Album Review: Marko Hietala – Roses From The Deep (Nuclear Blast Records)

Legendary musician Marko Hietala (Tarot, Sinergy, Nightwish) returns with his new album ‘Roses from the Deep’, due out on the 7th of February 2025 via Nuclear Blast Records.

Marko Hietala, a name that most will be familiar with, might be best known for his part in legendary bands like Nightwish, but across four decades, he has proven himself to be extremely versatile. It has been six years since he released his debut solo record (Mustan sydämen rovio – Pyre of the Black Heart), and now, he is back with the much-anticipated follow-up, Roses from the Deep. Alongside guitarist Tuomas Wäinölä, drummer Anssi Nykänen, and keyboardist Vili Ollila (after the completion of the album, Ollila left the group and was replaced by Bob Engstrand).

God damn, it’s easy to forget just how great Marko’s vocals are. When you’re in Nightwish, your voice inevitably gets overshadowed, even if it plays a major role. Here, we get to really hear his range, how smooth he sounds, and how much power he holds. Especially when it’s the dominating feature of a dramatic hard rock effort called Frankenstein’s Wife, where starry melody meets strong riffing and soloing effectively.

How about the following Left on Mars though? A track that features a staggering duel vocal performance. One that sees the legendary Tarja Turunen join Marko for an epic, enhanced by pretty keyboard melodies. Then there is Proud Whore and Two Soldiers, with the former showcasing an addictive dirtier guitar sound, and the latter being immensely melodic, showing a hell of a lot of prettiness both vocally and instrumentally. The spoken word segment and grandiose rise that follows it is very impressive.

Already showing so much versatility and a willingness to experiment, there’s nothing quite like Dragon Must Die on the album. A shimmering and shifting, powerful and progressive, melodramatic and symphonic highlight that passes the eight-minute mark. It is a giant of a track and sets the album bar (at least as far as imagination goes) to an impossible height.

There’s no way that any track could follow such a bombastic effort, so smartly, that’s not what we get with The Devil You Know, the following track. Instead, what we get is a playful rocker with groovy sounding rhythms and an accessibly anthemic chorus. Followed by the noisier Rebel of the North, with its differing solos (keys and guitar), and the progressively creative Impatient Zero. Both tracks are solid, if a little lacking in the memorability department.

Happily, as far as delivering something undeniably memorable goes, the penultimate track delivers solid gold. Called Tammikuu, it finds Marko singing in his native language, features a dynamic pace, and burns bright with the power of heavy rock music. It’s a delightful listen and perfectly complimented by the deeply melodic and emotionally captivating finale that is the title track.

With this new album, Marko Hietala extends his winning run, and the music world is all the better for having him in it as a creative force.

Marko Hietala – Roses from the Deep Track Listing:

1. Frankenstein’s Wife
2. Left on Mars (feat. Tarja Turunen)
3. Proud Whore
4. Two Soldiers
5. Dragon Must Die
6. The Devil You Know
7. Rebel of the North
8. Impatient Zero
9. Tammikuu
10. Roses from the Deep

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