Melodic metal band
the Dark Element formed after Frontier Records proposed ex-
Sonata Arctica guitarist
Jani Liimatainen and former
Nightwish singer
Anette Olzon collaborate. In 2016,
Liimatainen began to write songs for their debut record. The pair worked remotely to create the album, eventually bringing in Jonas Kuhlberg on bass and Jani Hurula on drums to complete the first
Dark Element record. The first time
Liimatainen and
Olzon met in person was on the video shoot for the lead single, "My Sweet Mystery." Their 11-track self-titled record was released in 2017, and the compositions featured
Olzon's melodic vocal and
Liimatainen's driven power chords. ~ Bekki Bemrose