TUOMAS HOLOPAINEN: I've Never Come Across A NIGHTWISH Copycat Band

WSOU conducted an interview with NIGHTWISH keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen before the band’s April 9 concert at Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. You can now listen to the chat using the SoundCloud widget below.

Asked what it feels like to have influenced countless newer female-fronted symphonic metal bands, Tuomas responded: “Well, I don’t really think about that, because we have our heroes as well. NIGHTWISH wouldn’t exist without bands like THE 3RD AND THE MORTAL or METALLICA or film-music composers like Hans Zimmer, James Newton Howard… These are, like, my biggest heroes, so we have our idols as well, and if we have been able to influence some other bands, that’s just flattering. But I’ve never come across a copycat band or anything like this. And I’m a big fan of these symphonic metal bands myself, and I listen to them a lot at home.”

NIGHTWISH has announced a 26-date headlining tour of North America for 2016, launching in Sayreville, New Jersey on February 19, hitting six Canadian cities plus Pittsburgh, Anaheim, and New Orleans, then closing out in Tampa, Florida on March 23. Support on the tour will come from Dutch symphonic metallers DELAIN.

NIGHTWISH last month released a new single, the title track of the band’s latest album, “Endless Forms Most Beautiful”, as a limited-edition MCD, 10-inch vinyl and as a download.

As previously reported, the NIGHTWISH show in Vancouver, British Columbia on April 25 at The Orpheum was filmed for a future DVD release.

“Endless Forms Most Beautiful” was made available on March 27 in Europe and March 31 in the U.S. via Nuclear Blast.

The “Élan” four-track single, which arrived on February 13, features the album version of the title cut, a radio edit and an alternate version of “Élan”, as well as the non-album bonus track “Sagan”.

The cover artwork for “Endless Forms Most Beautiful” was created by the band’s longtime collaborator Toxic Angel. Famed evolutionary biologist and atheist writer/leader Richard Dawkins appears as a guest on the effort.

Longtime NIGHTWISH drummer Jukka Nevalainen sat out the recording sessions for “Endless Forms Most Beautiful” due to health issues. He has since been replaced by Kai Hahto (WINTERSUN, SWALLOW THE SUN, TREES OF ETERNITY).

Fonte: Blabbermouth.net