While waiting for August 5th and the release of TARJA’s new album “The Shadow Self”, the queen of heavy rock has yet another surprise for her fans:

Tarja and earMUSIC proudly announce the release of the new album’s prequel “The Brightest Void”. With over 50 minutes of new music, the extra album will sweeten the wait until August!

Tarja explains:
“Surprise, surprise! I genuinely hope that ‘The Brightest Void’ is a pleasant surprise to each and every one of you. During the long process of recording the songs for my new studio album ‘The Shadow Self’, I realised that there were so many tracks, too many too dear to me, for just one album. So this time I decided to keep nothing for myself and to share all my favourite new songs with you, the fans, who have shown such passionate and constant support.
‘The Brightest Void’ gives more than a first taste of ‘The Shadow Self’; it is a full album filled with 9 songs! I am sure that everyone will immediately discover how much ‘The Brightest Void’ and ‘The Shadow Self’ are entwined with each other but, at the same time, are two independent records which stand on their own. I hope the release of the prequel sweetens the wait until August and that you will like the songs as much as I do. I will present songs from both albums already in summer festivals and in my headliner tour later this year.

As always, keep your eyes open. There might be further surprises down the road.”

“The Brightest Void” will be released on June 3rd, 2016 on earMUSIC as 1CD Digipak, 1LP+Download Code and Digital. The specially priced prequel to Tarja’s upcoming studio album “The Shadow Self” will be available for physical and digital pre-order starting on April 8th, 2016.

“The Brightest Void” features not one but three incredible guest artists: fellow Finnish star Michael Monroe, icon of the glam rock scene and former front man of inspiring band Hanoi Rocks; Chad Smith (who doesn’t need any further introduction) and a new mix of Within Temptation’s collaboration “Paradise (What about us)” carried out with Tarja and world renowned sound engineer and producer Tim Palmer. The prequel presents Tarja’s new single “No Bitter End” as the album opener and furthermore shakes you with an incredible cover of Sir Paul McCartney’s overlooked gem “House Of Wax” and adds a new twist to Dame Shirley Basseys’ James Bond main theme hit “Goldfinger”.

Tracklist “The Brightest Void”
1. No Bitter End -Video Clip Version-
2. Your Heaven And Your Hell -with Michael Monroe-
3. Eagle Eye -with Chad Smith on drums-
4. An Empty Dream
5. Witch Hunt
6. Shameless
7. House of Wax
8. Goldfinger
9. Paradise (What About Us) -New Mix of the collaboration with Within Temptation and Tarja-

More information at http://www.tarja-theshadowself.com