NIGHTWISH: 'Dark Passion Play' Sells 40,000 Copies In Finland First Day Of Release

According to a posting on NIGHTWISH's web site, the group's brand new album, "Dark Passion Play", has already sold more than 42,000 copies in Finland after being released earlier today (Wednesday, September 26), which is more than enough for it to be certified platinum (signifying sales in excess of 30,000 copies).

In other news, a brand new interview with NIGHTWISH singer Anette Olzon conducted yesterday (September 25) by a Finnish TV station can be viewed below (note: the interview was conducted in English). In the interview, Anette talks about her first concert with NIGHTWISH, which took place on Saturday in Estonia (where group appeared under the guise of a NIGHTWISH "cover band" called NACHTWASSER), and the upcoming tour.

A new e-card for "Dark Passion Play" is available at this location.

"Dark Passion Play" is scheduled for release in the U.S. on October 2 via Roadrunner Records.

NIGHTWISH is expected to perform at the Helsinki (Finland) and Hamburg (Germany) release parties for the group's new album, "Dark Passion Play". The Hamburg party will take place on the album's German release date, September 28, at a club called Delphi Showpalast. It has been announced that the entire group will attend the event, which will feature a performance by "a famous and glorious NIGHTWISH cover band called SUSHI PATROL from Japan". The Helsinki party will take place tonight (September 26) at Tavastia in Helsinki, Finland. A "NIGHTWISH cover band from Estonia called NATUVISSYSET" is scheduled to appear at the Helsinki event, which will coincide with the Finnish release date of the group's new CD (via Spinefarm Records/Universal).

NIGHTWISH will make its "official" live debut with new singer Anette Olzon on October 6 in Tel Aviv, Israel. The group's U.S. tour kicks off on October 15 in West Springfield, Virginia.