Former NIGHTWISH vocalist TARJA TURUNEN will release her new album, Colours In The Dark, on August 23rd in Europe, and on August 27th in North America, via earMUSIC.

Check out the special edition cover artwork created by Dirk Rudolph below:

Regular edition artwork:

Despite her light and shiny personality, Tarja’s music has always been dressed “in black” - the colour of heavy rock, of mystery and elegance. With Tarja’s new album, fans will find out what happens when a splice of colour is added to the mix. Or - better said - when the full colour spectrum enters the picture it does not cover the black but makes it shine through with many emotions and landscapes.

Following up on the success of the multi-platinum and gold awarded previous records My Winterstorm (2007) and What Lies Beneath (2010), Tarja finally returns with her long-awaited new rock album. Colours In The Dark will be released on August 23rd via earMUSIC, the label which also released the top 5 live project, Act 1.

Mixed and mastered by Tim Palmer in Austin, Texas (PEARL JAM, U2), the songs on Colours In The Dark do not shy away from taking a risk and surprising musical turns, introducing new sounds and new musical atmospheres. Still, they maintain a heaviness that will surely bring a big smile to the hardest of rockers. With its grand orchestra and choir arrangements, Tarja’s next milestone emphasises once again the impressive vocal range of the Finnish artist and shows her artistic growth. With ten brand new songs and over one hour of music, Colours In The Dark is definitely going to be one of the brightest moments for rock in 2013.

Tarja will perform the songs from Colours In The Dark Tour 2013 starting with her forthcoming tour in Germany. Dates include:

October

19 - Berlin, Germany - Huxley’s
22 - Hamburg, Germany - Docks
23 - Dortmund, Germany - FZW
25 - Karlsruhe, Germany - Festhalle Durlach
26 - Munich, Germany - Backstage
27 - Vienna, Austria - Arena
29 - Zürich, Switzerland - Komplex
30 - Nuremberg, Germany - Löwensaal

November

1 - Leipzig, Germany - Haus Auensee
2 - Cologne, Germany - Gloria

Updates to follow.