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.
Stratovarius is a Finnish power metal band. Formed in 1984, they have released sixteen studio albums, five DVDs and six live albums. The band's line-up has changed many times, and after guitarist Timo Tolkki's departure in 2008, no founding members remain. Currently, the longest standing member is singer Timo Kotipelto, who joined in 1994.
Sharon Janny den Adel is a Dutch singer who is the lead vocalist and one of the main songwriters of the symphonic metal band Within Temptation. She has been a performing musician since the age of 14, and is a founding member of Within Temptation, along with Robert Westerholt, in 1996. She was also elected to be the Dutch chairperson of the jury for the Eurovision Song Contest 2018.
Hans Jürgen "Hansi" Kürsch is a German singer, best known as a member of the power metal band Blind Guardian. One of the founders of the band, he has been its lead vocalist since its creation in 1984, and also acted as the band's bass guitarist until 1996.
Timo Antero Kotipelto is a Finnish musician best known as the lead singer of the power metal band Stratovarius, whom he joined in 1994, as well as fronting his own band Kotipelto.
Timo Tapio Tolkki is a Finnish musician best known as the former guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer of the power metal band Stratovarius. With his tenure lasting for more than twenty years, he was the longest standing member of the band before his departure in 2008. After leaving Stratovarius he formed two supergroups named Revolution Renaissance and Symfonia, both of which have since disbanded. In a 2011 article by Guitar World magazine, Tolkki was included in the all-time top 50 list of the world's fastest guitarists.
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.
Simone Johanna Maria Simons is a Dutch singer. She is best known for being the lead singer of Dutch symphonic metal band Epica, which she joined at the age of seventeen, releasing eight studio albums and touring the world. In her singing career, she has also collaborated with bands such as Kamelot, Leaves' Eyes, Primal Fear, Ayreon, and Angra. She also has a side pursuit as a lifestyle blogger, via her website SmoonStyle.
"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.
Into the Light is a compilation album from Nuclear Blast Records to commemorate their 20 years as a record label. Produced by Rage guitarist Victor Smolski, with singers Tobias Sammet, Peter "Peavy" Wagner (Rage) - who has also written the lyrics for all songs -, Tony Kakko, Mats Levén (Therion), Marcel "Schmier" Schirmer (Destruction), Hansi Kürsch, Andi Deris (Helloween), Oddleif Stensland (Communic), Marko Hietala, and Tarja Turunen (Ex-Nightwish). It features a variable collection of "All Stars" much in the same vein as Roadrunner United. The whole album was written by Victor Smolski, who also recorded all the guitars, some bass and keyboards. The drums were done by Volker Schultz and André Hilgers.
Finnish symphonic metal singer Tarja Turunen, has released 10 studio albums, one compilation album, six extended plays, eight live albums, eleven video albums, one box-set, 52 singles and 47 music videos.
Doro Pesch is a German heavy metal singer that started her career in native Düsseldorf in the early 80s with the underground bands Snakebite and Beast. In 1982, she joined the German heavy metal band Warlock, which got its first contract with the Belgian independent label Mausoleum Records to record the album Burning the Witches. The new band quickly entered the circuit of the most sought-after support bands in the European boiling panorama of metal live shows of the 80s, receiving enthusiastic reviews and gaining a solid fan base. Warlock soon stepped up to main attraction on European tours and their albums, issued under the Vertigo label, sold well in Germany and caught the attention of US promoters, who organized a tour in the United States. Their fourth album Triumph and Agony was produced in the US and entered the Billboard 200 chart, thanks also to the videos of the songs "All We Are" and "Für Immer" on rotation on MTV. By 1988, all German members of the band, except Doro, were replaced by American musicians and Warlock ceased to exist, because of legal problems about the rights on the name and logo.
Fear No Evil is the eleventh studio album of the German female hard rock singer Doro. It was released worldwide in 2009 by AFM Records. The album was produced and engineered by usual collaborators Andreas Bruhn, Chris Lietz and Torsten Sickert and reflects in the songs a strong celebrative mood. In fact, titles like "Night of the Warlock", "Celebrate", "25 Years" and the new collaboration with the American Joey Balin, who had produced the last Warlock album, were meant to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the first LP released by Doro Pesch, Burning the Witches in 1984. On 13 December 2008, a big celebrative concert with dozens of guests was held in Doro's native city of Düsseldorf, featuring also some of the musicians who had participated in the making of this album;Tarja Turunen performed a duet with Doro on "Walking with the Angels", Saxon singer Biff Byford sang on the single "Celebrate" with many female metal singers that Doro had befriended during her many tours and festival attendances.
Dorothee Pesch, known professionally as Doro Pesch or simply Doro, is a German heavy metal singer and the former frontwoman of heavy metal band Warlock. Dubbed the "Metal Queen", Doro's contributions to music and culture made her a global figure in metal culture for over three decades. The name Doro has also been associated with the touring band accompanying the singer, whose members have continuously changed in more than 20 years of uninterrupted activity, the most stable presences being those of bassist Nick Douglas and drummer Johnny Dee.
Hanna Elise Isabell Maj Höstblomma Ryd, known professionally as Elize Ryd, is a Swedish singer, best known as one of the three vocalists and co-lyricist in the heavy metal band Amaranthe. She also gained some popularity prior to the band's inception by performing guest vocals for the symphonic power metal band Kamelot, both on tour and in the studio. She sings in the soprano range.
Timo Tolkki's Avalon was a Finnish metal opera project created by Timo Tolkki in 2013.
The Land of New Hope is the first full-length album by Timo Tolkki's Finnish metal opera project Avalon. The album was released on May 17, 2013 in Europe and May 21, 2013 in the US.
Raskasta Joulua is a music project from Finland in which diverse artists have recorded traditional Christmas carols and Christmas hits in a heavy metal style. "Raskasta joulua" is a term in Finnish which means "heavy Christmas" in English. The concept was founded by guitarist Erkka Korhonen in 2004. Many notable Finnish metal vocalists have appeared on Raskasta Joulua albums and tours, including Marko Hietala, Jarkko Ahola, Ari Koivunen, Juha-Pekka Leppaluoto and Tony Kakko.
Dark Christmas is the third classical and Christmas album, and the ninth studio album released by the Finnish soprano Tarja Turunen. It is the long-awaited sequel to her second Christmas album, From Spirits and Ghosts . The music was arranged and orchestrated by Tarja's frequent collaborators Jim Dooley and Tim Palmer.
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