard some of the stuff that Janne [ Wirman , keyboards] has played and I have only one word: awesome! Mikko Karmila has already mixed a song for one Finnish movie. The same song will be on the actual CD as well. I will also do a music video for that song."

Source Kotipelto

HAMMERFALL will begin their European tour for their new album, Threshold, in January 2007. Two dates have been announced for Finland; the tour will kick off in Helsinki.

The band's European tour schedule is now as follows:

January
11 - Tavastia in Helsinki, Finland (NEW DATE)
12 - Pakkahuone in Tampere, Finland (NEW DATE)
18 - Stora Vega in Copenhagen, Denmark (NEW DATE)
19 - Scandinavium in Göteborg, Sweden
20 - Arenan in Stockholm, Sweden
21 - Rockefeller in Oslo, Norway
23 - Docks in Hamburg, Germany
24 - O13 in Tilburg, the Netherlands
25 - Hof Ter Lo in Antwerpen, Belgium
26 - Stadthalle Langen in Langen, Germany
27 - Live Music Hall in Köln, Germany
28 - Turbinenhalle in Oberhausen, Germany
30 - Halle Gartlage in Osnabrück, Germany
31 - Filharmonie in Filderstadt, Germany

February
2 - Jako Arena in Bamberg, Germany
3 - All Karthalle in Kaufbeuren, Germany
4 - Z7 in Pratteln, Switzerland
6 - Elysée Montmartre in Paris, France
7 - Le Transbordeur in Lyon, France
9 - Joy Eslava in Madrid, Spain
10 - Santana 27 in Bilbao, Spain
11 - Razzmatazz in Barcelona, Spain
13 - Alcatrazz in Milano, Italy
14 - Backstage in München, Germany
15 - Planet Music in Wien, Austria
16 - Petöfi Hall in Budapest, Hungary
17 - SKC in Belgrad, Serbia

Source Hammerfall