Fresh winds from Finland
[Christoph Kutzer]

The breakup between Nightwish and their long-standing singer Tarja Turunen hit high waves. Clap and gossip not always handled the soprano sensitively who aftermath made herself rather rare. Now the vocalist is back self-confidently with the album "My Winter Storm". Everyone who presumes the first single "I Walk Alone" concerns the lofty complaints of a woman who feels badly treated, is quite wrong thoroughly. "I never was alone ", stresses the singer.
"The central message of this song for me is in the refrain: ,My winter storm, holding me awake, it’s never gone’ - these words hit on me when I practiced the piece. Then they also led to the album title. A winter storm is energetic and powerful, a little bit awfully, but also nicely. It keeps one remaining attentive with open eyes. My winter storm are all the people who have supported me on my way." Musical “I Walk Alone” is a brilliant example of the approach, Tarja pursued with the whole album. Discreetly a theme from Mozarts "Requiem" is twined in the composition which unobstrusively melts with distorted guitars and percussion full of pressure. This is no classical rock, also no classical pop, but an own creation enriched with soundtrack atmosphere. "To reach this, was the biggest challenge ", according to Tarja. "From the beginning I had a clear vision where I wanted to go, but it was difficult to communicate this to all people who dealt with the production, from the musicians, the orchestra arranger up to the record company. When I told them about what I had in mind, a record where I would sing to rock guitars and which should sound like a soundtrack at the same time, they thought, I got insane. Now I see that we have created together exactly this what I wanted."

An important reason for the success of this undertaking certainly was the possibility to work in the Remote Control studios of Hollywood composer Hans Zimmer ("Gladiator")... "This was really impressive", remembers Tarja. "Behind every door sits a gifted person and works on new music with high pressure. Seven days the week, round-the-clock.. I walked in there and felt at first a little bit uncertainly "Hello? I am Tarja from Finland. I will work here on my album. Do you know Finland?" That’s how it all started. Everyone was very nice to me and I had the chance to co-operate with luminaries like Mel Wesson who ordinarily contributes these whole noises to sound tracks which jerks everyone at the movies. A great experience."

While songs like "Oasis", which has been written by Tarja solely, place emphasis on cinematic atmosphere, „Ciaran’s Well” marks the rocking side of the coin. With musicians like guitarist Alex Scholpp (ex-Farmer Boys) and Basser Doug Wimbish (Living Colour) who both will also belong to the Live-Lineup at the coming warmup concerts, the exceptional singer could also oblige top forces on this terrain. In a good temper she adores about the collaboration with so open-minded colleagues. Not even the fussing around the cover version of Alice Coopers "Poison" could blur the high spirits in the studio. "The song was a real nuisance for us", Tarja reveals laughing. "I evoked this one because I found out that this number was constantly played on the Finnish radio and I felt challenged. Everybody hated the piece wholeheartedly but this did not stop us from rolling on the floor laughing occasionally. And I think, we have done a good job. Of course it still sounds strange when I sing this text as a woman - however, I think, after all the work we put in, ,Poison' fits in the album context." Actually this curiosity finds its place somewhere between the acoustic action cinema of "Die Alive" and the touching "Boy And The Ghost". As a little stone in the big music mosaic "My Winter Storm". With such a bolstering release Tarja Turunen can calmly face the neverending questions on her former band: "Nightwish is a part of my past and it would be unnatural if no comparisons were pulled. Now, however, a new segment has begun in my career and I am very happy that I could realize this album. And believe it or not: The first ideas for the successor already exist..."