NIGHTWISH: Amaranth is #1 in Hungary!

Nightwish -single Amaranth went straight to # 1 on Official single chart in Hungary!

Finnish/Swedish symphonic metallers NIGHTWISH have scheduled the following dates in U.K./Ireland:

Mar. 25 - Astoria - London, UK
Mar. 29 - Carling Academy - Birmingham, UK
Mar. 30 - Carling Academy - Newcastle, UK
Mar. 31 - ABC1 - Glasgow, Scotland
Apr. 02 - Mandela Hall - Belfast, Ireland
Apr. 03 - Vicar Street - Dublin, Ireland
Apr. 04 - Academy 2 - Manchester, UK

For a list of upcoming NIGHTWISH tour dates, click here.

NIGHTWISH is expected to perform at the Hamburg, Germany release party for their new album, "Dark Passion Play", which will take place on the album's German release date, September 28, at a club called Delphi Showpalast. It has been announced that the entire group will attend the event, which will feature a performance by "a famous and glorious NIGHTWISH cover band called SUSHI PATROL from Japan" (believed to be the members of NIGHTWISH themselves). NIGHTWISH has also scheduled a release party for "Dark Passion Play" on September 26 at Tavastia in Helsinki, Finland. A "NIGHTWISH cover band from Estonia called NATUVISSYSET" (also believed to be the members of NIGHTWISH themselves) is scheduled to appear at the Helsinki event, which will coincide with the Finnish release date of the group's new CD (via Spinefarm Records/Universal).

NIGHTWISH will make its "official" live debut with new singer Anette Olzon on October 6 in Tel Aviv, Israel. The group's U.S. tour kicks off on October 15 in West Springfield, Virginia.

NIGHTWISH's video for the group's new single, "Amaranth", has been posted on YouTube. The clip was shot in Los Angeles with director Antti Jokinen (BEYONCÉ, WYCLEF JEAN, KORN, MISSY ELLIOT, STRATOVARIUS, SHANIA TWAIN, CELINE DION).

NIGHTWISH shot two videos in Los Angeles with Antti Jokinen, reportedly at a cost of 270,000 euros (approximately $362,000). "We saved time and money by doing two videos in one session," NIGHTWISH leader Tuomas Holopainen told the Finnish newspaper Ilta-Sanomat.

Behind-the-scenes footage of the making of the new NIGHTWISH video, "Amaranth", has been posted at Nightwish.com.

"Dark Passion Play" is scheduled for release in the U.S. on October 2 via Roadrunner Records.