Album review: Marko Hietala – Roses From The Deep

That day, January 12, 2021, was not a happy one. To the shock of just about everyone, Nightwish’s longtime bassist and co-vocalist Marko Hietala announced he was leaving the Finnish symphonic metal juggernaut. What made it particularly sad was the main reason: his mental health. The fact that a man as smart, wise-cracking and apparently confident as Marko could be suffering in this way was a wake-up call that we should assume nothing about anyone we know.

Some years later, and with much water under the bridge, Marko has rejoined the music world, releasing an album that substantially betters his only other solo release, 2020’s perfectly decent Pyre Of The Black Heart. Here, he does heavy rock with heart – nothing here is formula, but nearly all of it shines, hope arising from fear, melody from heft.

Opener Frankenstein’s Bride is a solidly tasty aperitif for what’s to come, The Devil You Know and Two Soldiers adding drama and soul, with Marko’s voice, inevitably overshadowed in his previous job, turning out to be a truly remarkable instrument.

He teams up with original Nightwish singer Tarja Turunen – a building of bridges we never thought we’d see – on the exceptional Left On Mars, but even that is overshadowed by the spectacular Dragon Must Die. It’s layered, it’s heavy, it’s symphonic and it’s got folk and metallic influences in generous droves. Without a doubt this eight-minute epic is the best thing Marko’s done outside of Nightwish. This album also showcases the full-length version of anthemic ear candy Impatient Zero, the shorter version of which has been a hit on rock radio.

Irrespective of his storied past, what matters most today is that this wonderful musician, singer and writer, this enjoyably eccentric metal Gandalf, is back with us in the way that works for him. Roses From The Deep is better than any of us could have expected.

Verdict: 4/5

For fans of: Nightwish, Avantasia, Led Zeppelin

Roses From The Deep is released on February 7 via Nuclear Blast