Finnish Heavy Metal 'Idol' ARI KOIVUNEN: 'Fuel For The Fire' Certified Double-Platinum

"Fuel for the Fire", the debut solo album from the winner of the Finnish national TV talent competition "Idols", 23-year-old heavy metal singer Ari Koivunen, has been certified double-platinum in Finland for sales in excess of 60,000 copies.

A special edition of "Fuel for the Fire" will be issued on November 14, featuring a live DVD and acoustic versions of two album songs ("Hear My Call" and "Angels Are Calling") as a bonus. The live DVD contains material from Ari's concerts in Helsinki this summer and as well as interview footage. This is the same version of the album that will be issued in Japan on October 24.

The upcoming third single from "Fuel for the Fire", "Angels are Calling", was written and composed by Timo Tolkki of STRATOVARIUS.

Koivunen's video for his first solo single, "Hear My Call", can be viewed below. The song was written by Nino Laurenne (THUNDERSTONE) and Pasi Heikkilä (45 DEGREE WOMAN), who also produced "Fuel for the Fire" (Sony BMG). Among the other metal luminaries who have contributed material to "Fuel for the Fire" are Marco Hietala (NIGHTWISH, TAROT), Janne Joutsenniemi (SUBURBAN TRIBE), Tony Kakko (SONATA ARCTICA) and Jarkko Ahola (TERÄSBETONI).

Ari is from Lahti, the Finnish town that has given birth to such metal acts as PROFANE OMEN, BEFORE THE DAWN, ENTWINE and DARK FILTH FRATERNITY. One of his hobbies is "Hevikaraoke" (Finnish "heavy metal" karaoke); he won the Finnish Karaoke Championships in 2005, and placed third in the Karaoke World Championships the same year. Among his favorite bands are IRON MAIDEN, RAINBOW, DEEP PURPLE, DIO, PROFANE OMEN and HELLOWEEN.