Heavy Rock

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The appointment was in the Abbey Road of London, doubtless the most famous studio thanks to The Beatles, who left their mark in their most mythical era. This emblematic place hides itself behind a simple façade that hides the history that has happened there in the last 76 years. The walls inside are flooded with graffitis done by fans of The Beatles, so there is an air of nostalgia in this place.
With NW’s manager as a host, and people from the company, journalists from all around Europe were put in a room, where members of the choirs and the orchestra were waiting as well.
All the members of NW were there, except for Marco Hietala, who was playing with Tarot in Romania, and they were looking attentively at the reactions from the press. Obviously, the new singer, Anette Olzon, was the center of attention. The mythical engineer Pip Williams (The Moody Blues, Uriah Heep, Status Quo…) wearing a Ferrari cap, was the one who was in charge of introducing the band. He assured us that this album has been one of the most important projects in his carreer, and he flattered the band by saying that NW is probably the best metal band in the world. These words gave way to the 75 minutes and 45 seconds of “Dark Passion Play”.
The flaming work of NW will be analyzed by the fans to discover the new vocalist, who is completely different from Tarja’s operistic pattern. Her voice has more pop tesituras, or it’s more like the voice of the goth bands that have been flooding the charts over the past few years. Although, she also looks for her own personality, trying higher tones.
Musically speaking, the album is a super production, very complex, and at times too orchestral, although it also contains clear tracks like the ones in “Once”, heavier tracks, some with celtic influences, etc. It is a very complex material, which, in the words of Tuomas Holopainen, the brain of the finns, requires to be listened to at least 10 times. This is a risk that could have some commercial loss. The recordings have been made in Finland and the last touches, orchestrations, choirs, etc., have been done in Abbey Road. Its cost is estimated around 500,000 euros, a record in these times. The videoclips have been shot in Los Angeles, directed by Antti Jokinen.

Interview- Tuomas Holopainen & Anette Olzon

Why Anette amongst all the hundreds of candidates? What’s so special about her?
TUOMAS: From the first moment that we heard her demo, we were totally impressed. We liked her tone of voice and it fitted perfectly with the new songs. We also discovered it fitted with the old songs as well. The next step was to meet her character. We found out we had the same sense of humor. She is a normal girl, like we are. Don’t take this the wrong way, Anette. We saw that we were on the same level, and she has a good self-esteem. This is very important because she will know how to get out of certain situations when the going gets tough. She dominates English really well, she’s very passionate about touring, she has the liberty to go out on the road… the whole package made us choose her.

You already had all the tracks written before Anette came in, did you have to make many changes to fit her voice?
We didn’t have to change anything. I wrote the songs in the same scale as I would have done for Tarja, because the new singer had to fit to the old songs as well.

Anette, how well did you fit in the recording studio with a band as big as NW?
ANETTE: The first time that I was in the studio with the was at Emppu’s studio, which is very small. I was very nervous because all the guys were checking up on me. When we went to the other studios I was nervous the first couple of days because we didn’t know each other very well. They asked me to relax and so I did.

After listening to Anette, it is obvious that you did not want a clone of Tarja.
TUOMAS: It would have been a big mistake to carry on with the same style, because Tarja already put the ribbon on the highest spot. To hire an opera singer would have been a cheap copy. Anette is very different but her voice is still powerfull.

Dark Passion Play will not be an album that’s easy to listen to, like Once was, it is much more complex.
TUOMAS: Absolutely. The amount of material that we’ve included is ridiculous, it’s too much for just one listen. You have to listen to this album at least 10 times, I’m very proud of it.

Aren’t you afraid to lose the commercial benefits?
TUOMAS: There are some catchy melodies to keep interest, however, this work goes beyond that, this music will grow in the listener’s imagination.
ANETTE: The fact that it needs more than one listen to fully appreciate it is a good thing, it took me many listens to fully appreciate “Once” in its entirety.
TUOMAS: When I listened to Unia, Sonata Arctica’s new album, I didn’t get it at first. Even after I had listened to it 5 times it took me to get used to it. Now, however, I love it, it is a very good album.

The new single is “Amaranth”, could “For the heart I once had” be the next one?
TUOMAS: We’re not in a position to say it right now.
ANETTE: We have heard this from more journalists.

“The Islander” is another special track.
TUOMAS: It is a very impressive song, written by Marco, in which he introduces a sweet part of his voice. Many people have asked me who the singer is. Marco had an acoustic guitar backstage in the last tour and he started playing it. I realized it would be a celtic song and that it would be dedicated to “The Lighthouse Keeper”.

It connects with “The Last of the Wilds”, the instrumental track.
TUOMAS: They are the celtic side of the album.

In another twist, you’ve approached a more extreme kind of metal with “Master Passion Greed”.
TUOMAS: Yes, it is the more aggressive song we’ve ever recorded, lyrically as well as musically speaking. It was something we needed to do.

The single “Eva” was only released on the Internet, are you paving the road for when the CD ends?
TUOMAS: I hope that never happens, of course the decision to release it only through the Internet was not ours, and I still to this day don’t know why it happened. I’d rather have the CD physically in my hands. Maybe it was the label’s decision, but I think it’s bullshit. I don’t even consider it to be the first single, I think “Amaranth” is.

So was donating the profits of Eva to charity your idea then?
TUOMAS: Yes, that was, the idea came because of the connotations of the song.

It must have been really special to record in Abbey Road, the studios in which The Beatles recorded 40 years ago.
TUOMAS: It was special but we weren’t obsessed about its history either. As a matter of fact, Pip Williams, the engineer, chose it for us. What really surprised me was the quality of the musicians that work here, they are the best in the world.

How did you coordinate the recording of more than 60 musicians in the orchestra and more than 30 in the chorus?
TUOMAS: That was all the work of Mr. Pip Williams, who has worked with them for more than five months.

How did you feel when he said you were probably the best metal band in the world?
TUOMAS: It was truly an honor, he is our friend…

One of the musicians is very special: Troy Donockley, a well-known magician…
TUOMAS: He played several instruments, like the flutes… besides he is a magician andhe belongs to a magic society. I’ve even come to think that it would be cool to mix magic with live shows. It is something that hasn’t been done a lot in metal.

You’ve turned to another chapter regarding Tarja’s depparture. These last years have been crazy, with all the reproaches, the questions and answers on the Internet…
TUOMAS: I’d like to think we’ve left all that behind, although we’ll never forget about Tarja, we don’t have to think about the bad stuff.

Did these bad experiences influence your lyrics?
TUOMAS: Absolutely, you can read it between the lines. The reason why I’m a musician is so that I can write about such difficult situations in life.

The first part of the tour will happen in the US with Paradise Lost as the opening band. What’s the meaning of having such a big band as a support act?
TUOMAS: It’s funny because I’m a big fan of theirs, in 1995 it was one of my favorite bands. “Draconian Times” and “Icon” were masterpieces. To think that they are opening for us is amazing.

Why have you decided to tour North America first?
ANETTE: Because the venues are smaller, it will be easier for me to get used to the band and for them to get used to me, it is like a warm-up.

And when are you touring Europe?
TUOMAS: We will make a two month tour on February and march of 2008. Before, we’ll go to Scandinavia towards the end of the year.

Anette, have you realized your life is going to change a lot from now on?
ANETTE: On one hand, it is good that people get to know you, but I know it will be a weird situation that I will have to get used to. This is the price you have to pay for achieving your dreams.

Furthermore, you’ll have to double your efforts in your preparation to be at the same level of your companions, who are very proffesional.
ANETTE: It is an advantage that they have so much experience, this way I can lean on them. During the summer I will prepare myself for the tour.

What was your experience with Alyson Avenue?
ANETTE: I did a couple of albums with them, but I was with them since ’89. It wasn’t a very continual cooperation.

How will you manage your motherhood with the intense work of the band and the unending tours?
ANETTE: I have a little boy. I’m aware that I will have to spend long periods of time away from home, but I will be able to enjoy him more intensely when I come back.

The fact that you chose Anette despite her being a mother says a lot about you…
TUOMAS: I thought a lot about it at first and I even said she couldn’t get the job because she had a son, but I was wrong. I was scared to be in that situation, 2005 was a very stressful year and I didn’t want to take any risks.
ANETTE: Society usually says that women should stay home when they have children, but I am totally against this.

Anette, you didn’t follow NW, so you see their trajectory from a different point of view. Which do you chose: the power metal from the first albums, the aggressiveness of Wishmaster, the softer material like Century Child or the more sophisticated Once?
ANETTE: I have to say “Once” is my favorite album, and I also liked “Century Child” a lot the first time I heard it. I also love the song “Wishmaster”.

Have you heard the alternative version on YouTube, Fishmaster?
TUOMAS: It’s amazing, I love it, the author is a real genius.