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Yesterwynde
Studio album by Nightwish
Released	20 September 2024 (2024-09-20)
Recorded	August–November 2023
Studio	Röskö Campsite (Kitee) Paha Pajari (Kitee) Petrax (Hollola) Studio Dahl (Brastad) Troykington Castle (North Yorkshire) Abbey Road Studios (London)
Genre	Symphonic metal progressive metal gothic metal
Length	71:07
Label	Nuclear Blast
Producer	Tuomas Holopainen
Nightwish studio album chronology
Human. :II: Nature. (2020) Yesterwynde (2024)
Singles from Yesterwynde
"Perfume of the Timeless" Released: 21 May 2024 "The Day of..." Released: 8 August 2024 "An Ocean of Strange Islands" Released: 10 September 2024

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Blabbermouth.net	8.5/10
Classic Rock
Distorted Sound	9/10
Kerrang!
Metal Hammer
Metal Injection	9/10
Rock Hard	8.5/10

Yesterwynde is the tenth studio album by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, released on 20 September 2024 by Nuclear Blast. This marks their first studio album since Wishmaster that does not feature Marko Hietala, following his departure from the band in January 2021, and the first album to feature Jukka Koskinen as the new bassist.

Background

Production

Holopainen began drafting ideas for the next Nightwish album in March and April 2021 while also engaging with his side projects Auri and Darkwoods My Betrothed. He confirmed that the band had booked a studio for the next album, scheduled for three months in the summer of 2023 at the Röskö campsite. In March 2022, Holopainen entered the studio to write demos for the upcoming Nightwish album, which were later completed in June 2022.

After the band listened to the demos, Jansen, who was at the time working on her debut solo album Paragon, stated on 10 June 2022 that while the band's signature sound would remain intact, the upcoming album would take a heavier direction. Holopainen later confirmed that the next album would serve as both a continuation of Human. :II: Nature and the third and final part of a trilogy that began with Endless Forms Most Beautiful. After completing the demos in July at an undisclosed location, the band began tracking the album in August. Drummer Kai Hahto later confirmed that he had finished recording drums for eight songs. The band completed tracking their instruments in September 2023, with the orchestral arrangements concluding the following month. The recording sessions were completed by the end of November 2023. Mixing and mastering commenced at Finnvox Studios in January 2024, and was completed by the end of February.

Composition

Themes

The title of the album is a word coined by band member Troy Donockley, which Holopainen describes as encapsulating the feelings of time, history, memory, and the connection to past generations, who have "all had their lives, their ups and downs, and they don't exist anymore, except as atoms scattered all over the universe. And we're going to be in that state pretty soon as well. So that should give you something to think about."

Holopainen has characterized the album as exploring themes of humanism, history, and their inspirations, emphasizing that the overall outlook of the album is positive and optimistic.

Release and promotion

The album's title was announced on April 30, 2024, along with a release date of September 20, 2024. The first single from the album, titled "Perfume of the Timeless," was released on May 21, 2024. The second single, titled "The Day of...," was released on August 8, 2024. The third and final single, "An Ocean of Strange Islands," was released on September 10, 2024. A music video for the song "Lanternlight" was released on September 20, 2024, the same day the album was released.

No tour was planned to support the album, as the band began a hiatus from touring following its release, which Hahto stated would last for "two or three years."

Track listing

All tracks are written by Tuomas Holopainen.

Personnel

Credits for Yesterwynde adapted from liner notes.

Nightwish

• Tuomas Holopainen – keyboards
• Emppu Vuorinen – guitars
• Floor Jansen – lead vocals
• Troy Donockley – Uilleann pipes, low whistles, guitars, bouzouki, bodhrán, aerophone, male vocals
• Kai Hahto – drums, percussion
• Jukka Koskinen – bass

Additional personnel

• Tuomas Holopainen – production, mixing, orchestral and choir arrangements
• Troy Donockley – engineering
• Tero Kinnunen – production, engineering, mixing
• Mikko Karmila – engineering, mixing
• Jonathan Allen – engineering
• Neil Dawes – engineering assistant
• John Barrett – engineering (additional)
• Risto Hemmi – mixing (ATMOS version)
• Mika Jussila – mastering
• Niklas Jussila – mastering (ATMOS version)
• Pete Voutilainen – cover art, photography
• Mikko Pankasalo – layout
• James Shearman – conductor, orchestral and choir arrangements

The Sepian Voices

• Tom Pearce – choirmaster
• Sarah Eyden, Grace Davidson, Joanna Forbes, Sarah Ryan, Katy Treharne, Caroline Clarke, Sejal Keshwala, Jacqueline Barron, Soophia Roroughi, Kirsty Hoiles, Mary Carewe, Claire Henry, Alice Fearn, Louise Marshall, Liz Swain, Helen Brookes, Sumudu Jayatilaka, Jo Marshall, Tom Pearce, Gerry O'Beirne, Philip Brown, Robin Bailey, Richard Henders, Michael Robinson, Sebastian Charlesworth, Michare Dore, Ben Goddard, Lawrence White, Scott Davies, David Porter Thomas, Andrew Playfoot, Lawrence Wallington, James Mawson, Cameron Jones

The Children of 'Ata Choir

• Hanalee Valke, Isabella Moore, Philip Rhodes, Benson Wilson, Kieran Rayner

Children's Choir

• Malakai Bayoh, William Borthwick, Daniel Catalogna, Christy Cole, Charles Deconinck, Chet Gibson, Edward Grant, Lukas Haggo, Thomas King, Victor Livert, Kieran Lund-Deely, Filippo Pignatelli, Adrian Pueyo-Blasco, Henry Scully, Benedict Sefton, Alfie Sterne, Giulio Tittoto, Davide Wernig, Toby Yates

Sepian Orchestra

Charts

References

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• 2024 albums
• Nightwish albums
• Nuclear Blast albums