Tuomas

FestivalBlog.be recently conducted an interview with keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen of Finnish symphonic metallers NIGHTWISH. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below. FestivalBlog.be: So about "Imaginaerum", how do you compare it to previous albums? Tuomas: Well, it's special in a way that it included the movie. We kinda went for the movie first into the project, that was the main thing of the release. The album is kind of a soundtrack to the film, so that was really special. It is the most theatrical, most orchestral album that we have ever done, it felt like the right thing to do at the time. I don't really know what we're going to do next. I have a gut feeling that it is going to be something a bit more simple, a bit back in time. FestivalBlog.be: So a bit back to the roots. Tuomas: Yeah, a bit more like a band album, because we have kinda searched this orchestral, really varied spectrum to its maximum now; that's how I feel. But maybe, you never know how the mind works… But I have three new songs done already, it's again something a bit different. FestivalBlog.be: Did you write those songs during the tour? Tuomas: During the past month I'd say. Whenever I go back home I just write stuff and I have three new songs now. FestivalBlog.be: What are the plans for the near future for NIGHTWISH? Tuomas: Well, we all have our side projects. I have this solo album about Scrooge McDuck coming up, so the next two months I'm going to be busy with that one. Floor [Jansen, vocals] is going to go on with REVAMP, Marco [Hietala, bass/vocals] is going to do his own projects, Emppu [Vuorinen, guitar] has BROTHER FIRETRIBE. Maybe take some time off, spend time with the family. I'm going to have a little vacation in New Zealand next spring. So all this kinda stuff is going to load the batteries to write songs and be ready for next summer. The first of July, we will enter the rehearsal room. FestivalBlog.be: From what I've heard, there are still no plans to officially continue with Floor as vocalist. Do you have any comment on this or can you tell me something about that? Tuomas: Yeah, well… The thing is that we haven't really thought about it in a concrete way, because there is no need to… It's been such a mess once again, I feel I need a month or two just to not think about the vocal issue at all. Then by the end of this year, we have to make some decisions. But everyone realizes that she is on top of the list, naturally. But I don't want to do anything official, I don't want to make this decision just yet. FestivalBlog.be: Of course, I understand.