[pyro-manic]

Just some bits of info for those who care, and who might not have heard:

First up, Nightwish have sacked their vocalist, Tarja Turunen, by letter:

From the Nightwish website:
Dear Tarja,

It`s time to choose whether the story of Nightwish ends here or whether it will still continue an undetermined period of time. We`ve been working with this creation for 9 years and we are not ready to give up yet. Nightwish is a way of life, something to live for, and we`re certain we can`t let it go.

Equally certain is the fact that we cannot go on with you and Marcelo any longer. During the last year something sad happened, which I`ve been going over in my head every single day, morning and night. Your attitude and behavior don`t go with Nightwish anymore. There are characteristics I would never have believed to see in my old dear friend.
People who don`t talk with each other for a year do not belong in the same band.

We are involved in an industry where the business-side of things is a necessary evil and something to worry about all the time. We are also a band which has always done music from the heart, because of friendship and the music itself. The mental satisfaction should always be more important than money! Nightwish is a band, it`s an emotion.
To you, unfortunately, business, money, and things that have nothing to do with those emotions have become much more important. You feel that you have sacrificed yourself and your musical career for Nightwish, rather than thinking what it has given to you.
This attitude was clearly shown to me in the two things you said to me in an airplane in Toronto: ”I don`t need Nightwish anymore.” and ”Remember, Tuomas, that I could leave this band at any time, giving you only one day`s warning in advance”.
I can`t simply write any more songs for you to sing.

You have said yourself that you are merely a ”guest musician” in Nightwish. Now that visit ends and we will continue Nightwish with a new female vocalist.
We`re sure this is an equally big relief to you as it is for us. We have all been feeling bad long enough.

You told us that no matter what, the next Nightwish album will be your last one. However, the rest of us want to continue as long as the fire burns. So there`s no sense in doing that next album with you, either.
The four of us have been going over this situation countless times and we have realized that this is the thing we want to do in life. It´s all we can do. In December 2004, in Germany, you said that you will never tour again for more than two weeks at a time. You also said that we can forget about U.S. and Australia because the fees and the sizes of venues are too small.

In interviews I`ve mentioned that if Tarja leaves, that would be the end of the band. I understand that people will think this way. Nightwish is, however, a scenery of my soul and I`m not ready to let go because of one person. A person who wants to focus her creativity to somewhere else, a person whose values don`t match mine.

We were never bothered by the fact that you didn`t participate in writing/arranging songs, you never in 9 years came to rehearse the songs with us before going to the studio. Not the fact that while on tour you always wanted to fly, separately from us with your husband. Not the fact that you are an undisputable front image of the band.
We accepted and felt ok about everything except greed, underestimating the fans, and breaking promises. It was agreed by the five of us that Nightwish would be the priority in everything that we do during 2004-2005. Still so many things were more important to you. The ultimate example being the already sold-out show in Oslo, which you wanted to cancel because you needed to rehearse for your solo concerts, meet frieds and go to the movies. Those were the words Marcelo used in an e-mail explaining the cancellation. This being just one example of so many. I couldn`t think of a worse way of being selfish and dismissing our fans.

Nightwish is a way of life and a job with many obligations. To each other and to the fans. With you we can`t take care of those duties anymore.

Deep within we don`t know which one of you drove us to this point. Somehow Marcelo has changed you from the lovely girl you were into a diva, who doesn`t think or act the way she used to. You are too sure of your irreplaceableness and status.

It`s obvious that you blame your stress and misery on us four. And you think we don`t respect or listen to you. Belive us; We have always had the uppermost respect towards you as a wonderful vocalist and as a friend. And very often during the past couple of years the plans were made according to your decisions only. You were always the only one who wanted more money from the shows.
This ”compensation and more money from everything” –attitude is the fact that we are most disappointed of!

We wish that from now on you will listen to your heart instead of Marcelo. Cultural differences combined with greed, opportunism and love is a dangerous combination. Do not wither yourself.

This decision is not something we are especially proud of but you gave us no choice. The gap between us is too wide. And the decision is made by us four unanimously. We are beyond the point where things could be settled by talking.

All the best for your life and career,

Tuomas

Emppu Jukka Marco

Ps. This is an open letter for everybody.

It's going to be interesting to see who they replace her with, and how it affects their future output (unless they break up, of course).


Secondly, black metal legends Emperor have reformed, and will be headlining the Wacken Open Air and Inferno festivals next summer. This one's mainly for Nuke, and chances are he already knows, but I thought I'd mention it anyway.

Thirdly, the new Bolt Thrower album, "Those Once Loyal",  is class. Properly cool thrash/death metal. The vocalist took a bit of getting used to (I'm not a huge fan of the growly/throaty death metal vocal), but the music is great. www.boltthrower.com

[phreak]

Tarja = hot

And aren't Bolt Thrower grindcore?

[Janos]

Tarja Turunen is a stupid goddamn ***** whos been playing the "OMG my feeling=hurt how cruel" card ever since the guys got fed up with her bull**** and kicked her out. Hilarity has ensued, though - Tarja Turunen is quickly becoming one of the most ridiculed people in my own age group.

[Col. Fishguts]

Ahahahaha     .......PWNZ0RED

[pyro-manic]

Tarja = hot

And aren't Bolt Thrower grindcore?

Erm, not really, at least not in my opinion. It's nothing like Napalm Death or Pig Destroyer or that kind of thing (not really up to speed on grindcore - what little I've heard has put me off). There's sample tracks on the website - check 'em out.

And Tarja is kinda strange-looking. Sometimes she looks great, and other times... not so great. I prefer Cristina Scabbia, or Simone Simmons from Epica.

Janos: I blame her husband. Apparently he's a right bastard. Still, the damage is done...

[Nuke]

oooh emperor's back. this is the second rumor i heard thusfar.

i new about nightwish like a couple weeks ago, but i didnt think anyone here cared.
besides my favorite chick in metal is still liv kristine so the whole nightwish thing didnt bother me.

anyway of good bm albums have been comming out of the norwigian scene lately:

arcturus's sideshow symphonies turned out really good, more a si-fi theme this time like the sham mirrors cd

old mans child's vermin was pretty good.

stormblast 2005 finally came out, good news for dimmu borgir fans. its the same stormblast only better recording this time.

i just nabbed a copy of gehenna's WW, fairly good war themed album, never really heard of this band untill recently, but im impressed

ics vortex's side project, lamented souls, is rumored to release its new cd sometime this year. im rather looking forward to that. the few tracs ive nabbed from this band are extremely good, however they are very hard to find. probibly working on it now that he wrapped up his work on arcturus's album and dimmu i believe is giving him some time off.

there were a couple others but i dont remember right now.

[Gortef]

Actually, continuing this news (again, according to evening news papers here which are not THAT trustworthy). Tuomas has apparently said that even if the letter did sound quite final, it is not that unlikely to Tarja come back to the band if things get sorted out. And Tarja has said that she would bu happy to come back.

Soo... let's wait and see what happens.

Whatever happens, this was still quite suprising news when it came up.

[pyro-manic]

I need to get Stormblast and Sideshow Symphonies. Money is the issue as ever....

[ToecrusherHammerjaw]

No....... Nightwish....... This is the first I've heard of this.  Money always seems to be a key factor in deciding the fate of bands.  However, Nightwish has been through something like this before when they kicked Sami Vanska (think I spelled that right....) out.  So I guess I'll just wait and see.  Shame if they break up, though.  They're my absolute favorite music group.

[Annorax]

Who the hell are Nightwish? [/obligatory]

[ToecrusherHammerjaw]

Nightwish is a Finnish goth metal band that a friend of mine introduced me to (not personally).  Not many people in the U.S.A. know about them, as far as I heard, I figured they would be more well known in Europe.  If you like Evanescence, check these guys out.  Their best songs are "End Of All Hope", "Wish I Had An Angel", "Wishmaster", and "Ocean Soul".

[pyro-manic]

"Wish I Had An Angel"

Ye gods, no. That's a dreadful song - one of the worst on Once IMO. Sounds like they were trying to make a dance track or something.

[ToecrusherHammerjaw]

Well, I guess we just have different tastes, although mine are pretty strange (being semi-autistic and all).

[Unknown Target]

I heard about Nightwish...I really hope they get back together...

[pyro-manic]

They are together. Just minus a vocalist.

[ToecrusherHammerjaw]

Who, though it will be hard for some to admit, is replaceable. (NOTE: I said replaceable. Not easily replaceable! There's a difference. Tarja has a great voice IMO, and it will be hard to find someone with a voice like that.)

[KappaWing]

Yeah but i heard Stormblast's american release is going to be delayed because they want to include bonus stuff. Also, what makes Stormblast the album of choice that they're choosing to redo? Is it better than any of the "Modern" Dimmu (PEM, DCA)?

[Unknown Target]

Just an FYI, if you want a good band that's a lot like Nightwish but not a knockoff and just as good, check out Epica (www.epica.com). You might like them, and I've heard some of the fans saying they wanted her as a replacement.
But I do hope Tarja does not get replaced and indeed comes back

[pyro-manic]

Yeah but i heard Stormblast's american release is going to be delayed because they want to include bonus stuff. Also, what makes Stormblast the album of choice that they're choosing to redo? Is it better than any of the "Modern" Dimmu (PEM, DCA)?

It's apparently very highly regarded as one of the best bm albums to use synths heavily (at the time when the scene was generally dead against keyboards and the like), and a minor classic of the genre. But the original production was the typical piss-weak rehearsal-room sound, and nowadays the band have a pretty polished sound. So I'm guessing they just wanted to modernise it a bit.

[Gortef]

However, Nightwish has been through something like this before when they kicked Sami Vanska (think I spelled that right....) out. 

Yeah that time it was some personal issues with Tuomas and Sami (according to some interviews and End of Innocence DVD). Then Marco came to replace Sami and I must say that he did bring some new boost to the songs.

Bah now I wish that I had (an angel) Once here at my office so that I could play Ghost Love Score...