NIGHTWISH Completes Work On New Pre-Production Demo

Keyboardist/mainman Tuomas Holopainen of Finnish/Swedish symphonic metallers NIGHTWISH has completed work on a pre-production demo of the band's follow-up to 2007's "Dark Passion Play". The band will reconvene in Finland between July and September to rehearse the material and prepare for the album's final recording sessions, which will take place during the fall/winter and early spring 2011. The as-yet-untitled new CD is tentatively due in September 2011.

NIGHTWISH manager Ewo Pohjola of King Foo Entertainment Ltd recently Finland's MTV3 that singer Anette Olzon's surprise revelation that she is expecting her second child will not affect the band's plan to begin recording its new studio album.

In an interview with the Finnish web site Rytmi.com, Olzon stated about NIGHTWISH's current recording plans, "I do have to go as soon as possible to Finland for rehearsals with the [NIGHTWISH] boys after I have delivered my child and then we'll stay there for a couple of weeks working with the new songs. After that the album will start to be recorded but since we always record all the instruments, orchestra and choirs before I go in and do my vocals, I don't have any big pressure to do anything in the fall. I will, of course, go and visit the recordings when it feels OK to do so, but otherwise my recordings aren't gonna be happening until 2011."

Regarding how she will handle touring with NIGHTWISH while tending to a newborn child at home, Olzon said, "It will work out just fine.

"We have all decided that the last world tour was to intense in the planning and we will take it a bit easier this time. Planning is everything, and I have a great father to my baby who will take care of her/him when the day comes and I also have a nanny who can come with me if that is needed at some points.

"I don't stress over these things 'cause I know everything is gonna be just fine.

"The last tour was so hard and still it worked out with my son being at home."

NIGHTWISH played a special homecoming show in September 2009 at the sold-out, 11,000-capacity Hartwall Arena in Helsinki to mark the end of the band's colossal "Dark Passion Play" two-year world tour.

NIGHTWISH is not expected to play any more shows until the release of the band's next studio album.