Nightwish

Nightwish. A Finnish symphonic metal band formed in 1996 by keyboardist and songwriter Tuomas Holopainen. The group is renowned for its cinematic soundscapes, blending the power of heavy metal with orchestral arrangements, operatic vocals, and elements from power metal and folk music. With a career spanning decades, they have become one of the most commercially successful and influential bands in their genre, selling millions of albums worldwide and performing at major festivals like Wacken Open Air and headline tours across Europe, North America, and Asia.

History

The band was founded in Kitee in 1996 by Tuomas Holopainen, initially conceived as an acoustic project with then-vocalist Tarja Turunen. Their debut album, Angels Fall First, was released in 1997 through Spinefarm Records. The recruitment of guitarist Emppu Vuorinen and bassist Sami Vänskä solidified their metal direction, leading to the breakthrough albums Oceanborn (1998) and Wishmaster (2000). After Vänskä's departure, Marco Hietala joined, contributing vocals and bass for albums like Century Child (2002) and the chart-topping Once (2004), which featured the hit single "Nemo". In 2005, Turunen was dismissed via an open letter, leading to the recruitment of Swedish singer Anette Olzon for the albums Dark Passion Play (2007) and Imaginaerum (2011). Olzon departed in 2012, after which the band enlisted Dutch vocalist Floor Jansen, formerly of After Forever and ReVamp, who made her studio debut on Endless Forms Most Beautiful (2015). Longtime drummer Jukka Nevalainen stepped back due to health issues in 2014, with Kai Hahto of Wintersun becoming a permanent member. In 2021, Marco Hietala announced his departure, and the band released their ninth studio album, Human. :II: Nature..

Musical style and influences

The band's core sound is a fusion of symphonic metal with aggressive power metal riffing, often underpinned by dense orchestral arrangements and choirs. Early works were heavily influenced by the neoclassical styles of Yngwie Malmsteen and the film scores of composers like Hans Zimmer and Danny Elfman. The incorporation of folk instruments, particularly after the official addition of multi-instrumentalist Troy Donockley, introduced strong folk metal elements. Lyrically, the band explores themes from Romanticism, nature, humanism, evolutionary biology inspired by Richard Dawkins, and fantasy literature, drawing from works like The Chronicles of Narnia and the poetry of John Keats. Their evolution has seen them incorporate more progressive structures and a wider dynamic range, moving from purely fantastical themes to philosophical and scientific subjects.

Band members

The current lineup consists of founder and primary songwriter Tuomas Holopainen (keyboards), guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, vocalist Floor Jansen, multi-instrumentalist Troy Donockley (uilleann pipes, whistles), and drummer Kai Hahto. Former members who played significant roles include original vocalist Tarja Turunen, second vocalist Anette Olzon, longtime bassist and vocalist Marco Hietala, original drummer Jukka Nevalainen, and early bassist Sami Vänskä. The band is supported in studio and live performances by the London Session Orchestra and a touring keyboardist.

Discography

Their studio album chronology is: Angels Fall First (1997), Oceanborn (1998), Wishmaster (2000), Century Child (2002), Once (2004), Dark Passion Play (2007), Imaginaerum (2011), Endless Forms Most Beautiful (2015), and Human. :II: Nature. (2020). Notable live albums and compilations include From Wishes to Eternity (2001), End of an Era (2006), and Vehicle of Spirit (2016). Their highest-charting albums globally include Once, which topped the Finnish Albums Chart and charted highly in Germany and across Europe.

Awards and recognition

The band has received numerous accolades, including multiple Emma Awards in their native Finland, such as Best Metal Album and Export awards. They have won several MTV Europe Music Awards for Best Finnish Act. Their 2015 album Endless Forms Most Beautiful debuted at number one in Finland, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. They were awarded the "Metal God" award at the 2018 Echo Awards in Germany and have been nominated for a Grammy Award in Finland. In 2018, they performed a celebrated show at the Wembley Arena in London, underscoring their international stature.