NIGHTWISH

The idea of creating Nightwish was born in July 1996 at midnight when Tuomas was spending the night with friends around the campfire. The first three songs were acoustic and were recorded between October and December 1996. While the group were three people: Tuomas, Tarja and Emppu.

After that, we wanted to try, as the music will sound if you add drums (Jukka, joined the group) and use an electric guitar instead of acoustic. After several weeks of rehearsals, we went into the studio in April 1997. At that time we recorded seven songs, which were issued on the album "Angels Fall First" Limited edition.

In May 1997 a contract was signed with the> "Spinefarm Records" on two albums. In August, Nightwish into the studio and recorded four new songs. Before the release of "Angels Fall First", was released the single "The Carpenter" which took 8 position in the official singles chart in Finland. "Angels Fall First" was released in early November and took 31 seats in the official album chart in Finland.

The first concert that gave Nightwish held December 31, 1997 at Kitee. After that, the only 7 concerts next winter because Jukka and Emppu were in the army and Tarja was busy studying. Nightwish and "Spinefarm Records" signed a new contract, the recording of three albums instead of two.

In April 1998, started shooting the first video clip for the song "The Carpenter". He was ready in early May and was executed in Jyrki. Tuomas and Tarja also gave an interview on the show (this happened in late May). Next summer Sami Vanska, who plays bass, joined. During the summer songs for the new album was ready, and the band went into the studio in early August. Recording was completed in late October. 13th November Nightwish gave a concert in Kitee, and at this concert was filmed video for the song "Sacrament Of Wilderness". The self-titled single was released on 26th November, and then ,7-th of December, they released the album "Oceanborn".

They were all surprised by success "Oceanborn". He rose to fifth place in the Finnish official album chart, and the single "Sacrament of Wilderness" was number one in the singles chart for a week. In winter 1999 Nightwish gave many concerts, toured the country for three months. Spring "Oceanborn" was released outside of Finland. In May, the team began playing again, touring across the country for two and a half months, speaking almost all the big rock festivals. At the same time was recorded the single "Sleeping Sun", which focused on the eclipse in Germany. In August, the single was released in Germany, also includes the single song "Walking in the Air", "Swanheart" and "Angels Fall First". In Germany alone the single were sold in 15000 copies in one month. In August it became known that the album "Oceanborn" and the single "Sacrament of Wilderness" acquired the status of the Golden Disk. At the same time, it was confirmed that Nightwish made a tour of Europe, together with the German band Rage.

In early 2000 the band goes back to the studio to record their third album. The reason for the break in the studio became their participation in the Finnish qualification for Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Sleepwalker". Nightwish passed the first round of qualification, but in the second round took 2 nd place.

The new album "Wishmaster" was released in May, and from Kitty began a new tour in support of new album. "Wishmaster" won first place in the album chart and remained in this position for three weeks. During these three weeks he has received the status of the Golden Disk. "Wishmaster" was recognized by fans and critics, as well as in the sixth issue of the magazine "Rock Hard" for the year 2000, was named album of the month.

Wishmaster also debuted in the national German charts at 21 locations and on the 66th in France! "World Tour Wishmaster", which began with Kitee, continued, first at big festivals in Finland and then in South America in July 2000. The three-week tour in Brazil, Chile, Argentina, Panama and Mexico, as it turned out, was one of the most experienced group. All this was accompanied by successful impressions in the Wacken Open Air, Biebop Metal Fest and the first headliner European tour, Sinergy and Eternal Tears Of Sorrow. In November, Nightwish also played two shows - in Montreal and Canada.

Nightwish recorded a DVD (full live album) and VHS with a cut live concert (only for Finland), which was held in Tampere, 29th December 2000. The material was released in April 2001 in Finland, and during the summer and throughout the world. At the end of the show Nightwish received platinum discs for "Wishmaster" and zolotyt discs for "Deep Silent Complete"!!!

. In the March 2001 Nightwish once again gather in the studio to record their version of the classic Gary Moore's "Over The Hills And Far Away", with 2 new songs and a remake of the album Angels Fall First "Astral Romance"
. In Finland, he appeared in June 2001. German (Drakkar) version of "Over The Hills And Far Away" includes 6 live tracks in addition to the 4-m unreleased songs.

Nightwish and Spinefarm extended the contract with one full album, which is scheduled for summer 2002.