Where Did Mary Go?

Episode 33: Tarja Turunen (Tarja, ex-Nightwish)

From a young age, everyone around her seemed to know that Tarja Turunen would have a future in music due to her incredible voice.  What many didn’t see coming though, was the way in which that voice would become part of a groundbreaking style of music that essentially created an entirely new genre of music.   After years of training in her youth and teenage years as in classical music, Tarja was seemingly faced with a decision to make based on two opportunities presented before her.  The first was to join a local symphony as their soloist, a position she had been preparing for for years through her schooling and vocal lessons.  The second option was to join an acoustic project that would become the genre-transforming symphonic metal band Nightwish that in a few short years would reach international acclaim.  As you might be able to tell, she chose the latter, with her incredible lead vocals being one of the main reasons Nightwish became a household name around the world for their unique blend of operatic singing and power metal.  As the band continued to rise in popularity with each subsequent release, it seemed that the most challenging choice for Tarja had been a successful one.  That meteoric rise would come to an abrupt halt at the end of Once Upon a Tour in 2025, as she was unceremoniously fired from the band.  The events surrounding their separation have been well-documented by other sources, but the way in which they transpired had a lasting effect on her, so much so that she left her home country of Finland.  Faced with a new set of challenges, Tarja once again embarked into the unknown and decided to go solo.  Starting first with a Christmas themed album in 2006, she released her first metal record, My Winter Storm, in 2007.  The lyrics to the album were largely introspective, dealing with the emotions she had felt from the happenings of the past few years: fear, determination, resilience, defiance, and independence.  Those themes would continue to weave throughout her subsequent releases, which have catapulted Tarja to international stardom in the metal world as she routinely tours the globe performing for spellbound audiences.  Her latest album, Frisson Noir, delves into those same concepts with which the world was first introduced to her as a solo artist, and packs perhaps the heaviest punch of any album in her catalog.  I had a chance to catch up with Tarja and discuss the new record, and a number of other things, including: * why it was the right time for her to get back to metal, the album’s title and its meaning, the concept of frisson, and how it fits the music she’s delivered on this record. * releasing a 10-minute song as a first single, the composition process for “At Sea,” her defiant second single “I Don’t Care,” and why Dani Filth was the perfect counterpart for her voice on the track. * Tarja’s dream collaborator for a duet, her process for writing a song for former Nightwish bandmate Marko Hietala, and how it feels to have rekindled that friendship.  * getting on stage at Tuska 2025 in Finland, the YLE “The World’s Best” podcast about her, and reflections on her joining Nightwish so many years prior and now having the opportunity to pursue both metal and classical music. Tarja was wonderful to speak with and gave me a sense of gratitude for every opportunity that she has been given.  A common theme in both her life and music, the first single’s setting of the turbulent sea provides a perfect analogy.  Tarja has battled rough seas in many different contexts throughout her life and career, and each time the storm she faced has turned into the truth she delivers on each one of her records.

Episode 32: Joey Vera (Armored Saint, Fates Warning)

Though they’ve been together since 1982, you might be surprised to learn that Armored Saint has only released 8 studio albums to date despite their long history as a band.  When it’s released on May 22nd through Metal Blade Records, Emotion Factory Reset will become the 9th record in their 44-year history.  While most would consider that a low total for a band that’s been at it for as long as they have, most groups don’t exactly have the unique history, or bond, that the boys in Armored Saint do. Breaking through the emerging L.A. metal scene with 1984’s March of the Saint led to many high profile touring opportunities for the band right out of the gate.  The group’s subsequent releases were hampered by mishandling of promotion by their record label, leading them to sign with Metal Blade ahead of 1991’s Symbol of Salvation, a huge record that helped Armored Saint regain momentum.  That momentum would cease a year later when frontman John Bush left to famously front Anthrax , putting Armored Saint’s future into jeopardy for years to come.  During this time, bassist Joey Vera would release a solo record and eventually join progressive metal legends Fates Warning, a band he still plays with today.  During that time, he learned new approaches to songwriting that he’s taken and adopted for Armored Saint, while also refining and expanding his repertoire by playing a significantly different style of metal.  When Armored Saint eventually reunited in 1999, they released a new album the next year and have been active on and off based on the commitments Bush and Vera have with their other groups.  The bond between the members of Armored Saint has always been paramount when compared to their commitments to other bands, and its with good reason.  As Joey describes it, Armored Saint is held as sacred and treated as such, largely in part because the guys in the band have known each other since they were in second grade.  Both Bush and Vera had a chance to join Metallica in the early days, and both declined.  No matter where their careers have led them, they always find their way back home to Armored Saint.  The results of this bond can be seen on Emotion Factory Reset, which sees the group delivering the classic sound they're known for, but evolving in a way that feels appropriate to the modern day. Ahead of its release, I had a chance to catch up with Joey and talk about the new record, and a number of other things, including: * the writing process for Emotion Factory Reset, getting together in the same room for the first time in decades, how the band is breaking new ground on the new record, and where we can see the R&B influences in Armored Saint’s music. * why Joey waits to record his bass parts until the end of the songwriting process, how he learned that technique with Fates Warning, and an overview of their tour plans for the year.  * an upcoming special show at Rainbow Bar and Grill, the importance of that venue to the group, and a history lesson about the legendary L.A. scene.  * memories of touring with Saxon in 1985, opening for Judas Priest and learning they wrote Stained Class while still working in the factories, the band’s very first tour outside of California with Whitesnake and Quiet Riot, and a gentlemanly encounter backstage with David Coverdale.  * reflections on always coming home to Armored Saint and what it’s like to play with the same guys he’s known since he was 7 years old. Enjoy!

Episode 31: Russell Allen (Symphony X)

For over thirty years, Russell Allen has had one of the most powerful voices in heavy metal music.  Through his work as frontman for progressive metal titans Symphony X, performances with Trans-Siberian Orchestra, solo work, and a number of collaborations, Allen has come to be known the power, grit, and versatile nature in which he delivers his vocals.   Those vocals are usually for lyrics based in history, following a theme or concept, especially when considering the tremendous catalogue Symphony X have created over the last three decades.  With his most recent solo release, though, Allen is using that voice to raise awareness for a cause that is especially close to his heart.  Released earlier this month to coincide with Autism Awareness Month, “Love Her Like I Do (Ava’s Song)” was written about his daughter who is on the autism spectrum.  The song’s lyrics reflect upon Ava’s journey through life from the perspective of a loving father who has helped her navigate the challenges that arise for individuals with autism and their families.  A deeply personal and emotional recording, writing “Love Her Like I Do (Ava’s Song)” proved to be a therapeutic and cathartic experience for Allen, with the hope that other families in similar situations will find solace in his words knowing their shared experience.  I had the chance to speak with Russell about his experience as a parent of a child with autism, and a number of other topics including: * his family’s journey navigating an early autism diagnosis, the importance of early intervention services, and when the thoughts of writing a song like “Love Her Like I Do” started. * his composition of the song, the lyrical content referencing different behaviors that are common for people with autism, his own reservations about sharing such a personal story, and the tougher experiences of being a parent of a child with autism.  * Symphony X’s recent South American tour, what its like being on a metal cruise, a progress update on the new Symphony X record, and confirmation that it will have a theme or concept. * what people can do to become more educated and aware about autism and a PSA to parents of children with autism to utilize free services available to them in their home states. Russell was a pleasure to speak with and I thank him for sharing such a personal story with me, and the world, as a means to raise awareness for a cause that is so very dear to both me and him.  As a special educator who has worked with students with autism for nearly two decades, I jumped at the chance to speak with Russell about this song.  My hope is to see “Love Her Like I Do (Ava’s Song)” become an anthem for individuals with autism and help to foster a society that embraces them as the unique individuals that they all are – and if you listen to the lyrics Russell penned for his daughter, that would make his dream come true, too.

Episode 30: Children of Bodom's A Celebration of Music Recap with Antti and Janne Wirman

How do you describe something that you never thought you’d see?  That’s the task I’m faced with trying to explain the performances I witnessed on February 26th and 27th at Tavastia in Helsinki as the surviving members of Children of Bodom reunited for the first time in nearly seven years to celebrate the band’s music and the legacy of Alexi Laiho in front of fans who traveled from all over the world for it, myself included.  The anticipation of night one was unlike any show I’d been to, and the energy in the crowd for both performances was absolutely electric.  A nervous anticipation buzzed through Tavastia while a video of unreleased home videos featuring all members of the band, mostly focusing on outtakes with Alexi, played prior to the band taking the stage.  Once they arrived and ripped into “Living Dead Beat,” that anticipation was released in the form of moshing, circle pits, and crowd chants that carried a frenetic energy I haven’t experienced at a show in a long time.  The setlist was expertly curated with iconic song after iconic song from their first five albums, with “Blooddrunk” being the only outlier outside of that legendary run.  Samy Elbanna’s performance was nothing short of exceptional.  He was able to perform all of the intricate riffs and solos note for note while delivering a vocal performance that echoed Alexi’s, paying homage to his departed friend and mentor while also putting his own unique spin on it. Alexander Kuoppala’s triumphant return to the stage was also a high point of both shows, as fans chanted his name at several points throughout both shows.  Janne Wirman, masterful as ever on the keyboard, told the crowd that this was the most fun he’d had on stage since Tokyo Warhearts, while expressing gratitude throughout both shows for the enormous response from the crowd.  Jaska Raatikainen sounded as if he hadn’t missed a beat, and Henkka Seppala provided pounding bass and brutal backing vocals throughout both shows.  Simply put, these were two of the best shows I’ve ever had the pleasure of attending. I also had the unique opportunity to watch the second night’s show with a former member of the band, Antti Wirman.  In lieu of a traditional review, I had a chance to speak with both Antti and Janne about my trip to Finland as a whole, which I could write about for years, with a focus on the Celebration of Music shows.  We discussed this and a myriad of other things, including: * Warmen's Finnish tour, the special show they played in Espoo in front of their friends and families, the Warmen after party at Bodom Bar, and the different famous people who casually stroll in to the bar on a regular basis. * several lingering questions I had about Finland, the most interesting things I saw while there, visiting Anssi Kippo at Astia-Studio, and my thoughts about visiting Lake Bodom. * a discussion of why it was the right time for Children of Bodom to return to the stage, the careful way in which the remaining members have guarded the band's legacy, Samy Elbanna's incredible performance in the frontman role, and Janne's thoughts before and during the two shows at Tavastia. *  my experience with Antti at the second show, the guys' relationship with former NHL legend Jere Lehtinen and why he will be the next band manager of Warmen, their dad's stagediving adventure, and Antti's cameo in the mosh pit. * Antti's review of his brother's performance, the answer whether or not the Children of Bodom celebration will continue with any future shows, and a very important question about a set of CDs that were left at Bodom Bar for Janne. Enjoy!

Episode 29: Zakk Wylde (Black Label Society, Ozzy Osbourne)

Call it cliché, but the namesake of the first record Zakk Wylde ever performed on back in 1988 with Ozzy Osbourne could very easily be used to define his illustrious career to this point.  When Black Label Society releases Engines of Demolition on March 27th, it will mark the longest gap between albums for the group since they formed.  In that time between records, Wylde has toured the world with the surviving members of Pantera filling in for long-time friend Dimebag Darrell, torn through several Zakk Sabbath shows across North America, and played at perhaps the biggest rock and metal concert of all time at Back to the Beginning which would be Ozzy's last performance before passing.  Zakk laid his friend, collaborator, and godfather to one of his kids to rest two weeks after that performance, and upon returning home put the finishing touches on the closing song of the new BLS album, which bears the name of the Prince of Darkness, before getting back on the road with Pantera.  No rest for the wicked, indeed. All of these events led to putting Black Label Society on the backburner, even though Zakk continued to write riffs and lyrics all the while.  The first single from the album, “The Gallows,” was released a year and a half ago, with subsequent singles following last year before “Name in Blood” in January 2026, the first new song to share a release year with the album. Despite this unconventional take on the album cycle, Wylde would argue that the additional time its taken to finish Engines of Demolition has let this new collection of songs marinate for longer than they typically would, allowing him more time to refine them.  The results are classic BLS that Berserkers worldwide have come to know and love since Sonic Brew.  As the group prepares to finally release Engines of Demolition, I had a chance to catch up with Zakk on a rare off day for him to talk about the new record and a wide array of topics, including: * how he found time to write the new BLS record, his general songwriting process, the catharsis of turning events and emotions into songs, and where the lyrical inspiration for “Stillborn” came from. * the reaction to the new singles live, putting “No More Tears” back into the setlist, opening for himself pulling double duty, and a brewing feud between Zakk Sabbath and Black Label Society. * writing “Ozzy’s Song” after returning home from Ozzy’s funeral, an old Ozzy story from the Ozzmosis days involving a poster Zakk bought, and a few suggestions for the Jones Beach Theater. * memories of Alexi Laiho, the mythical power of his kilts, how he finds the energy to be seemingly everywhere, and reflections on his journey from practicing in his bedroom with posters of his idols to playing on the biggest stages in the world.  This conversation was pure Zakk Wylde in every sense – rife with colorful analogies, Ozzy impressions, several sports references, and a description of how to make a ham sandwich correctly.   Once you get past all of that, though, at his core, Zakk is still the same incredibly driven guy who took the world by storm from the opening riff of “Miracle Man.”  In speaking with him, you can see that he takes none of this for granted and still bows down in worship to all his guitar idols who inspired him before anyone knew his name, even keeping those same posters in his home studio to remind him of where he started.   If I can make my own sports reference, Zakk’s attitude towards music, and life, reflects a quote that former NFL great J.J. Watt popularized during his playing days: “Success isn’t owned – it’s leased, and the rent is due every day.”