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).
Angels Fall First is the debut studio album by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, originally released by Spinefarm Records on 30 September 1997 as a 500-copy limited edition, featuring seven tracks, two of which are not on the regular edition. This edition is highly sought after by collectors and in 2012 a copy was sold for $1137.23 on eBay. The album was released in the US by Century Media in March 2001.
Eternal Tears of Sorrow is a Finnish symphonic/melodic death metal band formed in Pudasjärvi.
Kalmah is a Finnish melodic death metal band from Pudasjärvi that formed in 1998. In less than a year after its formation, Kalmah was signed by Spinefarm Records. The word "kalmah" is Karelian and could be translated as "to the grave" or "to the death".
Tuomas Lauri Johannes Holopainen is a Finnish musician, songwriter, and record producer, best known as the primary songwriter, keyboardist, and a co-founding member of symphonic metal band Nightwish. He has stated that his songwriting is influenced by harmonic film music.
Darkwoods My Betrothed are a Finnish black metal band from Kitee.
Toni Kristian "Tony" Kakko is a Finnish musician, composer and vocalist. He is known as the vocalist, primary songwriter, and creative lead of the band Sonata Arctica since 1996.
"Sleeping Sun" is a power ballad and the fourth single by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. It was released as a maxi single with three other songs on 2 August 1999 to coincide with the total solar eclipse that would occur on 11 August.
"Sacrament of Wilderness" is the second single by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, released as the first single from their album Oceanborn, and a split-single with Eternal Tears of Sorrow and Darkwoods My Betrothed.
Kai Hahto is a Finnish musician, best known as the drummer of Nightwish.
Before the Bleeding Sun is the fifth studio album released by the Finnish melodic death metal band Eternal Tears of Sorrow. The album counts guest performances from Marco Hietala, Jarmo Kylmänen, Sfinx (Ram-Zet) and Tony Kakko.
A Virgin and a Whore is the fourth album by Finnish melodic death metal band Eternal Tears of Sorrow. It was their last album before the band's hiatus between 2001 and 2004. This is the last EToS album to feature keyboardist Pasi Hiltula and the only album to feature guitarist Antti Kokko.
Chaotic Beauty is the third album by Finnish melodic death metal band Eternal Tears of Sorrow. It was their first album without the original three founding members of the band and the first EToS album with a five-member line-up.
Vilda Mánnu is the second album by Finnish metal band Eternal Tears of Sorrow. It contains the band's first guest vocals. It is also the last EToS album with their original line-up as one of the co-founders of the band, Olli-Pekka Törrö, left the band a few months after the release of this album.
Sinner's Serenade is the first album by the Finnish metal band Eternal Tears of Sorrow. It was recorded and mixed in only five days – the three last songs, from Bard's Burial demo tape, in just one day and the rest of the songs in four days. It was released by X-treme records, a Gothenburg-based label.
Juha Kylmänen is a Finnish singer who is the lead vocalist of gothic metal bands For My Pain... and Reflexion.
Children of the Dark Waters is the sixth studio album by Finnish symphonic death metal band Eternal Tears of Sorrow. It was released in May 2009 through Suomen Musiikki for Finland, Massacre Records for the rest of Europe and Marquee/Avalon Records for Asia. It is the second album to feature Jarmo Kylmänen on clean vocals, but his first album as an official member.
Imaginaerum is the seventh studio album by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. It was released on 30 November 2011 by Scene Nation Oy and Sony Music in Finland, then on 2 December in Nuclear Blast in the rest of Europe and Roadrunner Records worldwide. According to Nightwish songwriter Tuomas Holopainen, the album is a concept album that tells the story of an old composer who is reminiscing of his youth on his deathbed. The album was produced alongside the movie of the same name, directed by Stobe Harju, who previously directed Nightwish's "The Islander" music video, and the album and the film share the same themes and general story. It is their second and last album with vocalist Anette Olzon, as well as the last with drummer Jukka Nevalainen.
Imaginaerum is a 2012 fantasy film co-written and directed by Stobe Harju. It was developed with and features music from Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish's seventh studio album of the same name; Nightwish's keyboardist and songwriter Tuomas Holopainen co-wrote the film. Imaginaerum, which is produced by Markus Selin from Solar Films Inc. along with Nightwish, is the feature film debut of director Stobe Harju.
