STRATOVARIUS: Lyon Concert Also Canceled; Band Issues Statement

January 12, 2011

Finnish melodic metallers STRATOVARIUS have issued the following update:

"Some good news and some bad news at the same time.

"Well, the good news is that we're back on the road with HELLOWEEN. And [drummer] Jörg Michael [who was recently diagnosed with cancer and had his entire thyroid removed] is back in his drum chair after his brush with death.

"The bad news is that Timo Kotipelto [vocals] caught some sort of bacterial infection. We suspect it was something from the backstage food in December, but we don't know. Two of the other people on the tour had the same thing: a very bad dysentery-like stomach infection with vomiting and diarrhea, dehydration, also eventually had to go to hospital, etc.

"Timo's infection is stubborn and in addition to ruining his Christmas break, it has dried out his vocal cords. In his own words, he can't sing a note at the moment. We are currently in France and so far we had to cancel playing in Paris and Lyon.

"We are, of course, very sorry about this, and nobody is more heartbroken or frustrated than Timo himself. Apart from heeding the advice from doctors we are in touch with, the only thing we can do at the moment is to hope Timo gets better. We will ride the 1000 km to Bilbao tonight and hopefully we will all get some sleep on the nice smooth French motorways."

STRATOVARIUS's thirteenth full-length studio album, "Elysium", will be released in Asia on January 12 via JVC, in Europe on January 14, 2011 through earMUSIC/Edel and in North America on January 18 via Armoury Records.

Check out audio samples of all the songs that will appear on the CD at Amazon.co.uk.

"Elysium" will be released as a regular CD; a deluxe digipak edition with bonus track; a "collector's edition" (featuring two exclusive bonus tracks on a seven-inch single); and on vinyl.

STRATOVARIUS 2011 is:

Timo Kotipelto - Vocals
Matias Kupiainen - Guitars
Lauri Porra - Bass
Jörg Michael - Drums
Jens Johansson - Keyboards

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