Marko Hietala Explained

Marko Hietala
Birth Name:Marko Tapani Hietala
Birth Date:14 January 1966
Birth Place:Kuopio, Finland
Genre:Heavy metal, symphonic metal, power metal
Occupation:Musician, songwriter, producer
Instrument:Vocals, bass, guitar
Years Active:1984–present

Marko Tapani "Marco" Hietala (born 14 January 1966) is a Finnish heavy metal vocalist, bassist and songwriter. Internationally, he is best known as the former bassist, male vocalist and secondary composer to Tuomas Holopainen, of the symphonic metal band Nightwish.[1] He is also the vocalist and bassist as well as composer and lyricist for the heavy metal band Tarot.[2]

He is also a member of the supergroup Northern Kings, and portrayed one of the main characters in Ayreon's 2013 album The Theory of Everything.

Biography

Marko Hietala was born in Kuopio, and is the youngest child of the Hietala family. Hietala lived in Tervo until the age of 15, after which he moved to Kuopio to study classical guitar, vocals and musical theory in high school. In 1984, he and his brother Zachary formed the heavy metal band Tarot under the name Purgatory. In 1986, Tarot received a deal for their first album and went on tour.[3] Before becoming a full-time musician, he worked as a live and studio sound engineer.[4]

While on tour with Tarot in 1998, Marko had met the members of the band Nightwish in Siilinjärvi as they were an opening act for his band. Marko recalled having watched their performance: "I watched their show and thought their music was actually quite good at times. They had all this force and drama, so maybe some day they would successfully combine the two. But goddamn, they looked absolutely horrible on stage. Shorthaired guys just standing there – Tarja was a pretty girl but just as petrified, shrieking in the middle of the stage in her leather pants. Honestly, I assumed them to be just a momentary fad and thought they will fade away after six months or so. Luckily, of course, I was so wrong."

Nightwish: 2001–2021

Hietala joined Nightwish in 2001 when Tuomas Holopainen and the band's manager called him and said that there would be a place in the band for a vocalist and a bass player.[5] Century Child was his first Nightwish album, following the departure of previous bassist Sami Vänskä.[6] He was a prominent guest musician in Delain, a project involving many members of the gothic and symphonic metal community.[7] He also participated in the recording of Invitation, by Altaria, providing backing vocals.[8] Hietala has also been part of the bands Sinergy and Northern Kings.[9]

Upon his arrival to Nightwish, several songs were written to contain duets with then Nightwish vocalist Tarja Turunen, allowing songwriter and band leader Tuomas Holopainen to take advantage of Hietala's distinctive raucous voice to add a new dimension to the band. A famous example is Nightwish's cover of "The Phantom of the Opera", from the album "Century Child".

During Nightwish's shows, Turunen would take a break halfway through the set. Before Hietala joined the band, the band would perform an instrumental song during this time. After Hietala joined the band, they performed covers of well-known songs, with Hietala singing the lead vocal part in this break. The band has performed Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train", W.A.S.P.'s "Wild Child", Dio's "Don't Talk to Strangers", Megadeth's "Symphony of Destruction" and Pink Floyd's "High Hopes". Some of these songs have been put up for sale as well on various Nightwish album releases. Following Turunen's departure from Nightwish, Hietala was much more involved with the production of Dark Passion Play, which was released in September 2007. He sang some songs, completely, and wrote the music for the song "The Islander", on which he also plays acoustic guitar instead of bass. Hietala is also credited alongside Holopainen for co-writing the song "The Crow, the Owl and the Dove" from Nightwish's 2011 album, Imaginaerum.

In Delain, Hietala played bass for the album Lucidity and was also the main male vocalist on the album with featured vocals on the song The Gathering. He is also featured as vocalist in two of the songs on Delain's second album April Rain and two songs from Delain's fourth album The Human Contradiction.

In March 2009, Hietala joined the band Sapattivuosi. They cover Black Sabbath songs in Finnish.[10] In this band, however, Hietala does not play bass; he only performs vocals.

On 1 April 2010 it was said that Hietala would leave the band to concentrate on a choir career. This was identified as an April Fool's joke, but was also a reference to his participation in Kuorosota (the localized Finnish version of Clash of the Choirs) in 2010. Hietala was the master of the Kuopio choir in the program's second season. He came second in the contest, losing in the finals to the Joensuu choir, headed by pop rock singer Ilkka Alanko. Tarot's single "I Walk Forever", from the Gravity of Light album, was performed for the first time by Hietala, Tommi Salmela and the Kuopio choir during Kuorosota 2010; other songs performed included "The Phantom of the Opera", which Hietala has covered with Nightwish as well.

In June 2010, Hietala joined the heavy metal supergroup HAIL! on two occasions, performing Black Sabbath's Neon Knights with Ripper Owens, Andreas Kisser, James LoMenzo and Paul Bostaph at two of their shows in Finland.[11]

On 14 August 2013, Hietala was the first singer to be confirmed by Arjen Lucassen to guest on Ayreon's new album The Theory of Everything.[12] In 2017 he joined Ayreon on stage for three shows at 013 Poppodium in Tilburg, the recording of these shows was later released as Ayreon's live album Ayreon Universe – The Best of Ayreon Live.

Hietala released his first solo album Mustan sydämen rovio in May 2019. He released the album under his birthname Marko Hietala and will be using the name also in his other projects in the future. Hietala has described his solo material as "hard prog".[13] An English version of the album, titled Pyre of the Black Heart (Nuclear Blast), followed in January 2020.[14] Joining him on the albums are drummer Anssi Nykänen, keyboardist Vili Ollila and guitarist Tuomas Wäinölä with whom he also toured in Finland in the summer and autumn of 2019. The band embarked on a European tour in February 2020.

In 2020, he participated in and won the Finnish edition of Masked Singer.[15]

2021–present

In December 2020, Hietala told Nightwish he had decided to leave to focus on other projects. He had been suffering from several mental disorders, including depression, for a decade. Despite medication, he had kept on getting worse. After the recording of and in part due to the respite brought by COVID-19 pandemic, Hietala finally reached the conclusion that leaving the band would prevent his illnesses from worsening.[16] On 12 January 2021, Hietala made his departure public and announced his withdrawal from the public eye.[17] Ten days later, Swedish symphonic metal band Therion released a music video for the song "Tuonela" that featured Hietala.[18]

On 18 June 2022, Northern Kings made a comeback that ended their 12-year hiatus and Hietala's 17-month break from the public. The band played at the 'Tuhdimmat Tahdit festival' in Nokia, Finland.[19] Hietala later in an interview, stated that he has not made contact with the members of Nightwish since his departure from the band in January 2021, and expressed uncertainty that he will be returning to Nightwish.[20] In an interview in October 2023, Hietala expressed doubt that he would ever return to Nightwish.[21] [22]

Hietala performed[23] with his solo band at Z7 Summer Nights Open Air in Pratteln, Switzerland on 8 July 2023, later joining former Nightwish bandmate Tarja Turunen at her solo show later in the evening to sing "The Phantom of the Opera" with her.[24] It was the first time they had sung the song together, after Tarja was fired from Nightwish in 2005. They also performed the song at Olavinlinna in Finland.[25] They toured together in 2024 in both Latin America and Europe on Tarja's "Living The Dream – The Hits Tour".[26] [27] While both Hietala and Turunen released a collaborative single titled "Left on Mars" on 13 March 2024,[28] Hietala stated that he has not ruled out the possibility of him and Turunen starting a new band together.[29]

Influences

Hietala has stated that the biggest influence on him as a bassist is Geezer Butler and Bob Daisley, while Ronnie James Dio and Rob Halford are his biggest influence as a vocalist. He has also stated that he listens to wide array of music ranging from "really sensitive stuff to a lot of really hard stuff", saying that he "tend[s] to soak up almost everything" which "somehow ends up being used" when he writes his own music.[30] [31]

Personal life

Hietala has two children with his ex-wife Manki, twin boys Antto and Miro. They lived in Kuopio, Finland. When he is not touring, he enjoys reading books, playing video games, and watching movies. He especially likes fantasy, horror and science fiction books. In 2016, a Finnish newspaper reported that Hietala had filed for divorce.[32] In August 2018, he married Camila Cavalcanti.[33] He and his wife have a daughter and live in Spain.[34]

Born Marko, Hietala has been regularly credited throughout his career as Marco. He said he adopted the version with "c" when he was young and trying to sound "cool", but that now it doesn't matter to him anymore. Starting with Mustan Sydämen Rovio, he intends to be credited as Marko in all his future projects.[35] [36] He also referred to the "Marco" spelling as "the last lie I had constructed about myself".[37]

Discography

Studio albums:

Nightwish

See main article: Nightwish discography. Studio albums:

Tarot

Studio albums:

Northern Kings

Studio albums:

Sapattivuosi

Studio albums:

Sinergy

Studio albums:

Raskasta joulua

See main article: Raskasta Joulua. Studio albums:

Conquest

Studio albums:

Collaborations and projects

As guest/session member

1990

1999

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2016

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

In-studio

Amorphis

Warmath

References

Sources

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 16 July 2009 . Nightwish: Video Interview With Marco Hietala Posted Online . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110606073612/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=123718 . 6 June 2011 . 19 March 2010 . Blabbermouth.
  2. Web site: 18 March 2010 . Tarot's New Album Lands on Finnish Chart . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110606073618/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=136949 . 6 June 2011 . 19 March 2010 . Blabbermouth.
  3. Web site: Nightwish – The Official Website . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120410192500/http://nightwish.com/en/band/members?id=3 . 10 April 2012 . 19 April 2012 . Nightwish.
  4. Web site: 31 December 2015 . Nightwish: Floor Jansen, Tuomas Holopainen and Marco Hietala on making the cut as a musician . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160108234139/https://thecut.fm/article/nightwish-floor-jansen-tuomas-holopainen-and-marco-hietala-on-making-the-cut-as-a-musician . 8 January 2016 . 2 January 2016 . The Cut.
  5. Web site: Marco Hietala - Nightwish - the Official Website . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20150521072836/http://nightwish.com/en/band/marco-hietala . 21 May 2015 . 28 January 2016.
  6. Web site: 7 May 2002 . Sinergy Singer, Former Bassist Issue Separate Statements Regarding Split . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110606073625/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=3293 . 6 June 2011 . 19 March 2010 . Blabbermouth.
  7. Web site: 11 March 2010 . Delain Announces New Bassist . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100316130447/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=136568 . 16 March 2010 . 19 March 2010 . Blabbermouth.
  8. Web site: 9 January 2003 . Altaria Complete Recording, Begin Mixing Full-Length Debut . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110606073645/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=8745 . 6 June 2011 . 19 March 2010 . Blabbermouth.
  9. Web site: 10 February 2009 . Northern Kings Performs at Finnish 'Eurovision Song Contest' Finals . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110606073705/http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=114147 . 6 June 2011 . 19 March 2010 . Blabbermouth.
  10. Web site: 25 June 2009 . Marco Hietala's Black Sabbath Tribute Band To Play in Poland . 19 March 2010 . Blabbermouth.
  11. Web site: HAIL! Performs With NIGHTWISH's MARCO HIETALA at Finland's SAUNA OPEN AIR . . 10 February 2013 . 5 May 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220505200627/https://blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=141637 . live .
  12. Web site: Marco Hietala guests on Ayreon Theory of Everything . 18 May 2014 . . 21 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160321113922/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEc6ch6mPPw . live .
  13. Web site: Nightwishin Marko Hietala kypsytteli soololevyä 20 vuotta ja lopputulos yllättää: "Karvanaamalta odotettiin täräkkää heavyn vääntöä ja huutoa" . 10 January 2021 . Yle Uutiset . May 2019 . 12 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210112093121/https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-10761251 . live .
  14. Web site: 22 November 2019 . MARKO HIETALA - Announce first solo album! . 10 January 2021 . Nuclear Blast . 25 January 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200125070034/https://www.nuclearblast.de/en/label/music/band/news/details/6361050.6134325.marko-hietala-announce-first-solo-album.html . live .
  15. Web site: 19 December 2020 . NIGHTWISH's MARCO HIETALA Crowned Winner Of Finnish Edition Of 'Masked Singer' . 31 December 2020 . BLABBERMOUTH.NET . 21 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201221162824/https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/nightwishs-marco-hietala-crowned-winner-of-finnish-edition-of-masked-singer/ . live .
  16. Web site: 4 August 2022 . MARKO 'MARCO' HIETALA On His Decision To Leave NIGHTWISH: 'It Was A Long Process' . . 12 April 2023 . 4 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220804180053/https://blabbermouth.net/news/marko-marco-hietala-on-his-decision-to-leave-nightwish-it-was-a-long-process . live .
  17. Web site: Marko Hietala leaves Nightwish . . . 12 January 2021 . 12 January 2021 . 12 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210112093533/https://www.loudersound.com/news/marko-hietala-leaves-nightwish . live .
  18. Web site: Harju. Toimittaja: Minttu. 23 January 2021. Therion julkaisi musiikkivideon "Tuonela"-kappaleestaan, jolla vierailee laulaja-basisti Marko Hietala. 25 January 2021. KaaosZine. fi. 28 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210128141902/https://kaaoszine.fi/therion-julkaisi-musiikkivideon-tuonela-kappaleestaan-jolla-vierailee-laulaja-basisti-marko-hietala/. live.
  19. Web site: Northern Kings are back! . 20 June 2022 . 14 July 2022.
  20. Web site: Former Nightwish Bassist/Vocalist Marko 'Marco' Hietala Doesn't Expect To Be Asked To Return To The Band . Blabbermouth.net . 17 July 2022 . en . 17 July 2022.
  21. Web site: Penfold . Scott . October 19, 2023 . MARKO HIETALA Discusses If He Would Ever Return To NIGHTWISH .
  22. Web site: Kivilcim . Deniz . October 20, 2023 . Marko Hietala Is Still Not Over His Disappointment With Nightwish .
  23. Web site: Kujanpää . Lauri . 2023-11-19 . Marko Hietala kertoo, millaista oli esiintyä Tarja Turusen kanssa - varsinkin fanien reaktiot koskettivat .
  24. Web site: Former NIGHTWISH Members TARJA TURUNEN And MARKO HIETALA Announce Special Concert In Switzerland . Blabbermouth.net . 30 April 2023 . en . 9 April 2023.
  25. Web site: August 4, 2023 . Watch: Ex-NIGHTWISH Members TARJA TURUNEN And MARKO HIETALA Reunite On Stage In Finland .
  26. Web site: Tarja Turunen Says She Has 'A New Relationship' With Former Nightwish Bandmate Marko Hietala: 'Life Has Changed Us' . Blabbermouth.net . 22 February 2024 . en . 19 February 2024.
  27. Web site: Ex-Nightwish Members Tarja Turunen And Marko Hietala Announce September 2024 European Tour . Blabbermouth.net . 31 March 2024 . en . 28 March 2024.
  28. Web site: Former Nightwish Members Marko Hietala And Tarja Turunen Collaborate On New Song 'Left On Mars' . Blabbermouth.net . 10 March 2024 . en . 9 March 2024.
  29. Web site: Mäenpää . Arto . Marko Hietala doesn't rule out the possibility of forming new band with Tarja Turunen . Chaoszine . 10 March 2024 . 9 March 2024.
  30. Web site: 5 July 2009 . Marco Hietala interview . 27 February 2011 . YouTube . 8 January 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160108234139/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaQgZtMjhVE . live .
  31. Web site: ~ Wings of Darkness ~ The Official Tarot Website . 18 May 2014 . Wingsofdarkness.net . 15 April 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140415051430/http://www.wingsofdarkness.net/php/profile_marco.php . live .
  32. Web site: 12 May 2016 . Nightwish-basisti Marco Hietala: avioero . 10 January 2021 . Ilta-Sanomat . 11 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210111204024/https://www.is.fi/viihde/art-2000001177177.html . live .
  33. Web site: Vau, mikä morsian! Kesällä avioitunut Nightwish-Marco ja Cami-vaimo juhlivat naimisiinmenoaan vasta nyt - katso kuvat hulppeista hääjuhlista Brasiliassa! . 10 January 2021 . seiska.fi . 14 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210114151043/https://www.seiska.fi/Uutiset/Vau-mika-morsian-Kesalla-avioitunut-Nightwish-Marco-ja-Cami-vaimo-juhlivat-naimisiinmenoaan . live .
  34. Web site: Vauvan isä Marko Hietala lähti Nightwishin jälkeen Espanjaan: "Minun oli muutettava tänne masennusta ja kaamosta pakoon" .
  35. Web site: Ronkainen . Anna . Nightwishin Marko Hietala kypsytteli soololevyä 20 vuotta ja lopputulos yllättää: "Karvanaamalta odotettiin täräkkää heavyn vääntöä ja huutoa" . . . 9 January 2021 . Finnish . 1 May 2019 . 12 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210112093121/https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-10761251 . live .
  36. Web site: Kostiainen . Pasi . Nightwishistä tuttu Marco Hietala raitistui lähes 10 vuotta sitten – nyt muusikko laulaa alkoholismista, joka oli viedä isän tavoin hänetkin . . . 9 January 2021 . Finnish . 29 June 2019 . 12 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210112171123/https://www.is.fi/musiikki/art-2000006156890.html . live .
  37. Web site: Sauermann . Gunnar . Marko Hietala: Ehrlich währt am längsten . Metal Hammer (Germany) . 10 January 2021 . German . 16 January 2020 . 13 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210113072939/https://www.metal-hammer.de/marko-hietala-ehrlich-waehrt-am-laengsten-1410573/ . live .
  38. Web site: Raskasta Joulua 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131226195126/http://www.raskastajoulua.com/#!artistit/c10fk . 26 December 2013 . 10 January 2021 . raskastajoulua.com .
  39. Web site: 16 December 2020 . JUPITERIUM – Current / Former NIGHTWISH, HAMMERFALL, AMORPHIS Members Pay Tribute To LEMMY With "King Of Spades" Lyric Video . 19 December 2020 . Bravewords . 16 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201216131311/https://bravewords.com/news/jupiterium-current-former-nightwish-hammerfall-amorphis-members-pay-tribute-to-lemmy-with-king-of-spades-lyric-video . live .

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