While we're waiting for Tarja's new rock album, which she is already recording, we get the chance to buy new album 'Left in the Dark'.The title of the album may sound familiar to you. Basically, we get previously unreleased material such as demos, instrumental versions, live acoustic radio recordings and B-sides from 'Colours in the Dark'.
Tracklist:
1. Victim of Ritual (demo)
2. 500 letters (acoustic recording)
3. Lucid Dreamer (demo)
4. Never Enough (demo progression)
5. Mystique Voyage (demo)
6. Into the Sun (studio version)
7. Deliverance (instrumental)
8. Neverlight (full orchestra version)
9. Until Silence (acoustic recording)
10. Medusa (Tarja's solo version)
Swedish heavy metal band Sabaton unveiled two artworks and tracklist of their new album "Heroes".
The new album will be out on 16th of May.
The album is described by the reviewers as "really well produced, arranged, energetic and melodic. Each song is different, begins with an unusual, catchy motive and gives the impression of participation on something bigger, than only another good heavy metal experience."
Tracklist:
1. Night Witches
2. No Bullets Fly
3. Smoking Snakes
4. Inmate 4859
5. To Hell And Back
6. The Ballad of Bull
7. Resist And Bite
8. Soldier of 3 Armies
9. Far From the Fame
10. Hearts of Iron
Dutch symphonic metal band Delain will release their 4th studio album "The Human Contradiction" on 7th April in Europe and 8th April in the US and Canada. The band released lyric video "Your Body is a Battleground" featuring Marco Hietala from Nightwish.
Tracklist:
1. Here Come the Vultures
2. Your Body is a Battleground
3. Stardust
4. My Masquerade
5. Tell Me, Mechanist
6. Sing to Me
7. Army of Dolls
8. Lullaby
9. The Tragedy of the Commons
Recently, Epica announced, that their 6th studio album "The Quantum Enigma" will be released on 2nd May in Europe and on 13th May in the US. The new album is described as the beginning of a new era, where Epica sounds heavy, modern and without compromises. The creation of this album was a group effort and the band is extremely proud of the results. "The Quantum Enigma" was recorded in the Sandlane Recording Facilities in the Netherlands. The producer is Joost van den Broek and the album was mixed by the renowned Jacob Hansen.
Stefan Heilemann created the artwork to accompany the ideas behind the lyrics.
The Quantum Enigma will be released in 5 different configurations:
1. regular Jewel Case
2. 2CD Digipack - 2nd disc contains acoustic version of Canvas of Life, In All Conscience, Dreamscape and Natural Corruption
3. 3CD Earbook - 3rd disc contains instrumental version of the songs
4. double Vinyl
5. Digital Download
Tracklist:
1. Origiem
2. The Second Stone
3. The Essence of Silence
4. Victims of Contingency
5. Sense Without Sanity - The Impervious Code
6. Unchain Utopia
7. The Fifth Guardian - Interlude
8. Chemical Insomnia
9. Reverence - Living in the Heart
10. Omen - The Ghoulish Malady
11. Canvas of Life
12. Natural Corruption
13. The Quantum Enigma - Kingdom of Heaven part II
Tuomas Holopainen's first solo project "The Life And Times Of Scrooge" will be released on 11th April. The whole album is based on a graphic novel called "The Life And Times Of Scrooge McDuck" written and illustrated by Don Rosa. Tuomas spent most of the year 2013 writing and producing this solo album.
The recordings took place during August - October 2013. The orchestra was recorded at Angel Studios in London. Pip Williams, who's known for his work on NW's albums "Once", "Dark Passion Play" and "Imaginaerum", did the orchestral arrangements.
Among the guest musicians are vocalists Alan Reid, Johanna Kurkela, Johanna Iivanainen and Tonny Kakko.
The author of the book, Don Rosa, did the artwork for the album.
Tracklist:
01. Glasgow 1877
02. Into The West
03. Duel & Cloudscapes
04. Dreamtime
05. Cold Heart Of The Klondike
06. The Last Sled
07. Goodbye, Papa
08. To Be Rich
09. A Lifetime Of Adventure
10. Go Slowly Now, Sands Of Time
Bonus track
11. A Lifetime Of Adventure (alternative version)
As a single for this album was chosen "A Lifetime Of Adventure" accompanied with "making of" video. Johanna Kurkela provides lead vocals and Johanna Iivanainen provides backing vocals.
Within Temptation will release their 6th studio album 'Hydra' on January 31st, 2014. This is what the band
has to say about the album: The Hydra, a mythological serpent creature from ancient Greece couldn't be killed. When one of its heads was cut off, two more grew in its place. Commented by Robert Westerholt: "Hydra is a perfect title for our new album, because like the monster itself, the record represents the many different sides of our music."
We will also get the chance to listen to several guest musicians such as Tarja Turunen, Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum, Howard Jones formerly of Killswitch Engage and US hip-hop icon Xzibit.
Tracklist:
1. Let Us Burn
2. Dangerous feat. Howard Jones
3. And We Run feat. Xzibit
4. Paradise (What About Us?) feat. Tarja
5. Edge Of The World
6. Silver Moonlight
7. Covered By Roses
8. Dogs Days
9. Tell My Why
10. Whole World Is Watching feat. Dave Pirner
11. Radioactive (originally performed by Imagine Dragons) (BONUS TRACK)
12. Summertime Sadness (originally performed by Lana del Ray) (BONUS TRACK)
13. Let Her Go (originally performed by Passenger) (BONUS TRACK)
14. Dirty Dancer (originally performed by Enrique Iglesias) (BONUS TRACK)
15. And We Run - evolution track (BONUS TRACK)
16. Silver Moonlight - evolution track (BONUS TRACK)
17. Covered By Roses - evolution track (BONUS TRACK)
18 Tell My Why - evolution track (BONUS TRACK)
19. Paradise (What About Us?) feat. Tarja - Music Video exclusive to iTunes premium version
Track 1-10 new album tracks of Hydra
Track 11-19 bonus tracks iTunes premium version
Dutch symphonic death metal band MaYaN will release their second album "Antagonise" on January 31st, 2014. The album contains 11 songs and features guest musicians Floor Jansen (Nightwish, ReVamp, After Forever), Marcela Bovio (Stream of Passion) and Greek violinist Dimitris Katsoulis.
According to the press release, the main album's concept is based on "the current state of the world which is going totally insane".
Touring members Henning Basse (Lingua Mortis Orchestra) and Laura Macri became permanent members back in September.
Nightwish stated numerous times that we have to wait until 2014 to learn the name of new vocalist. But
apparently plans changed and on October 9th Floor Jansen was officially announced as new lead vocalist. Also, Nightwish has no more 5 members but 6! Troy became new full-time member of the band.
Here is the press release:
Ms. Floor Jansen is a keeper.
Also, we will be a six-piece band from now on, as Mr. Troy Donockley (uilleann pipes, low whistles, vocals) will become a full-time member of NIGHTWISH.
Originally we were going to wait until 2014 to make a decision about the future line-up of the band, but the past year has clearly shown us that Floor and Troy are perfect matching pieces of our puzzle, and we are really
grateful of the bond that has grown between all of us. We love you guys.
Tuomas
Marco
Jukka
Emppu
Commented vocalist Floor Jansen: "Words cannot describe what I feel! This union is beyond everything and I cannot tell you how wonderful it is to continue this amazing journey with my new brothers! Once I had a dream....and this is it!!!"
Piper/whistleman, added vocalist Troy Donockley: "'Imaginaeum World Tour' was a revelation to me an in that time, I became aware of a growing unity and then, finally, a transcendence of all the usual nonsense that affects bands. A beautiful process. And since the idea, the musical dream that NIGHTWISH has been a part of me since before I was born, I am delighted to officially sail into uncharted waters with my brother and sister. Wondrous scenes Ahoy!"
The new line-up can be seen on the live / tour documentary Showtime, Storytime, released on November 29th.
Retrospect was filmed to celebrate band's 10th anniversary. The concert was recorded on March 23rd in Eindhoven, the Netherlands and consisted of a 70 piece orchestra, acrobats, special effects, former band members Ad Sluijter, Yves Huts and Jeoren Simons and guest vocalist Floor Jansen. Band introduced new song called "Retrospect" and played "Twin Flames" from "The Requiem for the Indifferent" for the first time.
The DVD will be released as 2DVD/3CD and 2Blu-ray/3CD version. Also there will be exclusive interviews with band members and behind the scenes footage from the show.
The setlist:
1. Introspect
2. Monopoly of Truth
3. Sensorium
4. Unleashed
5. Martyr of the Free Word
6. Chasing the Dragon
7. Presto
8. Never Enough
9. Stabat Mater Dolorosa
10. Twin Flames
11. Serenade of Self-Destruction
12. Orchestral Medley
13. The Divine Conspiracy - Anniversary Edition
14. Delirium
15. Blank Infinity
16. The Obsessive Devotion
17. Retrospect
18. Battle of the Heroes & Imperial March
19. Quientus
20. The Phantom Agony
21. Cry for the Moon
22. Sancta Terra
23. Design Your Universe
24. Storm the Sorrow
25. Consign to Oblivion
26. Outrospect
Recently, Leave's Eyes announced that their 5th studio album ''Symphonies of the Night" is mixed, mastered and ready for release. According to their own words: ''Expect this album to be the heaviest and most epic LEAVES' EYES experience to date: it will haunt you, even in your dreams''.
Tracklist:
1. Hell to the Heavens
2. Fading Earth
3. Maid of Lorraine
4. Galswintha
5. Symphony of the Night
6. Saint Cecelia
7. Hymn to the Lone Sands
8. Angel and the Ghost
9. Eleonore de Provence
10. Nightshade
11. Ophelia
12. Eileen's Ardency - Bonus Track - featuring Carmen Elise Espanaes
13. One Caress - Bonus Track - Depeche Mode cover
Release dates:
13.11.2013 Spain, Sweden, Norway
15.11. 2013 Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Finland, Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourg
18.11. 2013 UK, Rest of Europe
26.11. 2013 USA, Canada
On September 27th, Within Temptation will release new single 'Paradise (What About Us?) featuring Tarja Turunen as a guest vocalist.
'Paradise (What About Us?) will be released as an EP, containing four new songs. The songs are 'Paradise (what About Us?), demo versions of three brand new songs 'Let Us Burn', 'Dog Days' and 'Silver Moonlight'.
Nightwish have decided to release a new live DVD 'Showtime, Sotrytime' on November 29th. The DVD consist of live show recoded at Wacken Open Air Metal Festival with temporary vocalist Floor Jansen. Also, a 120 - minute long tour documentary 'Please Learn The Setlist In 48 Hours' and live videos of 'I Want My Tears Back' shot at Hartwall concert and 'Ghost Love Score' shot in Argentina.
As Tuomas explained. The DVD was supposed to be only a tour documentary but Nuclear Blast came up with the idea of adding a live concert. Read bit more here.
Sadly, Anette will not be featured on this DVD. Here is the explanation from the DVD director:
Hello everyone,
We began shooting the Nightwish Imaginaerum - world tour documentary in January 2012. The shootings continued all the way until August 2013, so we ended up having tons of material from the tour. The material included, among other things, concerts, rehearsals and interviews from all the members of the band. The editing process of the documentary started already in early 2012.
However, in the beginning of March 2013 we received a message insisting that no visual (moving or still) nor any audio featuring Anette Olzon can be used on the dvd, this being her personal request.
This meant that we had to go back to the very beginning of the editing process. We respect her wish, and that's why Anette will unfortunately not be seen or heard on the "Showtime, Storytime" - dvd.
Ville Lipiainen
- Director
Anette made a comment on this issue as well:
Regarding the documentary- yes, I decided not to be a part of it since I no longer are in the band and therefore didn't have any influence on my participation in it which on the other hand the 4 remaining members had. Therefore it's better for me to not be in it to avoid any disappointments in either direction.
Another chapter of the Nightwish story has ended today. Nightwish and Anette Olzon have decided to part company, in mutual understanding, for the good of all parties involved.
In recent times it has become increasingly obvious that the direction and the needs of the band were in conflict, and this has led to a division from which we cannot recover.
Nightwish has no intention of cancelling any upcoming shows, and as a result we have decided to bring in a substitute vocalist starting in Seattle 1.10.2012. Her name is Floor Jansen from The Netherlands (ex-After Forever, ReVamp), and she has graciously stepped in to help us complete the Imaginaerum world tour.
We are all strongly committed to this journey, this vehicle of spirit, and we are sure that this will lead to a brighter future for everyone. We forever remain excited about the adventures to come, and we are extremely proud of the two beautiful albums and the wonderful shows we shared together.
Finally, we have some new info about the long awaited Nightwish's film Imaginaerum. According to nightwish.com, the world premiere will be at Hartwall Arena, Helsinki, Finland, on November 10, 2012. Screening of the film will be preceded by a show by Nightwish themselves. Finnish theatrical release is set to be on November 23, 2012. As of now, we have to wait for further announcement if the film will have theatrical release in other countries than Finland.
Also you can already pre-order the official soundtrack of the film 'Imaginaerum by Nightwish - The Score'.
Check solarfilms.com for more Imaginaerum film screen shots.
So we finally have new Tarja's live rock DVD and CD, which was recorded back in March 2012, Argentina. The release date is August 24th.
Since it's Tarja we are talking about, we are going to get 2 CD, 2 DVD and Blu-ray and every single release has it's own cover.
2CD track list & cover:
CD1
01. Anteroom Of Death
02. My Little Phoenix
03. Dark Star
04. Naiad
05. Falling Awake
06. I Walk Alone
07. Little Lies
08. Into The Sun
09. Nemo
10. Never Enough
11. Still Of The Night
12. In For A Kill
CD2
01. Boy And The Ghost
02. Lost Northern Star
03. Ciaran‘s Well
04. Tired Of Being Alone
05. Where Were You Last Night / Heaven Is A Place On Earth / Livin’ On A Prayer
06. Underneath
07. Oasis / The Archive Of Lost Dreams
08. Crimson Deep
09. The Phantom Of The Opera
10. Die Alive
11. Until My Last Breath
12. Over The Hills And Far Away
Blu-ray cover
2DVD & Blu-ray track list:
DVD1
01. If You Believe
02. Anteroom Of Death
03. My Little Phoenix
04. Dark Star
05. Naiad
06. Falling Awake
07. I Walk Alone
08. Orpheus Hallucination / Orpheus In The Underworld
09. Little Lies (band jam)
10. Little Lies
11. Into The Sun
12. Nemo
13. Acoustic Set:
Rivers Of Lust
DVD cover
Minor Heaven
Montañas De Silencio
Sing For Me
I Feel Immortal
14. Never Enough
15. In For A Kill
16. Toccata And Fugue D-minor (BWV 565) / The Phantom Of The Opera
17. Die Alive
18. Until My Last Breath
19. Over The Hills And Far Away
DVD 2
01. Boy And The Ghost
02. Lost Northern Star
03. Ciaran‘s Well
04. Tired Of Being Alone
05. Where Were You Last Night / Heaven Is A Place On Earth / Livin’ On A Prayer
06. Underneath
07. The Reign
08. Oasis / The Archive Of Lost Dreams
09. Still Of The Night
10. Crimson Deep
+ Bonus: Photogallery, video clip, EPK
The Blu-ray track list remains the same.
Also Tarja is about to release her new single "In to the Sun", July 13th. This is will be only digital release, though.
If you have any questions regarding "Act 1" you can post your question here. Tarja will choose the most interesting ones and will blog her answer later on.
Today Nightwish announced their North American tour dates. Here is the schedule. As you can see Kamelot is opening for them.
As you can also see, there are only two Canadian dates, both back east, one in Montreal Sept. 19 and one in Toronto Sept. 20. As a western Canadian already alienated from the hub of the metal music scene (there is a west coast metal scene, but we still don't get as many big acts as the east does), I am supremely pissy about the lack of western Canadian Nightwish gigs. Would it have killed them to include at least ONE fucking western Canadian city? Calgary? Vancouver? Even Winnipeg! But no, once again, western Canada gets the shaft (we have also been given the shaft with Sabaton's current North American tour, amongst others).
I acknowledge that I am close enough to Seattle to go there for a gig, however on top of the $35 (or possibly more) ticket, I have to pay $76 for a train trip, plus extras that come with going to another city/country. Usually, I have a friend to stay with in Seattle, but this date will not work with her schedule, so that might be out. Plus it's a pain in the ass!
Fuck you King Foo!!!! I will go and see Epica instead November 10 - RIGHT HERE IN VANCOUVER!
Oh, man, sad news from the Sabaton front, though I was kind of expecting this since there has been a rumour circulating about this for over a week now. But it's official: Sabaton is breaking up. You can read the band's statement here.
Lots of big shoes to fill here! It's impressive that this band had the same line-up for as long as it did, too. I wish Joakim & Par all the best in replacing Rikard, Daniel Mullback, Daniel Mÿhr, and Oskar.
Yesterday Lichtenstein's Gothic metal band, Elis, announced that they were calling it quits, just a few days after their new singer Simone Christinat announced to the band she was leaving Elis due to too much stress. Simone also sings for Legenda Aurea, and she replaces Elis's second vocalist, Sandra Schleret, who herself replaced original vocalists Sabine Dunser, who died of a brain hemorrhage in 2006.
The statement from the band reads:
We have to inform you that ELIS has passed into history. Simone told us a couple of days ago, that she will leave ELIS immediately due to too much stress.
We have decided now to quit the band. Too much things happened during all these years to continue once again.
But on the other side, there were a lot of good and lucky moments in
this almost ten years of ELIS. Therefore we want to say thank you for your support, your dedication and your friendship through all these years!
But this will not be the end of our musical careers, some projects are already in the pipeline. You will find more information about these things very soon on this location.
Cheers and take care! Max, Tom, Pete, Chris
It seems like Elis has had really bad luck with their vocalists. Simone had only been with the band 8 or 9 months before deciding to depart. I'm not sure why Sandra left, but the band only recorded one CD with her, the rather excellent Catharsis.
I really liked Elis so I am sad to hear this! I loved Sabine, but I also really enjoyed Sandra's voice when she sang with them. I was looking forward to hearing how they sounded with Simone. They had strong, evocative music I enjoyed very much. They will be missed! Best wishes to them all!
For those of you who are fans of Delain, as I am, you might be interested in this interview
my Sonic Cathedral colleague, Robin Stryker, did with mainman Martijn
Westerholt and lead vocalist Charlotte Wessels. In it, we learn why
there has been such a long delay in the releasing of the band's third
album, entitled We Are the Others.
Apparently,
Roadrunner Records went through a major re-organization and is now
being run by Warner Music Group, AKA WMG. Says Martijn in the
interview:
A lot of people left the company, were fired or restructured, etc., which
meant for us that the guy who signed us and assisted us with our album
process from the record company side was fired. They needed a new
A&R manager for us. There was none in Holland, so it was quite a
search to get the new structure working. In the end, we had a new
management, which also is the A&R and artist relations with
Roadrunner. That took a lot of time, which meant that the whole album
process was on hold as well.
The
album was supposed to be released around a year ago, but to this day
still has no release date, though late March was rumoured. The album is
done and ready to go, and Delain is embarking on a headlining tour
around Europe this spring. The buzz around this album and the potential
promotional opportunities such a tour would bring are huge. Yet the
label isn't onside with the record.
Martijn continues,
We
heard that Warner Music didn’t want to release us because they just
don’t get metal. They just don’t get it. They bought Roadrunner to get
this metal DNA into their body, I would say. I have the feeling … I
don’t know because I’m not in the organization itself … but I have the
feeling that they are still searching for the right working method. The
Roadrunner company wants to release us, and there are several people
within Roadrunner who are working to release us nonetheless. So
actually, for us it’s a nightmare.
No
kidding it's a nightmare! I have no idea what WMG is thinking in doing
this but it's ridiculous. The album is mastered and ready to go,
complete with artwork and the whole fucking shabang. "Not getting
metal" is a poor excuse - you're Warner fucking Music for crying out
loud! Incidentally, I have not failed to notice that WMG is one of the
worst labels for yanking YouTube videos off YT for "proprietary
reasons", causing them to miss out on numerous marketing and promotional
opportunities. I don't know the specific legal ins and outs of
Delain's contract or what the label obligations towards the band are now
that WMG has taken over, but it seems like utter douchebaggery to not
release the CD because they "don't get it." I don't get half the pop
shit they release!
Looks like the Finnish metal giant Sonata Arctica is set to release their newest album entitled Stones Grow Her Name. It is set to be released on May 18th of this year. I don't know what to expect from this album. The last two Sonata albums have not been as good as their earlier material. Though good and very well thought out, it didn't strike me as much.
Also, "Shitload of Money" and "Don't Be Mean" are not good song titles. Sorry Tony.
While we're waiting for Tarja's new rock album, which she is already recording, we get the chance to buy new album 'Left in the Dark'.The title of the album may sound familiar to you. Basically, we get previously unreleased material such as demos, instrumental versions, live acoustic radio recordings and B-sides from 'Colours in the Dark'.
