Finnish melodic metallers STRATOVARIUS have announced the following dates:

May 22 - Osaka, JPN @ Big Cat
May 24 - Tokyo, JPN @ Liquid Room
May 25 - Tokyo, JPN @ Liquid Room (Finland Fest)
Jul. 14-15 - Vizovice, CZR @ Masters of Rock
Aug. 2-4 - Wacken, GER @ Wacken Open Air

STRATOVARIUS mainman/guitarist Timo Tolkki and drummer Jörg Michael recently completed the basic demos in Germany for the band's new album (whose title consists of two separate words that both start with "R"). The actual album recordings are expected to begin on February 25 at Sonic Pump Studios in Helsinki, Finland for a tentative late 2007/early 2008 release.

STRATOVARIUS' latest, self-titled effort was released in the U.S. in September 2005 via Sanctuary. A video for the album's first single, "Maniac Dance", was shot in April 2005 in Helsinki by director and Tolkki's old schoolmate Antti Jokinen (BEYONCÉ, WYCLEF JEAN, KORN, MISSY ELLIOT, NIGHTWISH, SHANIA TWAIN, CELINE DION).

Tolkki recently produced the debut album from the Madrid, Spain-based metal band INFERNOISE. The CD was recorded in Madrid and will be mixed at Sonic Pump.