Sales of the album instantly exceeded the amount of copies needed for platinum in Finland: 30,000.
Fuel for the Fire went straight to Number 1 of the Official Album Chart.
After winning Idols 2007, metal singer Koivunen, nicknamed “HevAri” (Finnish slang for 'heavy metal guy'), immediately got to work with some of the top names of Finnish metal and rock. Composers for his debut album included Marco Hietala (Nightwish), Pauli Rantasalmi (The Rasmus), Timo Tolkki (Stratovarius) and Teräsbetoni’s Jarkko Ahola.
Children of Bodom’s Janne Wirman and Thunderstone members Mirka Rantanen and Nino Laurenne are some of the top musicians that can be heard on the long player.
23-year-old Ari is also part of this year’s line-up at the Sauna Open Air Metal Festival in Tampere. On 27 July he will play Helsinki’s Tavastia Club.
Ari Koivunen's official website (partly in English)
Suomen virallinen lista – Finland’s official album chart.