NIGHTWISH's MARCO HIETALA To Release English Version Of His Solo Album, 'Pyre Of The Black Heart', In January

NIGHTWISH bassist/vocalist Marco Hietala (a.k.a. Marko Hietala) has signed with Nuclear Blast for the release of the English version of his solo album, "Pyre Of The Black Heart". The effort, which was issued in Finland this past May under the title "Mustan Sydämen Rovio", will arrive on January 24. Hietala describes the style of the LP as "hard prog", but to give his fans a first impression of what the new album is going to be like, he's also revealed the first single and video, "Stones".

In regards to the goal behind his solo album, Hietala comments: "Well, let's put it this way: NIGHTWISH is without any doubt my main band, and thanks to income from that direction, I don't have to be that commercially aware... What I mean is that when I was coming up with the ideas for this solo record, I was able to do simply anything without limits. So if I had a goal, it was to not have any kind of limits, but to prepare an unpredictable, spontaneous, adventurous, ferocious and intimate solo record. And now when I listen to the final album, I can say with my hand on my heart that I — or rather us — pulled it off... The record is a really diverse musical roller coaster ride that takes eager listeners into a world of strong emotions and deep feelings!"

Hietala went on to honor his skillful bandmates, saying: "Even if 'Pyre Of The Black Heart' is definitely my solo album, I didn't compose everything on my own. When the songwriting process was really in full swing, I kept sending all the ideas to my long-time collaborators Tuomas Wäinölä [guitar] and Vili Ollila [keyboards], and this ingenious two-some came up with great additions and arrangements, one after another. Drummer Anssi Nykänen — who is simply a wizard behind his set — completed the lineup like no other."

The track listing reads as follows:

01. Stones
02. The Voice Of My Father
03. Star, Sand And Shadow
04. Dead God's Son
05. For You
06. I Am The Way
07. Runner Of The Railways
08. Death March For Freedom
09. I Dream
10. Truth Shall Set You Free

Shortly after the album release, there will be a European Marko Hietala solo tour. "Come February... We simply can't wait to get out on the road!" he says. "It will be amazing to perform these solo songs for all those multinational friends of my music. I strongly recommend coming out to see my band during this run, titled 'Tour Of The Black Heart', as this will be my first and last European solo tour in a long time — or ever!"

Tour dates:

Feb. 02 - DE - Hamburg - Markthalle
Feb. 04 - DE - Frankfurt - Batschkapp
Feb. 06 - DE - Munich - Backstage
Feb. 07 - DE - Leipzig - der ANKER
Feb. 08 - PL - Wroclaw - Centrum Koncertowe A2
Feb. 09 - CZ - Prague - Roxy
Feb. 11 - HU - Budapest - Barba Negra
Feb. 13 - DE - Stuttgart - Im Wizemann
Feb. 14 - CH - Pratteln -c Z7
Feb. 16 - DE - Oberhausen - Turbinenhalle
Feb. 17 - NL - Amsterdam - Melkweg
Feb. 18 – FR - Paris - La Machine du Moulin Rouge