Nightwish have confirmed their eighth album will be entitled Endless Forms Most Beautiful, and it’s set for release on March 30.
And mainman Tuomas Holopainen says the entire work was inspired by a quote from Charles Darwin, who spearheaded the theory of evolution.
The follow-up to 2011’s Imaginaerum is the band’s first with vocalist Floor Jansen, and with Troy Donockley as a full-time member. Drummer Jukka Nevalainen sat out recording sessions over health issues – he was replaced by Wintersun’s Kai Hahto. The record also features a guest appearance by evolutionary biologist and writer Professor Richard Dawkins.
Holopainen cites Darwin’s words in his groundbreaking paper The Origin Of Species: “There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.”
The band leader says: “This classic quote is where it all began. We set sail for the ultimate journey in March 2015 – join us!”
Jansen recently admitted recording the album had been a challenge, adding: “I’m very proud of it and happy I could do it this way – it’s the first time I’m singing on an album I didn’t write myself.”
Endless Forms Most Beautiful will be headed up with the launch of lead single Elan on February 13, to be accompanied by non-album track Sagan. The album will be available in standard CD, digibook including instrumental disc, double-vinyl gatefold, extended earbook and download formats.
More details will be confirmed in due course.
