Nightwish is a band from
Finland, who make symphonic power
metal, accompanied by opera-like vocals. They started in
1996, and recorded their first songs somewhere between
October and
December of that year. At that time the band consisted of Tuomas, Tarja and Emppu. The current line-up is Tarja Turunen on
vocals, Tuomas Holopainen on
keyboards, Erno 'Emppu' Vuorinen on
guitars, Sami Vänskä on
bass and Jukka Nevalainen on
drums.
In May 1997 they signed a contract with Spinefarm, and their debut album, Angels Fall First, was released in November 1997. It went to number 31 on the Finnish charts. In the months that followed, they played only 7 gigs because Jukka and Emppu were in the army, and Tarja was busy with her studies.
In August of 1998 they went back into the studio to record the follow-up to Angels Fall First, entitled Oceanborn. This album was a bit harder then the first one. It was released in December of 1998, and went to number 5 on the Finnish charts. In early 1999, it was also released outside of Finland. For the first time they would really go on tour, and played 26 shows allover Europe.
Early 2000 saw the band returning to the studio, for the recording of their third album. Wishmaster was released in May 2000. During the recording of that album, they entered the Finnish qualification for the European Song Contest with the song Sleepwalker, but came in at second place. The song Sleepwalker could later be found as a bonus track on the Finnish release of Wishmaster. The Wishmaster album went straight to number one on the Finnish chart, and stayed there for three weeks. In those three weeks they sold enough copies to receive a gold disc for it.
Album discography:
Angels Fall First
Released in 1997.
Recorded at Kitee Huvikeskus studio April-May and September 1997
Engineered by Tero Kinnunen
Mixed by Tero Kinnunen
Mastered by Mika Jussila
Tracklisting: Elvenpath, Beauty and the Beast, The Carpenter, Astral Romance, Angels Fall First, Tutankhamen, Nymphomaniac Fantasia, Know Why the Nightingale Sings, Lappi: I . Erämaajärvi, Lappi: II . Witchdrums, Lappi: III . This Moment is Eternity, Lappi: IV . Etiäinen.
Oceanborn
Wishmaster
Released in 2000.
Recorded at Caverock Studios and Finnvox Studios January-March 2000
Engineered by Tero Kinnunen & Mikko Karmila
Mixed by Mikko Karmila
Mastered by Mika Jussila
Tracklisting: She Is My Sin, The Kinslayer, Come Cover Me, Wanderlust, Two for Tragedy, Wishmaster, Bare Grace Misery, Crownless, Deep Silent Complete, Dead Boy's Poem, FantasMic.
Wishmastour 2000
Single discography:
The Carpenter
Sacrament of Wilderness
Walking in the Air
Sleeping Sun (Four Ballads of the Eclipse)
Deep Silent Complete