: Nightwish- Once review.
Now, this is a strange thing. I have read all of the reviews on Amazon. Half of the reviewers LOVE this album, half of them DESPISE it. However, the ones who hate it never really go into detail, and one of them even suggested *snicker* to listen to "real metal music like *coughcoughhack* Slipknot" XD
But now for my take, and a short summary:
This is my FAVORITE Nightwish album to date. Many of the songs had heavier guitars and just an overall heavier feel, however it was also a lot more symphonic and had more of an overall 'fantasy' feel to it. Also, Tarja does not simply sing in only an operatic manner. If you liked that and think you cannot stand her just singing, then you're out of luck, but her voice is beautiful no matter how she sings.
Let me go through the songs in the order they are currently on my playlist.
1. Dark Chest of Wonders- Not a bad piece. Nice and fast, some choral elements that I really liked. Some of the lyrics were a bit silly, as you can tell by the song title, but it's a good piece to turn up loudly and lose yourself in. Tarja sounds a bit stressed and quavering at some points, but the overall fantastic feel holds through, It sounds almost like a movie score, and everything works together well-- which happens in all Nightwish songs, to my delight. It's rather upbeat, too. Keeping to their old fantasy theme. =)
2. Romanticide- It's got a nice undertone, though quite heavier feel to it. Those of you who like ballads will not like it. The chorus is a bit odd, and it feels a bit more 'angsty' than the others. But it has a wonderful heavy tone and is really good for losing yourself in-- like all Nightwish songs. Dark and throbbing is the only way to put it. =)
3. Creek Mary's Blood- This song mad me cry. It's about the Native Americans and how they were moved from their homeland, etc.. It starts out with some lovely singing in a native language, it sounds like, and some rainstick things, with a much softer feel than the previous songs. It's a beautiful, heartbreaking ballad. Not heavy at all. It still sends shivers up my spine. It all works together, including the pieces of singing in another language. "Wandering on horizon broad, following the trail of tears. Once we were here where we have been since time begun..." Some lovely flute work, too. The instrumental in the middle is lovely and seems to fit with the rest, though it has rather harsh guitars.
4. Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan- Finally, they sing in Finnish. This song is beautiful. I can't really listen to it much because it's so soft and I tend to go for something heavier, but it's beautiful for when I feel peaceful. I can't comment on the lyrics, but Tarja's non-operatic voice is at its best.
5. The Siren- I couldn't finish this song. The vocals at the beginning REALLY turn me off. The little "ah ah ah ahs" after some stuff I don't really like. However, the whole feel is different from anything they've ever done. It's very different, the chorus just being Tarja singing with no words.
6. Nemo- This has to be the best of their sound engineering, having a completely different feel from ANYTHING. Of course, all of this album is completely different from everything they've ever done. This has great soft vocals, a very 'pretty' sound to it, and drums and guitars that back everything up nicely. My only complaint is that it seems a bit angsty, but the beauty of the song (ahhh, keyboards are lovely!) and the fact that it isn't whiny can let me get over the few lines like, "Touch me with your love and reveal to me my true name." For the strangest reason, everyone who I have made listen to this song likes it, no matter how much they hate anything else Nightwish has done. Deliberate and rather slow. It's unfortunately not a good song to lose yourself in or to just close your eyes and listen to.
7. Wish I Had an Angel- Now, before any of you who have heard this song scream "Male vocals, EWWW!" I actually think they fit in this song nicely. I do not think this for any other song of theirs, however. This is a very fast song, and I like the beat and lyrics. The overall sound is LOVELY, and I love the chorus line: "I'm in love with my lust/burning angel wings to dust". I love this song to death and have listened to it over and over again for a while. Another GREAT song to lose yourself in. The middle portion with the creepyish vocals from Tarja just... works. One of my favorite songs of all time.
8. Ghost Love Score- I must admit I'm really biased in favor of this song because it fits some of my roleplaying in every shape, way, and form. This is a gorgeous song. LOVELY. Very sweeping and fantasyish. Its chorus,
"My fall will be for you
My love will be in you
If you be the one to cut me
I`ll bleed forever"
Could be angsty and whiny in the hands of someone like Evanescence or Linkin Park, but Nightwish does it reverently without missing a beat. It's a wonderful long song during which the style changes several times. Tarja's vocals, admittedly, seem weak at points, though whether that's what she intended or not cannot be determined. Slow and sad at points, upbeat and racing at others, this is a BEAUTIFUL song.
9. Dead Gardens- Here's a weak point, and a major one. It doesn't pull the listener in. At all. It loses all of the atmospherics of any other piece. I can FORGET I'm listening to it. Badness. Pretty bland, it really doesn't stand out.
10. Higher than Hope- It's a mediocre piece. The chorus does not fit with the soft, slow other parts of the song. Blah. tired.
In summary, this is a fabulous album. I consider an album fabulous if most of the songs on it become my favorites, honestly.
Now, this is a strange thing. I have read all of the reviews on Amazon. Half of the reviewers LOVE this album, half of them DESPISE it. However, the ones who hate it never really go into detail, and one of them even suggested *snicker* to listen to "real metal music like *coughcoughhack* Slipknot" XD
But now for my take, and a short summary:
This is my FAVORITE Nightwish album to date. Many of the songs had heavier guitars and just an overall heavier feel, however it was also a lot more symphonic and had more of an overall 'fantasy' feel to it. Also, Tarja does not simply sing in only an operatic manner. If you liked that and think you cannot stand her just singing, then you're out of luck, but her voice is beautiful no matter how she sings.
Let me go through the songs in the order they are currently on my playlist.
1. Dark Chest of Wonders- Not a bad piece. Nice and fast, some choral elements that I really liked. Some of the lyrics were a bit silly, as you can tell by the song title, but it's a good piece to turn up loudly and lose yourself in. Tarja sounds a bit stressed and quavering at some points, but the overall fantastic feel holds through, It sounds almost like a movie score, and everything works together well-- which happens in all Nightwish songs, to my delight. It's rather upbeat, too. Keeping to their old fantasy theme. =)
2. Romanticide- It's got a nice undertone, though quite heavier feel to it. Those of you who like ballads will not like it. The chorus is a bit odd, and it feels a bit more 'angsty' than the others. But it has a wonderful heavy tone and is really good for losing yourself in-- like all Nightwish songs. Dark and throbbing is the only way to put it. =)
3. Creek Mary's Blood- This song mad me cry. It's about the Native Americans and how they were moved from their homeland, etc.. It starts out with some lovely singing in a native language, it sounds like, and some rainstick things, with a much softer feel than the previous songs. It's a beautiful, heartbreaking ballad. Not heavy at all. It still sends shivers up my spine. It all works together, including the pieces of singing in another language. "Wandering on horizon broad, following the trail of tears. Once we were here where we have been since time begun..." Some lovely flute work, too. The instrumental in the middle is lovely and seems to fit with the rest, though it has rather harsh guitars.
4. Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan- Finally, they sing in Finnish. This song is beautiful. I can't really listen to it much because it's so soft and I tend to go for something heavier, but it's beautiful for when I feel peaceful. I can't comment on the lyrics, but Tarja's non-operatic voice is at its best.
5. The Siren- I couldn't finish this song. The vocals at the beginning REALLY turn me off. The little "ah ah ah ahs" after some stuff I don't really like. However, the whole feel is different from anything they've ever done. It's very different, the chorus just being Tarja singing with no words.
6. Nemo- This has to be the best of their sound engineering, having a completely different feel from ANYTHING. Of course, all of this album is completely different from everything they've ever done. This has great soft vocals, a very 'pretty' sound to it, and drums and guitars that back everything up nicely. My only complaint is that it seems a bit angsty, but the beauty of the song (ahhh, keyboards are lovely!) and the fact that it isn't whiny can let me get over the few lines like, "Touch me with your love and reveal to me my true name." For the strangest reason, everyone who I have made listen to this song likes it, no matter how much they hate anything else Nightwish has done. Deliberate and rather slow. It's unfortunately not a good song to lose yourself in or to just close your eyes and listen to.
7. Wish I Had an Angel- Now, before any of you who have heard this song scream "Male vocals, EWWW!" I actually think they fit in this song nicely. I do not think this for any other song of theirs, however. This is a very fast song, and I like the beat and lyrics. The overall sound is LOVELY, and I love the chorus line: "I'm in love with my lust/burning angel wings to dust". I love this song to death and have listened to it over and over again for a while. Another GREAT song to lose yourself in. The middle portion with the creepyish vocals from Tarja just... works. One of my favorite songs of all time.
8. Ghost Love Score- I must admit I'm really biased in favor of this song because it fits some of my roleplaying in every shape, way, and form. This is a gorgeous song. LOVELY. Very sweeping and fantasyish. Its chorus,
"My fall will be for you
My love will be in you
If you be the one to cut me
I`ll bleed forever"
Could be angsty and whiny in the hands of someone like Evanescence or Linkin Park, but Nightwish does it reverently without missing a beat. It's a wonderful long song during which the style changes several times. Tarja's vocals, admittedly, seem weak at points, though whether that's what she intended or not cannot be determined. Slow and sad at points, upbeat and racing at others, this is a BEAUTIFUL song.
9. Dead Gardens- Here's a weak point, and a major one. It doesn't pull the listener in. At all. It loses all of the atmospherics of any other piece. I can FORGET I'm listening to it. Badness. Pretty bland, it really doesn't stand out.
10. Higher than Hope- It's a mediocre piece. The chorus does not fit with the soft, slow other parts of the song. Blah. tired.
In summary, this is a fabulous album. I consider an album fabulous if most of the songs on it become my favorites, honestly.