Nightwish Biography
Following in the footsteps of the Gathering and Lacuna Coil (goth-influenced "symphonic" metal bands with female vocalists), Nightwish was formed in Kitee, Finland, in 1997 by keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen. Initially attempting to create acoustic music, he recruited trained opera vocalist Tarja Turunen, but soon added full metal-band instrumentation in the persons of guitarist Emppo Vuorinen, bassist Sami Vänskä, and drummer Jukka Nevalainen. The band's demos landed them a contract with the Finnish label Spinefarm, which released their debut album Angels Fall First in late 1997 (it appeared in the rest of Europe the following year). The follow-up, Oceanborn, appeared in late 1998 and made Nightwish a bonafide mainstream success in their homeland; the album reached the Finnish Top Five and spun off three Top Ten singles. The band toured Europe heavily, consolidating their success, and in 2000 recorded their third album Wishmaster. Not only did it top the Finnish charts, but it also became the group's first album to be released in the U.S. (by Century Media, which reissued their previous albums in 2001 as well). ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
Popular Biographies:
Guardian Biography: With musical influences centered around such bands as Guns N' Roses and Motley Crue, Guardian has become a powerful force in the gospel music industry. The Christian rockers, best known for...
16 volt Biography: Basically the one-man studio project of Eric Powell with other members added mostly for live shows, 16 Volt combines the two main thrusts of '90s industrial music -- electronics and guitars -- in...
Schiller Biography: Named after the German poet Friedrich Schiller, the production duo of Schiller is Mirko von Schlieffen and Christopher von Deylen. The two layer trance beats and spoken poetry, which resulted in a...
Minus Biography: Forming in 1998 while its members were still in their teens, Iceland's Minus quickly began turning heads among the local hardcore scene with brutal sounds and an incendiary live show. Comprised of...
Murderdolls Biography: Murderdolls is a collaboration between Slipknot guitarist Joey Jordison and Static-X guitarist Tripp Eisen. Landing somewhere between the aggressive throb of rap metal and the energetic charge of...
Bun b Biography: Rapper Bun B (born Bernard Freeman) rose to fame in the duo UGK. Bun B and Pimp C formed UGK in the late '80s when their former crew, Four Black Ministers, fell apart. Based in Port Arthur, TX, UGK...
Say anything Biography: Say Anything is the pop-punk brainchild of singer/songwriter Max Bemis. The band first started up while its members were still in high school and has had a rotating cast of characters throughout its...
Loop guru Biography: A global fusion duo which deftly combined old-world music and sound with new-world attitude and technology, Loop Guru primarily comprised bassist/guitarist Salman Gita (born Sam Dodson) and...