Ex-NIGHTWISH Singer TARJA TURUNEN: 'My Winter Storm' London Listening Session Report

UK-based music journalist Dave Ling has posted the following message on his web site:

"I zoomed back to London to attend yesterday's [Sunday, September 16] world premiere of Tarja Turunen's new album, 'My Winter Storm', followed by a press conference from the former NIGHTWISH frontwoman. Given that Turunen made negligable contribution to NIGHTWISH's creative process, I was pleasantly surprised by the eight tracks that were played (Tarja explained that the finished album will contain 14 songs, nine of which she co-wrote — one called 'Oasis' being entirely self-penned). Sadly, her version of ALICE COOPER's 'Poison' wasn't available to be played, but Turunen's two-and-a-half octave voice remains bewitchingly unmistakable. 'Lost Northern Star' and 'Ciarán's Well' were both far heavier than expected, 'Sing For Me' an epic-sounding mesh of opera, symphonic-pop and soft-rock, but more appealing than that description might sound. The song Tarja wrote on her own, 'Oasis', is blissfully serene; clear and refreshing as an alpine valley. I'll be truthful, some of what was played sounded non-descript and forgettable, missing the hooks that Tuomas Holopainen integrates into NIGHTWISH's music with such apparent ease. But the highs were well worth the less inspirational parts.

"The question-and-answer session that followed wasn't too illuminating. Along with representatives of several fanzines, a group of readers of another UK rock mag had joined the grilling. So I can die happy knowing which type of shoe Tarja would like to be reincarnated as (**sighs deeply**). Alas, despite confirming that she has heard one song from NIGHTWISH's new album, 'Dark Passion Play', Turunen stubbornly refused to divulge her opinion of it, even professing innocent unawareness of 'Bye Bye Beautiful', the song that Holopainen wrote about her sacking from the group. Did I believe her? Hmmmmmm. Not really. But in a way, whilst its lyrics seem unconnected to the controversy, Tarja's own incredibly beautiful song 'I Walk Alone' might be interpreted as the perfect response. I did manage to tease some interesting comments from her in a one-on-one interview that took place once the gathering had dispersed (look out for them in an upcoming issue of Classic Rock),but it was a bit like getting blood from a stone."

Tarja Turunen's cover version of the ALICE COOPER smash "Poison". which will appear on "My Winter Storm", was laid down at the same studio where the original track was recorded — The Village Recorder (a.k.a. The Village) in Los Angeles, California.

Tarja previously stated about her decision to cover the track, "The original song has lots of backing vocals. I can say without a doubt that the song is a 'classic.' I decided to cover it after listening to it hundreds of times in the Finnish radio. I never performed the song before 'My Winter Storm' sessions. It is not a ballad…"

Tarja Turunen's video for the song "I Walk Alone", can be viewed below. The clip was shot in Berlin, Germany with director Jörn Heitmann, who previously worked with NIGHTWISH on the "Sleeping Sun" clip in 2005. The "I Walk Alone" single will be released mid-October Universal Music, to be followed by the full-length CD, "My Winter Storm", on November 9.

"My Winter Storm" was produced by Daniel Presley (FAITH NO MORE, JEWEL, THE BREEDERS),who has been joined in the studio by a truly stellar line-up of musicians: Doug Wimbish on bass (LIVING COLOUR, ANNIE LENNOX, JOE SATRIANI, JEFF BECK, MADONNA, ROLLING STONES),Alex Scholpp on electric guitars (FARMER BOYS) and Earl Harvin on drums (SEAL, PET SHOP BOYS, AIR),a player personally selected by Tarja after she saw him stealing the show at a SEAL concert. Keyboards and programming, meanwhile, are being provided by Torsten Stenzel, whose previous credits include NELLY FURTADO, MOBY, TINA TURNER, VANESSA MAE and more.

Tarja Turunen has scheduled the following shows in November/December:

Nov. 25 - Berlin, Germany @ Columbia Club
Nov. 27 - London, UK @ Electric Ballroom
Nov. 29 - Budapest, Hungary @ Petöfi Hall
Dec. 02 - Moscow, Russia @ Club B1
Dec. 10 - Köln, Germany @ Live Music Hall
Dec. 11 - Paris, France @ Elysee-Montmartre
Dec. 13 - Amsterdam, Holland @ Melkweg
Dec. 18 - Zürich, Switzerland @ X-Tra

Turunen has revealed the lineup of the backing band that will accompany her for the above-listed "warm-up concerts." It will be as follows:

Bass: Doug Wimbish
Guitars: Alex Scholpp
Drums: Mike Terrana
Keys: Maria Ilmoniemi
Cello: Max Silja and Markus Hohti
Lead and back vocals, guitars, additional electronic drums and keyboards: Toni Turunen
Lead vocals: Tarja Turunen

Released in 2004, the highly-acclaimed "Once" was Tarja's last studio outing with NIGHTWISH — an album that rose to the top of the charts around the world, from Mexico through to the European Billboard lists; the record picked up platinum awards in Germany and Finland, and turned gold right across Scandinavia, as well as in Brazil, Austria, Switzerland, Greece and Hungary.