Nightwish - Élan

Since the band’s inception in 1996, NIGHTWISH have released eight full length releases, sold millions of records world-wide, and become one of the most popular female-fronted, symphonic metal bands of all time. In 2015 NIGHTWISH plan on carrying this successful formula forward and release their ninth full length album, “Endless Forms Most Beautiful”. “There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.”- Charles Darwin from On the Origin of the Species

Produced by Tero “TeeCee” Kinnumen, “Endless Forms Most Beautiful“ features album artwork by Finnish artist Toxic Angel and includes adult & childrens choirs, collaborative work with esteemed orchestral arranger Pip Williams, session drum work by Kai Hahto of WINTERSUN (who is sitting in for the ailing NIGHTWISH drummer Jukka Nevalainen), and a guest appearance by evolutionary biologist, writer, and atheist Richard Dawkins.

Commented NIGHTWISH mastermind/keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen: "The long-awaited NIGHTWISH music video 'Élan' is finally here. Inspired by the untold stories of abandoned places around Finland, the video was nearly a year in the making and features some of the most loved Finnish actors and actresses. And also the legendary NIGHTWISH symbol, a snowy owl (Bubo Scandiaca in Latin) called 'Urho' ('Braveheart')."

Charles Darwin, On the Origin of Species.
According to Holopainen, the starting point for writing the song "Élan" was a quote by Walt Whitman (who he referred to as "my hero Uncle Walt"): "Oh, while I live to be the ruler of life, Not a slave, To meet life as a powerful conqueror, and nothing exterior to me will ever take command of me." Holopainen stated, "The underlying theme of the song is nothing less than the meaning of life, which can be something different for all of us. It´s important to surrender yourself to the occasional 'free fall' and not to fear the path less travelled by."

NIGHTWISH's new full-length album, "Endless Forms Most Beautiful", will be made available on March 27 in Europe and March 31 in the U.S. via Nuclear Blast.

The cover artwork for "Endless Forms Most Beautiful" was created by the band's longtime collaborator Toxic Angel. Famed evolutionary biologist and atheist writer/leader Richard Dawkins appears as a guest on the effort.

Longtime NIGHTWISH drummer Jukka Nevalainen sat out the recording sessions for "Endless Forms Most Beautiful" due to health issues; Kai Hahto (WINTERSUN, SWALLOW THE SUN, TREES OF ETERNITY) replaced him.

The "Endless Forms Most Beautiful" title came from Charles Darwin's "The Origin Of Species" book, where he wrote: "There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one; and that, while this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved."

Singer Floor Jansen, who officially joined the band in 2013, made her live debut as the frontwoman of NIGHTWISH on October 1, 2012 at Showbox Sodo in Seattle, Washington.

Upon release across various online stores (Nuclear Blast, Mad Supply, EMP, Napalm etc), Endless Forms Most Beautiful came in multiple editions, ready for pre-orders. Note that some of these editions are exclusive to certain websites.

Regular Edition A CD containing the 11 tracks on the album.
2 CD Audiobook Edition The regular album and a bonus CD featuring instrumentals of all the songs, packaged in an audiobook/digipak.
 2 CD Necklace Edition The Audiobook Edition with a bonus limited edition necklace.
2 LP Clear Vinyl Edition The regular album on 2 clear vinyl records.
2 LP Black Vinyl Edition The regular album on 2 black vinyl records.
2 LP Splatter Vinyl Edition The regular album on 2 "splatter" vinyl records. It is limited to 500 copies worldwide.
2 LP Blue Vinyl Edition The regular album on 2 blue vinyl records. It is limited to 500 copies worldwide.
2 LP Gold Vinyl Edition The regular album on 2 gold vinyl records. It is limited to 300 copies worldwide.
2 LP Silver Vinyl Edition The regular album on 2 silver vinyl records. It is limited to 100 copies worldwide.
3 CD Earbook Edition The regular album, the bonus instrumental CD and another bonus CD featuring orchestral versions of all the songs. It is packaged in a lush, 28 x 28 cm earbook.
Deluxe 3 CD Earbook Silver Edition The Earbook Edition as well as a 10" Mini-LP silver vinyl.
Deluxe 3 CD Earbook Gold Edition The Earbook Edition as well as a 10" Mini-LP gold vinyl.

As of the 16th of January, the Earbook Edition and 2 LP Silver Vinyl Edition is exclusive to the Nuclear Blast web store, while all of the other editions can be found on both the Nuclear Blast and MadSupply Nightwish stores. The MadSupply Nightwish Store is also accepting pre-orders of the album in a bundle, also containing a T-shirt. 

Todays tune "Élan" is the first single from the upcoming album " Endless Forms Most Beautiful".



Making of "Endless Forms Most Beautiful"



More info @

Official Nightwish Web

Listen to "Nightwish- Élan" on Spotify here!

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