NIGHTWISH: No Plans To Return To North America In 2009

Finnish/Swedish symphonic metallers NIGHTWISH have decided against returning to the U.S./Canada in the spring of 2009 for another tour in support of the "Dark Passion Play" album due to their massive and extensive European touring activities. The band's fall 2008 trek with SONATA ARCTICA will mark NIGHTWISH's final North American tour to promote the "Dark Passion Play" CD. Fans are urged to buy their tickets now as this will be the last chance to see the band in North America for at least two years. Tickets are on sale now at all ticketing outlets, venue box offices and EnterTheVault.com for reduced service charges.

Professionally filmed video footage of NIGHTWISH's July 6, 2008 concert at the Rock Werchter festival in Werchter, Belgium can be viewed below.

NIGHTWISH was recently honored with a platinum award in Germany for sales in excess of 50,000 copies of its "End of an Era" DVD. The disc, which was released in 2006, contains footage of the band's final performance with former singer Tarja Turunen, recorded in October 2005 in Helsinki, Finland.

The award was presented to the band at this year's Rock Am Ring festival, where the band played on the main stage in front of more than 80,000 people.

NIGHTWISH's latest album, "Dark Passion Play", was certified gold in Germany for sales in excess of 100,000 copies within a week of its release in September 2007.

NIGHTWISH recently topped the single chart in Finland with the band's latest release, "The Islander". The song's accompanying video was shot last autumn in Rovaniemi, Finland and was directed by Stobe Harju.