Kalata
Out of the Silent Planet
I agree about the cover. ''10th Man Down'' is an amazing song, especially the riff and the chorus. Classic Nightwish! It should have been an album regular song.
Last edited:
Nightwish
- Thread starter MrKnickerbocker
- Start date
Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
Well I too have begun a return to the Nightwish sea.
Angels Fall First (1997)
To call this album a glorified demo would be accurate, but would also utterly sell it short. Sure, some bands come together and strike gold right from the very first album, and while Nightwish haven't exactly put it all together yet, I still think that this is an incredibly strong debut album on its own merits. AFF is basically four kids having fun playing music around a campfire, and yet they're already so tight and sonically in tune with each other that it kind of blows my mind. I have the 2007 reissue and I think that the sound quality is also really strong. You can tell that there's room for improvement, but there's also a lot of space in the production for every instrument to sound clear instead of the wall-of-sound that they build to.
One thing that I really like about every Nightwish record to different degrees (except for Imaginaerum where the production is so crushed that it shatters into splinters of audio noise) is Emppu's guitar sound. Even when he's not doing too much his instrument still shines in the mix and just straight up sounds great. And AFF has some of his best performances. There are quite a number of solos that he gets to stretch his chops on, paired with the much more simplistic sound of Tuomas's keys. Jukka also gets some good moments, particularly in Part 3 of "Lappi" where the drums are booming and massive. And little more can be said of Tarja than that she is awesome, even if this is probably her worst record (once Tuomas's verses start becoming less awkward and her pronunciation improves, that's where she really becomes the goddess she is). Tuomas's vocals are probably the most criticized aspect of this record, but they really don't bother me. It's just a one-time thing for him; glad we get Marko later.
Now song-wise I'd like to start with the oft-maligned "Nymphomaniac Fantasia", a track that even Tuomas finds cringe nowadays. And yeah. The lyrics are pretty fucking blah. There's no doubt about that. But I also think that the execution of the lyrics is quite successful and the song itself is pretty good for what it is. A lot of these tracks are more progressive in nature than the future prog-wannabe Nightwish of the modern day. There are a lot of parts to each and sometimes no true chorus of final link back to stuff from the beginning. This is one of those tracks. Simple, flute beginning, then an absolutely killer synth hook, and a spiral through lust in a lot of different styles.
So sure, hearing "lick my deepest" isn't exactly something I want to do very often, but it's a necessary evil given that "hear the starry CHOI-III-IIIIIIIIIIR" is awesome, a killer spotlight for Tarja. "Deeper shall be the wound... between your legs!" is another corny line, but it's the execution, with Tarja's absolutely venomous voice, that makes it work. Ultimately it's a track written by a person who at the time probably thought he was real mature, but in all actuality, was just horny.
And I think that's kind of what gets at the heart of the band as a whole. Tuomas writes from the viewpoint of a man looking at the world through a child's lens. This leads to some amazing lyrics, and also some really bad ones (mostly on this album). Imaginaerum was the last album to fully embrace this Dead Boy vibe, but even the Floor records have some of that left over, as if he's ready to mature and move on but is still going at all the adult items without actually growing up. I think this gets to the heart of the matter that @JudasMyGuide wrote about the other week. And I can still vibe with it, because I think I get what Tuomas is going for most of the time. To me he's actually relatable, down to the aesthetics of, say, HVMAN. :||: NATVRE.'s title, even though he can also go so overboard as to raise eyebrows, like in the ending to "Song of Myself"... which I actually still like, so go figure. You have to tap into his romanticism of the dark and of the magical. AKA, you have to have been an edgy teenager too.
Anyway, the other tracks on this album are really strong too. "Elvenpath" is a great opener (the lyrics are pretty stupid though); "Beauty and the Beast" is a multi-faceted mini-epic that I really like; "The Carpenter" has a weird chorus because Tuomas and Tarja just don't sync well vocally, but is otherwise a strong solid; "Astral Romance" has some really underrated musical moments; "Tutankhamen" has some of the most WTF lyrics ever (why is Tuomas-thru-Tarja so goddamn horny for a boy king) but also some killer music; and "Know Why the Nightingale Sings" is just fun from beginning to end. "Angels Fall First" isn't as interesting as the rest but is still strong, with some nice contemplative lyrics and simple acoustic music. "Lappi" is the weakest song here but I don't dislike it. Tuomas's first epic demonstrates the distance he still has yet to go but there are a number of moments that I enjoy. Splitting it up into four tracks is dumb though.
As for bonus tracks? "A Return to the Sea" is just a nice track about what the world could be like without humans. "Nightwish" is a lot better than a remembered, "The Forever Moments" isn't as good but it has a couple nice bits within. "Once Upon a Troubadour" isn't on my CD but I remember it being weird and forgettable but interesting in concept. Glad they went down the metal route instead.
As a whole, I find Angels Fall First to be a really enjoyable listen and a strong if not-fully-there-yet beginning to the discography. The gothic sound allows them the space to explore what this new entity is gonna be, and future endeavors will fully move them to the classic Nightwish display of (sometimes shock and) awe. But for what it is, AFF is a record that I don't have to really put my full focus onto when it comes on. This is Nightwish's easy-listening album. I can hit play and just... vibe. There's better to come, but this is still great stuff.
Angels Fall First (1997)
To call this album a glorified demo would be accurate, but would also utterly sell it short. Sure, some bands come together and strike gold right from the very first album, and while Nightwish haven't exactly put it all together yet, I still think that this is an incredibly strong debut album on its own merits. AFF is basically four kids having fun playing music around a campfire, and yet they're already so tight and sonically in tune with each other that it kind of blows my mind. I have the 2007 reissue and I think that the sound quality is also really strong. You can tell that there's room for improvement, but there's also a lot of space in the production for every instrument to sound clear instead of the wall-of-sound that they build to.
One thing that I really like about every Nightwish record to different degrees (except for Imaginaerum where the production is so crushed that it shatters into splinters of audio noise) is Emppu's guitar sound. Even when he's not doing too much his instrument still shines in the mix and just straight up sounds great. And AFF has some of his best performances. There are quite a number of solos that he gets to stretch his chops on, paired with the much more simplistic sound of Tuomas's keys. Jukka also gets some good moments, particularly in Part 3 of "Lappi" where the drums are booming and massive. And little more can be said of Tarja than that she is awesome, even if this is probably her worst record (once Tuomas's verses start becoming less awkward and her pronunciation improves, that's where she really becomes the goddess she is). Tuomas's vocals are probably the most criticized aspect of this record, but they really don't bother me. It's just a one-time thing for him; glad we get Marko later.
Now song-wise I'd like to start with the oft-maligned "Nymphomaniac Fantasia", a track that even Tuomas finds cringe nowadays. And yeah. The lyrics are pretty fucking blah. There's no doubt about that. But I also think that the execution of the lyrics is quite successful and the song itself is pretty good for what it is. A lot of these tracks are more progressive in nature than the future prog-wannabe Nightwish of the modern day. There are a lot of parts to each and sometimes no true chorus of final link back to stuff from the beginning. This is one of those tracks. Simple, flute beginning, then an absolutely killer synth hook, and a spiral through lust in a lot of different styles.
So sure, hearing "lick my deepest" isn't exactly something I want to do very often, but it's a necessary evil given that "hear the starry CHOI-III-IIIIIIIIIIR" is awesome, a killer spotlight for Tarja. "Deeper shall be the wound... between your legs!" is another corny line, but it's the execution, with Tarja's absolutely venomous voice, that makes it work. Ultimately it's a track written by a person who at the time probably thought he was real mature, but in all actuality, was just horny.
And I think that's kind of what gets at the heart of the band as a whole. Tuomas writes from the viewpoint of a man looking at the world through a child's lens. This leads to some amazing lyrics, and also some really bad ones (mostly on this album). Imaginaerum was the last album to fully embrace this Dead Boy vibe, but even the Floor records have some of that left over, as if he's ready to mature and move on but is still going at all the adult items without actually growing up. I think this gets to the heart of the matter that @JudasMyGuide wrote about the other week. And I can still vibe with it, because I think I get what Tuomas is going for most of the time. To me he's actually relatable, down to the aesthetics of, say, HVMAN. :||: NATVRE.'s title, even though he can also go so overboard as to raise eyebrows, like in the ending to "Song of Myself"... which I actually still like, so go figure. You have to tap into his romanticism of the dark and of the magical. AKA, you have to have been an edgy teenager too.
Anyway, the other tracks on this album are really strong too. "Elvenpath" is a great opener (the lyrics are pretty stupid though); "Beauty and the Beast" is a multi-faceted mini-epic that I really like; "The Carpenter" has a weird chorus because Tuomas and Tarja just don't sync well vocally, but is otherwise a strong solid; "Astral Romance" has some really underrated musical moments; "Tutankhamen" has some of the most WTF lyrics ever (why is Tuomas-thru-Tarja so goddamn horny for a boy king) but also some killer music; and "Know Why the Nightingale Sings" is just fun from beginning to end. "Angels Fall First" isn't as interesting as the rest but is still strong, with some nice contemplative lyrics and simple acoustic music. "Lappi" is the weakest song here but I don't dislike it. Tuomas's first epic demonstrates the distance he still has yet to go but there are a number of moments that I enjoy. Splitting it up into four tracks is dumb though.
As for bonus tracks? "A Return to the Sea" is just a nice track about what the world could be like without humans. "Nightwish" is a lot better than a remembered, "The Forever Moments" isn't as good but it has a couple nice bits within. "Once Upon a Troubadour" isn't on my CD but I remember it being weird and forgettable but interesting in concept. Glad they went down the metal route instead.
As a whole, I find Angels Fall First to be a really enjoyable listen and a strong if not-fully-there-yet beginning to the discography. The gothic sound allows them the space to explore what this new entity is gonna be, and future endeavors will fully move them to the classic Nightwish display of (sometimes shock and) awe. But for what it is, AFF is a record that I don't have to really put my full focus onto when it comes on. This is Nightwish's easy-listening album. I can hit play and just... vibe. There's better to come, but this is still great stuff.
Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
Oceanborn (1998)
As much as I do like Angels Fall First, Oceanborn is leagues above it in terms of... everything. The band is energized as fuck on this record; it's easily the most pumping of any of their works. It's also a lot different from the direction they'd head starting on Wishmaster. This is pure, symphonic power metal. Gone is the slow-building gothic nature of AFF, and instead we get some tight-ass BANGERS from start to finish.
Pretty much everyone has leveled up here. Tuomas's lyrics are a lot better and more poetic, and his playing is astonishing, weaving in and out of the music with a beautiful flurry of mastery. Jukka gets to go hardcore on the kit and there are moments in these songs where the beat kind of messes with your head, like in the fast sections of "Devil & the Deep Dark Ocean". Sami joins the band as their first proper bassist, and he gets to show off right from the start, keeping up with the speedy pieces of these tracks. Emppu honestly got more to do on AFF (especially solo-wise), but there are a lot of cool bits, particularly when it comes to the riffs, that show him standing on his own among the symphonic landscape Tuomas builds. And Tarja... my god is she incredible. Floor may be a more technically proficient singer, but Tarja will always be my favorite of the Nightwish vocalists (Marko notwithstanding). The lyrics barely matter; her voice is a gorgeous fluttering within the music. Just listen to "Passion and the Opera"; it's an incredible song for her voice to really shine through. God I love her.
I mentioned that AFF's song structures are kind of atypical; Oceanborn introduces more typical choruses, but since everything is faster now it's almost mind-boggling how some of these songs got stitched together. Take "The Pharaoh Sails to Orion", the longest song on the album and by far the most complex. It may have a chorus, but it's not the focal point of the song. There is so much done in this song it's like a whirlwind of great moment after great moment, leaving the listener hanging on breathlessly as the band continues to shift into higher and higher gear. The album's other duet song is the aforementioned "Devil & the Deep Dark Ocean", which is also complex in nature and eschews a traditional chorus altogether, instead soaring through highs and lows before ending rapturously in Tarja's brilliant outro piece.
As a whole the record is incredibly exciting, and the breathlessness of these tracks is also married with beautiful sonic moments that almost make you well up. Take the piano in "Gethsemane", which stands out among the guitar as it twinkles up and down the stereo. There's also the keys to "The Riddler", or the spell-binding vibe of "Sacrament of Wilderness". And there's also "Swanheart", the album's first ballad, coming in as track 6 and allowing us to calm down after the five songs preceding it that that left us in a Finnish tornado kind of wonderland. It's the weakest song on the album, starting off as an almost hymn-like track, but the way it builds up is killer and a testament to Tuomas's songwriting.
And then of course there's the other two ballads that close out the album, and both of them are tearjerkers in a "wow music is fucking amazing" kind of way. "Walking in the Air" is a layered and textured cover of The Snowman theme, once again taking your breath away, not because of the speed and skill but because it is just such a wonderful five minute journey across the wintery sky. It really brings you back to the wonder of childhood, something I'm sure Tuomas has always tried to capture in his music. And then there's "Sleeping Sun", technically a bonus track, but I can't imagine listening to this album without it. This is the most "My Heart Will Go On" this band has ever gotten, and no it's not just because the song gets used a lot in memorandum videos in the 'shipwreck community' as one friend of mine has told me. It's really just the simple way that the song builds up to its peak, softly and slowly but so stirringly. Eclipses are such a great muse for music.
Above all else, this album is just plain fun. The two songs I haven't mentioned yet, opener "Stargazers" and instrumental "Moondance" exemplify this. The first is a fantastical symphonic rocker whose lyrics, while steeped in early Nightwish's starry-eyed wonder for fiction, also foreshadow where Tuomas's lyrics would head during the Floor era. (Really, Nightwish just turned away from the magic and into the scientific but the themes remain the same - it's all a celebration of life.*) The latter brings us right into a Finnish winter with folks at the tavern joining arms and jumping around for the sheer joy of it. So good; possibly still their best instrumental...?
I will say that I find Oceanborn to be a bit of an oddity in the Nightwish catalogue. This is a style they really wouldn't dip back into very often - a couple songs on Wishmaster, sure, but beyond that... not so much. The Nightwish blueprint was laid out in rough form on Angels Fall First and expanded on with Wishmaster. This record feels like the band getting all of their energy out of the way so they can focus on their more typical style going forward. And neither their future approach nor this one are lesser; they both exemplify what makes Nightwish so great. The band has so many great albums that ultimately will come down to whatever you're in the mood for. When you want some killer symphonic metal of the style this band piloted, you've got a lot to choose from. And when you need a kick in the ass, a pure power metal record that will leave you speechless from start to finish in terms of its vitality, its beauty, and its vigor, then you can always throw on Oceanborn.
*Except when Tommy is depressed and has to kill himself real quick.
As much as I do like Angels Fall First, Oceanborn is leagues above it in terms of... everything. The band is energized as fuck on this record; it's easily the most pumping of any of their works. It's also a lot different from the direction they'd head starting on Wishmaster. This is pure, symphonic power metal. Gone is the slow-building gothic nature of AFF, and instead we get some tight-ass BANGERS from start to finish.
Pretty much everyone has leveled up here. Tuomas's lyrics are a lot better and more poetic, and his playing is astonishing, weaving in and out of the music with a beautiful flurry of mastery. Jukka gets to go hardcore on the kit and there are moments in these songs where the beat kind of messes with your head, like in the fast sections of "Devil & the Deep Dark Ocean". Sami joins the band as their first proper bassist, and he gets to show off right from the start, keeping up with the speedy pieces of these tracks. Emppu honestly got more to do on AFF (especially solo-wise), but there are a lot of cool bits, particularly when it comes to the riffs, that show him standing on his own among the symphonic landscape Tuomas builds. And Tarja... my god is she incredible. Floor may be a more technically proficient singer, but Tarja will always be my favorite of the Nightwish vocalists (Marko notwithstanding). The lyrics barely matter; her voice is a gorgeous fluttering within the music. Just listen to "Passion and the Opera"; it's an incredible song for her voice to really shine through. God I love her.
I mentioned that AFF's song structures are kind of atypical; Oceanborn introduces more typical choruses, but since everything is faster now it's almost mind-boggling how some of these songs got stitched together. Take "The Pharaoh Sails to Orion", the longest song on the album and by far the most complex. It may have a chorus, but it's not the focal point of the song. There is so much done in this song it's like a whirlwind of great moment after great moment, leaving the listener hanging on breathlessly as the band continues to shift into higher and higher gear. The album's other duet song is the aforementioned "Devil & the Deep Dark Ocean", which is also complex in nature and eschews a traditional chorus altogether, instead soaring through highs and lows before ending rapturously in Tarja's brilliant outro piece.
As a whole the record is incredibly exciting, and the breathlessness of these tracks is also married with beautiful sonic moments that almost make you well up. Take the piano in "Gethsemane", which stands out among the guitar as it twinkles up and down the stereo. There's also the keys to "The Riddler", or the spell-binding vibe of "Sacrament of Wilderness". And there's also "Swanheart", the album's first ballad, coming in as track 6 and allowing us to calm down after the five songs preceding it that that left us in a Finnish tornado kind of wonderland. It's the weakest song on the album, starting off as an almost hymn-like track, but the way it builds up is killer and a testament to Tuomas's songwriting.
And then of course there's the other two ballads that close out the album, and both of them are tearjerkers in a "wow music is fucking amazing" kind of way. "Walking in the Air" is a layered and textured cover of The Snowman theme, once again taking your breath away, not because of the speed and skill but because it is just such a wonderful five minute journey across the wintery sky. It really brings you back to the wonder of childhood, something I'm sure Tuomas has always tried to capture in his music. And then there's "Sleeping Sun", technically a bonus track, but I can't imagine listening to this album without it. This is the most "My Heart Will Go On" this band has ever gotten, and no it's not just because the song gets used a lot in memorandum videos in the 'shipwreck community' as one friend of mine has told me. It's really just the simple way that the song builds up to its peak, softly and slowly but so stirringly. Eclipses are such a great muse for music.
Above all else, this album is just plain fun. The two songs I haven't mentioned yet, opener "Stargazers" and instrumental "Moondance" exemplify this. The first is a fantastical symphonic rocker whose lyrics, while steeped in early Nightwish's starry-eyed wonder for fiction, also foreshadow where Tuomas's lyrics would head during the Floor era. (Really, Nightwish just turned away from the magic and into the scientific but the themes remain the same - it's all a celebration of life.*) The latter brings us right into a Finnish winter with folks at the tavern joining arms and jumping around for the sheer joy of it. So good; possibly still their best instrumental...?
I will say that I find Oceanborn to be a bit of an oddity in the Nightwish catalogue. This is a style they really wouldn't dip back into very often - a couple songs on Wishmaster, sure, but beyond that... not so much. The Nightwish blueprint was laid out in rough form on Angels Fall First and expanded on with Wishmaster. This record feels like the band getting all of their energy out of the way so they can focus on their more typical style going forward. And neither their future approach nor this one are lesser; they both exemplify what makes Nightwish so great. The band has so many great albums that ultimately will come down to whatever you're in the mood for. When you want some killer symphonic metal of the style this band piloted, you've got a lot to choose from. And when you need a kick in the ass, a pure power metal record that will leave you speechless from start to finish in terms of its vitality, its beauty, and its vigor, then you can always throw on Oceanborn.
*Except when Tommy is depressed and has to kill himself real quick.
Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
Wishmaster (2000)
It's the turn of the millennium, and Nightwish have dropped their third album. With every new release, their sound is evolving, never staying in one place. I know I said that Oceanborn is a bit of an outlier in their discography, but it still fits. Wishmaster is the bridge between the power metal stylings of Oceanborn and the 'pure' symphonic metal sound that they would fully embrace starting with Century Child.
We're gonna split these songs into three different categories. To start with, let's tackle those songs that took a page out of Oceanborn and then just went ham, trying to outdo that album in terms of power metal grandeur. Obviously the title track falls into this folder, with its sparkling keys, swashbuckling guitar, and cheesy but effective chorus that even Sabaton couldn't help but steal. Then there's "Wanderlust" and "Crownless", probably my least favorite songs on the record but still effective in their own right. I just don't find them as interesting as the rest ultimately, they feel like warmer Oceanborn cuts that got canned and repurposed here. Closing epic "FantasMic", meanwhile, is Disney Metal 101, spreading utter cheese throughout its eight minutes yet never turning you off. You've got it all here; a Pinocchio-inspired chorus, movie references galore, flute solos, and mountains of golden symphonic metal goodness. Far from the band's best song, sure, but always entertaining, entrancing, and a massive step up from the days of "Lappi".
Then there are the album's three ballad-type songs. "Two for Tragedy" is woefully underrated IMO, a beautiful little candlelight opera about love and death that maybe dips into the pipes a bit much but never fails to bring out the chills. "Deep Silent Complete" is a heavier track heavily inspired by Shakespeare and features a terrific, wordless chorus that showcases once again the beautiful voice of Ms. Tarja Turunen. And then of course there's, as Tuomas has called it, the "mother of all Nightwish songs", "Dead Boy's Poem". Here is the spring that would inspire the entire Century Child album, embraced Tuomas's self-insert character, and paved the way for many future epics (in particular, the trope of quiet background music under a spoken word recitation begins here). And lord does it hold up to this day, with its passionate and sorrowful lyrics leading us through swelling music before it peaks in the final section. Just a phenomenal song all around.
And then there are those songs that seem to be composed of something in between that power metal sound and the theatrical Nightwish ballads, the songs that let us get a glimpse of the future pathway of the band. "She Is My Sin" kicks off the record with style and more enticing lust, culminating in a rapturously devilish chorus. Similarly intoxicating but a little more chilled is "Bare Grace Misery", another underrated track whose lyrics seem to be about... sex work? "Come Cover Me" is just a fun Nightwish tune, featuring a couple great riffs from Emppu that I love. This is the last album to feature his guitar in standard tuning and I do love how it sounds here (while also loving how the D tuning adds to the heaviness later on). And finally, there's "The Kinslayer", a balls-out symphonic rocker inspired by the Columbine massacre and a horror story that feels incredibly applicable twenty three years later. We still haven't learned.
With all this in mind, I will say that Wishmaster is a bit more inconsistent than the album that preceded it, but this is like choosing your favorite child ultimately. It's still a magnificent record and points us in the right direction for the band to follow. The magic is alive and well, whether in Fantasia or the deep blue sea. Also shootout to Eurovision entry "Sleepwalker" which is a nice little tune that should've been selected. Ah well.
Over the Hills and Far Away (2001)
In between studio records Nightwish dropped this little four song EP. It's alright, that's the best way to describe it. The opening title track is a magnificent cover song that fits their sound tremendously well and remains a classic to this day. "10th Man Down" I find to be a bit overrated; granted, it's not a studio song, but its appearance during the Decades tour has bolstered its popularity a lot. It's fine, but feels like a mix between "She Is My Sin" and "The Kinslayer" and I'd rather hear those two songs.
Then there's "Away", a simple song that brings to mind Pink Floyd's "High Hopes" (a song the band would later cover on tour) in the verses, and springs into sunlight during the chorus. Not a song worth coming back to much like most of their non-album tracks. Finally, the re-recording of "Astral Romance" is interesting, but I don't find it nearly as endearing as the original. It's like their showing off their progression as musicians and losing the spark, the innocence that made the first version great. The male vocals, despite having more power, aren't actually any better than Tuomas's original ones; I don't care for the lyric alterations; and I miss the keyboard / guitar duel that's replaced now by a frankly sloppy Emppu solo. Gimme back the 1997 cut!
It's fine, but "Over the Hills" is the only song I'd come back to on a regular basis. If this was all that Nightwish entailed, I would not be as big a fan of them as I am today. Their studio albums are worth their weight in gold; their other cast-offs are usually quite boring.
It's the turn of the millennium, and Nightwish have dropped their third album. With every new release, their sound is evolving, never staying in one place. I know I said that Oceanborn is a bit of an outlier in their discography, but it still fits. Wishmaster is the bridge between the power metal stylings of Oceanborn and the 'pure' symphonic metal sound that they would fully embrace starting with Century Child.
We're gonna split these songs into three different categories. To start with, let's tackle those songs that took a page out of Oceanborn and then just went ham, trying to outdo that album in terms of power metal grandeur. Obviously the title track falls into this folder, with its sparkling keys, swashbuckling guitar, and cheesy but effective chorus that even Sabaton couldn't help but steal. Then there's "Wanderlust" and "Crownless", probably my least favorite songs on the record but still effective in their own right. I just don't find them as interesting as the rest ultimately, they feel like warmer Oceanborn cuts that got canned and repurposed here. Closing epic "FantasMic", meanwhile, is Disney Metal 101, spreading utter cheese throughout its eight minutes yet never turning you off. You've got it all here; a Pinocchio-inspired chorus, movie references galore, flute solos, and mountains of golden symphonic metal goodness. Far from the band's best song, sure, but always entertaining, entrancing, and a massive step up from the days of "Lappi".
Then there are the album's three ballad-type songs. "Two for Tragedy" is woefully underrated IMO, a beautiful little candlelight opera about love and death that maybe dips into the pipes a bit much but never fails to bring out the chills. "Deep Silent Complete" is a heavier track heavily inspired by Shakespeare and features a terrific, wordless chorus that showcases once again the beautiful voice of Ms. Tarja Turunen. And then of course there's, as Tuomas has called it, the "mother of all Nightwish songs", "Dead Boy's Poem". Here is the spring that would inspire the entire Century Child album, embraced Tuomas's self-insert character, and paved the way for many future epics (in particular, the trope of quiet background music under a spoken word recitation begins here). And lord does it hold up to this day, with its passionate and sorrowful lyrics leading us through swelling music before it peaks in the final section. Just a phenomenal song all around.
And then there are those songs that seem to be composed of something in between that power metal sound and the theatrical Nightwish ballads, the songs that let us get a glimpse of the future pathway of the band. "She Is My Sin" kicks off the record with style and more enticing lust, culminating in a rapturously devilish chorus. Similarly intoxicating but a little more chilled is "Bare Grace Misery", another underrated track whose lyrics seem to be about... sex work? "Come Cover Me" is just a fun Nightwish tune, featuring a couple great riffs from Emppu that I love. This is the last album to feature his guitar in standard tuning and I do love how it sounds here (while also loving how the D tuning adds to the heaviness later on). And finally, there's "The Kinslayer", a balls-out symphonic rocker inspired by the Columbine massacre and a horror story that feels incredibly applicable twenty three years later. We still haven't learned.
With all this in mind, I will say that Wishmaster is a bit more inconsistent than the album that preceded it, but this is like choosing your favorite child ultimately. It's still a magnificent record and points us in the right direction for the band to follow. The magic is alive and well, whether in Fantasia or the deep blue sea. Also shootout to Eurovision entry "Sleepwalker" which is a nice little tune that should've been selected. Ah well.
Over the Hills and Far Away (2001)
In between studio records Nightwish dropped this little four song EP. It's alright, that's the best way to describe it. The opening title track is a magnificent cover song that fits their sound tremendously well and remains a classic to this day. "10th Man Down" I find to be a bit overrated; granted, it's not a studio song, but its appearance during the Decades tour has bolstered its popularity a lot. It's fine, but feels like a mix between "She Is My Sin" and "The Kinslayer" and I'd rather hear those two songs.
Then there's "Away", a simple song that brings to mind Pink Floyd's "High Hopes" (a song the band would later cover on tour) in the verses, and springs into sunlight during the chorus. Not a song worth coming back to much like most of their non-album tracks. Finally, the re-recording of "Astral Romance" is interesting, but I don't find it nearly as endearing as the original. It's like their showing off their progression as musicians and losing the spark, the innocence that made the first version great. The male vocals, despite having more power, aren't actually any better than Tuomas's original ones; I don't care for the lyric alterations; and I miss the keyboard / guitar duel that's replaced now by a frankly sloppy Emppu solo. Gimme back the 1997 cut!
It's fine, but "Over the Hills" is the only song I'd come back to on a regular basis. If this was all that Nightwish entailed, I would not be as big a fan of them as I am today. Their studio albums are worth their weight in gold; their other cast-offs are usually quite boring.
MrKnickerbocker
clap hands
No doubt that most of Emppu's best work is on these early albums, while Tuomas was still building his own confidence as a player and composer. I miss the more guitar-oriented sound of older Nightwish, even if I didn't always love the songs.
See, but this decision is such a massive blunder that it makes a good majority of the record sound amateurish. He can't sing, at all, and the contrast between his occasionally out-of-tune whisper-talking and Tarja belting out these ridiculous lyrics like it's her last night on stage is truly comical.
This is indeed an awesome moment, but it's really, really, really hard to take that big belting note seriously after hearing her awkwardly requesting us to "lick her deepest."
I could not disagree more. It sounds so forced, so much like someone trying to act a line they don't believe in, in a language that they're still learning, that I just laugh. I laugh a lot while listening to this record, and not in a good way.
And therein lies my issue with much of Nightwish's lyrics and dramatic stylings: I don't identify with the pseudo-poetics of a self-aggrandizing man-dead-boy who thinks himself a poet simply because he writes lyrics. Part of why I loved Marko so much, and Floor, and enjoyed Anette, is the realness they brought/bring to the band, they balance out Tuomas/Tarja's ridiculous pomp. Luckily, Tuomas becomes a strong enough composer that his melodies and flair for dramatic production can outweigh his mostly awful lyrics.
Kalata
Out of the Silent Planet
^ I agree with that, but I have to say that both styles (old and new) really suit them.
All of them are equally important for the full sound of the band imo.
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MrKnickerbocker
clap hands
It really is amazing how much energy they bring to the table, especially after the whimper that was their debut demo. This album truly rips.
Her voice is incredibly striking, for both better and worse. I still am unable to get past her poor pronunciation, which is made worse by having to belt out Tuomas' lyrics (which, though better, still contain some pure trash). I do agree that Passion and the Opera is a really nice piece because the entire second half is just a showcase for Tarja to perform some classical coloratura, allowing her a spotlight without having to sing things like, "dulcet elvenharps from a dryad forest."
I am excited to listen to these two songs in particular on later live albums, because the pitch-shifted whisper growls on both this album (and Wishmaster) are once again laughably dumb.
I totally agree about Sleeping Sun, it's a beautiful song. Walking in the Air still does very little for me, though. It sounds like it's trying to be more majestic than it is. Who knows. Maybe in 10 years I'll hear it differently.
But truly, can the Dead Boy die? Is he always dead? Is the song the death itself? And what even is a "song"? What even is this "Tuomas" but a speck of life on an infinite path scattered through a dryad forest.
MrKnickerbocker
clap hands
Which one is that? Attero? Yeah, I hear that. The main riff is also another Sabaton song, like note for note, but I can't place it.
I really like both of these tunes! Wanderlust has the most overtly neoclassical riff that I can think of Nightwish's catalogue. The vocal melodies are a little awkward, though. Crownless rules (also sounds like a riff Sabaton would later riff off)! I'd love to hear this tune pop up in a live show with Floor singing. It would add some much needed metal energy to their live shows and I think a less-operatic vocal approach would be beneficial. The chorus is huge!
God, FantasMic is so, so very lame but the music is a joy throughout. You've got neoclassical jams, heavy stomps with orch hits, Tarja really killing it with the vocal layers, some rad guitar and harpsichord interplay, the killer twisty riff at 6:17, and finally that last chorus. The whole "wish upon a star!" sounds like something that Tuomas would repurpose on the Floor albums (including the drum break at 7:46). Maybe The Greatest Show on Earth?
Both of these tunes are nice, but feel more simplistic and less catchy than their other ballads. Neither of these tunes stick with me much, though it is nice to hear Tarja get some space for her voice in the verse of Deep Silent Complete.
I really truly dislike this song. The spoken word takes up half the song and the remainder of the first half is boring and repetitive (and so very serious). The last two minutes are great, but not worth the first two thirds.
It's really interesting how these songs spell out pretty much everything the band would do sonically for the next decade or so. I love She Is My Sin and Come Cover Me, despite being overplayed, and they truly set the format for the poppier aspects Tuomas will continue to explore on future records.
I'm not a big fan of Kinslayer or the title track simply because Lyr. ics. That. Are. Sung. With. Orch-eh-stra punc-u-ation. kind of annoy me.
I think Wishmaster might be more consistent, but less striking. Oceanborn has so much youthful energy that parts of this record feel almost tame in comparison.
JudasMyGuide
Ancient Mariner
I know I'm defaulting as of now, I'm finishing my AFF writeup which became longer than I expected - I haven't read what you wrote so far, because I want to have fresh attitude, but I think I'm going to disagree a lot with Knicks, I was genuinely suprised how much I liked the debut, when I returned to it now. Well, and then there are the obvious mistakes. More on that later.
However
I noticed this and I couldn't disagree more. I mean, I also personally don't like Tuomas' self-aggrandizing and I definitely don't appreciate the "edgy goth teenager" vibes, but the "switch to realness" is honestly some part of why my love towards the band decreased over the years, with them being now mostly just a project full of extremely talented session players. Well among other things, which I'll get into as I go through the discography.
Let's just put it this way, I probably love Rhapsody (and/of Fire and Everything) more than Knicks ever could. Naivety over too much experience, always. *shrugs*
However
I noticed this and I couldn't disagree more. I mean, I also personally don't like Tuomas' self-aggrandizing and I definitely don't appreciate the "edgy goth teenager" vibes, but the "switch to realness" is honestly some part of why my love towards the band decreased over the years, with them being now mostly just a project full of extremely talented session players. Well among other things, which I'll get into as I go through the discography.
Let's just put it this way, I probably love Rhapsody (and/of Fire and Everything) more than Knicks ever could. Naivety over too much experience, always. *shrugs*
MrKnickerbocker
clap hands
I think I know what you mean, and I'm sure we will discuss further, but I agree.
Let me rephrase a bit: I loved Marko's raw, powerful voice and carefree demeanor because it balanced Tuomas' theatrical tendencies. It was a perfect counterpart. The same for Anette, who brought a much more direct, approachable voice to Tuomas' supernatural themes and vibes. I appreciate Floor in the same way I appreciated Marko, because of her personal realness. She is very grounded.
When it comes to the songwriting, I too miss the magical, majestic, pompous side of the band. It was the "night" in Nightwish. The turn towards nature realness in songwriting is not for the better, in my opinion, as the two albums with Floor have certainly lost the mythical, "snowy" vibes of old and it's all to do with Tuomas' musical focus.
I guess what I'm getting at is that these first three albums, pre-Marko, are at times unsustainably pompous and self-serious because the two figureheads of the band (Tuomas and Tarja) are incredibly pompous and serious. The balance that occurs on the next record was a massive step in the right direction.
Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
I dunno, it just doesn't bother me the way most shitty singing does. Maybe it's because I know this band's material inside and out, and thus it's almost a novelty for me. Maybe it's just because I enjoy the songs he sings on on their own merits. Am I glad he's stopped singing? Yeah. But at the same time I kind of wish he had gotten singing lessons and figured out how to incorporate his voice into the music naturally instead of forcing it. Ah well, it's still no big deal for me.
Some non-native speakers have pronunciation issues that bother me (like that dude the band used live during the Wishmastour, more on that later), but Tarja isn't one of them. Maybe when she's talking between songs but the singing itself? To me it adds to the spirit of the music.
I actually enjoy them now, but I will say that I'm glad, just as with Tuomas's singing, that Nightwish moved beyond it. They work for the effect they're going for, and nothing more.
I definitely like them both, it's just a matter of the rest of the album being better IMO. These two songs are straight-up power metal, with happy-sounding melodies and a lot of speed. I find them enjoyable but power metal as a whole is one of my least favorite genres. There's a few bands that I really dig but I generally avoid it. However, I love Nightwish, therefore I like these songs lol. For what they are, they're good.
I think this is where our appreciation for Nightwish differs. I am entirely onboard with the wizardry of the early records, but I'm also entirely onboard with the moody, atmospheric moments like in "Dead Boy's Poem". To me, Tuomas's lyrics touch me in ways that feel incredibly personal, even if I can also stand back and joke about them as well. It's why I love his work, that personal feeling he gives them. Which also means I'm onboard for just about whatever departure he decides to fly on. (I know you despise the "Love" section in "Song of Myself"; in contrast, I've actually come to enjoy it for what it is.) I take the music as seriously as Tuomas does, and at the same time not so seriously as to miss the humor that comes with his writing.
So to me "Dead Boy's Poem" is a clear and utter 10/10 without a doubt. The lyrics are tear-full and Tarja's performance so amazing. And the poetry bits I really like as well, especially with that clean, hopeful piano in the background. The finale is probably the worst part of the song and yet it's still amazing (those high notes!). It's a track that builds up and then disappears into nothingness and I think every single moment is goddamn great. But this is what highlights the appeal of Nightwish to me, that duality between awesome music AND awesome atmosphere, and I think said atmosphere is where you probably tap out. This will also foreshadow the differences between our reviews going forward.
JudasMyGuide
Ancient Mariner
Angels Fall First (1997)
I usually do not recall when or where have I heard any given album for the very first time, and Angels Fall First is not an exception. What I do remember is that it must have been quite late, actually, because influenced by its reputation of a „glorified demo“ of sorts, I remember avoiding it like a plague. It must have been with my reassessment as a Tarja-era Magic/Faerie-junkie nostalgia whore, which fully happened, I guess, some 5-6 years ago (there were flashes of that beforehand, too) when I was actually intrigued enough to go and listen to it properly. By then I think I already had some basic comprehension of at least some of the songs, so I guess I’ll never have the proper, „whole“ album experience of this release. I guess it’s just as well, for the weirdest outing in Nightwish‘s career (honestly, not many metal bands have such an Early Installment Weirdness in their discography. Well, now that I think about it, there's plenty of those, but okay, whatever, let's not digress).
What surprised me then and what surprised me even now was how genuinely solid at least parts of the album are… and how obviously bad certain elements seem to be, so you’d kinda wonder what were they thinking.
But let’s not prolong the prologue, at least here, with the album that I don’t have any particular personal memories for, let’s go to the songs themselves:
Elvenpath
Let us not dwell on how short and forgettable the intro is, but right after we start with a bang, with an absolutely stellar main riff which almost reminds you of 80’s arena rock and honestly belongs among the better „electric guitar-driven ostinatos“ Nightwish ever made. In fact the whole song is written very well, from the riff-based verse, to the prancing pre-chorus and resulting in the „standard power-metal-era Nigthwish gallop“ in the chorus. Even among their other work, which I found out I value rather highly, this song stands out.
Tarja sounds quite a bit different from how we know her, she is immediately recognisable, but her voice has a different, more civil and almost somewhat darker quality, especially in the verses.
And what is it she’s singing? Oh, yes, the lyrics are teeming with naïveté, almost silliness, even, and yet, give me band singing completely deadpan serious a bunch of fantasy clichés, I find that endearing, brave and laudable. Like I said before, as of yet still a band that actually believed that dragons exist.
Also, every time I start listening to AFF, I’m somewhat taken aback by how good it actually sounds – Tuomas has been always making a great deal out of the fact the album was supposed to be a demo and that it was accepted by the company mostly as-is, but I have a hard time believing that – I have never yet heard a demo that sounded this well, from the sound of the guitars, to the quasi-symphonic elements, to the dynamics, especially the transitions from the quiet to the louder. There must have been some tweaks and additions by a professional in a full-grown studio, sorry, I don’t believe any other narrative.
The middle eight is probably the weakest part, not offensive in the slightest, but probably the least memorable. Try as it may, it won’t bring the song down and I’ll give Elvenpath a rather strong 8/10 and insist that it should make its way into the playlist of any serious Nightwish afficionado.
Beauty and the Beast
Unfortunately, a terrible keyboard sound opens this one, metrically nice, but in general I find the intro underwhelming – unlike in the opener, Emppu is mostly just plodding along, bashing out some power chords, as a whole it probably tries to set a particular atmosphere, but to me at least, it fails. The first minute or so is therefore skippable, especially when the fast part starting at 1:14 – and significantly better – sounds rather detached, not really resulting from it; the intro feels just tacked on and kind of useless (aah, The Apostle in Triumph flashbacks!)
The following part has much more energy and drive, in fact it has a rather subtly enticing verse melody, of course you also get Tuomas‘ vocals here and … well, let’s put it this way, it’s still not good, but at least it’s noticeably better than in other places on the album – I found out I’m not offended nor taken out of the song by those and although I can’t gather enough good will within myself to heap praise on it, it’s tolerable. It would get much better once they’ll give these vocals to Tony Kakko on From Wishes to Eternity, however.
It all gets better with Tarja’s chorus, which isn’t particularly melodically complex, yet immediately memorable … and I also like how they switch the sound of the keyboards to the pseudo-harpsichord, it’s definitely much more palatable than the … whatever was it in the beginning.
The spoken vocals (well, let’s be honest, grunts) are not good however, and overall another bad idea burdening this song.
Some nice multi-tracked melodic guitar soloing (man, I really miss Emppu in general nowadays – he is often simplistic and the things he does are often almost shallow in their likability, and yet, I could overlook that – after all, among my top, top, top guitarists is Mike Oldfield, sitting comfortably right next to Luca Turilli, indeed – at least if he was still present and not replaced by the orchestra). Again, an okay Tarja part and terrible spoken vocals. Urgh.
The final two minutes are once again giving the impression of not really belonging, the song as a whole feels terribly stitched-together, IMHO, which is a pity, they go for a rather cool, marching groove, with Emppu embellishments, Tomas‘ minimalistic playing along and ethereal, wordless Tarja wails, whih I admit I absolutely love – she almost reminds me here of Simons, in her greatest moments (like her utterly haunting performance in the Poetry for the Poisoned’s title track).
The lyrics are okay, I guess, although here begins Tuomas‘ obsession with sounding like a bigger creep than he probably (probably!) is, with lines like „Forever shall the wolf in me desire the sheep in you“ sounding okay on their own, but combined with Tuomas‘ general kinda-incel vibe (sorry, you know it’s true), it definitely feels a tad too subconsciously predatory, at least in my book. Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but you’ll see that although this is mostly just cute, there are going to be decidedly „un-cute“ things in the foreseeable future.
Also, mate, stop it with the scenting. Oh, gee, I just recalled Nymphomaniac Fantasia is on this album, too…
Anyway, I’m really torn here, if I’m going to be really honest, I should give this 6/10 at best, with way too much bullshit dragging this song down, despite the beautiful aspects it has. And yet, I’m almost tempted to elevate that to 7, since there is hardly anything truly offensive (apart from the spoken word parts). Let’s rate this one retrospectively, in the context of the whole album, once I’ll be doing the final assessment.
The Carpenter
Oh, dear. Talk about failed experiments.
Now, I’ll probably refrain from looking at the lyrics too closely, it’s probably supposed to be somehow Jesus-related, but despite me actually having a degree in theology and having done actual theological and anthropological interpretations of several works in the past (including in my thesis, where I picked apart the theological and anthropological implications of the film Once Upon a Time in the West, of all things), at first glance I have absolutely no idea what Tuomas is trying to say or imply here and I won’t look closer – rather. This song has enough stacked against itself as is, I don’t need to dissect it to find out whether to be flattered of offended by its lyrics.
So, remember what I said about Tuomas‘ vocals in the previous song? How they are weak, yet fine and acceptable, not really offensive in the least? Well, no such luck here. Already in the verses the delivery is absolutely terrible, weak, almost unlistenable. It gets worse in the chorus, which is actually really, REALLY nice, melodic-wise, or at least it would be, if Tuomas didn’t sound like a dying hound convulsing in his suffering and if he didn’t clash with Tarja in such a terrible way it makes you think about every drunken party you ever realised you shouldn’t be at. And mind you, I have a high tolerance for „unprofessional“ singing and I even accept it when combined with the professional one, if the result is fine or at least endearing. In fact, I absolutely love the 1964 live rendition of Mama, You’ve Been on My Mind by Dylan and Baez, the way his wheeze clashes and fights against her crystal clear, folkish, standard delivery. But not in The Carpenter.
It frustrates me, because the song has a potential of real beauty, in fact was it at least slightly more competently done, it just might jump up to be my favourite song on the album (my uneasiness with Tuomas touching anything religious with a ten-foot pole notwithstanding).
The Middle-eastern interlude is fine (I actually really like it when any band does it, including Tuomas & Co.), although it sounds a bit demo-ish, to be honest. Also, there’s some riffage at about 4:15 that always reminded me of Fade to Black, maybe it’s just me hearing that, if it’s an intentional homage, well, cool.
What can I say? This is a thing that might have been really beautiful and had potential, but the execution is just terrible and I don’t get how they didn’t hear it – Tuomas CAN sing better (he did so on the very previous song!) or they could have told the other blokes in the band.
I have gotten used to the song quite a lot, ever since I first heard the album, and I guess I’m more used to it than some and definitely more used to it than I should be, but I still can’t give this anything higher than a 4/10. Maybe with time I’ll soften up even more and raise the rating, but I can’t do so with clear conscience now.
Also, I am well aware they unearthed it for the Decades world tour, but I’ll go through that when we get to the respective live album… also, with switching both of the vocalists it sounds like a completely different song, for better or worse.
Astral Romance
The first 40 seconds have a certain je ne sais quoi … well, I know, it sounds kinda Pink Floydish? maybe, with those abrupt descends sounding like… Is There Anybody Out There? (I don’t know, I’m going by memory, maybe I’m completely off). Anyway, after three quarters of a minute, the song gets heavier, it’s really nice, with the (pinch harmonic? Not a guitarist, correct me please if I’m wrong) and Tarja going through this urgent, staccato-ish vocal part (I also love her multi-tracked wails from the second minute onwards – if only they weren’t the background for more Tuomas singing).
As a whole, it doesn’t really go anywhere, at least much, but the repetition of the intro gives the song a certain gravitas, there’s more Tarja than Tuomas and Emppu with his soloing (and yes, honestly, Tuomas with his keyboards) make the outro rather exciting; the first part of the solo feels positively weird to me, with that hiccup in the middle.
Oh, lyrics. Right, I always forget Astral Romance has lyrics. I certainly could live without „Send me your saliva to heal my scars // And let this nakedness be my birth“, but overall Tuomas is rather poetic and… well, romantic, writing probably his best lyrics on the album so far.
Nice atmosphere, nice groove, the parts with Tuomas singing and with the spoken word are mercifully short, so I don’t feel the song is really marred by any serious mistakes, but overall it’s really not memorable enough, not outstanding enough. I can’t with clear conscience give it anything more than a 6/10.
Angels Fall First
Nice acoustic intro (well, the main part of the song, to be precise), feels like something between The Unforgiven and Keeper of the Seven Keys. I don’t like Tarja’s entrance here, for once, it feels abrupt and at least in my ear it clashes a bit with the instrumental background … however after the (would-be) flute interlude, it returns with a melodical beauty and a certain amount of drama that hasn’t been truly seen so far on the album, at least IMHO.
I like the first 75% of the track more than the final part, I admit, I don’t mind that the song seems to end with feeling of things unsaid, with a certain openness, lacking closure... and yet I still definitely enjoy the main sequence much more (especially the vocals/vocal melodies). Also, I guess you could complain about a certain monotonousness, with the whole song being just a ballad which never really gains momentum, I understand if it makes it skippable for some.
As for the lyrics, those are definitely competent, it’s just… a certain personal dislike, a pet peeve of sorts, rooted in my hopeless ageism – I can’t help but feel, when Tuomas writes about loss and sorrow, that it feels… forced, artificial. That the imagination often isn’t a good enough substitution for experience in such matters. In those other „naive“ bands, I usually don’t mind, because it is often almost grotesque in scope and with its seriousness in borders on self-parody (e. g. Rhapsody), but Tuomas really counts on you empathising. Well, I have a hard time doing that.
Still, that’s hardly a complaint capable of subtracting from the song as a whole, so with a certain caveat regarding the aforementioned monotonousness, I shall give this one 7/10, mainly for the chorus. A weak 7, however. This is a type of song I actually prefer hearing from the likes of Tobias Sammet -
Tutankhamen
Some more Middle-Eastern influences here, resulting in a really killer riff which has almost a certain Celtic influence as well – in fact, it reminds me of Maiden; go listen to Writing on the Wall, the part from 4:04, you’ll see there’s much more common ground covered than one might think.
To top it off, we get possibly the weirdest and most original Tarja vocal lines on the album so far, in the verses at least (the „Treasure…“ chorus is your typical Tarwish sweetness). However, the jumps between the atypical verse and the „usual“ chorus feel really natural and tend to hold my attention during each and every listen. This goes for the lyrics, too – these contain powerful parts and silly ones („Hear the cats meowing in the temple // They yearn the milk you cascaded“) and yet it kinda works somehow.
The instrumental part is weird, though, it was almost off-putting at first, I got used to it, but I still don’t see the benefit thereof – and it doesn’t even fit the theme, sounding electronic as all fuck. I certainly count it among the ideas that should have been rethought. The ending as well, a tad too abrupt switch into the outro, which sounds feeble, jarring, unfinished, almost.
In general, I admit the strong parts outweigh the weaker ones, the opening riff is amazing and I appreciate the coherence, so a slightly weaker 7/10 it is.
Nymphomaniac Fantasia
The less is said about this song, the better.
Okay, this probably will not do, so let’s elucidate.
You have heard the lyrics, right?
Now, I want to demonstrate my point, so allow me a wee digression: let’s imagine you want to get angry at a cheating girlfriend and you want to f-bomb her, okay?
So, let’s imagine this set of lyrics:
„Fuck what I said, it don't mean shit now
Fuck the presents, might as well throw 'em out
Fuck all those kisses, they didn't mean jack
Fuck you, you ho, I don't want you back“
Maybe it’s a bit too on the nose, fine, but in general, the lyrics are okay, angry, getting the point across, at least theoretically. Right? Right??
Well, I don’t know if you remember it now, 19 years later, but this was actually a hit song
and… everything about the delivery, the framing, the bloke himself is just wrong.
Instead of sounding like he’s breaking up with his girlfriend because she cheated on him, it sounds more like she was cheating on him openly, then dumped him and now he’s writing an angry retort in his room, trying to picture how it should have happened.
You get my point?
Sometimes quod licet Iovi, non licet bovi. And if that sounds like a double standard… it’s because it is.
Which brings me to Nymphomaniac Fantasia (I swear this is the last fucking time I even write the title) and its lyrics.
Point is, although you might say I have this tendency to be prudish, because of my beliefs (not just religious ones), it’s not completely true, I think there are varieties and levels and good usage… in short I am not against explicit lyrics per se.
But there is no friggin way in this universe of ours where the shy intellectual Tuomas releases publicly lines like „Lick my deepest“ and „Deeper shall bet he wound between your legs“ (and it doesn’t help Tarja is the one to sing it, in fact, it’s probably making it worse) and comes out fine, not sounding like a dirty creep or a frustrated incel.
And beside Tuomas, who is for me the worst person imaginable to be writing this, well, even on its own, if we pictured it written by… don’t know, Nick Cave, it’s still just WRONG.
There is a difference between what you can write and what you can say, but even written I find this to be absolutely terrible. I have read a lot of intimate scenes and sex details in various books, both good and bad, tame and explicit, but this makes me cringe.
Musically, the intro is way too close to the title track on the album to not notice the similar vibe it gives off.
The main part is very run-of-the-mill for them, I don’t hear much musical ideas, no real memorability, it feels like it’s going nowhere. After the intro you get what turns out to be the verse, as the only main part of the song (if there is a chorus, I have yet to find it) and the „Tarja duet“ is a cool idea in its conception, but not in its execution – it’s clunky, under-rehearsed and at times almost sounds off-key. Then we get what I thought was the keyboard interlude, but it’s not, there is no other „lude“ (I know, I know, it’s supposed to be „ludo“) and it just ruins the momentum, including Tarja declaiming the aforementioned cringeworthy lyrics. Ooof.
The outro is much better, with quite nice flute embellishments (is it an actual flute? Sounds somewhat weird to me in my speakers), but it can’t really redeem the song.
Worse than the Carpenter (which I could at least imagine working under different circumstances), I’m giving this abomination of a track 3/10 and I’m being rather generous at that. Sorry.
Know Why the Nightingale Sings
The opening to this track sounds a tad like a prototype for Bare Grace Misery (which is a good thing), with Emppu being nicely prominent in the sound, giving it a good drive. The verse is mixed weird, there is some iffy spacing of the various tracks, the vocals, the guitar, the atmospherics in the background. Talking about atmospheric, somewhere around 1:20 you get weird noises in the background, I guess that’s supposed to be the „nightingale“, okay, but was it really necessary?
The verse itself is musically okay, if not really memorable. The next vocal part after the second minute is actually great, but the mixing again drowns Tarja’s voice and it also gives off this feeling that as the most significant vocal part of the song, it is a little bit underwhelming. A good solo and some nice guitar harmonies before the third minute. In fact, the last third is as a whole Emppu's showcase.
However, although I find a lot of potential in this track, it feels a bit unfinished, especially the vocal parts – not just in the way of production and mixing, but even the vocal lines would need some rewrites, to bring out in the open the beauty of the melodies that is now mostly just inherently felt. Pity, because if this spent „in the oven“ a bit longer, it would be among my favourites on this album. I’ll still give it recognition and award it 7/10, though a weak one.
Lappi
I have been listening to a lot of Medieval and Renaissance music lately, so the opening part felt somewhat familiar, at least atmosphere-wise. In fact, Erämaajärvi is really beautiful, insubstantial, but beautiful, somewhat along the lines of Opeth’s Persephone; not only do they share a similar feel, but also a similar „throwaway“ nature, and yet I tend to remember it and hum it to myself later on. I’m probably alone in that regard, but the emotional response this insignificant intro gets out of me surprised me as well.
Witchdrums, on the other hand, is mostly useless, I appreciate the synths/keyboards in the middle giving it a tad Oldfield-ish sound, but taken as a part of the whole, it is a momentum killer; I feel the first part should have resulted in something more lively.
This Moment Is Eternity, the main „meat“ of the Lappi track is… fine. It is somewhat plodding, I like the majestic part beginning at about 1:50 (of the individual track), I could imagine that on an early Dark Moor record or something, but overall, it’s underwhelming, unfortunately. If we take the whole Lappi epic, I can imagine other tracks from the album being slightly rewritten and recontextualised here in this place, especially stuff like Nightingale or Astral Romance and it would be much better. I don’t dislike it or anything, it’s just not much for such a suite, both as a sum of its parts and the parts themselves.
It ends with the fourth part, which is mostly just this denouement that would – again – fit better after a stronger main part. As such, I don’t care even about the rather nice acoustic guitar flourishes there; the intro and the outro are the best parts and even those don’t stand on their own.
Like I said, I can imagine this working very easily, obviously Tuomas had enough musical ideas on the album, I don’t get why he decided that the closing epic suite doesn’t need them as much.
5/10, at best.
Before we continue, let’s look at the bonus tracks:
Return to the Sea
I lack information on where is this from, but it is absolutely inessential, if inoffensive. I can’t recall how many times have I heard this track and yet I can’t recall anything, apart from the drums sounding a bit weird and that the production is somewhat airy, with possibly more prominent atmospheric keyboards than on the rest of the album (?) A B-side to end all B-sides. Honestly, I somewhat enjoy some of Tarja’s vocal inflections here, just… not enough for nearly six minutes.
(By the way, I usually don’t rate the bonus tracks – with them being, well, bonus – unless they are substantial enough so that they feel they could be considered a part of the album OR if they are so great they deserve to bring the rating of the album up on their own. Needless to say, this is not one of those.)
Nightwish
Cheesy beginning, just like from a B horror movie (it’s the synths, probably) giving way to an absolute chaos of songwriting, with some nice strumming with Tarja, a weird truly demo-ish sounding interlude, an actual nice „chorus“ with cute vocal multitracking, again the interlude and then … does Tuomas attempt making his keyboards sound like Wurlitzer down there in the mix? I mean, I heard enough of Supertramp discography to notice. But maybe I’m wrong, honestly.
The outro is genuinely nice, but overall the song feels like a throwaway. Which it honestly is. Boo! Where’s the electric guitar? Booo!
The Forever Moments
Okay, I take it all back - this is probably the most demo-sounding song here. I can hear a promise of an okay track somewhere down below, it just feels really underbaked and neglected. I can almost vividly imagine the tweaks and changes to make it more interesting, more memorable, more like an actual song. And yett..
Oh, those "bluesy" inflections Tarja attempts at about 3:00 are horrid, I absolutely hate it.
There's also something wrong with the lyrics, I mean
The ticktock of time allows me to see
An hour turned to an echo
A butterfly to a cocoon
A swan to ugly duckling, ruling to an ocean
is nice I guess, I should like this and yet... I don't. Completely passes me by.
Thank u, next.
Etiänien is just a demo version of the final part of Lappi, with some whispers in the beginning. Tarja’s vocals are more prominent here, so I guess it could be of some interest to some, but not to me and I’m a Tarja fanatic, so…
Overall: 6/10 (I decided to give the second track the higher score after all)
Now, despite the relatively lower score, I found out I actually enjoy this album quite a lot. I already wrote above that I don't buy this was a demo that was mostly left as it was, it sounds too professional for that... and yet, there are some obvious flaws that must have been apparent even at the time. I almost kinda wish they released an "updated reissue" (the idea of which I usually hate) back when they still had Tarja, with some stuff tweaked, re-recorded and so on. There wouldn't even have to be that many changes, just the most obvious missteps.
Quoting Tuomas, from a 2008 Kerrang interview (via Wikipedia): „It came about in August 1996, around a campfire. We were at my summer cabin, a bunch of friends camping out, barbecuing, singing songs, and then it just hit me that I wanted to start a band. But we were too far ambitious at that time for it to remain simply acoustic and making music with just acoustic guitar, keyboards and female voice, was just a bit boring, and we naturally started heading in a heavier direction. The funny thing about Angels Fall First is that it was only supposed to be a demo to send out to record labels. But then Spinefarm heard it and thought it was perfect, so they put it out as it was with no remixing or anything. I used to be a bit embarrassed but now I can feel proud and nostalgic about those songs.“
And I guess this might be the most thing I can say against the current incarnation of Nightwish, Tarja be damned: this bloke, who wrote some songs while serving in the military, got together this campfire band of friends and pretty much demoed a unique, trailblazing and generally rather solid album.
Current Tuomas, although possessing a relatively limitless budget and very talented band members can’t write something like Elvenpath if his life depended on it. And he doesn’t have to. He has large arenas, he has the bombast, he has Floor showing off. He doesn't need the passion. Whoever needs something like that, right? In fact, I almost wish they even now did mistakes of the sorts as seen here - which make them seem human at worst - instead of the mistakes like All the Plants and Trees and Cliffs and Seas Which do whatever.
Sorry, I digress, just wanted to say that although I disagree with this album a lot, I actually respect it very much. It should have a better reputation than it has.
Fuck that was long.
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JudasMyGuide
Ancient Mariner
Also, absolutely not connected, please help me!
Harvest - the vocal melody in the verse and probably in the chorus as well - what does it remind me of? I have a very strong sense of already heard there, I could swear it is if not lifted, then at least inspired by another, older song (not theirs)... any ideas, please?
(I probably don't mean Baba Yetu)
(And no, I don't mean Lost for Words either
)
Harvest - the vocal melody in the verse and probably in the chorus as well - what does it remind me of? I have a very strong sense of already heard there, I could swear it is if not lifted, then at least inspired by another, older song (not theirs)... any ideas, please?
(I probably don't mean Baba Yetu)
(And no, I don't mean Lost for Words either
Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
Time to gather a Google Doc of Nightwish reviews!
Disagree here, but I'll explain later when I review FWTE.
Tuomas grew up a Christian, and being that he was barely an adult when this was written, my theory is that this song is inspired by his Christian worldview of the time. It sounds to me like he didn't rebel or anything, but just slipped away from religion when he began to experience more of the world. You can tell on Oceanborn that science has inspired his writing since the beginning; hell, even "A Return to the Sea" features Darwin as a hero. But "The Carpenter" and "Gethsemane" paint these Biblical scenes with reverence - "...lay the tools of the one who for us had died..." "Without you, the poetry within me is dead..." There's no reason that a Christian can't also be a Darwinist and my guess is that Tuomas was both. Could be completely wrong, maybe he was a full on Satanist back in his teenage years like I was. But then I would expect then that anti-religious messages would have appeared earlier on rather than now in Nightwish's current era.
Of course you would think that!
Actually it's from the original Angels Fall First. Spinefarm first released the album as the 7 track demo the band had released, and then the band went back in and recorded four new songs to make a proper album. Both "A Return to the Sea" and "Once Upon a Troubadour" (the only bonus track you're missing from your review) were on that first release, limited to only 500 copies (and now a collector's item!).
I think I'm still the leading fan though. I intentionally left out ratings for each song because it's just so hard. Most of these I feel deserve an 8. I really enjoy most of the album, maybe "Lappi" and "Angels Fall First" are sevens. It's also tough to rank these tracks but I might go back and do it later on. The record as a whole is just super enjoyable for me inherently because of what it is. You said earlier that you wish it could've been rerecorded later during the Tarja era, but I very much okay with that never happening. Like I said already, the 2001 rework of "Astral Romance" removes all the innocence and magic from the original and leaves me underwhelmed. Maybe just a by-product of me having heard the album a lot and getting to know all the songs within it, but also I just really prefer the original. It's not an album for everyone by any means but to me it's a great one because of what it is. It has no real pretentions (except maybe in Tuomas's head at the time). It's just a young group of friends recording music together, and I do indeed like their music. Just not as much as a lot of what they'd go on to record later.
Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
From Wishes to Eternity (2001)
The first live release from the group is an incredible package of 15 tracks, giving us a wonderful glimpse into the band up to this point in time. Everyone is giving 100% to this performance; at times you almost wonder if they didn't just copy and paste the studio versions because the recording is wonderfully mixed and the band members are just that fucking good. It sounds amazing.
The concert kicks off with "The Kinslayer", a bit of an odd choice, not because the opening isn't suitably bombastic, but because that middle duet section fits better later on in the tracklist. "She Is My Sin" follows it up, also an odd choice but they both work even reversed. The final chorus here is shifted to give Tarja an easier time with those notes. Another odd choice, throwing "Deep Silent Complete" into the third track slot, and this followed by the epic "The Pharaoh Sails to Orion". The flow does work quite well despite these choices. Tapio Wilska guests on this song and his voice is even more powerful live than it is in the studio, honestly really cool to hear. Additionally, he's the first person to speak on this record between songs, which feels a bit odd since he's not a band member.
Following great renditions of "Come Cover Me" and "Wanderlust" we get a track unique to this release, a cover of instrumental passages taken from the scores to the films Crimson Tide and Deep Blue Sea. What a great instrumental it is! Beefed up with Emppu's guitars we get to hear how Hans Zimmer directly inspired the music of the band itself, and the middle section is a lovely piece that acts as something of a guitar solo. Well worth checking out.
"Swanheart" follows this in a slightly shortened form, before we return to the first Nightwish album to hear a killer rendition of "Elvenpath", this time with Tarja making a point to pronounce "swords" correctly lol. This segues directly into Part III of "FantasMic". Not a bad transition but I do think it was a bad choice not to just include the whole song. The vibe feels off being thrust right into the final section of an eight minute song. Still fun though.
Tarja's introduction to "Dead Boy's Poem" sucks, but the performance itself is great, with the acoustic guitar coming in right at the start instead of slowly fading in like the studio version's does. "Sacrament of Wilderness" closes out the main set, but we get a three song encore in the form of "Walking in the Air" - with extra sparkly keys that I love! - "Beauty of the Beast" - even more moody than before, and now with Tony Kakko doing the male vocals... honestly, worse than Tuomas, that's my hot take for you, he's meh as fuck - and of course "Wishmaster" to end things on a triumphant note.
It's a truly epic live set with incredible performances and terrific production. It seems a little odd not including "Sleeping Sun", though, and I kind of wish "Devil & the Deep Dark Ocean" could've been mixed in to provide a balance to "The Pharaoh Sails to Orion", giving Wilska another moment to shine. "Stargazers" would've been fun too. Otherwise there's really not much to complain about that I haven't touched on already. It's a live record that might be easily overlooked given the likes of End of an Era, but it's 100% well worth your time.
The first live release from the group is an incredible package of 15 tracks, giving us a wonderful glimpse into the band up to this point in time. Everyone is giving 100% to this performance; at times you almost wonder if they didn't just copy and paste the studio versions because the recording is wonderfully mixed and the band members are just that fucking good. It sounds amazing.
The concert kicks off with "The Kinslayer", a bit of an odd choice, not because the opening isn't suitably bombastic, but because that middle duet section fits better later on in the tracklist. "She Is My Sin" follows it up, also an odd choice but they both work even reversed. The final chorus here is shifted to give Tarja an easier time with those notes. Another odd choice, throwing "Deep Silent Complete" into the third track slot, and this followed by the epic "The Pharaoh Sails to Orion". The flow does work quite well despite these choices. Tapio Wilska guests on this song and his voice is even more powerful live than it is in the studio, honestly really cool to hear. Additionally, he's the first person to speak on this record between songs, which feels a bit odd since he's not a band member.
Following great renditions of "Come Cover Me" and "Wanderlust" we get a track unique to this release, a cover of instrumental passages taken from the scores to the films Crimson Tide and Deep Blue Sea. What a great instrumental it is! Beefed up with Emppu's guitars we get to hear how Hans Zimmer directly inspired the music of the band itself, and the middle section is a lovely piece that acts as something of a guitar solo. Well worth checking out.
"Swanheart" follows this in a slightly shortened form, before we return to the first Nightwish album to hear a killer rendition of "Elvenpath", this time with Tarja making a point to pronounce "swords" correctly lol. This segues directly into Part III of "FantasMic". Not a bad transition but I do think it was a bad choice not to just include the whole song. The vibe feels off being thrust right into the final section of an eight minute song. Still fun though.
Tarja's introduction to "Dead Boy's Poem" sucks, but the performance itself is great, with the acoustic guitar coming in right at the start instead of slowly fading in like the studio version's does. "Sacrament of Wilderness" closes out the main set, but we get a three song encore in the form of "Walking in the Air" - with extra sparkly keys that I love! - "Beauty of the Beast" - even more moody than before, and now with Tony Kakko doing the male vocals... honestly, worse than Tuomas, that's my hot take for you, he's meh as fuck - and of course "Wishmaster" to end things on a triumphant note.
It's a truly epic live set with incredible performances and terrific production. It seems a little odd not including "Sleeping Sun", though, and I kind of wish "Devil & the Deep Dark Ocean" could've been mixed in to provide a balance to "The Pharaoh Sails to Orion", giving Wilska another moment to shine. "Stargazers" would've been fun too. Otherwise there's really not much to complain about that I haven't touched on already. It's a live record that might be easily overlooked given the likes of End of an Era, but it's 100% well worth your time.
MrKnickerbocker
clap hands
Not sure how reliable it is, but apparently the track list is different from the actual show: https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/nightwish/2000/tullikamarin-pakkahuone-tampere-finland-7bd7e210.html
They opened with She Is My Sin directly into Gethsemane, which is omitted altogether. This makes way more sense and would have been far better than opening with Kinslaye, which I agree is super weird.
You’re dead on that the sound is great and the performances are nice, but for me they start to wear out a bit after Swanheart. Elvenpath sounds like it could fall off the rails at any moment, like Tarja is struggling to keep up. Walking in the Air sounds great, though.
It’s a decent, if non-essential, live album in my book.
Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
Ah interesting. I guess they wanted it all on one CD.
Sure, Tarja gets worse as the night goes on, but it’s like starting at a 100 and going down to a 99. Barlow is also tired by the time the band reaches the “Something Wicked” Saga on AIA, but it’s never mentioned because the renditions are still so good. I really can’t complain at all about Tarja, her vibrato just becomes more prominent as the night goes on. And frankly she’s singing material I can barely wrap my head around so I think I can give her a pass if she starts to get tired lol.
MrKnickerbocker
clap hands
Very true, I just can't take it as seriously when he's literally writing about mermaids. I also tend to think that Tuomas doesn't approach any of his lyrics or music with a sense of humor.
I appreciate the atmosphere, I just think it's done poorly on these first records. It gets vastly better on the subsequent records for me.
I truly can't believe this song was chosen for the Decades tour, either. It stands out sharply as one of the absolute worst songs on the album. I honestly hate it. I hate the recording, I hate the melodic choices, I hate the vocal harmonies...god, it's just bad.
I'm not morally opposed to him writing about this subject, but it's done so poorly and delivered so poorly (because how could it not be?!) that it makes me despise every second of it.
This is true. There is something to admire in the rawness of these first 3 records in particular that has completely been glossed over with perfect modern production nowadays. I find it endearing on Oceanborn and Wishmaster, here it's just awkwardly bad.
Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
Century Child (2002)
I think that this is the album where Nightwish really cement themselves into who they want to be going forward, while still retaining the magic of the early years. This is the band's final album before they start doing record-breaking production jobs, but it also sees Emppu tuning his guitar down for chugging purposes; the first full orchestra on a Nightwish record; some of the speed stripped back in favor of more moody, atmospheric moments; and, of course, the man, the myth, the legend himself, Marko Hietala stepping in on bass and vocals.
Marko's entrance to the Nightwish world is down fairly tastefully on this first record. He's given moments to show off his range, but he is also given room to build himself up to the audience instead of diving all the way in like he would especially during the Anette era. "Dead to the World" is a hell of an introduction, placed carefully as the third track of the album, so as to give the listener time to first hear the people we already know, and then get used to the new guy. And those vocals are amazing! "HEAVEN QUEEN - COVER ME - IIIIIN ALL THAT BLUUUUE!" He has such a unique set of pipes that sound so powerful and yet there is also a theatrical sense of vulnerability to them as well. "Feel For You" is another song that showcases this, and on "Slaying the Dreamer" he unleashes hell during the second half.
But Marko is not stealing the show on this album, because this is also easily Tarja Turunen's greatest contribution to the Nightwish discography. By slowing down these songs and layering them with dark and mystic atmosphere, Tuomas finally crafts the perfect backdrop to Tarja's gorgeous vocals. "Bless the Child", the misty and wistful opening track, has her on full display, like an angelic martyr that cuts right to the heartstrings. The way she takes every line so seriously is what makes her such a great singer for this band.
Oceanborn was an album that laid out its full display of strengths during the first five tracks, took a few steps back for a bit and then built up again to a wonderful close, all while not losing an ounce of greatness. Century Child is similar. The first five tracks display Nightwish at their most endearing and powerful, and then starting with "Forever Yours" we get a bit of a step back to make sure dynamics are retained. This is a really cool little minimalistic ballad, the kind the band always has to have somewhere (see also: "Angels Fall First", "Swanheart", "Two for Tragedy", "Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan", "Eva", "Turn Loose the Mermaids", "Our Decades in the Sun", "Procession"). As simple as it is, I find Jukka's drumming on this song incredibly captivating, the way he uses different bits of the kit to keep a constant flow and provide shades to the rhythm.
"Ocean Soul" was a favorite of mine when I first got into Nightwish but it's dropped a bit over time. The band's cover of "Phantom" here is great, but I think it comes to life better live (the ending is better and Marko really lets loose there). The real highlight of the album though is saved for last. "Beauty of the Beast" sees Tuomas finally perfect his epic writing, with a song that feels like two conjoined together that fit perfectly within each other. The first part is a beautiful little ballad that set up the second part, a heavier section that lets everyone get into its groove. It's certainly one of Tuomas's most melodramatic lyrics, but the way it's executed is nothing short of masterful. And special shoutout to the final line, "I'm but a dead boy, who failed to write an ending to each of his poems," which, while cheesy, is also so good.
If we're keeping tally of the albums so far, Oceanborn is slightly more consistent as a whole, but the highs on Century Child are even stronger. This, a full album's continuation of the themes started in "Dead Boy's Poem", is definitely some bleeding heart depression material from Tuomas, but the layers and dynamics on display coupled with that beautiful atmosphere are what sets this band apart. It only gets better from here.
I think that this is the album where Nightwish really cement themselves into who they want to be going forward, while still retaining the magic of the early years. This is the band's final album before they start doing record-breaking production jobs, but it also sees Emppu tuning his guitar down for chugging purposes; the first full orchestra on a Nightwish record; some of the speed stripped back in favor of more moody, atmospheric moments; and, of course, the man, the myth, the legend himself, Marko Hietala stepping in on bass and vocals.
Marko's entrance to the Nightwish world is down fairly tastefully on this first record. He's given moments to show off his range, but he is also given room to build himself up to the audience instead of diving all the way in like he would especially during the Anette era. "Dead to the World" is a hell of an introduction, placed carefully as the third track of the album, so as to give the listener time to first hear the people we already know, and then get used to the new guy. And those vocals are amazing! "HEAVEN QUEEN - COVER ME - IIIIIN ALL THAT BLUUUUE!" He has such a unique set of pipes that sound so powerful and yet there is also a theatrical sense of vulnerability to them as well. "Feel For You" is another song that showcases this, and on "Slaying the Dreamer" he unleashes hell during the second half.
But Marko is not stealing the show on this album, because this is also easily Tarja Turunen's greatest contribution to the Nightwish discography. By slowing down these songs and layering them with dark and mystic atmosphere, Tuomas finally crafts the perfect backdrop to Tarja's gorgeous vocals. "Bless the Child", the misty and wistful opening track, has her on full display, like an angelic martyr that cuts right to the heartstrings. The way she takes every line so seriously is what makes her such a great singer for this band.
Oceanborn was an album that laid out its full display of strengths during the first five tracks, took a few steps back for a bit and then built up again to a wonderful close, all while not losing an ounce of greatness. Century Child is similar. The first five tracks display Nightwish at their most endearing and powerful, and then starting with "Forever Yours" we get a bit of a step back to make sure dynamics are retained. This is a really cool little minimalistic ballad, the kind the band always has to have somewhere (see also: "Angels Fall First", "Swanheart", "Two for Tragedy", "Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan", "Eva", "Turn Loose the Mermaids", "Our Decades in the Sun", "Procession"). As simple as it is, I find Jukka's drumming on this song incredibly captivating, the way he uses different bits of the kit to keep a constant flow and provide shades to the rhythm.
"Ocean Soul" was a favorite of mine when I first got into Nightwish but it's dropped a bit over time. The band's cover of "Phantom" here is great, but I think it comes to life better live (the ending is better and Marko really lets loose there). The real highlight of the album though is saved for last. "Beauty of the Beast" sees Tuomas finally perfect his epic writing, with a song that feels like two conjoined together that fit perfectly within each other. The first part is a beautiful little ballad that set up the second part, a heavier section that lets everyone get into its groove. It's certainly one of Tuomas's most melodramatic lyrics, but the way it's executed is nothing short of masterful. And special shoutout to the final line, "I'm but a dead boy, who failed to write an ending to each of his poems," which, while cheesy, is also so good.
If we're keeping tally of the albums so far, Oceanborn is slightly more consistent as a whole, but the highs on Century Child are even stronger. This, a full album's continuation of the themes started in "Dead Boy's Poem", is definitely some bleeding heart depression material from Tuomas, but the layers and dynamics on display coupled with that beautiful atmosphere are what sets this band apart. It only gets better from here.
Diesel 11
As you scream into the web of silence...
Once (2004)
Unless something straight up miraculous happens, Once remains my favorite Nightwish album. I seriously can't think of a single thing I'd change about this record. The production, the performances, and all of the individual songs are just so fucking strong. This is my ultimate album to listen to in the rare moment that Virginia has a NORMAL FUCKING WINTER!!! Why the hell does it feel like fall, it's January???
The use of a high-level orchestra here is truly where Nightwish stepped up into the big leagues in terms of sound (even if that may take away from the members' own contributions). It's no wonder that this was the record-breaker in Finnish album production in terms of cost, because the absolute layers they put into these songs are incredibly complex and detailed. Tuomas's keyboard sounds great too, adding wintery sparkles throughout the dense sounds of the guitars and keyboards. Speaking of guitars, tuning down has allowed Emppu to shine with utter heaviness in this new production style, providing scorching contrast to the beauty of the vocals (Tarja is now singing in a poppier style that suits her) and orchestral bits. And on the low end, Marko's bass rumbles like a freight train while Jukka kills it with pure professionalism.
On this album, no one person is the star. The songs themselves are the stars. The first four are just mad hype. "Dark Chest of Wonders" is Nightwish's "Aces High", their ultimate album and concert opener. "Wish I Had an Angel" is a blend of heaviness and pop that allows Marko his first chance to shine (his performances on this album are a lot more visceral and god is he good!). "Nemo" is the big hit from the record, one of the band's most famous songs and indeed the first I ever heard from them, a beautifully heavy ballad that provides a key moment for Tarja to show off. And "Planet Hell" is vicious, with its pummeling orchestral bits reminiscent of "Phantom of the Opera" and a heavy metal base that slaughters like the sounds of war.
Then we reach an eight minute trek through the North American wilderness in "Creek Mary's Blood", an amazingly beautiful ballad about Native American plights. Even if there's a large dose of his usual Disney flair, Tuomas approaches the topic with a lot of respect and it's a truly great song. (I won't make much of the likely fact that John Two-Hawks is a fraud because this knowledge doesn't take away my enjoyment of the song.) Then comes the orchestral rocker "The Siren", in which Tarja makes use of her incredible pipes and Marko plays the role of a smitten sailor. Easily one of my faves on an album full of faves, the layers in this track especially are incredible and I love that violin solo.
"Dead Gardens" is incredibly underrated, I get that it's probably a filler in all actuality but I find the topic of writer's block poetically written and the mix of heavy guitars and beautiful orchestra and vocals an incredible mix, culminating in drowning in the dark heart of a winter's forest. And "Romanticide", another filler track stitched together by bits Tuomas had left over, starts off strong and ends even better.
All of this, of course, is an appetizer for the main encore on the bill: "Ghost Love Score". If there was every any doubt as to whether or not Tuomas is a genius, this song is full proof of the fact. The lyrics are incredible, all the twists and turns the song takes are phenomenal, and that chorus is fucking insane! Chills, fucking chills, holy shit. It's so simple but the genius foreshadowing of "If you be the one to cut me, I'll bleed forever" paying off with "You were the one to cut me, so I'll bleed forever" is one of my favorite moments in music history. Floor's version is also incredible, but for different ways. Probably still my favorite Nightwish song and certainly in the running for my favorite song ever.
I get the criticism of following up such a magnificent song, but I still think that the two ballads thereafter work. Think of it as 'the album + a tribute', given that they (specifically "Higher Than Hope") are written in memory of a fan who died of cancer. "Kuolema" is a great little minimalistic ballad in Finnish, their beautiful native language, and "Higher Than Hope" takes us back to the Angels Fall First days for a little bit of acoustic guitar before we fully enter that massive chorus, plodding along like a funeral procession. It's a triumphant ending to a fantastic album and I also get chills here.
Every single song here is perfect, the whole album is perfect, this is Nightwish at their very best. It's insane that they released something this good and then sacked Tarja, but then again the fifth album is often the album where a band's early career climaxes after a lot of toying around and experimenting, to deliver a perfect encapsulation of everything that makes an artist great. After the resulting tour, it's back to the drawing board and the artists starts to craft a new sound to lead forward the next path in the band's career. It's the same as Iron Maiden peaking with Powerslave, and it's the same here with Once. As great as Nightwish are, no other record will have the performances, songs, consistency, and perfect blend of layers as this one does. Not just their best, but easily one of my all-time favorite albums.
One more time: it's perfect.
Unless something straight up miraculous happens, Once remains my favorite Nightwish album. I seriously can't think of a single thing I'd change about this record. The production, the performances, and all of the individual songs are just so fucking strong. This is my ultimate album to listen to in the rare moment that Virginia has a NORMAL FUCKING WINTER!!! Why the hell does it feel like fall, it's January???
The use of a high-level orchestra here is truly where Nightwish stepped up into the big leagues in terms of sound (even if that may take away from the members' own contributions). It's no wonder that this was the record-breaker in Finnish album production in terms of cost, because the absolute layers they put into these songs are incredibly complex and detailed. Tuomas's keyboard sounds great too, adding wintery sparkles throughout the dense sounds of the guitars and keyboards. Speaking of guitars, tuning down has allowed Emppu to shine with utter heaviness in this new production style, providing scorching contrast to the beauty of the vocals (Tarja is now singing in a poppier style that suits her) and orchestral bits. And on the low end, Marko's bass rumbles like a freight train while Jukka kills it with pure professionalism.
On this album, no one person is the star. The songs themselves are the stars. The first four are just mad hype. "Dark Chest of Wonders" is Nightwish's "Aces High", their ultimate album and concert opener. "Wish I Had an Angel" is a blend of heaviness and pop that allows Marko his first chance to shine (his performances on this album are a lot more visceral and god is he good!). "Nemo" is the big hit from the record, one of the band's most famous songs and indeed the first I ever heard from them, a beautifully heavy ballad that provides a key moment for Tarja to show off. And "Planet Hell" is vicious, with its pummeling orchestral bits reminiscent of "Phantom of the Opera" and a heavy metal base that slaughters like the sounds of war.
Then we reach an eight minute trek through the North American wilderness in "Creek Mary's Blood", an amazingly beautiful ballad about Native American plights. Even if there's a large dose of his usual Disney flair, Tuomas approaches the topic with a lot of respect and it's a truly great song. (I won't make much of the likely fact that John Two-Hawks is a fraud because this knowledge doesn't take away my enjoyment of the song.) Then comes the orchestral rocker "The Siren", in which Tarja makes use of her incredible pipes and Marko plays the role of a smitten sailor. Easily one of my faves on an album full of faves, the layers in this track especially are incredible and I love that violin solo.
"Dead Gardens" is incredibly underrated, I get that it's probably a filler in all actuality but I find the topic of writer's block poetically written and the mix of heavy guitars and beautiful orchestra and vocals an incredible mix, culminating in drowning in the dark heart of a winter's forest. And "Romanticide", another filler track stitched together by bits Tuomas had left over, starts off strong and ends even better.
All of this, of course, is an appetizer for the main encore on the bill: "Ghost Love Score". If there was every any doubt as to whether or not Tuomas is a genius, this song is full proof of the fact. The lyrics are incredible, all the twists and turns the song takes are phenomenal, and that chorus is fucking insane! Chills, fucking chills, holy shit. It's so simple but the genius foreshadowing of "If you be the one to cut me, I'll bleed forever" paying off with "You were the one to cut me, so I'll bleed forever" is one of my favorite moments in music history. Floor's version is also incredible, but for different ways. Probably still my favorite Nightwish song and certainly in the running for my favorite song ever.
I get the criticism of following up such a magnificent song, but I still think that the two ballads thereafter work. Think of it as 'the album + a tribute', given that they (specifically "Higher Than Hope") are written in memory of a fan who died of cancer. "Kuolema" is a great little minimalistic ballad in Finnish, their beautiful native language, and "Higher Than Hope" takes us back to the Angels Fall First days for a little bit of acoustic guitar before we fully enter that massive chorus, plodding along like a funeral procession. It's a triumphant ending to a fantastic album and I also get chills here.
Every single song here is perfect, the whole album is perfect, this is Nightwish at their very best. It's insane that they released something this good and then sacked Tarja, but then again the fifth album is often the album where a band's early career climaxes after a lot of toying around and experimenting, to deliver a perfect encapsulation of everything that makes an artist great. After the resulting tour, it's back to the drawing board and the artists starts to craft a new sound to lead forward the next path in the band's career. It's the same as Iron Maiden peaking with Powerslave, and it's the same here with Once. As great as Nightwish are, no other record will have the performances, songs, consistency, and perfect blend of layers as this one does. Not just their best, but easily one of my all-time favorite albums.
One more time: it's perfect.