There are far few words to encapsulate the wonder that comes from experiencing Finnish mavericks Nightwish. But as a key driving force in the symphonic metal world, the group have weaved their epic complexity, scintillating elegance and bombastic heaviness for over two decades, carving up a cult-like status along the way while also staunchly emerging as one of Europe's greatest success stories ever in the metal realms.
While certainly no strangers to the usual tropes that follow bands after extensive time spent in the spotlight, including significant lineup changes and the reactive aftermath that generally follows such shifts, Nightwish have always at their core offered a holistic listening experience to those willing to enter a world laced with metal, folk, opera and beyond; a world that is equal parts theatrical and avant-garde, and perpetually helmed by powerhouse female vocalists, with Dutch marvel Floor Jansen joining the group on vocals at the end of 2012.
Fast-forward to 2020, and not only have the band unleashed their ninth studio album (and Jansen's second with the band) - their latest opus Human. :II: Nature offers an immersive and astonishing split journey through the fabric of humanity and its natural surrounds through an oscillating lens of genre-bending, poignant thematics and some show-stopping musical moments fans have come to know and love from the Nightwish brand. But with the album currently enjoying its most successful Australian release ever amid the COVID-19 pandemic, will we finally get to have Nightwish return to our shores when live music is ultimately given the green light again? Today, come jump into the world of Nightwish vocal virtuoso Floor Jansen herself as she chats with Tiana Speter all things new album, vocal acrobatics and fond Aussie memories. Grab a listen below!
NIGHTWISH'S BRAND NEW ALBUM HUMAN. :||: NATURE. IS OUT NOW VIA NUCLEAR BLAST. FOR MORE INFO, HEAD HERE.
NOISE - NIGHTWISH
BY TIANA SPETER