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Marko Hietala Announces First Solo Album ‘Pyre Of The Black Heart’

Written by Johnson Stephen on November 29, 2019

Marko Hietala announces that he’s signed with Nuclear Blast for his upcoming solo album ‘Pyre Of The Black Heart’, which is set to be released on January 24th 2020 and he describes the style of the upcoming release as “Hard Prog”.

In regards to the goal behind his solo album, Marko 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’s voice has barely faded away, and he is already honouring his skilful band mates. “Even if ‘Pyre Of The Black Heart’ is definitely my solo album, I didn’t compose everything on my own. When the song writing 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 line-up like no other.”

The Track Listing for ‘Pyre Of The Black Heart’:
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! It will be amazing to perform these solo songs for all those multinational friends of my music”, Hietala says and continues: “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 Of The Black Heart 2020
w/ Oceanhoarse
02.02. DE Hamburg – Markthalle
04.02. DE Frankfurt – Batschkapp
06.02. DE Munich – Backstage
07.02. DE Leipzig – der ANKER
08.02. PL       Wroclaw – Centrum Koncertowe A2
09.02. CZ       Prague – Roxy
11.02. HU Budapest – Barba Negra
13.02. DE Stuttgart – Im Wizemann
14.02. CH       Pratteln -c Z7
16.02. DE Oberhausen – Turbinenhalle
17.02. NL       Amsterdam – Melkweg
18.02. FR Paris – La Machine du Moulin Rouge