Over the Hills and Far Away (album)
Encyclopedia
Over the Hills and Far Away is the first EP by Finnish symphonic metal
band Nightwish
, released in 2001 by both Spinefarm Records
and Drakkar Records
. The bassist Sami Vänskä
would leave the band after the recording of this CD, due to musical differences between him and Tuomas
, and was replaced by the current bassist and male vocalist, Marco Hietala
.
The editions by Drakkar and Century Media bring different live tracks from the live album and DVD From Wishes to Eternity
, recorded at Tampere
, Finland, on December 29, 2000.
The EP debuted at number one on the Finnish Singles Chart and spent twelve weeks in the top three, topping it for another four weeks and spending six weeks at number two. It charted for a total of 49 weeks, including two weeks in early 2004. The EP was awarded double-platinum certification in Finland in 2006 and has sold over 36,000 copies to date, becoming the sixth-best-selling single of all time in Finland. Over the Hills and Far Away entered also the European charts, in the Top 100 of Germany, Belgium, Austria, Netherlands and Switzerland.
The EP has two new songs and a remake of Angels Fall First's
"Astral Romance", sung by Tony Kakko
beside Tarja Turunen
. The title song is a cover from the Northern Irish singer and guitarist Gary Moore
, and has backing vocals by Tuomas Holopainen
, Tapio Wilska
and Kakko; Wilska also sings on "10th Man Down".
Symphonic metal
Symphonic metal is a term used to describe heavy metal music that has symphonic elements; that is, elements that are either borrowed from classical music or, as with progressive rock music, create a style reminiscent of it, e.g...
band Nightwish
Nightwish
Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Kitee, Finland. Formed in 1996 by songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former vocalist Tarja Turunen, Nightwish's current line-up has five members, although Tarja has been replaced by Anette Olzon and the...
, released in 2001 by both Spinefarm Records
Spinefarm Records
Spinefarm Records is a Finland-based record label focusing mainly on heavy metal artists. In 1999, a sub-label titled Spikefarm Records was started by Sami Tenetz from Thy Serpent...
and Drakkar Records
Drakkar Entertainment
Drakkar Entertainment GmbH, also called Drakkar Records or Drakkar Publishing, is a German record label with its headquarters in Witten. It is a joint venture with Bertelsmann Music Group.-History:...
. The bassist Sami Vänskä
Sami Vänskä
Sami Vänskä is the former bassist of Finnish symphonic power metal band Nightwish.-Background story:He started playing bass as a private study. He has played in a few bands which have been mostly from the metal genre....
would leave the band after the recording of this CD, due to musical differences between him and Tuomas
Tuomas Holopainen
Tuomas Lauri Johannes Holopainen is a Finnish composer known best for symphonic metal music. He has also studied jazz and classical styles, but prefers to be influenced by harmonic film music....
, and was replaced by the current bassist and male vocalist, Marco Hietala
Marco Hietala
Marko Tapani "Marco" Hietala is a heavy metal vocalist and bassist. Internationally, he is most known as the current bassist, male vocalist and composer, of the symphonic metal band Nightwish...
.
The editions by Drakkar and Century Media bring different live tracks from the live album and DVD From Wishes to Eternity
From Wishes to Eternity
From Wishes to Eternity - Live is a live DVD/VHS/CD by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. It was recorded in Tampere, Finland on 29 December 2000. The CD was released as a limited edition of 10.000 copies, available only in Finland. In the late 2005, Spinefarm managed to release it in Europe...
, recorded at Tampere
Tampere
Tampere is a city in southern Finland. It is the most populous inland city in any of the Nordic countries. The city has a population of , growing to approximately 300,000 people in the conurbation and over 340,000 in the metropolitan area. Tampere is the third most-populous municipality in...
, Finland, on December 29, 2000.
The EP debuted at number one on the Finnish Singles Chart and spent twelve weeks in the top three, topping it for another four weeks and spending six weeks at number two. It charted for a total of 49 weeks, including two weeks in early 2004. The EP was awarded double-platinum certification in Finland in 2006 and has sold over 36,000 copies to date, becoming the sixth-best-selling single of all time in Finland. Over the Hills and Far Away entered also the European charts, in the Top 100 of Germany, Belgium, Austria, Netherlands and Switzerland.
The EP has two new songs and a remake of Angels Fall First's
Angels Fall First
Angels Fall First is the debut album of Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. The original limited edition of which only 500 copies were released features seven tracks, two of which are not on the regular edition.- Musical style :...
"Astral Romance", sung by Tony Kakko
Tony Kakko
Toni Kristian "Tony" Kakko is a Finnish musician, composer and vocalist. He is mainly known as the vocalist, primary songwriter, and creative force in the band Sonata Arctica since 1996.-Biography:...
beside Tarja Turunen
Tarja Turunen
Tarja Soile Susanna Turunen Cabuli is a Finnish singer-songwriter and composer. She is a full lyric soprano and has a vocal range of three octaves....
. The title song is a cover from the Northern Irish singer and guitarist Gary Moore
Gary Moore
Robert William Gary Moore , better known simply as Gary Moore, was a Northern Irish musician from Belfast, best recognised as a blues rock guitarist and singer....
, and has backing vocals by Tuomas Holopainen
Tuomas Holopainen
Tuomas Lauri Johannes Holopainen is a Finnish composer known best for symphonic metal music. He has also studied jazz and classical styles, but prefers to be influenced by harmonic film music....
, Tapio Wilska
Tapio Wilska
Tapio Wilska is the main vocalist of the heavy metal band Sethian. He is also the ex-lead vocalist for the band Finntroll...
and Kakko; Wilska also sings on "10th Man Down".
Track listing
| Title | Writers | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Over the Hills and Far Away" (Gary Moore Gary Moore Robert William Gary Moore , better known simply as Gary Moore, was a Northern Irish musician from Belfast, best recognised as a blues rock guitarist and singer.... Cover) |
Gary Moore Gary Moore Robert William Gary Moore , better known simply as Gary Moore, was a Northern Irish musician from Belfast, best recognised as a blues rock guitarist and singer.... |
5:03 |
| 2. | "10th Man Down" (feat. Tapio Wilska Tapio Wilska Tapio Wilska is the main vocalist of the heavy metal band Sethian. He is also the ex-lead vocalist for the band Finntroll... ) |
Holopainen Tuomas Holopainen Tuomas Lauri Johannes Holopainen is a Finnish composer known best for symphonic metal music. He has also studied jazz and classical styles, but prefers to be influenced by harmonic film music.... |
5:24 |
| 3. | "Away" | Holopainen Tuomas Holopainen Tuomas Lauri Johannes Holopainen is a Finnish composer known best for symphonic metal music. He has also studied jazz and classical styles, but prefers to be influenced by harmonic film music.... |
4:33 |
| 4. | "Astral Romance" (re-recorded) (feat. Tony Kakko Tony Kakko Toni Kristian "Tony" Kakko is a Finnish musician, composer and vocalist. He is mainly known as the vocalist, primary songwriter, and creative force in the band Sonata Arctica since 1996.-Biography:... ) |
Holopainen Tuomas Holopainen Tuomas Lauri Johannes Holopainen is a Finnish composer known best for symphonic metal music. He has also studied jazz and classical styles, but prefers to be influenced by harmonic film music.... |
5:22 |
The band
- Tarja TurunenTarja TurunenTarja Soile Susanna Turunen Cabuli is a Finnish singer-songwriter and composer. She is a full lyric soprano and has a vocal range of three octaves....
– Vocals - Erno "Emppu" Vuorinen – Guitars
- Sami VänskäSami VänskäSami Vänskä is the former bassist of Finnish symphonic power metal band Nightwish.-Background story:He started playing bass as a private study. He has played in a few bands which have been mostly from the metal genre....
– Bass guitar - Tuomas HolopainenTuomas HolopainenTuomas Lauri Johannes Holopainen is a Finnish composer known best for symphonic metal music. He has also studied jazz and classical styles, but prefers to be influenced by harmonic film music....
– Keyboards, Backing vocals (on track 1) - Jukka NevalainenJukka NevalainenJukka Antero "Julius" Nevalainen is the drummer in the Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish and the Finnish progressive metal band Sethian.- Biography :He spent his early years in the city of Kitee...
– Drums
Guests
- Tapio WilskaTapio WilskaTapio Wilska is the main vocalist of the heavy metal band Sethian. He is also the ex-lead vocalist for the band Finntroll...
(from FinntrollFinntrollFinntroll is a folk metal band from Helsinki, Finland. They combine elements of black metal and folk metal. Finntroll's lyrics are mostly in Swedish, the only exception being the song "Madon Laulu" on Visor Om Slutet...
) – Vocals (on track 2) - Tony KakkoTony KakkoToni Kristian "Tony" Kakko is a Finnish musician, composer and vocalist. He is mainly known as the vocalist, primary songwriter, and creative force in the band Sonata Arctica since 1996.-Biography:...
(from Sonata ArcticaSonata ArcticaSonata Arctica are a Finnish power metal band from the town of Kemi, originally assembled in 1995. Their later works contain several elements typical of progressive metal.....
) – Vocals (on track 4), Backing vocals (on track 1)
Crew
- Tero Kinnunen - Producer, Mixing
- Mikko Karmila - Engineer
- Sami VänskäSami VänskäSami Vänskä is the former bassist of Finnish symphonic power metal band Nightwish.-Background story:He started playing bass as a private study. He has played in a few bands which have been mostly from the metal genre....
- Cover designer - Tomi Laurén - Illustrations
- Cartography by some "Raised In The Barrel" Spinedude