The fine tuning and trimming of the new Nightwish album has ended at last. Holopainen, Kinnunen and Karmila got all the tracks of the forthcoming Imaginaerum mixed and several test masterings were done during summertime. There are no words to tell what kind of a musical firework the album will be. After the previous record I pointed out to the band that it will be a mission impossible to outreach the perfect Dark Passion Play album – how wrong was I. It’s a pity how long all the fans have to wait to hear and feel the same that I have. And I’m not making the case any easier by flattering and praising Imaginaerum to be the best of its kind because it will be something no one has ever done before. Personally I hope the longest possible career to Nightwish because every member of the band has the unique honesty, down-to-earth mentality and frankness. They have deserved all the glory they have got!
In the end of May we had a listening session at Finnvox together with the band (without Anette), Karmila, Kinnunen and Stobe Harju & Petri Alanko working on the movie score. Tuomas brought some champagne and I took care of some salty and sweet snacks. After stunning and dead-dropping experience we headed off to a tight and exciting bowling match Nightwish against technicians. Using some irregular and violative arrangements in their team Nightwish won the competition. Unfortunately the anti-doping committee was not visiting on their track. Post mortem of the bowl game were forgotten during Lappish dinner in the centre of Helsinki, only without the guitar hobbit whose diet included only liquid nourishment.