Led by NIGHTWISH and with EPICA, DELAIN and WITHIN TEMPTATION also making headway, symphonic metal is often pigeonholed because of the bombastic traits so intrinsic to its sound. The style's formula is often duplicated by bands from all corners of the globe presenting lineups similar in formation, usually with a lone female frontwoman joined by ...
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The official video for "Tears In Rain", the new single from former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen, can be seen below. The song is taken from her upcoming studio album, "In The Raw", which will be released on August 30 via earMUSIC. The clip finds the golden-voiced singer engaging in some roller derby. While training to ...
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CRADLE OF FILTH keyboardist and vocalist Lindsay Schoolcraft, an accomplished singer, songwriter, harpist, and pianist in her own right, will release her debut solo album on October 7. "Martyr", co-written by former EVANESCENCE drummer Rocky Gray, offers eleven tracks of entrancing gothic rock, influenced by Schoolcraft's background in classical music. Fans of EVANESCENCE, NIGHTWISH, and ...
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THE DARK ELEMENT, the project featuring former NIGHTWISH vocalist Anette Olzon and Finnish guitarist and songwriter Jani Liimatainen, will release its second album, "Songs The Night Sings", on November 8 via Frontiers Music Srl. The follow-up to 2017's "The Dark Element" was mixed by Jacob Hansen, who has previously worked with VOLBEAT and AMARANTHE, among ...
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Longtime NIGHTWISH drummer Jukka Nevalainen, who stepped away from the band's touring and recording activities five years ago, has confirmed his permanent exit from the group. His replacement will be Kai Hahto, who has been playing with NIGHTWISH since the summer of 2014. Nevalainen explained in a statement: "It has now been five years since ...
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Former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen joined Dutch symphonic rockers WITHIN TEMPTATION on stage last night (Saturday, July 13) at the Masters Of Rock festival in Vizovice, Czech Republic to perform the song "Paradise (What About Us?)". Fan-filmed video footage of her appearance can be seen below. The studio version of "Paradise (What About Us?)" — ...
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The official music video for "Railroads", the new single from former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen, can be seen below. The song is taken from her upcoming studio album, "In The Raw", which will be released on August 30 via earMUSIC. The heavy-yet-melodic track draws inspiration from the book "Aleph" by Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho. In ...
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Swedish newcomers FOLLOW THE CIPHER have released the official lyric video for their new single, "The Pioneer". Guitarist Ken Kängström states: "'The Pioneer' is the story of a soldier waking up in a dark desert, bound to a journey seeking the bright light of the sun. The only way for him to redeem his sins ...
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"Railroads", the new single from former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen, can be streamed below. The song is taken from her upcoming studio album, "In The Raw", which will be released on August 30 via earMUSIC. The heavy-yet-melodic track draws inspiration from the book "Aleph" by Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho. In it, the writer travels on ...
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Asami, the singer of LOVEBITES, the all-female heavy metal band from Tokyo, joined HALESTORM on stage on June 15 at the Download festival at Donington Park in Leicestershire, England to perform the latter group's Grammy-winning song "Love Bites (So Do I)". Fan-filmed video footage of her appearance can be seen below. LOVEBITES took its name ...
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Finnish vocalist Tarja Turunen (ex-NIGHTWISH) recently spoke with Andy Rawll of Record Collector magazine. The full conversation can be seen below. A few excerpts follow (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). On the process of making her forthcoming album, "In The Raw": Tarja: "I would call it a little bit of pain. I think a ...
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The greatest heavy metal festival in the world, Wacken Open Air, will unleash its latest collection on July 26 through Silver Linings Music/Wacken Records when "Live At Wacken 2018: 29 Years Louder The Hell" smashes into stores. The 16th release in the "Live At Wacken" series, which dates back to 2002, is stuffed with pulverizing ...
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Fan-filmed video footage of former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen performing her new single, "Dead Promises", on May 8 in Kiev, Ukraine can be seen below. The track is taken from her upcoming studio album, "In The Raw", due on August 30 via earMUSIC. "I really like how the guitar sounds: in your face," Tarja said ...
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THE DARK ELEMENT, the project featuring former NIGHTWISH vocalist Anette Olzon and Finnish guitarist and songwriter Jani Liimatainen, has completed work on its second album. The follow-up to 2017's "The Dark Element" was mixed by Jacob Hansen (VOLBEAT) and will tentatively arrive this fall via Frontiers Music Srl. Joining Olzon and Liimatainen in THE DARK ...
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"Isäni Ääni", the new video from NIGHTWISH bassist/vocalist Marco Hietala (a.k.a. Marko Hietala), can be seen below. The song is taken from his solo album, "Mustan Sydämen Rovio", which will be released on May 24 via Savonian Rooster. Asked by Kaaos TV when he started to think about releasing a solo album, Marco said (see ...
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Finnish metallers MERGING FLARE, who are led by former U.D.O./ DIRKSCHNEIDER and current BEAST IN BLACK guitarist Kasperi Heikkinen, will release their second album, "Revolt Regime", on June 14 via Ram It Down Records. The follow-up to 2011's "Reverence" was recorded by Eero Kaukomies and mixed by Mattes Pfeiffer, whom Heikkinen got to know during ...
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NIGHTWISH bassist/vocalist Marco Hietala (a.k.a. Marko Hietala) recently spoke with Tuonela magazine about his debut solo album, "Mustan Sydämen Rovio". The full conversation can be seen below. A few excerpts follow (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). On going solo: Marco: "At first, it's kind of scary, because so far, it's the first and only ...
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NIGHTWISH bassist/vocalist Marco Hietala (a.k.a. Marko Hietala) will release a new solo album, "Mustan Sydämen Rovio", on May 24 via Savonian Rooster. Asked by Kaaos TV when he started to think about releasing a solo album, Marco said (see video below): "It's a lot of stuff, lyrical, musical stuff and some of them started somewhere ...
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Former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen will release her new studio album, "In The Raw", on August 30 via earMUSIC. As the saying goes, not all that glitters is gold. But then again, not all that is gold necessarily glitters. It was this idea that struck Tarja as she began work on "In The Raw". Three ...
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Former NIGHTWISH singer Tarja Turunen has released the official lyric video for a brand new song called "Dead Promises". The track is taken from her upcoming studio album, "In The Raw", due later in the year via earMUSIC. It's a first look at the new disc and combines the stunning power of Tarja's voice with ...
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NIGHTWISH vocalist Floor Jansen will appear on the next season of the Dutch reality TV show "Beste Zangers" ("Best Singers"). In each season, a number of well-known performers alternate as the central artist who picks songs out of his/her own repertoire to be sung by the others. The original performer judges the "covers" of his ...
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Asami, the singer of LOVEBITES, the all-female heavy metal band from Tokyo, joined HALESTORM on stage on March 21 at the Download Japan festival to perform the latter group's Grammy-winning song "Love Bites (So Do I)". Fan-filmed video footage of her appearance can be seen below. LOVEBITES took its name from the HALESTORM track and ...
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The life and times of melodic death metal have been eventful, to say the least. Nearly 30 years after the subgenre's true genesis in those unlikely Swedish suburbs, its original formula has been hijacked, abused and diluted so many times that it's sometimes hard not to be angry at IN FLAMES for accidentally inventing all ...
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Alex Haber of Heavy New York conducted an interview with frontwoman Sharon Den Adel of Dutch metallers WITHIN TEMPTATION prior to the band's March 2 show at PlayStation Theater in New York, New York. You can watch the entire chat below. A few excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). On whether WITHIN TEMPTATION takes ...
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CHILDREN OF BODOM bassist Henkka "Blacksmith" Seppälä spoke to Heavy Music Headquarters about the current state of the Finnish "melodic death metal" scene, more than 25 years after the band's formation. Asked if he sees a lot of new groups that are influenced by CHILDREN OF BODOM, Henkka said: "For me, it's hard ...
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Charlotte Wessels says she expects DELAIN to continue with the "epic" sound found on the "Hunter's Moon" EP when she and her bandmates start putting together material for their next full-length album. The EP is considered a stop-gap before the band heads into the studio to record the follow-up to 2016's "Moonbathers". "Hunter's Moon" includes ...
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Anton Kabanen is a power metal and manga-eating junkie, his ear ever on the hunt for the most will-breaking melody this side of ABBA. Having parted from his former band, BATTLE BEAST, in 2015 after a decade-long run, he immediately formed his powerhouse group, BEAST IN BLACK. Both bands being named after the manga and ...
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Brazil's Rock Mania recently conducted an interview with guitarist Roland Grapow of melodic metallers MASTERPLAN. You can listen to the entire chat below. A few excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). On "PumpKings", MASTERPLAN's 2017 album that saw the band re-record the songs Grapow wrote while he was a member of HELLOWEEN: Roland: "I ...
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Rock Hard Slovakia conducted an interview with NIGHTWISH keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen prior to the band's November 13 concert at Incheba Expo Arena in Bratislava, Slovakia. You can watch the entire chat below. A few excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). On playing older, lesser-known NIGHTWISH songs during the band's 2018 "Decades" tour: Tuomas: "I think nostalgic ...
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Laureline Tilkin of Tuonela magazine recently conducted an interview with guitarists Anton Kabanen and Kasperi Heikkinen of Finnish melodic metallers BEAST IN BLACK. You can watch the entire chat below. A few excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). On the writing process for BEAST IN BLACK's second album, "From Hell With Love": Anton: "It ...
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