Tarja Turunen releases heaviest album yet, Frisson Noir

Finnish symphonic‑prog metal vocalist Tarja Turunen unveiled her new album Frisson Noir on 18 July 2024, marking the heaviest record of her solo career. The double‑disc release, produced and mixed by Neal Avron, blends heavy riff‑driven metal with flamenco, tango, and even a Red Hot Chili Peppers‑style groove, showcasing Turunen’s decade‑long artistic evolution. The album opens with the ten‑minute epic “At Sea,” a song inspired by Turunen’s passion for scuba diving. She explained, “When I’m writing the songs I’m not really looking at the timer: I’m really letting myself go nowadays, which is a very beautiful feeling.” The track was released as the first single despite label reservations, a gamble Turunen says paid off because “the fans really sat down to listen, which people do not do nowadays.” The lyrical narrative follows a diver leaving the safety of shore, confronting a storm, and embracing the unknown – a metaphor for personal courage. Frisson Noir features an eclectic roster of guests. Cradle of Filth frontman Dani Filth appears on “I Don’t Care,” while the Finnish cello metal trio Apocalyptica provides strings for the tango‑infused “Tango.” Turunen added, “We Finns love tango… it’s a very important part of Finnish culture.” Japanese shamisen virtuoso Sayo Komada contributes to “The Trace Outlives,” a song about jōhatsu, the phenomenon of people disappearing from society. “Some organisations help people disappear,” Turunen noted, “I wanted to write about the effects when something like this happens, and the emotions involved.” Spanish guitarist Julián Bedmar delivers flamenco passages on “Anemoia,” a track that explores nostalgia for places never visited. Turunen remarked, “Who the hell uses flamenco guitars in a metal album? I do! The fact is, why not?” The collaboration was facilitated by proximity; Bedmar lives ten minutes from Turunen’s home in Marbella, Spain, and recorded his part after receiving a piano demo. A decade in the making, “Against The Odds” was originally considered for Turunen’s 2016 album The Shadow Self, which featured Chad Smith on drums. “Back then I felt, ‘Hm, it’s not the time for this song,’” she recalled. The track finally found its place on Frisson Noir after years of rearrangement and personal growth. The album also reunites Turunen with former Nightwish bandmate Marko Hietala on “Leap Of Faith,” their second collaboration after the 2023 duet on Hietala’s “Left On Mars.” Turunen said, “It’s nice to get to know him for the first time ever; we’re both different people now.” Frisson Noir reflects Turunen’s desire to “bring back the riffs” and to capture the “wall of sound” she experiences live. She summed up the project: “I’ve been struggling to free my mind. I’ve learned so much. Finally it’s happening. I’m becoming free with my music, and I’m happy with the album.” The record is available worldwide from 18 July 2024.

Tarja Turunen performing heavy riff on Frisson Noir