During a conversation with Ultimate Guitar's Justin Beckner, Nightwish bassist Marco Hietala talked about the addition of singer Floor Jansen to the band, who joined the fold in 2013, while also touching on the ongoing lockdown, the band's former singer Anette Olzen, and more. Following is an excerpt from the interview.

UG: What made Floor the right choice as a singer for Nightwish?

Marco: "Well, in hindsight, I would say that we were able to get the best personal chemistry between the band and the vocalist. Now we can talk about that because it's the personal chemistry of a band. With Floor, the question was always that she was a fan of this hard music. She was always a fan of it. She wanted to be in bands and started doing it and got her feet under her in the process. So in that way, it's easier for her, therefore it's easier for all of us.

Vocally, all of the vocalists have been brilliant. But then there is this thing about who is best suited for this life on the road. The guys in the band, we're pretty much road horses. I mean, I am really hooked on doing shows - I really like to be an entertainer and I like to make music with the people that I like and when you get the big bubble going where you, your friends, and the audience are all going crazy with that same [energy], it's just brilliant. That's my life's biggest drug, so I'm happy to go on the road."

UG: We miss having you out on the road. Has there been any discussion about when and how you might be able to get back out there?

Marco: "All the festivals toppled over one by one like dominos and now they are pretty much closing the whole summer already. So we still have hope that there might be a medical breakthrough that could allow us to still do the European tour in November and December. But I cannot really be for sure about that either. The only thing I know from my personal experience is that when it happens, I will be ready to raise some goddamn serious hell."

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Nightwish recently released their long-awaited ninth record, Human. :II: Nature., that has now conquered the charts worldwide, including #1 in their home-country Finland and Germany and #2 in Canada, Austria, Hungary and Switzerland. Further chart-entries below.

Global Chart entries:

Finland #1
Germany #1
Canada #2
Austria #2
Switzerland #2
Hungary #2
Poland #3
Portugal #3
Australia #4
Norway #4
Czech Republic # 4
Netherlands #4
Japan #8
Scotland #9
Belgium #11
Sweden #11
Slovakia #12
Italy #45
UK #53
France #53
USA #110

Digital:

Global: Amazon Music - Top Releases All Genres – Global - #7, Amazon Music - Rock – Global #3, Deezer – All Genres - Top 200 Global #4, Deezer – Rock - Top 200 Global #1

Finland – Apple Music All Genres #1
Sweden - Apple Music All Genres #7
Norway - Apple Music All Genres #2
Germany - Apple Music All Genres #12, Deezer Top 200 #3
Netherlands – Apple Music All Genres #4, Deezer Top 200 #3
Switzerland - Apple Music All Genres #10
Russia – Apple Music All Genres #2
Austria – Apple Music Rock #1
USA – iTunes All Genres #2, Deezer Top 200 #2
UK – Apple Music Rock #3, Deezer Top 200 #3
France – Apple Music Rock #1, Deezer Top 200 #2
Brasil – Deezer Top 200 #2
Mexico – Apple Music Rock #1, Deezer Top 200 #2

Several Top 20 entries on Apple Music, Deezer & Amazon Music in Europe, South America, Australia/New Zealand and the US/CA.

Get the album in various formats here. Get it digitally here.