Nightwish retire from touring for the foreseeable future: "we won’t be touring the next album"

Finnish symphonic metal heavyweights Nightwish have released a surprising announcement confirming that they are retiring from touring for the foreseeable future, stating that they won't be touring their next studio album, which is tentatively due for arrival next year.

Their statement, posted earlier today on the band's social media channels, reads as follows:

"After the planned shows for June 2023 we will be 'hanging up our spurs' for an indeterminate time, as far as live concert performances go, and won't be touring the next album.

"The reasons for this decision are personal, but, we all agree, vital to the wellbeing and future of the band. Be assured that we still love working together, and this decision has nothing to do with Floor's [Jansen, Nightwish frontwoman] pregnancy or our other individual projects.

"However, an album of 12 new songs will see bright daylight in 2024, as will 3 music videos! The band is positively hyped beyond words over this new upcoming musical adventure.

"Stay tuned for updates from our legendary Nightwish band camp & studio this summer!"

Nightwish have toured extensively for their most recent studio album, 2020's Human. :II: Nature. The record was released soon after the world had started to go into lockdown during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, meaning that touring plans for the album had to be repeatedly paused and postponed.

The band have a smattering of tour dates currently planned for this coming June across Europe, taking in stops in Stockholm, Athens, Nova Rock festival, Gelsenkirchen, Kitee, Vasa and Tons Of Rock Festival.

In November, Nightwish singer Floor Jansen revealed that she is now cancer free after a short battle with breast cancer. In a statement posted on Facebook, she explained:

"The surgery took everything cancerous out and it hasn’t spread! I’ll get local radiation therapy in February to make sure everything stays out.

"I'm getting my energy back after the surgery and feel a huge relief to know it was successful! I’m not back to a 100% but I have no doubt the shows will give me the power push I need to rock with all of you on the upcoming European tour"

"Thank you for your amazing support and well wishes"