''Circus Black'' is the fourth full-length album by Finnish
symphonic power metal
Symphonic metal is a cross-generic style designation for the symphonic subsets of heavy metal music subgenres. It is used to denote any metal band that makes use of symphonic or orchestral elements. The style features the heavy drums and guitar ...
band
Amberian Dawn
Amberian Dawn is a Finnish symphonic power metal band, formed in 2006 by Tuomas Seppälä and Tommi Kuri. Their fifth album '' Re-Evolution'' (a re-recorded compilation with a new singer) was released on KHY Suomen Musiikki & Encore Music in sum ...
.
Stratovarius
Stratovarius is a Finnish power metal band that formed in 1985. Since their formation, they have released sixteen studio albums, five DVDs and six live albums. In its history, the band has gone through many chaotic lineup changes, and after fo ...
vocalist
Timo Kotipelto
Timo Antero Kotipelto (born 15 March 1969) is a Finnish musician best known as the lead singer of the power metal band Stratovarius, whom he joined in 1994, as well as fronting his own band Kotipelto.
Biography
He studied vocals at the pop/ja ...
provides lead vocals on "Cold Kiss" and keyboardist
Jens Johansson
Jens Ola Johansson (born 2 November 1963 in Stockholm) is a Swedish keyboardist and pianist who currently plays in the Finnish power metal band Stratovarius and Ritchie Blackmore's rock project Rainbow. He is notable for his high-speed neoclas ...
Yngwie Malmsteen
Yngwie Johan Malmsteen ( ; born Lars Johan Yngve Lannerbäck, 30 June 1963) is a Swedish guitarist. He first became known in the 1980s for his neoclassical playing style in heavy metal, and has released 22 studio albums in a career spanning ov ...
’s
Rising Force
''Rising Force'' is the first studio album by guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen, released in late 1984 through Polydor Records.
The band commented on the album: "Circus Black is the most impressive AD album so far. Musically it represents the most sophisticated and most symphonic edge of AD-music. There’s more diversity on this album than never before. This is the first time we used a real
choir
A choir ( ; also known as a chorale or chorus) is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform. Choirs may perform music from the classical music repertoire, which ...
and we gathered some really excellent professional opera singers together to be able to achieve the best sounding choir possible. This choir was conducted by Mikko P. Mustonen from Pathos Music. He also arranged the choir and orchestral parts. We managed once again to get some world-class guests on this album. So, the production is our biggest so far and the final polish on this album was given by Teropekka Virtanen (mixing engineer) and Mika Jussila (mastering engineer) at legendary Finnvox Studios in Finland." This album also marks the final album of the band to feature lead vocalist
Heidi Parviainen
Heidi Parviainen (born 8 March 1979) is a Finnish heavy metal singer and lead vocalist of symphonic metal band Dark Sarah.
She previously fronted Amberian Dawn. She is a classically trained lyric soprano.
Career
Agonia, Iconofear (1997–2 ...
as well as lead guitarist Kasperi Heikkinen and drummer Heikki Saari.
Track listing
All music by
Tuomas Seppälä
Tuomas Seppälä is a Finnish guitarist, keyboardist, and composer, best known as a founding member and main composer of the Finnish symphonic power metal band Amberian Dawn.
Biography
Seppälä started playing piano at the age of five, and in ...
, all lyrics by
Heidi Parviainen
Heidi Parviainen (born 8 March 1979) is a Finnish heavy metal singer and lead vocalist of symphonic metal band Dark Sarah.
She previously fronted Amberian Dawn. She is a classically trained lyric soprano.
Career
Agonia, Iconofear (1997–2 ...
Music video
"Cold Kiss" is the only song on the album to have its own music video, which was officially released through
Spinefarm Records
Spinefarm Records is a Finnish independent record label focusing mainly on heavy metal artists. It is a subsidiary of Universal Music Group.
History
Spinefarm Records was originally founded in 1990 by Riku Pääkkönen as a mail-order distrib ...
in early March 2012. It features Timo Kotipelto being bitten by vampires.
Personnel
Band members
*
Heidi Parviainen
Heidi Parviainen (born 8 March 1979) is a Finnish heavy metal singer and lead vocalist of symphonic metal band Dark Sarah.
She previously fronted Amberian Dawn. She is a classically trained lyric soprano.
Career
Agonia, Iconofear (1997–2 ...
-
vocals
Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...
*
Tuomas Seppälä
Tuomas Seppälä is a Finnish guitarist, keyboardist, and composer, best known as a founding member and main composer of the Finnish symphonic power metal band Amberian Dawn.
Biography
Seppälä started playing piano at the age of five, and in ...
-
keyboards
Keyboard may refer to:
Text input
* Keyboard, part of a typewriter
* Computer keyboard
** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping
** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware
Music
* Musi ...
,
guitar
The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...
, producer, engineer
*Kasperi Heikkinen - guitar
*Kimmo Korhonen - guitar
*Jukka Koskinen -
bass
Bass or Basses may refer to:
Fish
* Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species
Music
* Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range:
** Bass (instrument), including:
** Acoustic bass gui ...
*Heikki Saari -
drums
A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...
and
percussion
A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...
Guest/session musicians
*
Timo Kotipelto
Timo Antero Kotipelto (born 15 March 1969) is a Finnish musician best known as the lead singer of the power metal band Stratovarius, whom he joined in 1994, as well as fronting his own band Kotipelto.
Biography
He studied vocals at the pop/ja ...
- vocals on "Cold Kiss"
*
Jens Johansson
Jens Ola Johansson (born 2 November 1963 in Stockholm) is a Swedish keyboardist and pianist who currently plays in the Finnish power metal band Stratovarius and Ritchie Blackmore's rock project Rainbow. He is notable for his high-speed neoclas ...
- keyboard solo on "Crimson Flower"
*Nils Nordling - vocals on "I Share With You This Dream"
*Tuomas Nieminen - vocals on "I Share With You This Dream"
*Armi Pävinen - backing vocals on "Cold Kiss"
*Mikko P. Mustonen - orchestral arrangements, choir arrangements, programming, conductor