Finnish Metal Bands Poised for World Chart Domination

The new album by Finnish rock band HIM has entered the US album chart at number 12 -- the best showing ever by a Finnish act in the world's biggest music market. On the same day, Finland's other major rock export act, Nightwish, released its first album with a new vocalist. In Europe's largest market, Germany, HIM's album Venus Doom rose to number three in its first week on the chart. In Finland it debuted at number two and immediately went gold. HIM's previous album, Dark Light, debuted at number 18 on the Billboard albums chart and went on to be certified gold in the US. In Germany, Dark Light peaked at number four. Last week, the two metal bands made Finnish rock history by scoring the top spots on the British rock singles chart. The new single by HIM, "The Kiss of Dawn", went straight to number one in its first week out. It knocked the previous number-one song into second place: Nightwish's "Amaranth". Older singles by the bands have also returned to the Top 40 rock single list, with Nightwish's "Nemo" at number 18 and HIM's "Killing Loneliness" at 34. Nightwish Kicks Off Tour in Israel Nightwish released their much-anticipated album with new Swedish vocalist Anette Olzon on Wednesday. Hundreds of fans lined up outside a store in downtown Helsinki ahead of the midnight release of Dark Passion Play, attended by the band. The album immediately sold 42,000 copies, quickly surpassing the platinum level. In autumn 2005, Nightwish made headlines by dismissing singer Tarja Turunen after the last concert of a record-breaking world stadium tour. Nightwish's first official concert with Olzon is scheduled for October 6 in Tel Aviv. In mid-October the band starts a six-week North American tour. In December the ground plays seven concerts in Finland, starting at the Levi ski resort and ending in Helsinki on New Year's Day 2008. YLE