Nightwish prépare simultanément un nouvel album et un film.

Imaginarium est un film qui va être tourné au printemps par Stobe Harju, qui a réalisé le clip de The Islander.

L'album, du même nom, comportera 13 titres et devrait sortir en 2012.

Une conférence de presse, fin février, devrait nous éclairer un peu plus sur ce projet.

NIGHTWISH mainman Tuomas Holopainen has revealed more details about the band's upcoming "Imaginarium" album and movie project exclusively to Petri Silas of Finland's Soundi magazine.

In an interview that was conducted on February 13, just prior to Tuomas flying over to London to oversee the recording of the album's orchestral parts and choir sections, Holopainen said that he was responsible for penning all of the music on "Imaginarium", with the exception of one track, which was written by vocalist/bassist Marco Hietala.

The new NIGHTWISH CD includes an epic 20-minute track which may or may not be split into two sections during the mastering. This is why Holopainen can't say yet whether the album will consist of 12 or 13 songs. Orchestral arrangements by Pip Williams and assorted Celtic instrumentation by Troy Donockley will once again make an appearance on the new album (as they did on 2007's "Dark Passion Play"). However, according to Holopainen, two of the tracks on "Imaginarium" will have no orchestral score whatsoever. There are also some very interesting new sounds in the mix.

"We are using a wide array of ethnic instruments like the Taiko drums and the zurna on 'Imaginarium' The choir parts are yet again delivered by The Metro Voices," Tuomas said.

The movie "Imaginarium", directed by Stobe Harju, will follow the album's theme and story closely and will also include dialogue. All the preliminary screenplay work is finished and the storyboards are now done but no actors or actresses have yet been cast. In Holopainen's estimation, mainly unknown actors would be the best choice for the film as "unfamiliar faces tend to leave more space to the viewers' imagination."

In order to "avoid mix-ups" with various things named "Imaginarium", the title of the upcoming album and the movie from Finnish/Swedish symphonic metallers NIGHTWISH has been changed to "Imaginaerum".

NIGHTWISH recently inked a new European deal with Nuclear Blast Records. The band's new album, "Imaginaerum", will be released in December. The U.S. version of the CD will be made available through Roadrunner Records.

Commented NIGHTWISH keyboardist/mainman Tuomas Holopainen: "We are very happy to continue working with the Nuclear Blast family! Our collaboration started on a friendship basis and continues to do so.

"I was utterly happy and relieved to see they truly understood what 'Imaginaerum' is all about, and we seem to share similar profound enthusiasm towards it.

"I feel privileged working with such people who, despite the infinite maze of business they must handle properly, still have a huge heart for music itself."

Added Andy Siry, head of A&R and label manager of Nuclear Blast: "We are very happy that NIGHTWISH and Nuclear Blast Records can continue as a team.

"NIGHTWISH became the biggest success of our label and everyone in the band, their management and crew also became trustful and close friends. For us, it is a pleasure to work with such highly gifted musicians and a genius like Tuomas Holopainen, as a songwriter and composer. We also thank King Foo Entertainment [NIGHTWISH's management company] for their belief and the great relationship between all of us.

"We are looking forward to the next releases with the band, starting with the upcoming masterpiece, 'Imaginaerum', which is another big step for this visionary band, which is simply outstanding and brilliant."

NIGHTWISH recently spent time not only putting finishing touches to its new album, "Imaginaerum", but also planning a movie of the same name. If all goes well, the film will arrive at some point in 2012.

NIGHTWISH will kick off the "Imaginaerum" world tour in Los Angeles. The very first show of the trek will take place at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, California on Saturday, January 21. This will be the biggest NIGHTWISH show production ever on North American soil and strictly a one-off — there will be no U.S. tour until later in 2012.