Dark Christmas | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | 10 November 2023 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 51:56 | |||
Label | earMUSIC | |||
Producer |
| |||
Tarja chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from Dark Christmas | ||||
|
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Kaaoszine | [1] |
Dark Christmas is the third classical and Christmas album, and the ninth studio album released by the Finnish soprano Tarja Turunen. [2] It is the long-awaited sequel to her second Christmas album, From Spirits and Ghosts (Score for a Dark Christmas) . The music was arranged and orchestrated by Tarja's frequent collaborators Jim Dooley and Tim Palmer.
The album is the first to include a special children's choir in each song, with the choir also including her own daughter, Naomi Cabuli Turunen. Naomi also plays the drums on some songs.
The album was announced to be specially mixed with immersive Dolby Atmos mixing, and it was announced that there would be pre-listening sessions in cinemas worldwide of the album. Each song was also announced to be receiving its own music video.
The album includes eleven popular Christmas songs, such as "O Holy Night", "All I Want for Christmas is You", and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", as well as an originally composed Christmas song by Tarja entitled "Dark Christmas", which take a dark and gothic twist on the famous classics. Like From Spirits and Ghosts (Score for a Dark Christmas), it utilizes grand orchestras combined with Tarja's soprano vocals to create a beautiful atmosphere. The album was specially created for those who have lost the happiness of Christmas, as well as those who want to embrace the holiday spirit while exploring a more mysterious side of Christmas.
The album was first teased on Tarja's social media on 23 October 2023, and the first single, "Frosty the Snowman", was released on 31 October 2023. The second single, "Jingle Bells", was released on 3 November 2023. The third single, "All I Want For Christmas Is You", was released on 8 December 2023, a month after the album had already released.[ citation needed ]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "The First Noel" | 3:18 | |
2. | "Frosty the Snowman" | Walter E. "Jack" Rollins, Steve Nelson | 3:07 |
3. | "O Holy Night" | Adolphe Adam | 4:29 |
4. | "Dark Christmas" | Tarja Turunen | 4:35 |
5. | "Jingle Bell Rock" | Joseph Carleton Beal, James Ross Boothe | 3:52 |
6. | "White Christmas" | Irving Berlin | 3:43 |
7. | "All I Want for Christmas is You" | Mariah Carey, Walter Afanasieff | 5:18 |
8. | "Wonderful Christmastime" | Paul McCartney | 5:31 |
9. | "Last Christmas" | George Michael | 4:30 |
10. | "Jingle Bells" | James Lord Pierpont | 4:33 |
11. | "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" | Johnny Marks | 4:19 |
12. | "Angels We Have Heard On High" | 4:41 | |
Total length: | 51:56 |
Chart (2023) | Peak position |
---|---|
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [3] | 59 |
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista) [4] | 9 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [5] | 39 |
UK Album Downloads (OCC) [6] | 91 |
UK Independent Albums (OCC) [7] | 42 |
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC) [8] | 15 |
Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Kitee. The band was formed in 1996 by lead songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former lead singer Tarja Turunen. The band soon picked up drummer Jukka Nevalainen, and then bassist Sami Vänskä after the release of their debut album, Angels Fall First (1997). In 2001, Vänskä was replaced by Marko Hietala, who also took over the male vocalist role previously filled by Holopainen or guest singers. Although Nightwish have been prominent in their home country since Angels Fall First, they did not achieve wider success until the release of the albums Oceanborn (1998), Wishmaster (2000) and Century Child (2002).
Tarja Soile Susanna Turunen-Cabuli, known professionally as Tarja Turunen or simply Tarja, is a Finnish heavy metal singer, best known as the former lead vocalist of Nightwish.
Marko Tapani "Marco" Hietala is a Finnish heavy metal vocalist, bassist and songwriter. Internationally, he is best known as the former bassist, male vocalist and secondary composer to Tuomas Holopainen, of the symphonic metal band Nightwish. He is also the vocalist and bassist as well as composer and lyricist for the heavy metal band Tarot.
"Wish I Had An Angel" is the ninth single by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, the second from their fifth album Once. The song features vocals by then-vocalist Tarja Turunen and bassist Marko Hietala. The song was still performed live after Turunen's departure with Anette Olzon, before her departure, and current vocalist Floor Jansen afterwards. Featured on the soundtrack of the film Alone in the Dark, it became the group's most popular single in Europe and in the United States, next to "Nemo". It made it onto two U.S. film soundtracks. It reached #60 in the UK Singles Chart, the highest of any of the band's singles in the UK.
Yhden Enkelin Unelma is a Christmas single by Finnish singer Tarja Turunen, released as Turunen's first solo project ever, when she was still part of the symphonic metal band Nightwish, back in December 2004; it was also released as an Extended Play in limited edition.
"Jingle Bell Rock" is an American Christmas song first released by Bobby Helms in 1957. It has received frequent airplay in the United States during every Christmas season since then, and is generally considered Helms' signature song. "Jingle Bell Rock" was composed by Joseph Carleton Beal and James Ross Boothe, although both Helms and session guitarist on the song Hank Garland disputed this. Beal was a Massachusetts-born public relations professional and longtime resident of South Ocean Avenue in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Boothe was an American writer in the advertising business.
"Feliz Navidad" is a Christmas song written and first recorded in 1970 by Puerto Rican singer-songwriter José Feliciano. With its simple, heartfelt lyrics - the traditional Spanish Christmas/New Year greeting "Feliz Navidad, próspero año y felicidad", followed by text in English words "I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas from the bottom of my heart" - it has become a Christmas classic and has gained popularity around the world.
Henkäys Ikuisuudesta is the first solo album by Finnish singer Tarja Turunen, and focuses on the Christmas holiday season. On November 26, 2010, Nuclear Blast released a re-mastered version of the CD, bringing a new artwork and a semi-new track list, with "Heinillä Härkien" replacing "Happy New Year" and "Maa On Niin Kaunis" replacing "Happy Christmas "; the new edition also contains the previously unpublished track "Arkihuolesi Kaikki Heitä", which replaced "The Eyes of a Child".
Dark Passion Play is the sixth studio album by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. It was released on 26 September 2007 by Spinefarm Records in Finland, 28 September by Nuclear Blast in Europe and 2 October 2007 by Roadrunner Records in the US. It is the first album without original vocalist Tarja Turunen, who was dismissed in 2005, as well as the first album involving future member Troy Donockley on uilleann pipes and tin whistle. It is the first of only two albums with vocalist Anette Olzon, who was eventually dismissed in 2012 after the release of the band's subsequent album, Imaginaerum. Tuomas Holopainen has referred to this album as the "album that saved his life".
My Winter Storm is the second solo album by Finnish singer Tarja Turunen, and the first to consist mainly of new and original songs specifically written by or for Turunen. The album was released by Universal Music on 19 November 2007 in Finland, on 2 January 2008 in South America and on February 26 in North America and in the United Kingdom was also released a special version limited in 300 copies.
This is the solo discography of Finnish singer Tarja Turunen, who rase to proeminence as the lead vocalist of symphonic metal band Nightwish, which she founded in 1996 and was dismissed from in 2005 after releasing five studio albums, three live albums and one EP between 1997 and 2004.
What Lies Beneath is the third album by the Finnish singer Tarja Turunen, which was released on 1 September 2010 in Finland, on 3 September in Germany, Switzerland and Austria and on 14 September in Latin and North America. It is the first of Tarja's albums in which she is credited for composition on every track. The album was mixed at '62 Studios in Austin Texas by Tim Palmer.
Act I is the first live album released by the Finnish soprano Tarja Turunen. The two concerts were recorded and filmed with 10 HD cameras at the El Círculo Theatre in Rosario, Argentina, in March 2012, and released on CD, DVD and Blu-ray on 24 August 2012. Additionally, the Act I media book contains a live recording from Luna Park.
Colours in the Dark is the fourth studio album released by Finnish vocalist Tarja Turunen. The record was released on 30 August 2013, in Austria, Brazil, Finland, Germany, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland; 2 September in Norway, Poland, and the Czech Republic; 3 September in the United States and Canada; and 4 September in Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the UK. Mixing was done by Tim Palmer in Austin, Texas in the United States. Tarja started the Colours in the Dark World Tour on 17 October 2013, to promote the album. The name of the album, as the cover image, came as a metaphor from the idea that life has a large range of colors and the dark absorbs all of them, containing every color.
Ave Maria – En Plein Air is the first classical, and the fifth studio album released by the Finnish soprano Tarja Turunen.
The Shadow Self is the sixth studio album released by Finnish vocalist Tarja Turunen. The record was released on 5 August 2016. The record produced two singles.
The Brightest Void is the third EP by Finnish rock and metal soprano vocalist Tarja Turunen. It serves as a prequel to the main album The Shadow Self. It was released on the 3 June 2016 and contains 9 tracks.
From Spirits and Ghosts (Score for a Dark Christmas) is the second classical and Christmas album, and the seventh studio album released by the Finnish soprano Tarja Turunen. The music was arranged and orchestrated by Tarja's frequent collaborator Jim Dooley.
In the Raw is the eighth solo studio album by Finnish soprano vocalist and composer Tarja Turunen. The record was released on 30 August 2019.
Best of: Living the Dream is the first solo compilation album by Finnish soprano vocalist Tarja Turunen. It was released on 2 December 2022 and features remastered versions of old songs hand-picked by Tarja as well as a new single entitled "Eye of the Storm". The compilation album was released in multiple formats: a CD, vinyl, mediabook, and limited edition box-set, with each new format including more songs ranging into her other genres of work.