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.
Oceanborn is the second studio album by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. It was released in Finland by Spinefarm Records on 7 December 1998 and in the spring of 1999 worldwide. It was released by Drakkar Entertainment in the rest of Europe, and by Toy's Factory in Japan. It is their first album with bassist Sami Vänskä.
Over the Hills and Far Away is the first EP by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, released on 25 June 2001 through Spinefarm Records in Finland, and Drakkar Records in the rest of Europe. It was also released by Toy's Factory in Japan and Century Media Records in the US. Bassist Sami Vänskä left the band after its recording, due to musical differences between him and Tuomas Holopainen. He was replaced by the bassist and male vocalist, Marko Hietala.
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.
Erno Matti Juhani "Emppu" Vuorinen is a Finnish guitarist, most famous for being a founding member and occasional songwriter of the symphonic metal band Nightwish. He is the oldest of five children, having a twin brother and three younger sisters. He started to play guitar as a private study at the age of 12 and since then has played in various bands including Nightwish, Brother Firetribe, Barilari, Almah, and Altaria.
Sami Vänskä is the former bassist of Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish.
"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.
Tapio Wilska is the main vocalist of the heavy metal band Sethian. He is also the ex-lead vocalist for the band Finntroll and is the current vocalist of Canadian band Obscene Eulogy. He gets his inspiration from bands like Black Sabbath, Motörhead, Dead Kennedys, Venom, Thin Lizzy and The Pixies.
From Wishes to Eternity – Live is a live DVD/VHS/CD by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. It was recorded in Tampere, Finland on 29 December 2000. The CD was released as a limited edition of 10.000 copies, available only in Finland. In late 2005, Spinefarm managed to release it in Europe. In addition to a show of Nightwish material, the band also performed a medley, "Crimson Tide, Deep Blue Sea", which borrowed melodies from Hans Zimmer's music in the 1995 film Crimson Tide and Trevor Rabin's music in the 1999 film Deep Blue Sea.
End of Innocence is the second official DVD release of Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. It features numerous clips of the band performing livetracks, including a recording of the band performing one of their first songs, "Beauty and the Beast", with bassist Marko Hietala performing the male vocal part.
Lokikirja is the fifth box set by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. It was released on 18 November 2009. This box set contains the remastered edition of Angels Fall First, the regular editions of the other six Nightwish studio albums and the special edition of Over the Hills and Far Away. The album was in pre-order at the Nightwish-Shop website. "Lokikirja" is Finnish for "logbook".
Wishmaster World Tour was the first world tour by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, from May 15, 2000 to September 15, 2001, with the album Wishmaster as the base. Though the tour itself was very successful, by its end in 2001, it had left the band exhausted and led to a break for the rest of the year before the band started their next tour, World Tour of the Century, in 2002; the tour comprised 97 gigs in 20 countries.
World Tour of the Century was a concert tour by Nightwish in 2002 and 2003 to promote their fourth album, Century Child, released on June 24, 2002. The tour was the debut of Marko Hietala, who replaced Sami Vänskä as bassist in 2001. A subsequent tour DVD was released, End of Innocence, with a limited release of a live CD made during a concert at Summer Breeze Open Air Festival, in Germany.
Once Upon a Tour was the third world tour by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, in 2004 and 2005, to promote the release of their fifth album, Once, released June 7, 2004. A new greatest hits compilation, Highest Hopes, was also released to tie in with the tour. The albums combined with the band's most expansive merchandise campaign by Nuclear Blast Records meant this tour was heralded as the band's most important in many years. Many of the band's songs had not been played in a long time.
Dark Passion Play World Tour was the fourth world tour by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, taking place from 2007 to 2009 in support of their sixth studio album, Dark Passion Play, released by Nuclear Blast on September 26, 2007; it was the first tour with former frontwoman Anette Olzon, who joined the band in 2006, after Tarja Turunen's dismissal on October 21, 2005. During this tour, the band played for the first time in Israel, China, Hong Kong, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Republic of Ireland, Serbia and Croatia.
The First Tour of the Angels was a concert tour by Finnish symphonic power metal band Nightwish from December 31, 1997, to March 6, 1998. Nightwish played only seven gigs since Jukka Nevalainen and Emppu Vuorinen were waylaid by their mandatory military draft and Tarja Turunen had not finished her studies. The male vocals in "Beauty and the Beast", "The Carpenter" and "Astral Romance" were sung by Tuomas Holopainen, beside Tarja. The band was supported by bassist Samppa Hirvonen and the keyboardist Marianna Pellinen during the tour; in 1998, Samppa was replaced by Sami Vänskä.
Endless Forms Most Beautiful World Tour was the sixth world tour by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, in support of their eighth studio album, Endless Forms Most Beautiful.
Decades: World Tour was the seventh world tour by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, in support of their seventh compilation album, Decades.
