News from around the internet about new Nightwish album before the release
15.1.2015. - Nightwish - Helsinki, Finnvox - Mastering 15.1.2015. - by Soundi (www.soundi.fi)
Nightwish Endless Forms Most Beautiful album is one hundred percent ready. These lords is therefore a very good reason to toast with a glass!
Photos by Timo Isoaho
19.1.2015. - We heard the new Nightwish!!! - by Spark (www.spark-rockmagazine.cz)
Photos by David Havlena
30.1.2015. - Nightwish - exclusive studio report - by Spark (www.spark-rockmagazine.cz)
19.1.2015. - We heard the new Nightwish!!! - by Spark (www.spark-rockmagazine.cz)
Spark Magazine, the weekend, went to legendary Finnish Finnvox studio to listen to the new NIGHTWISH album. The band on Saturday, January 17, gathered together worldwide press and presented new album "Endless Forms Most Beautiful". Expectations were even greater, that after the departure of singer Anette Olzon, this is the first recording with Floor Jansen at the microphone. The album offers eleven new songs that are inspiration by Darwin's theory of evolution. The highlight of the whole work should be final opus "The Greatest Show on Earth". This is an ambitious epic composition, which carries the dramatic and movie themes. On the Finnish mission went our editor David Havlena, who after returning from Helsinki praised: "The album is captivating from beginning to end. The first thing that hit man, is the wave of positive energy. For each song you can feel how the band after replacing the singers relaxed. Some places resemble a great album "Once". Mainly a guitar. However, with the highlight being Floor Jansen, who demonstrated extra-voice. For fans there will be a lot of surprises. Enjoy! " You can look forward to the February Spark, where we bring you a detailed report analyzing the studio individual tracks. Definitely keep watch our website. The surprises and uncovering new details NIGHTWISH will be no shortage. Below check out a few snapshots from Finnvox and Helsinki.
Photos by David Havlena
30.1.2015. - Nightwish - exclusive studio report - by Spark (www.spark-rockmagazine.cz)
2.2.2015. - Nightwish: First Impressions - by Metal Hammer (www.metalhammer.teamrock.com)
The Prog team have heard the new Nightwish album...
Last Friday, various members of Team Prog ventured into central London to be played the new Nightwish album...
If we wanted to hear the new Nightwish album, Endless Forms Most Beautiful, which is released through Nuclear Blast on March 27, then for security reasons (seems Imaginaerum, the last Nightwish album, was leaked all over the Internet) we had to go to the new Gibson Guitars HQ just off of Oxford Street for a series of playbacks. Most of us settled for just one, the more diehard Nightwish fans on the team went to all four (Hi Natasha) and Hannah just said "Meh" and stayed in the office (she's not a fan). But these are the first impressions of the Prog writers who did go down for a listen...
JERRY EWING (EDITOR) Certainly not as immediate as Imaginaerum, and it didn't seem as bombastic either. Much more prog than metal, with some nice Celtic flourishes from Troy Donockley. Floor Jansen sounds most impressive too. The addition of Richard Dawkins will annoy some as much as it will impress others. The closing 24-minute epic, the aptly titled The Greatest Show On Earth, will delight most prog fans of the band. I suspect it'll be a grower!
RUSSELL FAIRBROTHER (ART EDITOR) Less Abba-like histrionics and more Celtic pipery than you can throw a kitchen sink at, Nightwish continue hurtling headlong into the meaning of life, the universe and everything else. Striking a fine balance between voice of an angel and amazonian goddess, Floor Jansen more than holds her own against Tuomas’s tidal wave of sound and symphonic deluge
NATASHA SCHARF (NEWS EDITOR) It feels like Nightwish have decided to revisit their pre-Imaginaerum sound and bring it right up to date with slicker production and tighter composition. Heavier yet even proggier than their previous albums, Endless Forms... builds on their trademark symphonic-meets-celtic sound with maturity and greater confidence. And new singer Floor Jansen's vocals are absolutely spot-on.
MALCOLM DOME (WRITER) An album which will doubtless make a very positive impression after a few listens. First impression is that it's cold, remote and lacking immediacy. It references the band's past, while also moving things forward. And it makes you want to live with it.
3.2.2015. - Nightwish in Prague - by Spark (www.spark-rockmagazine.cz)
Tuomas, Marco, Floor - stellar half of Finnish Symphony NIGHTWISH brought to Prague the new album "Endless Forms Most Beautiful" (published March 27). So far, it only showed journalists. Better and more convenient place than Prague's Hard Rock Cafe could not even choose. Spark was there.
Just as was the case listening in Helsinki, the whole event took place in a closed circle. Journalists were for security reasons collected mobile phones and then we listened intently all eleven tracks including monumental final "The Greatest Show on Earth", which aspires to be the most ambitious song in the history of NIGHTWISH. As new sounds and what you can expect, so that you can read in the current Spark, which we brought you an exclusive studio report from the Finnish Finnvox studios. The band with the new singer Floor Jansen was relaxed and confident. She feet firmly on the ground. This follows from the following words.
NIGHTWISH arrived in Prague Hard Rock Cafe at noon. There was a short press conference and then dozens of interviews face-to-face. As you can see from the photos, not only television masquerade give the impression that arrived really big stars. A Floor loves Czech beer!
Spark was gathered for another magnificent pieces of material for you to mark the release of a new board NIGHTWISH soon. All this will culminate at the Masters of Rock festival in Vizovice, where the band will perform with a new drummer Kai Hahtonem. Watch our web farther. NIGHTWISH story continues.
7.2.2015. - by Sound Infection (www.sound-infection.de)
7.2.2015. - by Sound Infection (www.sound-infection.de)
Before we soon tell you mightily in detail what the one and only Nightwish have to say about their new album "Endless Forms Most Beautiful", you can sniff out here before as it appeared at her Promotag in Cologne.
12.2.2015. - by Metal Hammer (www.metalhammer.teamrock.com)
Tuomas Holopainen reacts to new Nightwish material being leaked online, and has some words for those who share unreleased material...
12.2.2015. - Nightwish interview - by Face Culture (www.faceculture.com)
Video interview with vocalist Floor Jansen from the Finnish metal band Nightwish. FaceCulture spoke with Floor about living in Finland, adapting to the culture, being away from family and friends, not doing any songwriting, her creative input on this album, the band vibe on this album, identifying with the topics, giving them your own twist, evolution theory, the heavier songs, what makes a person tick, doing what the song is asking for, being challenged in her vocals, what being with Nightwish taught her, the previous times with After Forever and her other band ReVamp and a lot more!
Video interview with keyboard player, componist and founder Tuomas Holopainen from metalband Nightwish from Finland. FaceCulture spoke with Tuomas about thinking through evidence, being a science freak, the magic of reality, the album title Endless Forms Most Beautiful, the origin of species changing in life, the American poet Walt Whitman, living life to the fullest, leaving the planet a better place, dealing with delicate and big themes, this being the least personal Nightwish album, Richard Dawkins, working with singer Floor Jansen in the recording process for the first time and a lot more!
Video interview with bassist Marco Hietala from the Finnish metal band Nightwish. FaceCulture spoke with Marco about balancing music against personal life, his side projects, being a family man, the pitholes of a career in music, remaining inspired, not catering to the rules of the mainstream, the hassle of the Imaginaerum movie, co-writing songs, the album theme, being a science freak, fantasy, the single Elan, living life to the fullest, his backing vocals, the band and the songs as a priority, the energy of a new singer in the creative process of making an album, giving each other a boost as singers, drummer Jukka Nevalainen having to pull back from the recording and challenging himself and a lot more!
13.2.2015. - The Metal Hammer Magazine Show - by Team Rock (www.teamrock.com)
Listen to the 120 minutes long metal show with great songs and with Floor and Marco on microphone.
There’s a cold front on the latest Metal Hammer Magazine Show as we head to the Great White North to ask what has Canada ever done for us – musically at least. So expect music from Strapping Young Lad, Annihilator, Voivod, Alexisonfire, Rush and Protest The Hero. We’ll also be looking at the debut album from Thor, and our guests are Nightwish!
16.2.2015. - Exclusive: Nightwish Interview Kai Hahto about "Endless Forms Most Beautiful" 9.2.2015 - by Kaaos (www.kaaoszine.fi)
12.2.2015. - Nightwish interview - by Face Culture (www.faceculture.com)
Floor Jansen
Video interview with vocalist Floor Jansen from the Finnish metal band Nightwish. FaceCulture spoke with Floor about living in Finland, adapting to the culture, being away from family and friends, not doing any songwriting, her creative input on this album, the band vibe on this album, identifying with the topics, giving them your own twist, evolution theory, the heavier songs, what makes a person tick, doing what the song is asking for, being challenged in her vocals, what being with Nightwish taught her, the previous times with After Forever and her other band ReVamp and a lot more!
Tuomas Holopainen
Video interview with keyboard player, componist and founder Tuomas Holopainen from metalband Nightwish from Finland. FaceCulture spoke with Tuomas about thinking through evidence, being a science freak, the magic of reality, the album title Endless Forms Most Beautiful, the origin of species changing in life, the American poet Walt Whitman, living life to the fullest, leaving the planet a better place, dealing with delicate and big themes, this being the least personal Nightwish album, Richard Dawkins, working with singer Floor Jansen in the recording process for the first time and a lot more!
Marco Hietala
Video interview with bassist Marco Hietala from the Finnish metal band Nightwish. FaceCulture spoke with Marco about balancing music against personal life, his side projects, being a family man, the pitholes of a career in music, remaining inspired, not catering to the rules of the mainstream, the hassle of the Imaginaerum movie, co-writing songs, the album theme, being a science freak, fantasy, the single Elan, living life to the fullest, his backing vocals, the band and the songs as a priority, the energy of a new singer in the creative process of making an album, giving each other a boost as singers, drummer Jukka Nevalainen having to pull back from the recording and challenging himself and a lot more!
13.2.2015. - The Metal Hammer Magazine Show - by Team Rock (www.teamrock.com)
Tougher than leather, stronger than steel, and hung like a bear, the Metal Hammer Magazine Show is to broadcasting what splitting the atom is to waffle-irons.
There’s a cold front on the latest Metal Hammer Magazine Show as we head to the Great White North to ask what has Canada ever done for us – musically at least. So expect music from Strapping Young Lad, Annihilator, Voivod, Alexisonfire, Rush and Protest The Hero. We’ll also be looking at the debut album from Thor, and our guests are Nightwish!
16.2.2015. - Exclusive: Nightwish Interview Kai Hahto about "Endless Forms Most Beautiful" 9.2.2015 - by Kaaos (www.kaaoszine.fi)
New Nightwish drummer Kai Hahto being interviewed at his home on 9th of February 2015 about "Endless Forms Most Beautiful". The interview was done in english because of the big international fanbase the band has. For more interviews, visit www.kaaoszine.fi.
21.2.2015. - Nightwish worked on puzzle together says Jansen - by Metal Hammer (www.metalhammer.teamrock.com)
Floor insists she had no problem with not writing for Endless Forms
Nightwish singer Floor Jansen says the band’s eighth album Endless Forms Most Beautiful was a "puzzle" they worked on together – even though she didn't write any of the material.
Her lack of involvement at composition level didn't cause her any ego problems, because she knew the results would be worthwhile. So she was happy to leave those duties to mainman Tuomas Holopainen and bassisst Marco Hietala.
Jansen tells FaceCulture: "This was my first time on an album from scratch, written by mainly Tuomas and Marco. 'This is the vocal line – this is the lyric. Go ahead.'
"One thing that connects all the eras of Nightwish is that particular sound. My little ego is just fine with saying, 'I don't have to write for this. This is going to be awesome anyway.' And it is."
But she continues: "That doesn't mean that there is no creative input from me whatsoever. There is a certain phrasing that Tuomas had in mind, but it becomes a vocal puzzle, where my input comes in: 'I can sing it like this, I can sing it like that.'"
And Jansen says every member of the band contributed when it came to arrangements. “It was a nice puzzle where everybody, as an equal, came in with ideas," she reports. "We all had our input, which is part of the reason why this album has a band vibe. It felt very natural coming out of a position where I'm usually more involved in the songwriting."
24.2.2015. - Nightwish - Limited* Exclusive Colored Vinyl! - Newbury Comics (www.newburycomics.com)
Pre-Order the new album from Nightwish, Endless Forms Most Beautiful, on Magenta with Silver Splatter Vinyl. This exclusive double LP vinyl pressing from Newbury Comics and Nuclear Blast is limited* to only 750 pieces.
Nightwish has always stood for virtuoso perfection. They are able to evoke fantastic dream worlds, fade out time and space, and touch you deep inside with their majestic symphonic compositions. Vision and temptation, love and passion, devotion and blood - this Finnish band also has the courage to aspire to new creative and innovative ventures. Since their formation in August 1996, they have risen long ago to become the biggest Symphonic Metal band. It is no secret that main composer and keyboard player Tuomas Holopainen is a versatile songwriter, who lives for his music, dedicates himself to his art and this seeps through in every single note of his work. Four years have passed since the gigantic Imaginaerum album - a lot has happened and still even more will happen, because the time is right for a new chapter in the history of the Suomi-Symphonics. A chapter, which will set new standards and will start a magic trip into a spectacular parallel universe; so overwhelming, so epic, so beguiling. Nightwish connect past, present and future to a flawless whole. It is a time for a new era. It is a time for Endless Forms Most Beautiful.
Endless Forms Most Beautiful is the first Nightwish studio album to feature Dutch singer Floor Jansen (Revamp, ex-After Forever) - the splendid chanteuse has been a full-time member since Oct 2012. On the imposing 2013 live release Showtime, Storytime the amazing power woman improved the sound with her beautiful voice while lending the songs, once more, a special grace. It was clear that the Dutchwoman would catapult the songs vocally on a new, even more powerful, level. "The recordings of the more soft, very deep and less operatic song parts were a great challenge for Floor, because she had never sung before on an album in that way", remembers Tuomas Holopainen. "Nevertheless, her enthusiasm brought out the maximum in her versatile voice." On the drums there is also a new face: On account of health problems, long-time drummer Jukka Nevalainen has had to take a break and is replaced by his good friend Kai Hahto (Wintersun) for touring duties. Finally the quintet was extended by the entrance of multi-instrumentalist Troy Donockley. His new colleagues fill Holopainen with pride: "The new members were completely motivated and contributed large parts to the arrangements. They worked as a unit - much more than on all the albums before!"
The musical excursion begins with the rapid 'Shudder Before The Beautiful', which symbolizes the sublimity and grandeur of the world. The famous evolutionary biologist and author Richard Dawkins appears at the beginning in a narrative role. "He did not know Nightwish before", Tuomas admits, "but after listening to some songs, he really liked our music and accepted our invitation with pleasure." 'Weak Fantasy' follows, which seems to be the hardest song of the album according to Holopainen beside 'Yours Is An Empty Hope'. Bassist Marco Hietala also contributed many ideas to this number. The wonderful and touching 'Élan' is the first single. "The underlying subject of the song is nothing less than the meaning of life, which is different for all of us. It is important to surrender yourself to the occasional free fall and not to fear the path less traveled by", the songwriter philosophizes. 'Our Decades In The Sun' carries the listener softly into quieter fields, followed by the folky-medieval 'My Walden'. That number stands for the open-endedness of every person and should inspire one to have a look to the individual world in front of you. The origin of all life, inspires the outstanding title track 'Endless Forms Most Beautiful'. "Here the evolution of life on earth is reflected", Tuomas says. The next song is called 'Edema Ruh' and Tuomas was heavily inspired by the fantasy author Patrick Rothfuss in whose imaginary world, musician and actors travel from village to village, make music and play theatre. 'Alpenglow' is a kind of love song, where different variations of being after death are described and illustrated. Before the spectacular finale, an instrumental piece, impresses: In 'The Eyes Of Sharbat Gula' orchestra and choir shine in perfect symbiosis, generating a cinematic soundtrack mood and bewitching with a mystical-melancholic atmosphere. The crowning end is shown by the monumental 24 minutes monster 'The Greatest Show On Earth', which is divided into five chapters and enclose the complete evolution - from the formation of Planet Earth until the distant unknown future. "This is for me the best Nightwish song of all time", Tuomas says.
And the Finns are right, because in this Richard Dawkins takes part again and completes that overwhelming, breathtaking and mysterious piece of art in a perfect way. Nightwish presents themselves stronger and more self-confidently than ever. By now it is chiseled in stone: Endless Forms Most Beautiful is a virtuoso legacy for eternity. Nightwish were never better.
Nightwish's North American Tour Dates:
4/9 - Hammerstein Ballroom - New York City, NY
4/10 - Electric Factory - Philadelphia, PA
4/11 - Palladium - Worcester, MA
4/13 - Le Capitole - Québec City, QC
4/14 - Phoenix Concert Theater - Toronto, ON
4/16 - Town Ballroom - Buffalo, NY
4/17 - Agora Theatre - Cleveland, OH
4/18 - Concorde Music Hall - Chicago, IL
4/19 - 7 Flags Events Center - Clive, IA
4/21 - Ogden Theatre - Denver, CO
4/22 - In The Venue - Salt Lake City, UT
4/24 - Knitting Factory - Spokane, WA
4/25 - Orpheum Theatre - Vancouver, BC
4/26 - Crystal Ballroom - Portland, OR
4/28 - Warfield Theatre - San Francisco, CA
4/30 - House Of Blues - Las Vegas, NV
5/1 - The Greek Theater - Los Angeles, CA
5/2 - Marquee Theatre - Phoenix, AZ
5/3 - Tricky Falls - El Paso, TX
5/5 - Bomb Factory - Dallas, TX
5/6 - Warehouse Live - Houston, TX
5/8 - House of Blues - Orlando, FL
5/9 - Revolution - Fort Lauderdale, FL
5/11 - Marathon Music Work - Nashville, TN
5/12 - Expo Five - Louisville, KY
5/13 - Filmore - Charlotte, NC
5/14 - Filmore - Silver Springs, MD
*This special offer is valid for both domestic and international orders. This exclusive vinyl pressing is limited to (5) per customer and will be available while supplies last. Newburycomics.com will post information when this item is sold out.
25.2.2015. - Nightwish in the middle of controversy: Fans destroyed discs and returned tickets - by Karjalainen (www.karjalainen.fi)
Nightwish's new album Endless Forms Most Beautiful, which will be out at the end of march, was preceded by quite a contoversy in social media. The reason for this is inspiration and appearing of Richard Dawnkins.
Dawkins is a very controversial person. He is an evolutionary biologist, scientist and in some ways outspoken atheist. He has also been regarded as one of the world's most influential thinker.
Dawkins appearance on Nightwish's album aroused strong emotions in some people. The rumors started as soon as the band announced that British thinker is consulted on Nightwish's next album.
-The storm, which rose on Facebook was just unheard of. People had said throwing CDs in the trash, someone had even burnt them, and some were going to return their purchases of American-tour concert tickets, Tuomas Holopainen says caused the hustle.
Most of the criticism came from the bridge fundamentalist religious people, which Dawkins is a dirty word.
-If the fundamentalists would be able to discuss intelligently, not in the world would be fundamentalists, Holopainen says.
27.2.2015. - NIGHTWISH: NEVER ENDING STORY - by Metal Hammer (www.metalhammer.teamrock.com)
Evolution? Biology? Richard Dawkins?! Nightwish's latest adventure might surprise some, but like science itself, it's just another chapter in their never ending story...
Nightwish do not do “boring”. The band’s sound from the outset has been theatrical, grandiose, bombastic and generally larger than life, and the path the Finns have followed apart from their music can have similarly dramatic adjectives applied to it. The acrimonious fall-out with original singer Tarja Turunen made headlines, but by the release of last album Imaginaerum in 2011, it appeared to be a mere stumble in the band’s upward trajectory (both in terms of creative ability and popular success).
That album was comfortably the band’s best, most over-the-top record to date, had a fantastical film accompanying it, and proved that Tarja’s successor, Anette Olzon, had the voice to make the role her own. Fast forward less than a year, and Anette had her own less-than-friendly split from the band in the middle of a US tour.
ReVamp and former After Forever singer Floor Jansen stepped into the breach, at first temporarily, but later permanently. 2015 sees the band about to release their first album with Floor, and if convincing Nightwish’s vast, vocal fanbase that she can do on an album what she can undoubtedly achieve live was not enough of a challenge, the band have decided to make things even more attention-grabbing.
Instead of the usual fantasy themes acting as metaphors and allegory for real-life experiences, Endless Forms Most Beautiful is about the real world, with most of it (60%, according to the band’s main songwriter) dedicated to the wonders of biology and natural sciences. This culminates in a 24-minute closer, The Greatest Show On Earth, which charts the history of evolution, complete with monkey calls and whale song (no, really).
This, along with the album’s intro, is narrated by Professor Richard Dawkins, the evolutionary biologist who’s made a name for himself outside of his scientific work both by debating the merits (and lack thereof) of religion with people of faith, and for sending secular liberals into apoplexy with his comments about sexual violence on social media. Dull, unsurprisingly, this is not.
“We wish that people would realise the beauty and the magic of reality and science, of biology and evolution,” says the band’s leader, founder, principal composer and keyboard player, Tuomas Holopainen, as Hammer attempts to pick apart everything thrown up here. “I’ve always sort of understood evolution, and it’s a beautiful thing, but after reading the books by Dawkins, I really got into the core of it, and it was a spiritual experience. I wish everyone would get it; that we’re all cousins, that we are all made of the same stuff, that we all share a common ancestor, and some people get scared by that... I was going to say ‘thought’, but it’s a fact.”
“Some people are scared of the fact that me and my morning lettuce have a common ancestor. We’re all cousins, and for me, that’s the most poetic and beautiful, humbling thought ever, and I wish people would understand evolution on that level. It would maybe make us a bit more humble as human beings.
“For the past few years, I’ve been heavily immersed in this stuff,” he continues. “I watch science documentaries all the time, read these books all the time, instead of fiction or fantasy. That’s where it comes from; I just had this really strong urge to let out all the beautiful stuff that I’ve read.”
A quick explanation of Tuomas’s youth makes it a little less confusing as to exactly why a man famous for embracing Tolkien and Disney as lyrical inspirations (a man who, lest we forget, just last year released a solo album based on the life and times of Scrooge McDuck) is now citing, for example, famed astronomist Carl Sagan. Tuomas’s interest in biology stems from childhood, wanting to become a scientist and even studying environmental sciences for a year at university before music came calling. And, when the vastness of the story being told – the entire history of life, from simple single-celled organism to sentient primates capable of travelling to other planets – is thought of as a narrative, it does actually fit rather well with the huge tales Nightwish specialise in. However, that doesn’t explain how in Satan’s putrid, sulphurous name Nightwish managed to convince Richard Dawkins to narrate a heavy metal record.
“That’s what the studio engineer in Oxford asked me as well: ‘How the hell did you get him?’ And the answer is I have no idea!” laughs Tuomas. “He doesn’t really do anything else [artistic]. I’ve heard that many people have asked him, but all he has done is The Simpsons so far. For some reason, he agreed to collaborate with us. I wrote him a handwritten letter, telling him who we are and what we had in mind, and he replied by email saying, ‘I’ve never heard of Nightwish, but I went onto YouTube and listened to some of your stuff. I enjoyed it very much, and I would be happy to collaborate with you.’
One letter, one email, and after that, we were in contact with his personal assistant setting up the studio schedule. I sent him all the stuff he should narrate in the studio, and he was happy with that. The most polite gentleman ever, a really nice guy. Then he turned up at the studio in Oxford, did his talking, and that was it.”
An hour and a half later, during which time Professor Dawkins and Tuomas apparently discussed little of weight beyond a shared love of Greek composer Vangelis, and the The Selfish Gene author joins Sir Christopher Lee, Orson Welles and Brian Blessed in the list of unexpected narrators for a metal record. Tuomas appears unconcerned by any potential controversy that may cause, too, despite the furore surrounding Dawkins’ opinions on religion (expressed in his books and lectures), or about foetuses with chromosomal abnormalities, or one form of rape being worse than others (as expressed on Twitter).
“I dived deep into those issues, with the Down’s Syndrome babies, and him being a woman-hater, and all that,” Tuomas says firmly. “It’s so misunderstood, so misquoted. People love to misunderstand him, because if a person debated is a sham, nobody feels inadequate. That’s the way I see it. I wish some of these observers would read some of his books and read the whole thing, but it’s so easy to judge.”
While Dawkins may be the most internationally famous new collaborator on Endless Forms Most Beautiful, singer Floor Jansen is the one whose efforts the fans are most likely to bicker about online. Unlike her predecessor, who had to come in to sing a finalised album, Floor was a part of the creative process – one that has a clear director, but is far less of a musical diktat than it might seem.
“Very musical, highly intellectual and interactive,” is how Floor describes the band’s methods. “Despite Tuomas being the band leader and main writer, it is a process that makes the album sound the way it does. We’re all tapping in there, we all use our creativity and are allowed – ‘allowed’ sounds so military – we have the freedom to make it our own. I think that’s something unique, where someone who has the talent and skill of Tuomas – and also Marco [Hietala, bass/vocals] – can work with other people. As a songwriter, I know how hard it can be to work on your song and see things changed, but Tuomas is very open-minded to these things.”
“The easiest ever!” Tuomas enthuses of Floor’s creative introduction to the band. “I think she did her thing in less than 10 days for the whole album. She already knew all the songs before we entered the rehearsal room. I sent her the original demo with vocal lines played on the piano with all the lyrics. Then we spent a month and a half in the rehearsal room, got all straightened out, went into the studio and did her thing beautifully, did some experimenting on the way – and that’s it. Really, really easy. She’s super-motivated, and wants to be included in all the parts of the process. You can feel the passion and motivation that she has.”
Floor Jansen: in it for the long haul
Much like Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson, Nightwish is, quite clearly, a club where no individual is bigger than the entity itself. Any players the unit feel are upsetting the whole have been quickly moved on, even if – as is the case with both former singers – they are the most famous, recognisable member of the troupe, and their talents and style are likely to be difficult to replace. Given that, you might feel Floor might be concerned for her place in the band if things do not go well.
“No,” Floor says firmly, “because we grew to an understanding amongst each other, that where things are not going well, we can actually talk like grown-ups. To let things grow into a situation where it’s beyond saving, we’ve all seen it happening in our past, and I think we’ve all learned to step up before that ever comes to pass. So I don’t think my position is threatened if I don’t do something right. ‘Floor, you fucked up, you’re out.’ It really doesn’t work that way.”
To aid communication, Floor has moved from her native Netherlands to live in Finland, and is learning the notoriously difficult Finnish language – although she admits that, having had less than two years of learning so far, her aptitude at speaking it is probably no better than a three-year-old Finn’s. It is abundantly clear, however, that she wants to make this a smooth success – and, while this might appear to be a band that loves its drama, she is not alone in that.
“Let’s hope that we’ll stick with this one, and that she wants to be there ’til the end as well,” says Tuomas, only half-jokingly. “Because it’s quite an energy vampire!”
27.2.2015. - NIGHTWISH - Food for Thought - by EMP Rockinvasion (www.emp.de)
3.3.2015. - Interview Nightwish: Tuomas Holopainen - by Festivalblog (www.festivalblog.be)
In early February, we were invited to the listening session of Nightwish in fancy Hampshire - The Manor Hotel in the heart of Amsterdam. We were told the new album 'Endless Forms Most Beautiful' (read the first impressions here) and made composer / keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, bassist Marco Hietala and singer Floor Jansen getting ready for a series of interviews. I sat in the lounge area by Tuomas for an interview on various topics.
How are you doing, busy times already with these promo tours?
-Good! Yes, these are always the busiest moments.
‘Endless Forms Most Beautiful’ is what the new album is called. The thematic is about evolution, the universe and its life. Where did this title come from?
-It comes from Charles Darwin, it’s the last paragraph of his book ‘The origin of species’. From so simple in the beginning, endless forms most beautiful are being evolved. That’s the first indication of diversity of life on this planet.
The role of Darwin on this album, where does it actually fit? Was it a starting point or did it come while creating the music?
-I’ve always been very fascinated about science, especially biology, I even studied that for 6 months at university. The interest has always been there. Then a few years ago, I really got heavily immersed in that stuff again, by Charles Darwin, Carl Sagan, Richard Dawkins, Brian Cox, … It just inspired me a lot. I figured that Nightwish has always been about fantasy and escapism, really personal stuff, so maybe we should explore the other end of the spectrum for once and do an album about the magic of reality and science. That’s the underlying theme of the whole album.
And what about the coverart? It was created again by the same artist as Imaginaerum, did she come up with the idea or did you have a say in that?
-Well, I like to collaborate as much as I can with the cover artwork, it’s important to me. So I gave an idea that I had about a floating Noah’s Arc in space and put the DNA double helix in the center and as many life forms as we can possibly put around it. This is what she came up with and when I saw it for the first time, my jaw dropped, wow!
How would you compare ‘Endless Forms Most Beautiful’ with previous albums, both recent and old ones?
-I can just speak on a personal level but I think it’s not that different from the stuff we’ve done in the past. From the first moment on, we immediately recognized the band in it. It has all the trademark elements in it of Nightwish. But if you want to search for some differences compared to the previous one, Imaginaerum, this is much more a band album. The guitar is pretty strong, the keyboard much more upfront this time. There is this organic band-wide coverage that wasn’t really present on the previous album. So it’s a bit of a time travel to the Oceanborn – Once era in my opinion. I don’t know how other people think about it.
Élan will be the first single coming out tomorrow. Why did you pick this song as first single?
-Well, you always have to pick one and it’s always a very ungrateful job to pick just one, because it never represents the album. I mean, we just wanted to pick out a song that could be played on radios, that’s simple enough, that’s easy enough so that radios would actually play it. For a long time, my personal choice would have been Edemah Ruh but then after about 2 weeks of rehearsals, it was Troy and Marco who came to me and said to me “are you sure about that, we think Élan is a much better song for that”. And I said “ok, I don’t really mind, whatever you want”. So then we changed that.
If I’m correct there will also be a videoclip launched (click here), can you tell something about it?
-Yes. We wanted to go a bit old school with the music video and actually put a lot of effort into it and do a lot of location filming instead of doing it in the studio. So we have been scripting and doing it for almost a year. It was filmed in 8 different locations around Finland. The original idea for the video came from a website which had these abandoned places all around the world, like abandoned theme parks, lighthouses, theaters, all really cool stuff, really inspiring beautiful things! You get this feeling that they have amazing stories to tell, what’s been going on in these places the past decades. Then I got the idea that we somehow had to transfer this idea into the video. So what the Élan video is about, every band member was visiting an abandoned place and bringing it alive for a few seconds. Originally we wanted to film all around the world. I wanted to go to Siberia to film this really eerie, spooky lighthouse, there was an abandoned railway station in Massachusetts that we wanted to go to, but we just didn’t have the money to do all that, so everything was done in Finland. We found some awesome locations there as well.
Things that you did not know about yet?
-That’s right, there was an abandoned swimming hall, probably abandoned since mid ’70, a really eerie place. Places like that.
Do you have any insight on next singles?
-Yeah, the second single has been decided, but I’ve had to swear not to talk about it. But there will be at least one more, yes.
So on Élan we have the extra track Sagan. Will we have on the next single also an extra bonus track?
-Well, I guess we will have to come up with something. Bonus tracks are always a bit tricky since we never do that many extra songs, Sagan was the only one we had. But maybe we can do an alternative mix or whatever.
Now let’s talk about something different. What are you expecting of your very first cruise of 2 days? Why 2 days?
-I guess there was demand for another day, that’s why they booked another one. It seems like a fun thing to do. Like you say, we’ve never done that before and it’s always a lot of fun to do things for the first time. It seems to be really nice for the fans as well. I could imagine my favorite band doing such a cruise, I would be happy to go see them.
Do you think you will be able to walk around on the ship with all those fans all around?
-I could, but it might be a bit tricky (laughs). Let’s see what happens.
You already announced one European show, at the Wembley Arena in the UK, a very big venue. Was it simply the next step for Nightwish to play there?
-I just heard about that less than a week ago myself and I was totally baffled. Really, Wembley Arena, unbelievable. The whole word Wembley has such a mystical aura surrounding it. I couldn’t believe my ears when I heard about it. It’s really cool and I guess they want to upgrade the status a little bit as well. It’s a really cool thing, let’s see how it sells.
So really only one UK show?
-Yeah, all the eggs in the same basket.
What about the rest of Europe, when can we expect a full European tour?
-They are planning it as we speak. I would imagine it wouldn’t take too long to announce the rest of the dates, but there will be an extensive European leg coming before Christmas.
So probably the UK show will be the last show in the tour schedule?
-I think so, yes. [Confirmed]
For that show, support acts are both Arch Enemy and Amorphis. Any idea if that will be for that show only or for the rest or part of the tour?
-Well, we know the support acts for every show this year already, but again I was told not to talk about it, so unfortunately I can’t say. (smirks) [Arch Enemy and Amorphis both confirmed for the European concerts]
Soon you are going to the USA, what are your expectation of that?
-When we start it’s going to be more than a year that we have played together, maybe a year and a half, so the start is going to be a bit tricky as it always is. But you learn ding shows by doing shows, not by rehearsing in a studio. Since it’s been so long, everybody is super anxious to get on the road again.
You mention it, one year and a half, that actually isn’t so much time since the previous album. The new album was made rather quick.
-Yeah it was. It surprised me as well how fast it was made. But the positive energy and the conviction for the songs really worked like never before. Everybody was super happy with the whole process. The only downside was what happened to Jukka the drummer. It’s a terrible thing but besides that everything went smoother than ever.
So, the USA and a show in Canada is already booked, then some festivals and a European tour and Canada again, any further plans already?
-The idea is to tour until the end of 2016, so there will be a lot of stuff happening. I’m sure South America, Japan, Australia maybe another US leg will be there somewhere, but nothing is fixed yet.
This time the recording process was again a bit different, with new people also. How did Floor and Troy fit into the recording process this time?
-Floor and Troy are fantastic. The motivational level of Floor for example is something else. She knew already all the songs and the lyrics before she even came to the rehearsal room, so she had done her homework. As a vocalist she’s as versatile as it gets, so we had never any fear that there would be something that she could not do, same goes with the other guys in the band. Troy brings beautiful chemistry to the band, he’s such a wonderful guy, a funny guy. He can play almost anything, not only the Celtic stuff but he’s a really good singer, plays the acoustic guitar that you can hear in the album as well… It’s lovely.
Something I noticed when just listening to the album, on the 6th track, My Walden, was it Troy who started the intro?
-Yes. It’s old Welsh that he’s singing.
For the rest, the last track The Greatest Show on Earth, was it a conscious choice to make it so large?
-Well the theme of the song is so vast, because the idea was to do a song that would cover the entire evolution of life on planet Earth. This song actually covers more than 5 billion years of time, so you need some time to tell that story. Originally it was even longer, I think it was about 35 minutes, but then we condensed a little bit to make it more approachable and listenable. But that’s what it takes to tell the story. It’s not long because of the shot effect or long to bore people, it’s long because that’s what it takes to tell the story.
In that track we hear Dawkins. How was it to work with him and how did you approach him?
-I wrote him a letter about a year ago, telling him who we are and that we were going to record a song which was influenced by one of his books, called ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’. Then about 3 weeks later, I received an e-mail from him saying “thank you for the letter, I’ve never heard of Nightwish before but now I have, I enjoyed what I heard and I’m looking forward to the collaboration so please book the studio and see you in October!” The recording process took about one hour, he did his stuff beautifully, he’s a really nice guy. Two days ago I met him again in London and played him the song. He seemed to like it, so a very lovely collaboration. It really brings an extra edge to the song to have him actually be there and recite those beautiful words.
The previous album also had some storytelling from multiple people. Is this a new trend maybe for Nightwish? Will the new album also perhaps have a narrator?
-If the song requires it. That is the most important thing. Listen to the song, what do you need to become alive, what are the tools that we need to use for you to wake up. Do you need an operatic vocal? No. Do you need a softer singing? Ok we’ll go with that. Do you need a solo this time? Yes let’s put in a solo. Do you need Dawkins? Yes that would be nice, let’s use Dawkins. So just be humble for the song and don’t do things just because you can or to show off, that’s mainly the thing.
Very unfortunate is like you mentioned that Jukka had to take a step aside. Did you yourself already know Kai Hahto?
-We’ve known each other for years. But especially Jukka, they go back a long time. It were really sad times when this happened. Because we already rehearsed this album about a month with Jukka before he stepped down, saying “I can’t do this anymore, I feel like a zombie, I haven’t slept in 2 weeks, I need to go to a doctor”. The only one we could think of who could do a replacement on such short notice was Kai because his drum skills are ‘out of this planet’. Luckily for us, he had the time and the motivation to come and save this album basically.
Is it clear yet who will join on tour?
-Kai will do the whole tour, yes. But Jukka is still a member of the band, the drummer of the band so in 2 years we will know more.
Will Jukka come along on the tour?
-I sure hope so! It would be lovely to see Jukka here and there, maybe play a little now and then. Maybe, even likely!
Maybe another unfortunate thing. There was the unfortunate event of the leaking of Élan. Something like that is indeed terrible as multiple people have already expressed. We are however in a time where the internet has become unimaginable in our world, new services like Spotify and Youtube are big business… What do you think about all that?
-I think internet is lovely. I’m all pro technology and progress. And yes it is a fact that leaks happen all the time, not only for us but basically for every single band. But I also think strongly that we should raise this issue into the daylight and try to do something to prevent it from happening in the future. Because it’s a really big thing not only for the band, but also for the music business. Not financially, but it really kills the mystery of the whole thing. When you anxiously await for a new album or song and then somebody leaks it with real bad quality… I don’t care about the money personally but for me it kills the mystery, that’s what really upsets me big time. We got a lot of criticism about mentioning this. People were saying “you are so immature, stop complaining, it’s the 21th century, this happens, get over it”. But if you think the same thing about many things that are wrong, like terrorism, it’s the 21th century and it’s happening, get over it…
Nobody is justifying that.
-Indeed, nobody is justifying that. Another important thing is that there are many kids, especially younger kids, that don’t realize that they are doing something wrong. It’s not because they are behaving badly or out of mischief, it’s just that they don’t know any better. Some education is also needed on that.
That’s why many of you brought out a statement for that?
-Absolutely, yeah.
A question for the ladies perhaps. Your image and appearance, for example promo pictures with the high hat, is it something that you use to differentiate yourself from other artists?
-The hat is there just because (starts laughing) it became kind of a thing, he’s the guy always with the hat, take the hat off already (laughs). I would say ok, if that’s your reaction, oh well. I love hats, I love my top hat, it means a lot to me and in some promo pictures I use it and in some I don’t. It’s not really a big deal.
We’re 2015 now, that’s a long history of Nightwish already. How do you look back on the growth of Nightwish?
-Well, it fits to the theme of this album perfectly. There’s a very clear evolution to be seen of the band throughout the 18,5 years that we’ve been together. It starting off as something really innocent and acoustic, even gothic. Then came the power metal era, then we found film music, started adding orchestra, … It’s been a growing, evolving thing all the time. I’m happy to say that we’ve always been able to find new angles for all the albums so that they don’t sound alike, any of them. But still, on every album you hear from the first song that it is Nightwish. And that’s a really lovely balance that we’ve been able to keep.
9.3.2015. - Nightwish-stringed Musamaailman care - by Musamaailma (Musamaailma Oy - House of Rock - since 1985) (www.musamaailma.fi)
Nightwish is gearing up to travel the world with the release of the new disk. The traditional way to Marco and Emppu's stringed instruments came from the soitinrakentajamme Arton thorough "pre-world-tour"-the maintenance, inspection, and stance.
Thorough maintenance of musical instruments can be used effectively to advance the language to avoid any potential problems arising from the tour loads. Täyshuollossa checked and corrected, if necessary, include the following:
-Cervical adjustments
-Strips for fitness
-Intonaatio
-Metal parts for fitness
-Electronics and pickups in the fitness as well as soldering
-Wood fitness
-Fretboard fitness (oiling if necessary)
-Complete cleaning cleaning &
-New languages
Marco Hietala Warwick Vampyre bass were thoroughly through and found in favor of. Marco's new kaksikaulainen Warwick Custom Shop bass/Framus guitar is an incredible creation in itself. The guitar also has a piezo pickup system. Kaksikaulainen beauty turned out to be a huippukuntoiseksi and refined in the attack on the tour.
Emppu Vuorinen gorgeous purple colored ESP EV-(I) Custom Shop has seen a lot. It has already played hundreds of gigs. After maintenance tool you can safely call the following one hundred gigs. This instrument is a great electric guitar. Mm. vibrakoverrus Floyd Rose was most completely what we have ever seen in any guitar. The guitar was traded with some metal parts, such as new Schaller-machinery. Original Floyd Rose-upon my mountains tread, because they are all traded on the tallapalat consumption of the stuff in the heavy use. Electricity was through, Duncan pickups were measured, all is well.
And Emppu's Guitar Strings-basses was equipped with the mark's DR. languages. Both artists have relied on DR. Strings – quality for many years.
Welcome to Emppu, Marco and the entire musamaailma Nigthwish success as well as the amazing world tour!
10.3.2015. - Nightwish Interview Marco Hietala & Floor Jansen 13.2.2015 - by Kaaos (www.kaaoszine.fi)
21.2.2015. - Nightwish worked on puzzle together says Jansen - by Metal Hammer (www.metalhammer.teamrock.com)
Floor insists she had no problem with not writing for Endless Forms
Nightwish singer Floor Jansen says the band’s eighth album Endless Forms Most Beautiful was a "puzzle" they worked on together – even though she didn't write any of the material.
Her lack of involvement at composition level didn't cause her any ego problems, because she knew the results would be worthwhile. So she was happy to leave those duties to mainman Tuomas Holopainen and bassisst Marco Hietala.
Jansen tells FaceCulture: "This was my first time on an album from scratch, written by mainly Tuomas and Marco. 'This is the vocal line – this is the lyric. Go ahead.'
"One thing that connects all the eras of Nightwish is that particular sound. My little ego is just fine with saying, 'I don't have to write for this. This is going to be awesome anyway.' And it is."
But she continues: "That doesn't mean that there is no creative input from me whatsoever. There is a certain phrasing that Tuomas had in mind, but it becomes a vocal puzzle, where my input comes in: 'I can sing it like this, I can sing it like that.'"
And Jansen says every member of the band contributed when it came to arrangements. “It was a nice puzzle where everybody, as an equal, came in with ideas," she reports. "We all had our input, which is part of the reason why this album has a band vibe. It felt very natural coming out of a position where I'm usually more involved in the songwriting."
24.2.2015. - Nightwish - Limited* Exclusive Colored Vinyl! - Newbury Comics (www.newburycomics.com)
Pre-Order the new album from Nightwish, Endless Forms Most Beautiful, on Magenta with Silver Splatter Vinyl. This exclusive double LP vinyl pressing from Newbury Comics and Nuclear Blast is limited* to only 750 pieces.
Nightwish has always stood for virtuoso perfection. They are able to evoke fantastic dream worlds, fade out time and space, and touch you deep inside with their majestic symphonic compositions. Vision and temptation, love and passion, devotion and blood - this Finnish band also has the courage to aspire to new creative and innovative ventures. Since their formation in August 1996, they have risen long ago to become the biggest Symphonic Metal band. It is no secret that main composer and keyboard player Tuomas Holopainen is a versatile songwriter, who lives for his music, dedicates himself to his art and this seeps through in every single note of his work. Four years have passed since the gigantic Imaginaerum album - a lot has happened and still even more will happen, because the time is right for a new chapter in the history of the Suomi-Symphonics. A chapter, which will set new standards and will start a magic trip into a spectacular parallel universe; so overwhelming, so epic, so beguiling. Nightwish connect past, present and future to a flawless whole. It is a time for a new era. It is a time for Endless Forms Most Beautiful.
Endless Forms Most Beautiful is the first Nightwish studio album to feature Dutch singer Floor Jansen (Revamp, ex-After Forever) - the splendid chanteuse has been a full-time member since Oct 2012. On the imposing 2013 live release Showtime, Storytime the amazing power woman improved the sound with her beautiful voice while lending the songs, once more, a special grace. It was clear that the Dutchwoman would catapult the songs vocally on a new, even more powerful, level. "The recordings of the more soft, very deep and less operatic song parts were a great challenge for Floor, because she had never sung before on an album in that way", remembers Tuomas Holopainen. "Nevertheless, her enthusiasm brought out the maximum in her versatile voice." On the drums there is also a new face: On account of health problems, long-time drummer Jukka Nevalainen has had to take a break and is replaced by his good friend Kai Hahto (Wintersun) for touring duties. Finally the quintet was extended by the entrance of multi-instrumentalist Troy Donockley. His new colleagues fill Holopainen with pride: "The new members were completely motivated and contributed large parts to the arrangements. They worked as a unit - much more than on all the albums before!"
The musical excursion begins with the rapid 'Shudder Before The Beautiful', which symbolizes the sublimity and grandeur of the world. The famous evolutionary biologist and author Richard Dawkins appears at the beginning in a narrative role. "He did not know Nightwish before", Tuomas admits, "but after listening to some songs, he really liked our music and accepted our invitation with pleasure." 'Weak Fantasy' follows, which seems to be the hardest song of the album according to Holopainen beside 'Yours Is An Empty Hope'. Bassist Marco Hietala also contributed many ideas to this number. The wonderful and touching 'Élan' is the first single. "The underlying subject of the song is nothing less than the meaning of life, which is different for all of us. It is important to surrender yourself to the occasional free fall and not to fear the path less traveled by", the songwriter philosophizes. 'Our Decades In The Sun' carries the listener softly into quieter fields, followed by the folky-medieval 'My Walden'. That number stands for the open-endedness of every person and should inspire one to have a look to the individual world in front of you. The origin of all life, inspires the outstanding title track 'Endless Forms Most Beautiful'. "Here the evolution of life on earth is reflected", Tuomas says. The next song is called 'Edema Ruh' and Tuomas was heavily inspired by the fantasy author Patrick Rothfuss in whose imaginary world, musician and actors travel from village to village, make music and play theatre. 'Alpenglow' is a kind of love song, where different variations of being after death are described and illustrated. Before the spectacular finale, an instrumental piece, impresses: In 'The Eyes Of Sharbat Gula' orchestra and choir shine in perfect symbiosis, generating a cinematic soundtrack mood and bewitching with a mystical-melancholic atmosphere. The crowning end is shown by the monumental 24 minutes monster 'The Greatest Show On Earth', which is divided into five chapters and enclose the complete evolution - from the formation of Planet Earth until the distant unknown future. "This is for me the best Nightwish song of all time", Tuomas says.
And the Finns are right, because in this Richard Dawkins takes part again and completes that overwhelming, breathtaking and mysterious piece of art in a perfect way. Nightwish presents themselves stronger and more self-confidently than ever. By now it is chiseled in stone: Endless Forms Most Beautiful is a virtuoso legacy for eternity. Nightwish were never better.
Nightwish's North American Tour Dates:
4/9 - Hammerstein Ballroom - New York City, NY
4/10 - Electric Factory - Philadelphia, PA
4/11 - Palladium - Worcester, MA
4/13 - Le Capitole - Québec City, QC
4/14 - Phoenix Concert Theater - Toronto, ON
4/16 - Town Ballroom - Buffalo, NY
4/17 - Agora Theatre - Cleveland, OH
4/18 - Concorde Music Hall - Chicago, IL
4/19 - 7 Flags Events Center - Clive, IA
4/21 - Ogden Theatre - Denver, CO
4/22 - In The Venue - Salt Lake City, UT
4/24 - Knitting Factory - Spokane, WA
4/25 - Orpheum Theatre - Vancouver, BC
4/26 - Crystal Ballroom - Portland, OR
4/28 - Warfield Theatre - San Francisco, CA
4/30 - House Of Blues - Las Vegas, NV
5/1 - The Greek Theater - Los Angeles, CA
5/2 - Marquee Theatre - Phoenix, AZ
5/3 - Tricky Falls - El Paso, TX
5/5 - Bomb Factory - Dallas, TX
5/6 - Warehouse Live - Houston, TX
5/8 - House of Blues - Orlando, FL
5/9 - Revolution - Fort Lauderdale, FL
5/11 - Marathon Music Work - Nashville, TN
5/12 - Expo Five - Louisville, KY
5/13 - Filmore - Charlotte, NC
5/14 - Filmore - Silver Springs, MD
*This special offer is valid for both domestic and international orders. This exclusive vinyl pressing is limited to (5) per customer and will be available while supplies last. Newburycomics.com will post information when this item is sold out.
25.2.2015. - Nightwish in the middle of controversy: Fans destroyed discs and returned tickets - by Karjalainen (www.karjalainen.fi)
Nightwish's new album Endless Forms Most Beautiful, which will be out at the end of march, was preceded by quite a contoversy in social media. The reason for this is inspiration and appearing of Richard Dawnkins.
Dawkins is a very controversial person. He is an evolutionary biologist, scientist and in some ways outspoken atheist. He has also been regarded as one of the world's most influential thinker.
Dawkins appearance on Nightwish's album aroused strong emotions in some people. The rumors started as soon as the band announced that British thinker is consulted on Nightwish's next album.
-The storm, which rose on Facebook was just unheard of. People had said throwing CDs in the trash, someone had even burnt them, and some were going to return their purchases of American-tour concert tickets, Tuomas Holopainen says caused the hustle.
Most of the criticism came from the bridge fundamentalist religious people, which Dawkins is a dirty word.
-If the fundamentalists would be able to discuss intelligently, not in the world would be fundamentalists, Holopainen says.
27.2.2015. - NIGHTWISH: NEVER ENDING STORY - by Metal Hammer (www.metalhammer.teamrock.com)
Nightwish do not do “boring”. The band’s sound from the outset has been theatrical, grandiose, bombastic and generally larger than life, and the path the Finns have followed apart from their music can have similarly dramatic adjectives applied to it. The acrimonious fall-out with original singer Tarja Turunen made headlines, but by the release of last album Imaginaerum in 2011, it appeared to be a mere stumble in the band’s upward trajectory (both in terms of creative ability and popular success).
That album was comfortably the band’s best, most over-the-top record to date, had a fantastical film accompanying it, and proved that Tarja’s successor, Anette Olzon, had the voice to make the role her own. Fast forward less than a year, and Anette had her own less-than-friendly split from the band in the middle of a US tour.
ReVamp and former After Forever singer Floor Jansen stepped into the breach, at first temporarily, but later permanently. 2015 sees the band about to release their first album with Floor, and if convincing Nightwish’s vast, vocal fanbase that she can do on an album what she can undoubtedly achieve live was not enough of a challenge, the band have decided to make things even more attention-grabbing.
Instead of the usual fantasy themes acting as metaphors and allegory for real-life experiences, Endless Forms Most Beautiful is about the real world, with most of it (60%, according to the band’s main songwriter) dedicated to the wonders of biology and natural sciences. This culminates in a 24-minute closer, The Greatest Show On Earth, which charts the history of evolution, complete with monkey calls and whale song (no, really).
This, along with the album’s intro, is narrated by Professor Richard Dawkins, the evolutionary biologist who’s made a name for himself outside of his scientific work both by debating the merits (and lack thereof) of religion with people of faith, and for sending secular liberals into apoplexy with his comments about sexual violence on social media. Dull, unsurprisingly, this is not.
“We wish that people would realise the beauty and the magic of reality and science, of biology and evolution,” says the band’s leader, founder, principal composer and keyboard player, Tuomas Holopainen, as Hammer attempts to pick apart everything thrown up here. “I’ve always sort of understood evolution, and it’s a beautiful thing, but after reading the books by Dawkins, I really got into the core of it, and it was a spiritual experience. I wish everyone would get it; that we’re all cousins, that we are all made of the same stuff, that we all share a common ancestor, and some people get scared by that... I was going to say ‘thought’, but it’s a fact.”
“Some people are scared of the fact that me and my morning lettuce have a common ancestor. We’re all cousins, and for me, that’s the most poetic and beautiful, humbling thought ever, and I wish people would understand evolution on that level. It would maybe make us a bit more humble as human beings.
“For the past few years, I’ve been heavily immersed in this stuff,” he continues. “I watch science documentaries all the time, read these books all the time, instead of fiction or fantasy. That’s where it comes from; I just had this really strong urge to let out all the beautiful stuff that I’ve read.”
A quick explanation of Tuomas’s youth makes it a little less confusing as to exactly why a man famous for embracing Tolkien and Disney as lyrical inspirations (a man who, lest we forget, just last year released a solo album based on the life and times of Scrooge McDuck) is now citing, for example, famed astronomist Carl Sagan. Tuomas’s interest in biology stems from childhood, wanting to become a scientist and even studying environmental sciences for a year at university before music came calling. And, when the vastness of the story being told – the entire history of life, from simple single-celled organism to sentient primates capable of travelling to other planets – is thought of as a narrative, it does actually fit rather well with the huge tales Nightwish specialise in. However, that doesn’t explain how in Satan’s putrid, sulphurous name Nightwish managed to convince Richard Dawkins to narrate a heavy metal record.
“That’s what the studio engineer in Oxford asked me as well: ‘How the hell did you get him?’ And the answer is I have no idea!” laughs Tuomas. “He doesn’t really do anything else [artistic]. I’ve heard that many people have asked him, but all he has done is The Simpsons so far. For some reason, he agreed to collaborate with us. I wrote him a handwritten letter, telling him who we are and what we had in mind, and he replied by email saying, ‘I’ve never heard of Nightwish, but I went onto YouTube and listened to some of your stuff. I enjoyed it very much, and I would be happy to collaborate with you.’
One letter, one email, and after that, we were in contact with his personal assistant setting up the studio schedule. I sent him all the stuff he should narrate in the studio, and he was happy with that. The most polite gentleman ever, a really nice guy. Then he turned up at the studio in Oxford, did his talking, and that was it.”
An hour and a half later, during which time Professor Dawkins and Tuomas apparently discussed little of weight beyond a shared love of Greek composer Vangelis, and the The Selfish Gene author joins Sir Christopher Lee, Orson Welles and Brian Blessed in the list of unexpected narrators for a metal record. Tuomas appears unconcerned by any potential controversy that may cause, too, despite the furore surrounding Dawkins’ opinions on religion (expressed in his books and lectures), or about foetuses with chromosomal abnormalities, or one form of rape being worse than others (as expressed on Twitter).
“I dived deep into those issues, with the Down’s Syndrome babies, and him being a woman-hater, and all that,” Tuomas says firmly. “It’s so misunderstood, so misquoted. People love to misunderstand him, because if a person debated is a sham, nobody feels inadequate. That’s the way I see it. I wish some of these observers would read some of his books and read the whole thing, but it’s so easy to judge.”
While Dawkins may be the most internationally famous new collaborator on Endless Forms Most Beautiful, singer Floor Jansen is the one whose efforts the fans are most likely to bicker about online. Unlike her predecessor, who had to come in to sing a finalised album, Floor was a part of the creative process – one that has a clear director, but is far less of a musical diktat than it might seem.
“Very musical, highly intellectual and interactive,” is how Floor describes the band’s methods. “Despite Tuomas being the band leader and main writer, it is a process that makes the album sound the way it does. We’re all tapping in there, we all use our creativity and are allowed – ‘allowed’ sounds so military – we have the freedom to make it our own. I think that’s something unique, where someone who has the talent and skill of Tuomas – and also Marco [Hietala, bass/vocals] – can work with other people. As a songwriter, I know how hard it can be to work on your song and see things changed, but Tuomas is very open-minded to these things.”
“The easiest ever!” Tuomas enthuses of Floor’s creative introduction to the band. “I think she did her thing in less than 10 days for the whole album. She already knew all the songs before we entered the rehearsal room. I sent her the original demo with vocal lines played on the piano with all the lyrics. Then we spent a month and a half in the rehearsal room, got all straightened out, went into the studio and did her thing beautifully, did some experimenting on the way – and that’s it. Really, really easy. She’s super-motivated, and wants to be included in all the parts of the process. You can feel the passion and motivation that she has.”
Floor Jansen: in it for the long haul
Much like Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson, Nightwish is, quite clearly, a club where no individual is bigger than the entity itself. Any players the unit feel are upsetting the whole have been quickly moved on, even if – as is the case with both former singers – they are the most famous, recognisable member of the troupe, and their talents and style are likely to be difficult to replace. Given that, you might feel Floor might be concerned for her place in the band if things do not go well.
“No,” Floor says firmly, “because we grew to an understanding amongst each other, that where things are not going well, we can actually talk like grown-ups. To let things grow into a situation where it’s beyond saving, we’ve all seen it happening in our past, and I think we’ve all learned to step up before that ever comes to pass. So I don’t think my position is threatened if I don’t do something right. ‘Floor, you fucked up, you’re out.’ It really doesn’t work that way.”
To aid communication, Floor has moved from her native Netherlands to live in Finland, and is learning the notoriously difficult Finnish language – although she admits that, having had less than two years of learning so far, her aptitude at speaking it is probably no better than a three-year-old Finn’s. It is abundantly clear, however, that she wants to make this a smooth success – and, while this might appear to be a band that loves its drama, she is not alone in that.
“Let’s hope that we’ll stick with this one, and that she wants to be there ’til the end as well,” says Tuomas, only half-jokingly. “Because it’s quite an energy vampire!”
27.2.2015. - NIGHTWISH - Food for Thought - by EMP Rockinvasion (www.emp.de)
3.3.2015. - Interview Nightwish: Tuomas Holopainen - by Festivalblog (www.festivalblog.be)
In early February, we were invited to the listening session of Nightwish in fancy Hampshire - The Manor Hotel in the heart of Amsterdam. We were told the new album 'Endless Forms Most Beautiful' (read the first impressions here) and made composer / keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, bassist Marco Hietala and singer Floor Jansen getting ready for a series of interviews. I sat in the lounge area by Tuomas for an interview on various topics.
How are you doing, busy times already with these promo tours?
-Good! Yes, these are always the busiest moments.
‘Endless Forms Most Beautiful’ is what the new album is called. The thematic is about evolution, the universe and its life. Where did this title come from?
-It comes from Charles Darwin, it’s the last paragraph of his book ‘The origin of species’. From so simple in the beginning, endless forms most beautiful are being evolved. That’s the first indication of diversity of life on this planet.
The role of Darwin on this album, where does it actually fit? Was it a starting point or did it come while creating the music?
-I’ve always been very fascinated about science, especially biology, I even studied that for 6 months at university. The interest has always been there. Then a few years ago, I really got heavily immersed in that stuff again, by Charles Darwin, Carl Sagan, Richard Dawkins, Brian Cox, … It just inspired me a lot. I figured that Nightwish has always been about fantasy and escapism, really personal stuff, so maybe we should explore the other end of the spectrum for once and do an album about the magic of reality and science. That’s the underlying theme of the whole album.
And what about the coverart? It was created again by the same artist as Imaginaerum, did she come up with the idea or did you have a say in that?
-Well, I like to collaborate as much as I can with the cover artwork, it’s important to me. So I gave an idea that I had about a floating Noah’s Arc in space and put the DNA double helix in the center and as many life forms as we can possibly put around it. This is what she came up with and when I saw it for the first time, my jaw dropped, wow!
How would you compare ‘Endless Forms Most Beautiful’ with previous albums, both recent and old ones?
-I can just speak on a personal level but I think it’s not that different from the stuff we’ve done in the past. From the first moment on, we immediately recognized the band in it. It has all the trademark elements in it of Nightwish. But if you want to search for some differences compared to the previous one, Imaginaerum, this is much more a band album. The guitar is pretty strong, the keyboard much more upfront this time. There is this organic band-wide coverage that wasn’t really present on the previous album. So it’s a bit of a time travel to the Oceanborn – Once era in my opinion. I don’t know how other people think about it.
Élan will be the first single coming out tomorrow. Why did you pick this song as first single?
-Well, you always have to pick one and it’s always a very ungrateful job to pick just one, because it never represents the album. I mean, we just wanted to pick out a song that could be played on radios, that’s simple enough, that’s easy enough so that radios would actually play it. For a long time, my personal choice would have been Edemah Ruh but then after about 2 weeks of rehearsals, it was Troy and Marco who came to me and said to me “are you sure about that, we think Élan is a much better song for that”. And I said “ok, I don’t really mind, whatever you want”. So then we changed that.
If I’m correct there will also be a videoclip launched (click here), can you tell something about it?
-Yes. We wanted to go a bit old school with the music video and actually put a lot of effort into it and do a lot of location filming instead of doing it in the studio. So we have been scripting and doing it for almost a year. It was filmed in 8 different locations around Finland. The original idea for the video came from a website which had these abandoned places all around the world, like abandoned theme parks, lighthouses, theaters, all really cool stuff, really inspiring beautiful things! You get this feeling that they have amazing stories to tell, what’s been going on in these places the past decades. Then I got the idea that we somehow had to transfer this idea into the video. So what the Élan video is about, every band member was visiting an abandoned place and bringing it alive for a few seconds. Originally we wanted to film all around the world. I wanted to go to Siberia to film this really eerie, spooky lighthouse, there was an abandoned railway station in Massachusetts that we wanted to go to, but we just didn’t have the money to do all that, so everything was done in Finland. We found some awesome locations there as well.
Things that you did not know about yet?
-That’s right, there was an abandoned swimming hall, probably abandoned since mid ’70, a really eerie place. Places like that.
Do you have any insight on next singles?
-Yeah, the second single has been decided, but I’ve had to swear not to talk about it. But there will be at least one more, yes.
So on Élan we have the extra track Sagan. Will we have on the next single also an extra bonus track?
-Well, I guess we will have to come up with something. Bonus tracks are always a bit tricky since we never do that many extra songs, Sagan was the only one we had. But maybe we can do an alternative mix or whatever.
Now let’s talk about something different. What are you expecting of your very first cruise of 2 days? Why 2 days?
-I guess there was demand for another day, that’s why they booked another one. It seems like a fun thing to do. Like you say, we’ve never done that before and it’s always a lot of fun to do things for the first time. It seems to be really nice for the fans as well. I could imagine my favorite band doing such a cruise, I would be happy to go see them.
Do you think you will be able to walk around on the ship with all those fans all around?
-I could, but it might be a bit tricky (laughs). Let’s see what happens.
You already announced one European show, at the Wembley Arena in the UK, a very big venue. Was it simply the next step for Nightwish to play there?
-I just heard about that less than a week ago myself and I was totally baffled. Really, Wembley Arena, unbelievable. The whole word Wembley has such a mystical aura surrounding it. I couldn’t believe my ears when I heard about it. It’s really cool and I guess they want to upgrade the status a little bit as well. It’s a really cool thing, let’s see how it sells.
So really only one UK show?
-Yeah, all the eggs in the same basket.
What about the rest of Europe, when can we expect a full European tour?
-They are planning it as we speak. I would imagine it wouldn’t take too long to announce the rest of the dates, but there will be an extensive European leg coming before Christmas.
So probably the UK show will be the last show in the tour schedule?
-I think so, yes. [Confirmed]
For that show, support acts are both Arch Enemy and Amorphis. Any idea if that will be for that show only or for the rest or part of the tour?
-Well, we know the support acts for every show this year already, but again I was told not to talk about it, so unfortunately I can’t say. (smirks) [Arch Enemy and Amorphis both confirmed for the European concerts]
Soon you are going to the USA, what are your expectation of that?
-When we start it’s going to be more than a year that we have played together, maybe a year and a half, so the start is going to be a bit tricky as it always is. But you learn ding shows by doing shows, not by rehearsing in a studio. Since it’s been so long, everybody is super anxious to get on the road again.
You mention it, one year and a half, that actually isn’t so much time since the previous album. The new album was made rather quick.
-Yeah it was. It surprised me as well how fast it was made. But the positive energy and the conviction for the songs really worked like never before. Everybody was super happy with the whole process. The only downside was what happened to Jukka the drummer. It’s a terrible thing but besides that everything went smoother than ever.
So, the USA and a show in Canada is already booked, then some festivals and a European tour and Canada again, any further plans already?
-The idea is to tour until the end of 2016, so there will be a lot of stuff happening. I’m sure South America, Japan, Australia maybe another US leg will be there somewhere, but nothing is fixed yet.
This time the recording process was again a bit different, with new people also. How did Floor and Troy fit into the recording process this time?
-Floor and Troy are fantastic. The motivational level of Floor for example is something else. She knew already all the songs and the lyrics before she even came to the rehearsal room, so she had done her homework. As a vocalist she’s as versatile as it gets, so we had never any fear that there would be something that she could not do, same goes with the other guys in the band. Troy brings beautiful chemistry to the band, he’s such a wonderful guy, a funny guy. He can play almost anything, not only the Celtic stuff but he’s a really good singer, plays the acoustic guitar that you can hear in the album as well… It’s lovely.
Something I noticed when just listening to the album, on the 6th track, My Walden, was it Troy who started the intro?
-Yes. It’s old Welsh that he’s singing.
For the rest, the last track The Greatest Show on Earth, was it a conscious choice to make it so large?
-Well the theme of the song is so vast, because the idea was to do a song that would cover the entire evolution of life on planet Earth. This song actually covers more than 5 billion years of time, so you need some time to tell that story. Originally it was even longer, I think it was about 35 minutes, but then we condensed a little bit to make it more approachable and listenable. But that’s what it takes to tell the story. It’s not long because of the shot effect or long to bore people, it’s long because that’s what it takes to tell the story.
In that track we hear Dawkins. How was it to work with him and how did you approach him?
-I wrote him a letter about a year ago, telling him who we are and that we were going to record a song which was influenced by one of his books, called ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’. Then about 3 weeks later, I received an e-mail from him saying “thank you for the letter, I’ve never heard of Nightwish before but now I have, I enjoyed what I heard and I’m looking forward to the collaboration so please book the studio and see you in October!” The recording process took about one hour, he did his stuff beautifully, he’s a really nice guy. Two days ago I met him again in London and played him the song. He seemed to like it, so a very lovely collaboration. It really brings an extra edge to the song to have him actually be there and recite those beautiful words.
The previous album also had some storytelling from multiple people. Is this a new trend maybe for Nightwish? Will the new album also perhaps have a narrator?
-If the song requires it. That is the most important thing. Listen to the song, what do you need to become alive, what are the tools that we need to use for you to wake up. Do you need an operatic vocal? No. Do you need a softer singing? Ok we’ll go with that. Do you need a solo this time? Yes let’s put in a solo. Do you need Dawkins? Yes that would be nice, let’s use Dawkins. So just be humble for the song and don’t do things just because you can or to show off, that’s mainly the thing.
Very unfortunate is like you mentioned that Jukka had to take a step aside. Did you yourself already know Kai Hahto?
-We’ve known each other for years. But especially Jukka, they go back a long time. It were really sad times when this happened. Because we already rehearsed this album about a month with Jukka before he stepped down, saying “I can’t do this anymore, I feel like a zombie, I haven’t slept in 2 weeks, I need to go to a doctor”. The only one we could think of who could do a replacement on such short notice was Kai because his drum skills are ‘out of this planet’. Luckily for us, he had the time and the motivation to come and save this album basically.
Is it clear yet who will join on tour?
-Kai will do the whole tour, yes. But Jukka is still a member of the band, the drummer of the band so in 2 years we will know more.
Will Jukka come along on the tour?
-I sure hope so! It would be lovely to see Jukka here and there, maybe play a little now and then. Maybe, even likely!
Maybe another unfortunate thing. There was the unfortunate event of the leaking of Élan. Something like that is indeed terrible as multiple people have already expressed. We are however in a time where the internet has become unimaginable in our world, new services like Spotify and Youtube are big business… What do you think about all that?
-I think internet is lovely. I’m all pro technology and progress. And yes it is a fact that leaks happen all the time, not only for us but basically for every single band. But I also think strongly that we should raise this issue into the daylight and try to do something to prevent it from happening in the future. Because it’s a really big thing not only for the band, but also for the music business. Not financially, but it really kills the mystery of the whole thing. When you anxiously await for a new album or song and then somebody leaks it with real bad quality… I don’t care about the money personally but for me it kills the mystery, that’s what really upsets me big time. We got a lot of criticism about mentioning this. People were saying “you are so immature, stop complaining, it’s the 21th century, this happens, get over it”. But if you think the same thing about many things that are wrong, like terrorism, it’s the 21th century and it’s happening, get over it…
Nobody is justifying that.
-Indeed, nobody is justifying that. Another important thing is that there are many kids, especially younger kids, that don’t realize that they are doing something wrong. It’s not because they are behaving badly or out of mischief, it’s just that they don’t know any better. Some education is also needed on that.
That’s why many of you brought out a statement for that?
-Absolutely, yeah.
A question for the ladies perhaps. Your image and appearance, for example promo pictures with the high hat, is it something that you use to differentiate yourself from other artists?
-The hat is there just because (starts laughing) it became kind of a thing, he’s the guy always with the hat, take the hat off already (laughs). I would say ok, if that’s your reaction, oh well. I love hats, I love my top hat, it means a lot to me and in some promo pictures I use it and in some I don’t. It’s not really a big deal.
We’re 2015 now, that’s a long history of Nightwish already. How do you look back on the growth of Nightwish?
-Well, it fits to the theme of this album perfectly. There’s a very clear evolution to be seen of the band throughout the 18,5 years that we’ve been together. It starting off as something really innocent and acoustic, even gothic. Then came the power metal era, then we found film music, started adding orchestra, … It’s been a growing, evolving thing all the time. I’m happy to say that we’ve always been able to find new angles for all the albums so that they don’t sound alike, any of them. But still, on every album you hear from the first song that it is Nightwish. And that’s a really lovely balance that we’ve been able to keep.
9.3.2015. - Nightwish-stringed Musamaailman care - by Musamaailma (Musamaailma Oy - House of Rock - since 1985) (www.musamaailma.fi)
Thorough maintenance of musical instruments can be used effectively to advance the language to avoid any potential problems arising from the tour loads. Täyshuollossa checked and corrected, if necessary, include the following:
-Cervical adjustments
-Strips for fitness
-Intonaatio
-Metal parts for fitness
-Electronics and pickups in the fitness as well as soldering
-Wood fitness
-Fretboard fitness (oiling if necessary)
-Complete cleaning cleaning &
-New languages
Marco Hietala Warwick Vampyre bass were thoroughly through and found in favor of. Marco's new kaksikaulainen Warwick Custom Shop bass/Framus guitar is an incredible creation in itself. The guitar also has a piezo pickup system. Kaksikaulainen beauty turned out to be a huippukuntoiseksi and refined in the attack on the tour.
Emppu Vuorinen gorgeous purple colored ESP EV-(I) Custom Shop has seen a lot. It has already played hundreds of gigs. After maintenance tool you can safely call the following one hundred gigs. This instrument is a great electric guitar. Mm. vibrakoverrus Floyd Rose was most completely what we have ever seen in any guitar. The guitar was traded with some metal parts, such as new Schaller-machinery. Original Floyd Rose-upon my mountains tread, because they are all traded on the tallapalat consumption of the stuff in the heavy use. Electricity was through, Duncan pickups were measured, all is well.
And Emppu's Guitar Strings-basses was equipped with the mark's DR. languages. Both artists have relied on DR. Strings – quality for many years.
Welcome to Emppu, Marco and the entire musamaailma Nigthwish success as well as the amazing world tour!
10.3.2015. - Nightwish Interview Marco Hietala & Floor Jansen 13.2.2015 - by Kaaos (www.kaaoszine.fi)
Nightwish bassist / vocalist Marco Hietala and new singer Floor Jansen being interviewed about "Endless Forms Most Beautiful" album, due out in March 27th, 2015. For more interviews, visit www.kaaoszine.fi.
12.3.2015. - NIGHTWISH VIDEO INTERVIEW ON NEW UPCOMING ALBUM 'ENDLESS FORMS MOST BEAUTIFUL' - by MetalTalk (www.metaltalk.net)
Finland-based symphonic Metal storytellers Nightwish release their upcoming new album, 'Endless Forms Most Beautiful', in spring 2015 via Nuclear Blast and their first single called 'Élan', came out on February 13th 2015.
Mark Taylor spoke to Floor Jansen and Marco Hietala about all things Nightwish in an interview recorded for Record Collector magazine, which can be watched below.
17.3.2015. - New NIGHTWISH video interview - by Loud TV (www.loudtv.com)
17.3.2015. - Nightwish: track by track of "Endless Forms Most Beautiful"! - by Spazio Rock (www.spaziorock.it)
Tuomas Holopainen tells us about the new album of his band! Ten days from the release of his eighth studio album Nightwish, "Endless Forms Most Beautiful", Tuomas Holopainen makes a description exclusively to our microphones!
18.3.2015. - Nightwish interview 2015 - by Linea Rock (Radio Lombardia) (www.radiolombardia.it)
23.3.2015. - INTERVIEW: NIGHTWISH DISCUSS THE TITLE OF THEIR NEW ALBUM - by KERRANG! (www.kerrang.com)
Watch Nightwish chatting about the title of their upcoming album, exclusively with Kerrang!.
Tuomas, Floor and Marco caught up with K! recently to chat about Endless Forms Most Beautiful, which is out on March 30 via Nuclear Blast Records. Pre-order the symphonic metallers’ upcoming full-length over at this link now.
The band will be hitting the UK at the end of the year for a one-off date at London’s Wembley SSE Arena – making history by being the first-ever Finnish band to headline the venue. Support on the night will come from Arch Enemy and Amorphis.
24.3.2015. - "This album is a tribute to the magic of reality" - hmv.com talks to Nightwish - by HMV (www.hmv.com)
5.6.2015.
Watch Nightwish chatting about the title of their upcoming album, exclusively with Kerrang!.
Tuomas, Floor and Marco caught up with K! recently to chat about Endless Forms Most Beautiful, which is out on March 30 via Nuclear Blast Records. Pre-order the symphonic metallers’ upcoming full-length over at this link now.
The band will be hitting the UK at the end of the year for a one-off date at London’s Wembley SSE Arena – making history by being the first-ever Finnish band to headline the venue. Support on the night will come from Arch Enemy and Amorphis.
24.3.2015. - "This album is a tribute to the magic of reality" - hmv.com talks to Nightwish - by HMV (www.hmv.com)
Symphonic metallers Nightwish have been through a lot since their 2011 album Imaginaerum hit CD shelves. The band had already been forced to replace long-time singer Tarja Turunen back in 2005 and thought they'd found her permanent replacement in Swedish singer Anette Olzon, but, as it turned out, that wasn't to be. In the end, Olzon would only last for two albums and departed the band during their world tour back in 2012.
She was replaced, initially temporarily, now permanently, by Dutch vocalist Floor Jansen. Jansen, who had been in Dutch metallers After Forever, initially came on board to help the band finish their tour, but is now fully on board and makes her recording debut on the band's new album Endless Forms Most Beautiful, which is released on Monday (March 30th).
That wasn't the only difficulty to strike the band during the making of this album, long-time drummer Jukka Nevalainen was forced to drop out of the sessions and the band's planned tour after suffering from crippling insomnia. He was replaced by Wintersun drummer Kai Hahto, who will also join the band for the forthcoming tour.
But out of all that change and difficulty came a new start and a new album. We chat to Nightwish keyboardist and key songwriter Tuomas Holopainen about making Endless Forms Most Beautiful, adjusting to life without Olzon and Nevalainen and why Charles Darwin and Richard Dawkins inspired their new album...
This is your first album for four years, was it a tough album to make?
"Quite on the contrary. Even though it took its time once again, (a couple of years to complete from the songwriting process to the mastering), it was a very smooth process. The songs were born really easy, we had loads of inspiring ideas and stories to work with, the vibe within the band was uplifting and the summer at the rehearsals camp treated us with lovely sunshine and warmth."
How did you want the album to move on from Imaginaereum?
"I don't think the evolution of music is something you want to calculate in advance. It comes naturally. It's nonsense to plan ahead things like "let's do a heavier album", or "let's use the orchestra more", or "how about trying to compose a hit single", etc. You feel inspired about a certain theme or story, and try your very best to bring that story alive. First by yourself as a songwriter, then together with the band family. Be humble before the song and not do things "just because you can"."
"At some point during the rehearsals we realised that the songs have an old school Nightwish touch to them, and that the album has a strong pro-life theme running through it. One way of putting it is that Imaginaerum was a tribute to the power of imagination, whereas Endless Forms Most Beautiful is a tribute to the magic of reality."
This is your first album with Floor on vocals, how did she come to join the band and what impact did she have on recording?
"Floor hopped aboard during our North American tour in October 2012. Things happened quick and today I have but distant memories of that era. The band was a survival machine on wheels for a couple of weeks but then things started to click and it's been a wonderful ride ever since. Floor has brought loads of good vibes, motivation and dedication to the group. Watching her truly nail the delicate essence of 'Our Decades In The Sun' in the studio was an overwhelming moment."
You were without Jukka during the recording for the first time, was it difficult to adjust to playing with a new drummer?
"We knew Kai beforehand, his down to earth personality and immense skills, so it was never a problem. Time was against us, though, since we had exactly 6 days to practice 12 songs before the drum recordings began. Kai had quite a few sleepless nights in his cabin writing notes for the songs."
Did you experiment with any new instruments on this album?
"There were a few, yes. Nipple bells was my favorite! It can be heard in the track 'The Eyes Of Sharbat Gula'. Troy also plays the electric bouzouki in 2 tracks, beautiful stuff, as well!"
Why did you decide on the title of Endless Forms Most Beautiful?
"It perfectly reflects the praise of the natural world - philosophy, which is present all through the album. It brings out the poetry in science. Classic Darwin!"
A lot of the lyrics seems to be inspired by evolution and the works of Charles Darwin, why have you focused on that?
"For me it's hard to imagine anything more inspirational, more beautiful and comforting than the fact of evolution by natural selection. All us living organisms are cousins, sharing a same common ancestor, made of the same stuff."
You’ve got Richard Dawkins on the album, how did that come about?
"I wrote him a letter a bit more than a year ago and explained the ideas we had for this album, mainly to do with evolution. Since one of the tracks would be named directly after one of his books, it felt like a perfect match to try to get him do some reciting on the album. He sent me an email a few weeks later accepting the invitation. Later in 2014 we then recorded his parts at Hats Off Studios, Oxford. This is a huge honour for us, since Dawkins is one of our biggest heroes and his writings have been huge inspiration for the album."
The last track on the album clocks in at 24 minutes, how long did it take to put that together?
"For some reason long songs are rather easy for me to write, so it didn't really take any longer than any other song on the album. The mixing process for just that one song took about two and a half weeks, though."
What are your plans to take the album out live?
"The tour begins in April from North America and off it goes until the end of 2016. We also have a show in Wembley Arena on December 19th, 2015! Every musician's dream come true!"
25.3.2015. - NIGHTWISH ALBUM IS ONLY LOOSE CONCEPT - by PROG (prog.teamrock.com)
Video premiere: Holopainen, Jansen and Hietala offer glimpse behind Endless Forms Most Beautiful
Nightwish album Endless Forms Most Beautiful is only a concept album in the loosest sense, says mainman Tuomas Holopainen.
In the exclusive Prog video below, he explains that while the follow-up to 2011’s Imaginaerum was inspired by Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, there’s more to the 11-track release than that.
Holopainen says: “Not all the songs deal directly with the issues of nature and science. But there is a pro-life thread going through the album.”
He, Floor Jansen and Marco Hietala also explain why the final track, The Greatest Show On Earth, had to be 24 minutes long.
27.3.2015. - Nightwish interview with Nightwishers Italian Fanclub- Part 1 (04.02.2015) - by Nightwishers Italy (nightwishersitaly.com)
3.4.2015.
Video premiere: Holopainen, Jansen and Hietala offer glimpse behind Endless Forms Most Beautiful
Nightwish album Endless Forms Most Beautiful is only a concept album in the loosest sense, says mainman Tuomas Holopainen.
In the exclusive Prog video below, he explains that while the follow-up to 2011’s Imaginaerum was inspired by Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, there’s more to the 11-track release than that.
Holopainen says: “Not all the songs deal directly with the issues of nature and science. But there is a pro-life thread going through the album.”
He, Floor Jansen and Marco Hietala also explain why the final track, The Greatest Show On Earth, had to be 24 minutes long.
27.3.2015. - Nightwish interview with Nightwishers Italian Fanclub- Part 1 (04.02.2015) - by Nightwishers Italy (nightwishersitaly.com)
27.3.2015. - Nightwish's Tuomas Holopainen - by Radio Nova (www.radionova.fi)
in Finnish
Nightwishin Tuomas Holopainen kertoo ajatuksiaan bändin supersuosiosta
English: Nightwish's Tuomas Holopainen his thoughts on the band's super popularity
Nightwishin Tuomas Holopainen: Mystisyys bändien ympäriltä on katoamassa
English: Nightwish's Tuomas Holopainen: Mysticism bands around is disappearing
Nightwishin Tuomas Holopainen: Välillä tuntuu, että turbulenssin määrä Nightwishissä on vakio
English: Nightwish's Tuomas Holopainen: Sometimes I think that the amount of turbulence in Nightwish is a constant
Nightwish julkaisee perjantaina 27. maaliskuuta odotetun Endless Forms Most Beautiful -albumin, minkä myötä Tuomas Holopainen kävi Novan musiikkitoimittaja Samuli Väänäsen haastattelussa.
English: Nightwish will publish on Friday, March 27, the expected Endless Forms Most Beautiful album, which makes Tuomas Holopainen is visited Nova music journalist Samuli Väänänen interview.
27.3.2015. - Nightwish - Interview with Tuomas Holopainen - by Spazio Rock
(www.spaziorock.it)
Interview with Tuomas Holopainen, Nightwish
28.3.2015. - Nightwish interview with Nightwishers Italian Fanclub- Part II (04.02.2015) - by Nightwishers Italy (nightwishersitaly.com)
31.3.2015. - Itw. NIGHTWISH - F. Jansen & M. Hietala - Dir. Franck VÉDRINES-VOSTF (9.2.2015.) - by Franck Védrines
31.3.2015. - Itw. NIGHTWISH - F. Jansen & M. Hietala - Dir. Franck VÉDRINES-VOSTF (9.2.2015.) - by Franck Védrines
Interview - Floor Jansen & Marco Hietala (NIGHTWISH)
For the release of the album "Endless Forms Most Beautiful" (Nuclear Blast)
Tour February 9, 2015 in Paris, Hotel Alba Opera
Coproduction : Franck Védrines / A.B.D.P. editions
Director, editor, cameraman Franck Védrines
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Journalist / Translation: Marianna Morgante
Coordination: Léana Dolci and Alex Mitram (ABDP Editions)
Thanks:
Floor Jansen and Marco Hietala (Nightwish)
Valerie Reux (J.M.T. Consulting)
Marianna Morgante, Franck Védrines, Léana Dolci
Christophe Bernies & Lounis (Rock Live TV)
The entire staff of the hotel Alba Opera, Paris
The album is released and new page with other news is opened
with news after the album release date