Anette Olzon's exclusive interview:Firstly, I would like to thank you immensely for giving this interview to the Confraria Floydstock.1 - How did you start your story with music?- I have always loved music and ever since I was a little child music was in my home all the time. My mother and my stepfather both played in bands and I heard it all the time and my whole mother’s families side is musicians in different ways. So at a very young age I sang all the time and it has always been my dream to be a singer. I started early with singing in my mums band, entering talent shows and taking vocal lessons followed by joining my first band at 16 years of age. 2 - As a teenager you sang in ABBA's cover band, one of the greatest exponents of Swedish music. How was that season? It was cool? This was actually not in my teens but a while before I joined Nightwish. It was fun but also very hard cause Abbas songs are not easy to sing or perform live. But I loved to be Agneta on stage since it was with abba I kinda started singing in my living room. My very first album I bought for my own money was Abbas album The arrival.3 - We can say that her contribution to the band Alyson Avenue was twofold: first being a great singer who fit in and leveraged or group, and then, when you took over as vocalist, driving off record sales on Alyson Avenue. How was that phase?It was fun and it was from the start only planned for me to join them in the studio putting down some background vocals for the band. But they liked my voice so much that I joined and me and the male singer shared the vocals for a while before they chose to only have me by the microphone. 4 - Nightwish leader Tuomas Holopainen selected you for the band from about 2,000 candidates. What do you think was your big differential that made you choose it?Very hard to say but probably my personality and voice. We clicked very well and that was important for them of course.5 - Your first albumt with Nightwish in 2007, "Dark Passion Play", already begins with the super song The Poet and the Pendulum", one of the best in the band and where you had a wonderful performance, in the studio and especially live. Do you agree that in this song you had one of your best performances in the band? What other songs from this stage of your career would you highlight?Thanks for such kind words first of all;-) I like the song a lot and it’s really nice but for me it’s not so special when it comes to my vocals. I believe there are other songs that were better although it is a nice song, but personally my favorites from that album are for instance Sahara, meadows of heaven and Eva. And one that didn’t make the album but is one of the best songs we ever did is Escapist. It really should had been in that album.6 - Now let's start talking about The Dark Element, your band since 2016 ... On the first album, self-titled, we feel a certain similarity to the symphonic power metal you made in your Nightwish phase. What are the main similarities and dissimilarities that you would highlight?Well it’s not made to be similar since Jani who makes the songs haven’t listened that much to nightwish. I believe it’s only some songs and elements that have similarities and then it’s that it’s symphonic music but one difference is that jani writes much catchier melodies and also uses 80s keys for instance. And the songs are less long and as I must say- easier to listen to. Also in nightwish the vocals were pushed back to sound like the other instruments and orchestra, whereas we in the dark element have the vocals up front and the main thing to be heard. I for one prefer it this way.7 - The second album from The Dark Element is already lbeing made. Does it already have title al release date?We have a date for the delivery of the master but not the set release date and no title yet.8 - Can you advance any differences from this album over the first?It’s in the same vain but also with some new elements and sounds. There will be surprises for sure.9 - The band has performed around the world. Recently you played in Japan. How has the audience been reacting to the new songs?They seemed to really like them and it felt great to see the crowds and their positive reactions.10 - Can we have The Dark Element playing here in Brazil anytime soon?We won’t tour and play live so much so we have to see but if we get good offers we might come over in the future.
Our new album is coming this year! "Songs The Night Sings" will be released on November 8, 2019 on Frontiers Music srl. First single, pre-orders, and more info coming soon. Check out the cover art and tracklisting below.Who's looking forward to hearing what we've come up with?Tracklist:1. Not Your Monster2. Songs The Night Sings3. When It All Comes Down4. Silence Between The Words5. Pills On My Pillow6. To Whatever End7. The Pallbearer Walks Alone8. Get Out Of My Head9. If I Had A Heart10. You Will Learn11. I Have To Go- Anette Olzon and Jani Liimatainen
Noted progressive metal vocalists Russell Allen (SYMPHONY X, ADRENALINE MOB) and Anette Olzon (THE DARK ELEMENT, ex-NIGHTWISH) will release a collaborative album in 2020.The project — which will apparently be released under the moniker ALLEN/OLZON — is included in a short preview video of Frontiers Music Srl's 2020 releases. Amazon.de also currently lists an upcoming release titled "Worlds Apart", which features an advertised street date of March 6.Since the end of her five-year stint with NIGHTWISH in 2012, Olzon released a solo album, 2014's "Shine", and formed THE DARK ELEMENT with former SONATA ARCTICA guitarist Jani Liimatainen. The group's self-titled debut album was released in 2017; a follow-up, "Songs The Night Sings", was released on November 8.Over the past 14 years, Allen — best known as the front man of long-running progressive metal group SYMPHONY X — has released four acclaimed collaborative albums with Norwegian singer Jørn Lande (MASTERPLAN, AVANTASIA, JORN). The first three ALLEN/LANDE releases were produced and written by Swedish guitarist Magnus Karlsson (PRIMAL FEAR, STARBREAKER), with the fourth and most recent — 2014's "The Great Divide" — produced and written by former STRATOVARIUS guitarist Timo Tolkki.Karlsson reunited with Allen to produce "Worlds Divide", as Frontiers posted a picture of the two together in May with the caption, "Magnus Karlsson and Russell Allen together again for a new, fantastic album. More news and details to follow soon!"On Friday, December 20, Anette commented on the upcoming LP, writing on social media: "So this is my secret project I've hinted about. To make an album with such a great and versatile singer as Russell Allen is an honor for me, and to have Magnus Karlsson making the songs and playing is also an honor. Album out very soon and can't wait for 2020."
#AnetteOlzon presenta el nuevo proyecto donde participará como vocalista al lado de #RussellAllen, junto a #MagnusKarlsson en la guitarra, teclado, bajo y #AndersKöllerfors en la batería.Si les gustan bandas como #Delain, #WithinTemptation y #Nightwish deberían escuchar este álbum.Tracklist:1. Never Die2. Worlds Apart3. I’ll Never Leave You4. What If I Live5. Lost Soul6. No Sign Of Life7. One More Chance8. My Enemy9. Who You Really Are10. Cold Inside11. Who’s Gonna Stop Me Now
