Nightwish keyboardist / founder Tuomas Holopainen recently with Spain's Goetia Media about the band's new album, Human. :II: Nature. He explains why he gave the album its name, he reveals the symbol between "Human" and "Nature" does mean something, and says that the album is "quite optimistic."

Tuomas: "We have heard a lot of opinions of the opposite, like 'What a dark and depressing album' and 'The 'Noise' video is the darkest video you've ever done.' I don't see it like that. I never intended that to be the case. I love humankind, I'm very optimistic about our future. We have such tools in our hands, we have such wisdom, especially the generation after us when you look at kids today. It fills me with hope and pride to see how they act, and they're knowledge and awareness of the world."  

Nightwish will release their new album, Human. :II: Nature., on April 10 via Nuclear Blast. A lyric video for the new song, "Harvest", is available for streaming below.

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.

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.

Pre-order the album here.

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"

"Harvest" lyric video:

"Noise" video: