Tarja Turunen

Biography

The brightest star of the Finnish rock scene, the soprano singer Tarja Turunen has in a short time become one of the most well-known Finnish faces in the world of music. Turunen, who was born in the city of Kitee, Finland, started her musical studies at the age of six, and moved to study classical singing at the age 18 at the Sibelius Academy of Kuopio city. At the same time Tarja's classmate Tuomas Holopainen was starting his acoustical project, and invited Turunen to join the band. Tarja said yes to the invitation, and thus Nightwish was born. The band's first demo-tape was enough to get them a recording deal with Spinefarm Records. Shortly after signing the band in 1997 Spinefarm released their debut album "Angels Fall First", a masterpiece mixing modern metal music with operatic, classical vocals.... At the time, Tarja was joining the Savonlinna Opera Festival Choir where she performed Wagner and Verdi among others. It was the beginning as well for Tarja Turunen to establish a career that compromises two different kind of music and a long way to go until the audience in general has accepted this fact. The debut was followed in 1998 by Nightwish's breakthrough album, the platinum selling "Oceanborn", which contained such hit songs as "Sleeping Sun" and a cover version of the main theme of the "Snowman"-animation, "Walking in the Air". "Oceanborn" took the band to the stage in Finland and abroad, and Tarja's unbelievable stage charisma instantly made her the number one singer favourite of metal fans all over the world. Tarja’s face has been illustrating magazines from all over the world. Just to mention some of them we need to come with an amazing list from several countries like Norway, Germany, Spain, Brazil, France, Sweden, Belgium, Netherlands, Finland and Argentina. Scream Magazine, Roadie crew, Inferno, Rumba, Sue, Metallian, Blue wings (Finnair), Iltalehti (novedadespaper), Metal Hammer, Rock Hard, Metal Heart, Aardschok, Epopeya, Rock Brigade, Heavy Oder Was!?, Hell Awaits, Flash, Legacy Magazine, Orkus, Rock Tribune, Close Up Magazine, Hard N’Heavy, Maelmströn....

Lacuna Coil

2010
* JANUARY 29TH THE "SHALLOW LIFE EUROPEAN TOUR" FINALLY STARTS, SIX WEEKS AROUND EUROPE SUPPORTED BY DOMMIN. DIRTY LITTLE RABBITS HAVE BEEN WITH US ONLY FOR THE U.K. SHOWS. THIS HAS BEEN OUR FIRST TOUR WITHOUT OUR BASS PLAYER MARCO THAT HAS BEEN FORCED TO STAY HOME BECAUSE INJURED ON A SHOULDER.
* A DELUXE EDITION OF "SHALLOW LIFE" HAS BEEN RELEASED WITH A LOT OF BONUS MATERIAL.
* OUR SONG "I WON'T TELL YOU" CRACKS THE TOP 40 ACTIVE ROCK RADIO CHART IN THE U.S. AND IS STILL GOING STRONG.....

Amberian Dawn

Biography

Amberian Dawn is a Finnish metal band which combines bravely many different kinds of styles in their music with high skilled playing. During their existence, Amberian Dawn has honed their trademark sound with expert precision, making highly polished albums of symphonic metal that are sure to be heralded as future classics by fans of the genre.

Delain

Band Info

Although originally envisioned by Martijn Westerholt as a musical project featuring a host of guest musicians, due to the high demand for live performances a real band was formed. This lead to the Roadrunner release of Delain's debut album 'Lucidity' in 2006. The group of musicians quickly transformed into a solid rocking force. Now Delain is nothing less than a real band. A versatile band with an impressive new album called April Rain...
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Sirenia

Band Info

SIRENIA was formed by Morten Veland in january 2001. Morten's musical work was already well known through his work with his former band Tristania, a band he co-founded back in the mid nineties. Being the main songwriter for this band he was a part of defining the gothic metal sound from a very early time on. With SIRENIA his intention was to bring everything to the next level, a task he succeeded to fulfil. Up to date SIRENIA has released 3 albums and an EP, their latest work 'Nine Destinies and a Downfall' made it to the charts in 6 countries, receiving great reviews worldwide......

Tristania

Biography

Tristania was founded 1996 in Stavanger, Norway by Einar Moen (keyboards), Morten Veland (vocals/guitar), and Kenneth Olsson (drums). A few weeks later Anders Høyvik Hidle (guitars/vocals) and Rune Østerhus (bass) joined the band. In May 1997 the band entered the studio for the first time and recorded their demo in Klepp Lydstudio. Vibeke Stene was initially recruited as a guest singer for the demo recording, but she later joined as a regular member. During the summer of 1997 different labels showed interest in the demo.Tristania signed with Napalm Records and released the EP Tristania.
Tristania's first full length album, Widow's Weeds, was recorded at the end of 1997 and released early 1998. The album is symphonic metal with elements from a large variety of genres including gothic metal, death metal, classical music, and black metal. Two guest performers who were involved in Widow's Weeds would later get more prominent roles on Tristania’s albums; singer Østen Bergøy (who would later become a full band member) and violinist Pete Johansen.......

Edenbridge

Biography

1998

... Edenbridge was founded as a studio-project by guitarist / keyboarder Lanvall, bassist Kurt Bednarsky and vocalist Sabine Edelsbacher. By the entry of drummer Roland Navratil the line-up was completed for the production of their debutalbum Sunrise In Eden.

1999

... the recording of Sunrise In Eden took place in the Seagull Music Studio of sound magician Gandalf. In the same year Edenbridge signed a worldwide deal with the German label Massacre Records....

Epica

Biography


Ever since EPICA emerged on the scene, the band has been caught in a whirlwind of studio recordings, interviews, screaming fans, world wide live performances and the rock 'n roll lifestyle. The loss of both a record company and a drummer in 2006 seemed to have stopped the band on their rise to the top. But all is not what it seems. EPICA is back with a mighty new album called 'The Divine Conspiracy', an exiting new chapter in the history of the band.

The Dutch female fronted symphonic metal band EPICA was founded in 2002. Mark Jansen had left After Forever to pursue his own dreams and found that guitar player Ad Sluijter, bass player Yves Huts and keyboard and piano player Coen Janssen shared his vision. Drummer Jeroen Simons and singer Simone Simons completed the band. The band name is derived from an album of Kamelot of whom several band members are big fans and musically EPICA stands out by not only taking influences from the world of rock and (symphonic) metal, but also from film music as composed by the likes of Danny Elfman and Hans Zimmer.....

Darkwell

Darkwell is the name of a gothic metal band from Innsbruck, Austria. Formed in 1999 by bassist Roland Wurzer and guitarist Roman Wiencke.
Solitude drowns our souls – hearts are freezing, longing für warmth – despair covers everything – suddenly: a small red glooming flame breaks through the darkness, awakes us with a kiss and relieves our pain – guides us into the sweet embracement of the night. Darkwell is the celebration of the dark sensualism”

Darkwell was born early 1999, with the aim and motivation to create alive and profound Gothic Metal. All the bandmembers are experienced musicians. They know well how to inspire liveliness in their music, resulting in strong compositions and mature arrangements.

1999 DARKWELL signed a record-deal with the austrian label Napalm Records, and in march 2000 they started the recordings of their debut “Suspiria”. They coupled fragile and though powerful female vocals with pounding guitarrs and pushing baselines. Shortly after entering the studio the five went on tour with labal-colleagues Tristania and The Sins of Thy Beloved. This tour was crowned with success: They got booked for the Wave Gothic Meeting even before releasing their first record, followed by many shows and a tour with Graveworm and Vintersorg..

Within Temptation

Within Temptation is a band from The Netherlands. The band consists of vocalist Sharon den Adel, guitarist Robert Westerholt, Jeroen Van Veen (bass), Martijn Spierenburg (keyboards) and Ruud Adrianus Jolie (guitars).

Within Temptation was formed in 1996 by Robert and Sharon, after Robert left his previous band The Circle, who then renamed themselves Voyage. The Circle members Michiel Papenhove and Jeroen Van Veen also left to join Robert in his new project. Martijn Spierenburg also left The Circle, and joined Within Temptation in 2000.

In 1996, Within Temptation released their Enter demo, and were picked up by DSFA Records. The following year, they released their first full length album, also entitled Enter. This album established them in the underground scene, and led them to play their fourth-ever gig at the legendary Dynamo festival.
In 1998, they followed up with an EP, The Dance, and progressed to the main stage at Dynamo...

Nightwish

Biography


Nightwish is an award-winning symphonic metal band from Kitee, Finland, formed in 1996 by songwriter/keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former vocalist Tarja Turunen. Nightwish's current line-up has five members, but Tarja and the first bassist, Sami Vänskä, are no longer part of the group.

Anette Olzon was announced to be the replacement for former vocalist and frontwoman Tarja Turunen in 2007. She has appeared on Dark Passion Play and Made in Hong Kong (And in Various Other Places), and performed on the two-year Dark Passion Play tour..

The Sins Of Thy Beloved

Biography

The Sins of Thy Beloved is a gothic doom metal band, formed in Bryne, Norway in November 1996. The band currently consists of Anita Auglend (vocals), Glenn Morten Nordbø (guitars, vocals), Arild Christensen (guitars, vocals), Ola Aarrestad (bass), Maike Olaisen (keyboards), and Stig Johansen (drums).

The band was formed by Glenn Morten Nordbø, Arild Christensen, and Stig Johansen. The band was initially called “Purgatory” but they soon decided to change their name to something less common. Anita Auglend and Ola Aarrestad joined the band shortly thereafter, and they recorded their first demo “All Alone” in January-February 1997. Anders Thue and Ingfrid Stensland then joined before they recorded their second demo “Silent Pain” in January 1998. Pete Johansen played the violin on that demo though he did not officially joined the band until the recording of their first full-length album “Lake of Sorrow” later in 1998. They toured across Europe, before recording their second full-length album “Perpetual Desolation” in 2000. During the following tour, Anita Auglend, Anders Thue, and Ingfrid Stensland grew weary of traveling and left the band in 2001. A live performance was released on CD and VHS in 2001, though it was not distributed worldwide and is thus very hard to come by. The band has been dormant since the departure of its three members. Pete Johansen has since left to play the violin on several Tristania albums...