Nightwish is a symphonic metal band from Kitee, Finland. 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. In January 2021, it was announced that Hietala had left the band.
Brian Robert Setzer is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He found widespread success in the early 1980s with the 1950s-style rockabilly group Stray Cats, and revitalized his career in the early 1990s with his swing revival band, the Brian Setzer Orchestra. In 1987, he made a cameo appearance as Eddie Cochran in the film La Bamba.
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.
HIM was a Finnish gothic rock band from Helsinki. Formed in 1991 by vocalist Ville Valo and bassist Mikko "Mige" Paananen under the name His Infernal Majesty, the band broke up in 1993, before being reformed in 1995 by Valo and guitarist Mikko "Linde" Lindström. After being rejoined by Mige, as well as new additions keyboardist Antto Melasniemi and drummer Juhana "Pätkä" Rantala, the band, now called HIM, released their debut album Greatest Lovesongs Vol. 666 in 1997. In 2000, now with drummer Mika "Gas Lipstick" Karppinen and keyboardist Juska Salminen, the band released the album Razorblade Romance, which reached the number one spot in Finland, Austria and Germany. Their first single, "Join Me in Death", also charted at number one in Finland and Germany, eventually going platinum and gold respectively. Following the addition of Janne "Burton" Puurtinen on keyboards, HIM released Deep Shadows and Brilliant Highlights and Love Metal in 2001 and 2003 respectively. Both cracked the top ten in several countries, and allowed the band to tour the United Kingdom and the United States for the first time.
Lordi is a Finnish hard rock/heavy metal band, formed in 1992 by the band's lead singer, songwriter and costume maker, Mr Lordi. In addition to their melodic metal music, Lordi are also known for wearing monster masks and using horror elements with pyrotechnics during concerts and music videos. The band rose to fame in 2002 with their hit single "Would You Love a Monsterman?", and won the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 with their song "Hard Rock Hallelujah".
"Bless the Child" is the seventh single by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, released as the second single from their album Century Child. It is one of two songs which were filmed from the Century Child album, with other one being "End of All Hope". It was also the first song bassist/vocalist Marco Hietala worked on after he joined the band replacing Sami Vänskä.
Tomi Petteri Putaansuu is a Finnish musician, businessman, special effect make-up artist, songwriter, actor, painter, comics artist and graphic designer.
Circle is a Finnish experimental rock band formed in Pori in 1991. Their eclectic, ever-changing style has been associated with genres such as krautrock, heavy metal, progressive rock, and ambient. On some albums they have defined themselves as New Wave of Finnish Heavy Metal (NWOFHM).
Formed in 1999, Grails is an American instrumental experimental rock band. Based in Portland, Oregon, the group have released seven studio albums, on labels including Southern and Temporary Residence, and have toured across North America and Europe.
Domingo "Sam" Samudio, better known by his stage name Sam the Sham, is a retired American rock and roll singer. Sam the Sham was known for his camp robe and turban and hauling his equipment in a 1952 Packard hearse with maroon velvet curtains. As the front man for the Pharaohs, he sang on several Top 40 hits in the mid-1960s, notably the Billboard Hot 100 runners-up "Wooly Bully" and "Li'l Red Riding Hood".
Daniel O'Sullivan is an English artist of Irish ancestry, multi-instrumentalist and composer from Manchester, England, best known for playing in experimental art-rock bands Grumbling Fur, Guapo, Miasma & the Carousel of Headless Horses, Ulver, Sunn O))), Æthenor, Laniakea, Miracle, Mothlite, and This Is Not This Heat. He's also released solo work under his own name.
Somewhere Back in Time - The Best of: 1980 - 1989 is a best of release by the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, containing a selection of songs originally recorded for their first eight albums.
Children of Bodom was a Finnish power metal / melodic death metal band from Espoo. Formed in 1993 as Inearthed the final line-up of the group upon their split in 2019 consisted of Alexi Laiho, Jaska Raatikainen (drums), Henkka Seppälä, Janne Wirman (keyboards), and Daniel Freyberg. The band released ten studio albums, two live albums, two EPs, two compilation albums and one DVD.
Pharaoh Overlord is an experimental rock-music band, featuring three members of the Finnish group Circle, Jussi Lehtisalo, Janne Westerlund and Tomi Leppänen. Originally begun as a vehicle to indulge their love of stoner rock, Pharaoh Overlord's output has become more varied, mirroring the development of their sister group. Their 2007 album Live In Suomi Finland features contributions from krautrock pioneer Hans Joachim Irmler. Julius Jääskeläinen and Pekka Jääskeläinen also appear on that recording, and have played regularly with the band since both in performance and in the studio.
Jussi Lehtisalo, is a Finnish bassist. In 1991 he founded Circle, a prolific band drawing influences from heavy metal and krautrock to develop a style of repetitive experimental rock. He also runs a record label, Ektro Records, releasing his own music alongside left field rock and metal releases by artists such as Faust and Acid Mothers Temple.
Pharaoh Overlord #2 is the second album by Finnish experimental rock band Pharaoh Overlord.
Pharaoh Overlord #3 is the fourth album by Finnish experimental rock band Pharaoh Overlord.
Siluurikaudella is the seventh album by Finnish experimental rock band Pharaoh Overlord.
Janne Westerlund is a Finnish musician, songwriter and visual artist known from such Finnish groups as Circle, Pharaoh Overlord, and Plain Ride. His main instrument is guitar but on his solo gigs he plays banjo as well. He sings and writes lyrics mainly in English. Westerlund's career started in the beginning of the 1990s in a small Finnish city called Hamina when he founded Sweetheart, an experimental noise rock group, with his friends. After Sweetheart, he released two albums of "organic electronica" with a trio called Chainsmoker.
K-X-P is an electronic rock band from Helsinki, Finland. The band consists of Timo Kaukolampi, Tomi Leppänen (drums), Anssi Nykänen (drums), and Tuomo Puranen (bass). For their second album II the band are signed to Melodic Records in the UK.
