During the Nightwish promo tour for the band's new album, Human. :II: Nature., keyboardist / founder Tuomas Holpainen spoke with Rock Bottom during his stop in Hamburg.

On the five year gap between the new album and previous record, Endless Forms Most Beautiful:

"I, as a songwriter - and the other members of the band - strongly felt that it was time for a little breather. We had been going on for nearly 20 years without taking any time off, and with art you don't want to make any compromises. We could have gone straight to the studio and start doing a new album, but it would have been crap because none of us felt like doing a new album. So, that's why we decided to take our first sabbatical ever, so to say."

The clip below features Nightwish members Floor Jansen and Troy Donockley during a stop in Munich, Germany on the promo tour for the band's new album, Human. :II: Nature. They discuss the new record, along with various awards, parenthood, and Donockley's vocal similarities to Celine Dion.

Check out the BraveWords coverage of the Human. :II: Nature. listening session feature at this location.

Nightwish will release their new album, Human. :II: Nature., on April 10 via Nuclear Blast. Prior to that, the band has issued the first single and video clip for the song "Noise". Check it out below.

During the making of Human. :||: Nature., Nightwish became the first band ever to be given permission to hold a photo shoot in the legendary Cathedral that is Natural History Museum, London. This new video takes you on set with photographer Tim Tronckoe as he shoots the band in the Natural History Museum:

When Nightwish announce a new studio album people tend to take notice. They know that something special is brewing. Band leader Tuomas Holopainen once said that whenever he creates a new record he has the intention of capturing something rare and unique, a monument and a true album experience. In 2020 he’s certain to achieve his objective once again.

The long-awaited record, following 2015’s critically-acclaimed Endless Forms Most Beautiful, will be a double album containing nine tracks on the main CD and one long track, divided into eight chapters on CD 2. The album pre-order will start on February 7.

Human. :II: Nature. was recorded from August to October 2019 at Röskö campsite, Petrax Studios and Troykington castle, as well as Finnvox Studios, by Tero Kinnunen, Mikko Karmila and Troy Donockley. The mixing was done by Mikko Karmila at Finnvox, with Tuomas Holopainen and Tero Kinnunen. Mastering was done by Mika Jussila at Finnvox.

Tracklisting:

Disc 1:

"Music"
"Noise"
"Shoemaker"
"Harvest"
"Pan"
"How’s The Heart?"
"Procession"
"Tribal"
"Endlessness"

Disc 2:

"All The Works Of Nature Which Adorn The World - Vista"
"All The Works Of Nature Which Adorn The World - The Blue"
"All The Works Of Nature Which Adorn The World - The Green"
"All The Works Of Nature Which Adorn The World - Moors"
"All The Works Of Nature Which Adorn The World - Aurorae"
"All The Works Of Nature Which Adorn The World - Quiet As The Snow"
"All The Works Of Nature Which Adorn The World - Anthropocene" (incl. “Hurrian Hymn To Nikkal”)
"All The Works Of Nature Which Adorn The World - Ad Astra"