Heidi Parviainen (born 8 March 1979) is a Finnish heavy metal singer and lead vocalist of

symphonic 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

Dark Sarah Dark Sarah is a Finnish symphonic metal band created by Heidi Parviainen, after her departure from Finnish metal band Amberian Dawn in 2012. Their style is often described as "cinematic metal". History Formation and creation of ''Behind the ...

. She previously fronted

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 ...

. She is a classically trained

lyric soprano A lyric soprano is a type of operatic soprano voice that has a warm quality with a bright, full timbre that can be heard over an orchestra. The lyric soprano voice generally has a higher tessitura than a soubrette and usually plays ingenues and ot ...

Career

Agonia, Iconofear (1997–2006)

With Amberian Dawn (2006–2012)

It turned out that she was exactly what they were looking for, due to her ability to both sing and contribute lyrics. This completed the band's lineup, now under the name of Amberian Dawn. Heidi started to write lyrics which were often influenced by

Finnish Finnish may refer to: * Something or someone from, or related to Finland * Culture of Finland * Finnish people or Finns, the primary ethnic group in Finland * Finnish language, the national language of the Finnish people * Finnish cuisine See also ...

and

Norse mythology Norse, Nordic, or Scandinavian mythology is the body of myths belonging to the North Germanic peoples, stemming from Old Norse religion and continuing after the Christianization of Scandinavia, and into the Nordic folklore of the modern period ...

, and many songs reference the Finnish national poem

Kalevala The ''Kalevala'' ( fi, Kalevala, ) is a 19th-century work of epic poetry compiled by Elias Lönnrot from Karelian and Finnish oral folklore and mythology, telling an epic story about the Creation of the Earth, describing the controversies and r ...

. She undertook three European tours with the band and performed at several European festivals. On 19 November 2012 the band announced that Heidi had parted ways with them. The decision was made in early 2012, making thus

Metal Female Voices Fest Metal Female Voices Fest was a heavy metal music festival dedicated to female vocalists, held annually in the Oktoberhallen in Wieze, Belgium from 2003 to 2016. It was organized by the ''Metal Organisation'', which later changed into "2 Wild 4 age ...

their last show together with Heidi.

Dark Sarah (2012–present)

A few days after her departure, Heidi announced that she had started a new musical project called "Dark Sarah". She said Dark Sarah "is making one of my dreams come true, a dream that had been sleeping for many years but now has finally awoken." Heidi explained the concept: The musical style combines elements of film music, metal music and music theater. On the album called ''Behind the Black Veil'', which will feature several guest musicians such as

Manuela Kraller Manuela Kraller (born 1 August 1981) is a German soprano singer. She is best known as the former lead singer of symphonic metal band Xandria from late 2010 until late 2013. She was formerly one of the soprano vocalists in the symphonic metal ban ...

, Inga Scharf (

Van Canto Van Canto (sometimes stylized as van Canto) is a German a cappella metal band, founded in 2006 and composed of six singers and a drummer. Although the group is often classified as an a cappella ensemble, they use real drums in their music, inst ...

) and

Kasperi Heikkinen Kasperi Heikkinen (born 1980) is a guitar player who is best known as a member of Finnish symphonic power metal band Amberian Dawn. He played in the band from early 2007 until late 2012. He is also the guitarist for Finnish metal bands Merging Fl ...

(

U.D.O U.D.O. is a German Heavy metal music, heavy metal band founded by lead vocalist Udo Dirkschneider in 1987. History Following Udo Dirkschneider's departure from Accept (band), Accept in 1987, he formed his own band called U.D.O. He recruited gu ...

, Merging Flare). Dark Sarah consists of a talented band including musicians like: Erkka Korhonen (guitar) (Raskasta joulua,

Northern Kings Northern Kings is a Finnish symphonic metal cover band, cover supergroup, made up of four well known musicians: Jarkko Ahola from Teräsbetoni, ex-Dreamtale, Marko Hietala from Tarot (band), Tarot, ex-Nightwish, Tony Kakko from Sonata Arctica an ...

), Sami-Petri Salonen (guitar),

Jukka Koskinen Jukka Koskinen is a Finnish musician, who is the bassist for the Finnish band Wintersun. He was also the bassist for Norther from 2000 until their disbandment in 2012, for Amberian Dawn from 2010 until 2013, for Cain's Offering from 2009 until ...

(bass) (

Wintersun Wintersun is a Finnish heavy metal band from Helsinki originally formed as the side project of Jari Mäenpää, then-vocalist and guitarist of folk metal band Ensiferum. In 2003, Mäenpää began pulling together songs that he had been work ...

) and Lauri Kuussalo (drums). Dark Sarah has released 3 albums so far, after an initial EP. The first album, Behind the Black Veil, was released in 2014. This was followed by The Puzzle (released 2016), and The Golden Moth (released 2018). The Violent Roses EP was released in 2014. In 2020 the band announced their signing to Napalm Records and a new studio album called "Grim".

Other works

Parviainen has performed with a few other bands in studio, with

Eternal Tears of Sorrow Eternal Tears of Sorrow (commonly abbreviated to EToS) is a Finnish symphonic/melodic death metal band formed in Pudasjärvi. Biography The band was formed in 1994 by Jarmo Puolakanaho, Altti Veteläinen and Olli-Pekka Törrö, after variou ...

on the song "Tears of Autumn Rain" from the album

Children of the Dark Waters ''Children of the Dark Waters'' is the sixth studio album by Finnish symphonic death metal band Eternal Tears of Sorrow. It was released in May 2009 through Suomen Musiikki for Finland, Massacre Records for the rest of Europe and Marquee/Avalon ...

in 2009, and with

Ensiferum Ensiferum (Latin: , n adj., meaning "sword bearing") is a Finnish folk metal band from Helsinki. The members of the band label themselves as "melodic folk metal." History Formation, demos and ''Ensiferum'' (1995−2002) ''Ensiferum'' was founde ...

on their album

Unsung Heroes ''Unsung Heroes'', also known as ''Unknown Heroes'' or more literally as ''Nameless Heroes'', is a North Korean war drama mini-series about a spy in Seoul during the Korean War. Over twenty hours long, it was filmed and released in multiple part ...

, providing the choir vocals.

Discography

Dark Sarah

;Studio albums' * ''Behind the Black Veil'' (2015) * ''The Puzzle'' (2016) * ''The Golden Moth'' (2018) * ''Grim'' (2020) ;EP's * ''Violent Roses'' (2014) ;Music videos * ''Save Me'' (2013) * ''Memories Fall'' (2014) (feat.

) * ''Hunting The Dreamer'' (2014) * ''Light in You'' (2015) (feat.

Tony Kakko Toni Kristian "Tony" Kakko (born 16 May 1975) is a Finnish musician, composer and vocalist. He is known as the vocalist, primary songwriter, and creative lead of the band Sonata Arctica since 1996. Biography Kakko was born in Kemi, Finland and ...

) * ''Little Men'' (2016) * ''Aquarium'' (2016) (feat.

Charlotte Wessels Johanna Charlotte Wessels (born 13 May 1987) is a Dutch singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She is best known as the former lead vocalist for the Dutch symphonic metal band Delain. Background Wessels has been trained in both jazz singi ...

– lyric video) * ''Dance With the Dragon'' (2016) (feat.

Juha-Pekka Leppäluoto Juha-Pekka is a Finnish given name. Notable people with the given name include: *Juha Pekka Alanen, Finnish guitarist of Altaria *Juha-Pekka Haataja (born 1982), Finnish ice hockey player *Juha-Pekka Hytönen (born 1981), Finnish ice hockey player ...

) * ''Trespasser'' (2017)

Amberian Dawn

;Demos * ''

Amberian Dawn (demo) 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 s ...

'' (2006) ;Studio albums * ''

River of Tuoni ''River of Tuoni'' is the debut full-length studio album by Finnish symphonic power metal band Amberian Dawn. The songs "River of Tuoni" and "My Only Star" from the album were the first Amberian Dawn tracks to have a music video recorded, in Ma ...

'' (2008) * ''

The Clouds of Northland Thunder ''The Clouds of Northland Thunder'' is the second full-length studio album by Finnish symphonic power metal band Amberian Dawn. It was released 13 May 2009. Its single, "He Sleeps in a Grove", was the third Amberian Dawn song to have a music vide ...

'' (2009) * ''

End of Eden ''End of Eden'' is the third studio album by Amberian Dawn, and the first released on Spinefarm Records, previous albums having been released on KHY Suomen Musiikki. The album was released on 20 October 2010, but was preceded by its online single ...

'' (2010) * '' Circus Black'' (2012) ;Singles * "He Sleeps in a Grove" (2009) * "

Arctica Arctica or Arctida was an ancient continent which formed approximately 2.565 billion years ago in the Neoarchean era. It was made of Archaean cratons, including the Siberian Craton, with its Anabar/Aldan shields in Siberia, and the Slave, ...

" (2010) * "Cold Kiss" (2012)

Iconofear

;EPs * ''Dark (EP)'' (2003) * ''The 13th Circle'' (2005) * ''The Unbreathing'' (2006)

Agonia

;Demos * ''Demo I'' (1997)

Guest appearances

*2009: ''

'' (

) (vocals on "Tears of Autumn Rain") *2012: ''

'' (

) (choir vocals)

References

External links

Dark Sarah Official WebsiteHeidi Parviainen Official FacebookDark Sarah Official FacebookDark Sarah Official TwitterDark Sarah Official MyspaceDark Sarah Official YouTube
{{DEFAULTSORT:Parviainen, Heidi 1979 births Living people People from Espoo Finnish heavy metal singers Finnish sopranos Amberian Dawn members