Nightwish have announced the first official show in support of their as-yet-untitled new studio album, It will take place at The Greek Theater in Los Angeles on May 1st, 2015. VIP and Meet & Greet tickets are exclusively on sale through Enter The Vault starting today (September 9th).

The rest of the tickets will go on sale through Ticketmaster on September 12th.

Nightwish are currently working on their new album. It will be the first Nightwish studio-record to feature Dutch vocalist Floor Jansen. It’s set for a release in spring 2015 via Nuclear Blast. They have checked in with the following update:

"The recording of the album is going great. Today we can announce that all rhythm and lead guitars are now recorded! Missing just a couple of solos, to be recorded after the vocals (hard to shred with that mutant right hand, anyway…). Truly fantastic job, Emppu! On to keyboards and vocals next."

Nightwish recently uploaded the third album trailer. In this “making-of” episode, Nightwish give insight on the song writing process.

Commented keyboardist and main composer Tuomas Holopainen: “When I come up with a subject for the song, I always see it as a short movie. Each song is like a soundtrack for that movie in my head... it takes at least 12-18 month to write an album.”

Two previous trailers follow:

#1 – The Cabin:          

#2 – By The Lake:      

While Nightwish are at work on their upcoming studio album, fans can enjoy a series of five special clips, with impressions of the Imaginaerum world tour. An impressive clip for the Nightwish classic, "Planet Hell" follows.

Nightwish drummer Jukka Nevalainen, who has been with the band since 1997, recently surprised fans with the following statement:

“How to begin telling something that you wouldn’t want to have to tell, although you know that the decision you made is the only (at least the only right) one you could make at the moment? I face this dilemma now, and will do my best to find the right words.

For a number of years, I have suffered from occasional but very difficult insomnia, something that has been my unwanted companion during many of our tours, too. I’ve done my best to try to control it or at least to cope with it. Still, we don’t even really know why we need sleep, so unfortunately there’s not much information available on why some of us suffer from sleeplessness. There is no 100% cure for the problem.

During the last month, it has become evident for me that due to my insomnia, I can’t fulfill my duties as a musician in the way that I’d want and with the precision that the music deserves. Thus I have decided to step aside from my duties as the drummer of Nightwish during the recording of the forthcoming album and the subsequent tour. I will still be involved in managing the day-to-day affairs of the band, but the dearest and the most important thing, playing, is, for the time being, not possible. Time will tell what the future holds.

"On a personal level, my decision obviously feels indescribably sad. Fortunately, looking at it with some distance, it is “just” part of the constant, inevitable ebb and flow of life. The sad things are part of it as well as the beautiful, unforgettable experiences and adventures that I’ve already had the pleasure to experience in spades. Surely, there will still be many adventures ahead, too.

My good friend Kai Hahto will play drums on the forthcoming album. I’m extremely grateful that he didn’t hesitate for a minute when he decided to help us in this challenging situation. What comes to touring, everything is still open, but we will let you know as soon possible what the line-up will be.

If beginning this was hard, so is ending it. So maybe I will just quote something fitting.

You can only lose something that you have, but you cannot lose something that you are."