Marko Hietala (born 14 January 1966 in Tervo, Finland) is a Finnish heavy metal vocalist, bassist and songwriter, best known internationally as the former male vocalist and bassist of Nightwish, which he left in January 2021 after nearly two decades. He co-founded the band Tarot with his brother Zachary in 1984 and has since released two solo albums - Mustan Sydämen Rovio (2020) and Roses from the Deep (2025, Nuclear Blast) - that range from hard rock and symphonic arrangements to personal, introspective songwriting.
Hietala announced a European headline tour for October 2026, his first full continental trek in support of Roses from the Deep.
Hietala completed the Finnish 'Roses from the Deep - Tour Pt. 2', a nine-date run across Finland in September 2025.
Hietala's second solo album Roses from the Deep was released on 7 February 2025 via Nuclear Blast, earning a 4/5 rating from Kerrang!
The single 'Impatient Zero' was released on 26 November 2024, simultaneously with the announcement of the Roses from the Deep album.
Hietala and former Nightwish vocalist Tarja Turunen released the collaborative single 'Left on Mars' on 13 March 2024, and toured together across Latin America and Europe that year.
