Ex-Nightwish singer Tarja Turunen to be featured on the same album with mastermind Tuomas Holopainen

Photo credit Ville Myllynen.

At the start of 2020, the entertainment industry was hit hard as news of the COVID-19 virus began to spread around the world and many countries declared a state of emergency. The pandemic had begun.

Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish were due to embark on a new world tour in March, starting in China, with a total of 80 shows this year. Unfortunately, most of those shows are still to be played, although it now looks as if this year will finally see the return of gigs in larger arenas.

The Nightwish crew didn’t stay idle though, as they formed a band called Crewish to cover the band’s songs and released the EP “Unemployed Blacksmiths” on September 19th of 2020.

Now the project is about to continue with the album “Twice”, which will feature, to the surprise of fans, both the band’s keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen and former singer Tarja Turunen on the same album. Turunen was fired from the band in 2005.

The members of Crewish have given an interview to Maaseudun Tulevaisuus about the forthcoming album, in which they say that the album will consist of seven new arrangements and the “Unemployed Blacksmiths” EP, which will release two singles during April.

The upcoming “Twice” album will also be interesting for fans of the band as it will be the first album to feature both Tuomas Holopainen and Tarja Turunen on the same record for the first time since 2005. Antti Toiviainen, Nightwish’s guitar technician, says the following about Holopainen and Turunen making it onto the album:

“We decided to take the plunge and ask Tarja Turku, who was fired in 2005, to sing Dark Chest of Wonders, and she happily agreed. Tuomas Holopainen, on the other hand, was so enthusiastic about the arrangement of I Want My Tears Back that he insisted on playing on the song. Of course, we had to agree to this.”

Turunen recorded her vocal part in her current country of residence in Spain and Holopainen in her home town of Kitee. Otherwise, the new album was largely recorded at Ahola’s studio in Kauhava.

Nightwish’s mixer Kimmo Ahola, guitar technician Antti Toiviainen and keyboard technician Tero Kinnunen have been at the heart of the project.