Marko Hietala’s return to Nightwish seems uncertain: “I’m not waiting for a call back”

A big change took place in the ranks of Finnish metal giants Nightwish at the beginning of 2021, when the band’s longtime singer-bassist Marko Hietala announced that he was leaving the band. Hietala joined the band in 2002 and played on every album since “Century Child”.

Now Iltalehti has published an interview with Hietala. In the interview, Hietala says that he went through a dark period in his life, which included depression, insomnia and anxiety.

“Sometimes I thought I would walk from my backyard to the icy lake and just disappear,” Hietala tells Iltalehti.

Hietala says that the cancelled tours during the pandemic of 2020 brought peace to his life, which the musician was no longer ready to give up when it was time for Nightwish to prepare to go on tour again.

“My head had gone to the point where I could no longer bear the thought of having to go out into the world for a month or a month and a half with the same conditions and troubles,” Hietala recalls.

Hietala was also asked in the interview about a possible return to Nightwish. However, Hietala does not believe that he will be seen as a full-time member of the band again.

“I’m not waiting for a call back or a meeting invitation. For many years, I would get pissed off practically every day at some point. Black thoughts would pop up as soon as there was an empty moment. Even though the gang knows there’s depression and medication and therapy, I can’t help being tired. I saw leaving as necessary for both me and them.”

Hietala has not kept in touch with Nightwish since his departure or followed the activities of his former band.