Nightwish Already Have Six Songs in the Works for Their Next Album: “Whenever I Sit Down at My Keyboard, I Think, ‘Yeah, This Sounds Amazing!’”
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Work has already begun on Nightwish’s follow-up to their 2024 album Yesterwynde.
Finnish symphonic metal veterans Nightwish are already making headway on the follow-up to their 2024 album Yesterwynde.
In an exclusive conversation with Metal Hammer, Nightwish founder, keyboardist, and primary songwriter Tuomas Holopainen revealed that he has completed six songs for the band’s upcoming 11th studio album, which has yet to receive an official title or release date.
Holopainen, 49, says he is feeling particularly creative at the moment and believes his latest material is some of his most inspired work yet. He described the experience of writing new music as exciting, explaining that he often feels an immediate sense of enthusiasm whenever he sits down at his keyboard.
The songwriter also indicated that the band is already making plans for the coming years. According to Holopainen, Nightwish have arrangements in place for 2027, seemingly suggesting that recording sessions or other album-related activities have been scheduled.
As for touring, fans may have to wait a little longer. Holopainen believes returning to the road in 2027 would be premature, but he sees 2028 as a possible time for Nightwish to resume live performances. Before that happens, however, he wants the band to complete another studio album.
Nightwish announced in April 2023 that they would step away from touring for an extended period, explaining that the decision was motivated by personal circumstances. At the time, the group stressed that the hiatus was unrelated to the individual projects of its members or vocalist Floor Jansen’s pregnancy.
Holopainen previously revealed in a March interview with Finnish newspaper Karjalainen that he was working on two albums, although he did not clarify whether both projects were intended for Nightwish. In addition to his work with Nightwish, he performs with the folk-oriented group Auri alongside his wife, Johanna Kurkela, and Nightwish musician Troy Donockley.
Since founding Nightwish in 1996, Holopainen has remained one of the band’s two longest-serving members, alongside guitarist Emppu Vuorinen. The group has sold more than 10 million albums worldwide, while every Nightwish studio album released since 2000’s Wishmaster has reached No. 1 on the Finnish album chart. The forthcoming record will mark their fourth album featuring Jansen on vocals.
The news about Nightwish’s progress arrives shortly after Jansen announced her second solo album, Hytress. Following the release of its first single, “Run,” in June, the album is expected to explore a sound closer to the symphonic metal style associated with Nightwish. Hytress is scheduled for release on January 15 through Revamp and Warner Music.