Aki's Blog

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As I reported earlier, the next release by symphonic metal band Nightwish will be their live EP/DVD with the odd name “Made in Hong Kong (And Various Other Places)” to be released in March of 2009 (some sources claim the 6th, some the 16th, but officially it’s just “March”.

The official press letter was rather cryptic, but after seeing actually confirmed sources as well as the Finnish version of the official website (some seemed to get lost in translation), I have come to understand this:

The release is a CD/EP as well as a “bonus” DVD.

The CD/EP is filled with live contents from different shows from the 2008 part of the band’s Dark Passion Play tour in Europe, Asia, South and North America. The actual shows are not confirmed, nor is the setlist, but obviously Hong Kong is expected. Many fans discusses the track listing, and hopefully they’ll decide to include the more “unusual songs”, such as Creek Mary’s Blood which is only played on some shows in USA when guest vocalist-instrumentalist John Two-Hawks plays his part, Higher Than Hope which is only played when the Bruelands visit the show and While Your Lips Are Still Red, which has only been played a couple of times. Hit songs such as Amaranth, Nemo, Bye Bye Beautiful and Wish I Had an Angel are almost certain to be included.

Nightwish live in 2008

The DVD was first thought to be further live clips, but as the Finnish version of Nightwish.com tells us, this is not the case. The DVD is actually a documentary “with material from Israel to South America”, directed by Ville Lipiäinen. The DVD might however include smaller clips, as most music documentaries do (including the one on End of an Era).

Rumours also say that the EP will include either a new Nightwish song or a re-recording of a song from the Tarja Turunen era, but these rumours are unconfirmed and according to me rather unbelievable since the band has been on tour for so long and I don’t really think they’ve had the time to record a new song. The only thing would be if they played a new song live, but they haven’t.

After I heard the name, I was first disappointed. “Made in Hong Kong (and Various Other Places)” didn’t sound Nightwish-y or “epic” at all, such as earlier albums; Century Child, Oceanborn, End of an Era, From Wishes to Eternity… After discussing it on the official forum, however, I realised the message that everything wasn’t always to be taken completely seriously. Sometimes you just want to rock out and that’s that. Also, as someone wrote, it’s the hidden message that in this world when everything’s mass produced in Hong Kong or China or Korea or whatever, Nightwish still sticks out in spite all the talk about them selling out.

Another BIG fan, Morrigan told us unknowing minions that the name actually derives from an interview Master Holopainen did in 2004, when he said that Nightwish isn’t to be taken completely serious all the time; and he mentioned the example that if they did a live DVD recorded in Hong Kong they’d maybe call it “Made in Hong Kong” just for the fun of it.

Please comment if you have any more information that I can add!

After barely listening to one of my top favorite bands ever, Finnish power metal Sonata Arctica, for almost half a year, I’ve fallen back again – ofcourse resulting in listening to them almost exclusively. Especially their latest album Unia (2007) has caught my attention, and it all started as I heard the bonus track “Out in the Fields” (Gary Moore cover) for the first time, a few days ago. Unia is also one of those albums you really don’t get the first time, but after a few listens… it’s great. Caleb is still my favorite song on the album, and one of their best songs together as well.And the fact that I’ve fallen back into Sonata Arctica is great for the fact that I’m seeing them live on November 1st as well! 

Things are getting more and more certain that I’ll see Finnish progressive power metal act Sonata Arctica live at the 31:st of October this year, in Huskvarna, Sweden. I’ve never seen them live before, but I know people who have and they’re supposed to be a great live band. Wish me luck.