Shattered Moon
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Shattered Moon | |
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 Shattered Moon performing in Tacor, Aquitayne in August 2015 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Pikkala, Valkea |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1998––present |
| Members |
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| Past members |
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Shattered Moon is a Valkean symphonic metal band formed in Pikkala. The band formed in 1998 with lead songwriter and guitarist Anselmi Nieminen, keyboardist Mika Koskela, and lead female vocalist Riitta Myllylä. Drummer Kosti Heikkinen was added soon after. Some time after the release of their self-titled debut album in 2000, bassist Oliver Mäkeläinen was added to the band and became their male vocalist. Shattered Moon then released their second and third albums, Black Sun (2002) and Eternal Sea (2003), which saw wide success in Valkea and in neighboring countries. However, they became widely popular in Lorecia with their fourth album, Call of the Void (2006), which debuted at No. 11 in the Valkean Top 100 charts and peaked at No. 5, selling nearly 2 million copies.
Myllylä left the band in March 2007 to pursue a solo career, which prompted the band to look for a new female vocalist. In November of that same year, Shattered Moon announced Elisa Joutsen as Myllylä's replacement, making her debut with the band in their next album, Twisted Games (2009). The album was another major success for the band, with their lead single, "Unfamiliars", becoming one of their most successful in various Lorecian charts. Their next album, Bridge to Wonderland, was released in 2012, but was less acclaimed by critics. Joutsen departed Shattered Moon in 2014 and was replaced by Karina Vesik.
After their first hiatus, Shattered Moon released their seventh album The Tale of Us All in 2017. Featuring a shift away from fantasy themes and towards humanist themes, Nieminen described it as their most ambitious album to date. It peaked at No. 4 in Valkea and performed well internationally. Shattered Moon's next album, Castles of Sand, was released in 2019. The band underwent another brief hiatus, in which Mika Koskela announced his departure in 2020. Declan Collins, who was a tour drummer for the group since 2015, was promoted to official drummer in 2021. Shattered Moon released their ninth album, Ode to the Human Spirit, in 2024.
Shattered Moon is one of the biggest symphonic metal bands in Astyria and the most successful Valkean metal band to date, selling over 10 million copies.
Discography
Albums
- Shattered Moon (2000)
- Black Sun (2002)
- Eternal Sea (2003)
- Call of the Void (2006)
- Twisted Games (2009)
- Bridge to Wonderland (2012)
- The Tale of Us All (2017)
- Castles of Sand (2019)
- Ode to the Human Spirit (2024)