MUSIC REVIEW: Marko Hietala - “Roses from the Deep”
I have a very distinct memory of when Marko Hietala’s (Tarot, ex-Nightwish) first solo album was released. We were at the pre-listening session and everyone was mind-blown by how different and unusual the album was when compared to their expectations. Everyone seemed to think it was going to sound like his other bands. I, on the other hand, was delighted to hear exactly what I was expecting, having assumed that this would explore other sides of his musical taste, such as his love of prog. His debut album, “Pyre of the Black Heart” (or “Mustan sydämen rovio” in its Finnish iteration), was a brilliant, diverse, and unique album, so I’ve obviously been enthusiastic to see what he’d do next and the singles that have been released so far have not quelled my intrigue whatsoever. “Roses from the Deep” is out on February 7th, 2025, via Nuclear Blast Records, so don’t miss out!
Check out my interview with Marko from the Springtime of the Black Heart tour here!
Or check out my interview with Marko from the “Mustan sydämen rovio” pre-listening event here!
You can also check out this interview with Marko and Kai Hahto from his time with Nightwish!
In case you’re new here, I often like to use this first paragraph to give a general personal history on the artist, so if you’d like to compare your favorites to mine to see how comparable our tastes are, this next paragraph is for you! After all, music is subjective! So, with that in mind, feel free to skip down to the next paragraph if you’re not interested in my personal history with Marko Hietala.
I got into Marko via Nightwish when I was about 15 years old, but I very distinctly remember, upon first hearing Marko’s vocals, being absolutely knocked over by his voice, thinking, “what the hell is this, this is insane, I just don’t know how I feel about it…” However, I really liked the songs, so I had to keep listening and with a bit of time, I decided that his vocal sound was unique and brilliant. Nowadays, if you throw me into an internet fight (please don’t, haha) over who was Nightwish’s best vocalist—Tarja Turunen, Anette Olzon, or Floor Jansen—I will enthusiastically respond with (D) none of the above, because Marko was my favorite of Nightwish’s singers, as he was so irreplaceable that the band didn’t even try. I’ve got favorite tracks amongst everything Marko’s done, from Tarot to Sapaattivuosi, through Nightwish and his multiple, multiple guest appearances, so if he’s throwing out new tracks, you know I’m going to be eagerly awaiting them. Some of my favorite songs from over the years are included in my setlist of favorites, which you can find down at the bottom.
“Roses from the Deep” is a fantastic album, I don’t mind saying up front, though it doesn’t necessarily follow the same “hard prog” formula of its predecessor. True, there are similarities in aspects of the sound and style, and both albums feature two slower ballads alongside some peppier tracks, but beyond that, there’s not as much in common as you might expect, which is part of why I find it so exciting to hear. I would call this album a little closer to heavy metal, but with those hints of prog here and there for texture and spice, and I appreciate an artist who isn’t afraid to shake it up and explore something new.
The album opens with the second single, “Frankenstein’s Wife,” which is probably one of the catchiest songs that came out last year, having spent an unholy amount of time playing on repeat unbidden in my brain. Not that I’m complaining. From the opening chorus, through the fancy guitar lines, past the killer build-ups in the bridges, to the key change, it’s a really fun song. I’m dying to learn more about this, if it’s related to the Frankenstein movies or the book (which is truly nothing like the movies), or if it’s not related to those stories at all. From the amazing guitar work to the brilliant vocal parts, this song is 10/10 from start to finish.
This is followed by the first single, “Left on Mars,” which opens on a stylish guitar line from Tuomas Wäinölä that helps set the tone for the whole song. Now, this song of course is one of the album highlights, largely due to the presence of Tarja Turunen as a guest vocalist (though the twiddly bass lines are also delightful). I love the way they’ve shown that time (and a good apology) truly can heal and it’s been such a treat to see the two of them performing together again after two decades. Beyond the incredible harmonization, the song is equally easy to adore lyrically, as it feels like an anthem for people who don’t quite fit in. Who doesn’t love the line, “I never chose to be an alien / I’m just looking for a home”? So relatable!
I love the dank, grungy scoundscape that’s immediately present in “Proud Whore,” largely created by the bass and vocals, which is this song’s biggest pull. That sort of dirty, raw sound is the one thing I was missing in the latest Nightwish album, incidentally, so I’m glad to hear it present on this release, as Marko really shines in that style. I particularly like the vocal effects in the background too, which add a little more depth.
“Two Soldiers” is an absolutely brilliant, evocative song that just so happens to feature Marko’s pal from Raskasta Joulua and Northern Kings: J-P Leppäluoto (ex-Charon). Oh man, was it ever great to hear his voice again! I wish I didn’t have to listen to holiday music to hear it more often. This is one of the two aforementioned ballads, with a beautiful emotional build-up and release, naturally dressed in pianos and strings, with lyrics that seem to deal with war. “War will never change and this is who we are…” A depressing, yet relevant line, which is counterbalanced by “A dream can take you far.” There’s also a spoken-word part, which seems to be uncredited but was done by James Lascelles (Wheel). Overall? This is a beautiful and extremely acceptable ballad, and I’m not someone who usually likes ballads.
An awesome drum part with snares and toms and more opens “Dragon Must Die,” which then adds some really nice electronic metal riffing, thoroughly changing the tone. It invokes the feeling of an action scene approaching in a cool movie in a rather ominous way—this song is musically thrilling! The inclusion of intense keys and synths almost makes me wonder if he’s been taking a few pages from Arjen Lucassen’s (Ayreon, etc.) book. The song’s length comes from several of these extended instrumental parts, both of which are outstanding. I like to think this is a song that’s opposed to big business and consumerism, but that’s just my take.
Now, “The Devil You Know” is one of those songs where there’s certainly an interesting metaphor and I hope it gets explored soon in some interviews, because there are ways to read this song in which it doesn’t have the best message, while there are other ways in which this song is very empowering, so I’d love to know from what perspective it was written. Lyrically, it’s a lot of fantasy imagery, so it could really be anything. Regardless, this is a song that’s liable to invoke an emotional response one way or the other. Beyond that, it has a really interesting stomping beat—just a wee hint of country, which I always appreciate—with a very slick guitar solo before the C-part.
“Rebel of the North” the fourth single, has some killer synth lines, along with some rather evocative lyrics once again. This is a pretty straightforward rockin’ track, but my favorite part is where I think I’m hearing Marko shout, “get out of my song!,” which of course only makes me want to know more. Also, more great guitar solos can be found in this one. Someone give Tuomas Wäinölä a trophy already, yeesh. My take on this is that it’s a sort of tongue-in-cheek view of patriarchy, but that’s not certain.
The third single, “Impatient Zero,” of course means we’re getting more tasty, tasty bass lines. Musicians, please pay attention! I am constantly saying that you should never waste your bass player. Never! Bass brings the flavor to music, brings the oomph, brings the funk! If your bassist is just assisting the drummer, you may as well not have one. Bassists? Have some fun out there! And if you don’t know how, Uncle Marko’s gonna show you! Now, with that said, this one also has an absolutely bangin’ chorus as well, which made it a great choice for a single. I can’t wait to hear this live—you’d better believe I’m gonna have a fist up in the air. And, at this point will you be surprised if I say there’s a great guitar solo?
Some guitar chugging, vaguely reminiscent of Dave Mustaine (Megadeth) starts off “Tammikuu,” which is also the only song sung on this album in Finnish. So if you were wondering, will “Roses from the Deep” eventually be released in Finnish? Very unlikely. This track feels good in his native tongue, as it has a strong flavor of old Finnish rock music, dressed up to be a bit heavier. It seems he got his practice in playing with Finnish classics during his recent guest appearance on Vain Elämää. It’s a nice change of pace later on in the tracklist, while maintaining enough heavy parts to not change the overall tone of the release. This one feels like it’s about leaving a hometown (or maybe your home country?), with the line that loosely translates to “I wanted away, so I went away” standing out in the chorus.
The album then wraps up with the title track, “Roses from the Deep.” Are the roses a gift from the deep, did they simply appear from thence, or are they being kept away from the deep? I love an album name that makes me want to write fantasy. Actually, I think this is another song written to a loved one from beyond the grave… my kryptonite! Thanks for the tear-jerker, yeesh. This is the slower and more moody ballad, stripped down with acoustic guitar, backing strings, and the vocals in the forefront, with the instruments building up as the song progresses—these guys know how to do dynamics! The song gets interesting in the chorus, where the vocals become extremely layered… I don’t even think it’s just Marko’s voice, as it sounds like there are a few notably not-Marko sounds in there with him. Again, as someone not usually buying the vibe in ballads, this one feels legitimately powerful and creates a bombastic and dramatic end to the album, with the strings and choirs making it feel like “the end” in a perfect way. Brilliant finale, fellows! I tip my hat, as you definitely left me wanting more!
At this point, I’m genuinely willing to consider Marko Hietala and Tuomas Wäinölä to be a song-writing dream-team. Marko’s one of those guys who’s heard it all and isn’t very impressed by new music, so you know that he’s going to keep it fresh and interesting, while Tuomas seems to be some sort of guitar-line-writing genius, always making me feel like I’m hearing something kickass and awesome that likewise feels fresh and new. I recall, even on the last album, that the guitar work was spectacular and I was very impressed. I, too, feel like I’ve heard it all a thousand times over, so when I hear these tasty guitar lines mixed with tasty bass lines, wrapped up in killer vocals, with rock solid drum beats, and alluring keyboard/synth riffs… I couldn’t be more delighted. I don’t really have any notes, not even in the mix—the whole thing feels really good all around. I expect “Roses from the Deep” to be one of my most-played albums this year.
If you’re coming out to any of the shows in Finland, do pop by merch and say hello! I’d love to hear if you agree with my assessment!
Tracklist
Frankenstein’s Wife
Left on Mars
Proud Whore
Two Soldiers
Dragon Must Die
The Devil You Know
Rebel of the North
Impatient Zero
Tammikuu
Roses from the Deep
Enjoy Bear’s writing? Consider joining her mailing list to keep up-to-date!
