Nightwish : Releases >>

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Dark Passion Play >>

Nightwish returns with an ambitious epic metal opus that begins promisingly enough but quickly devolves into another formulaic power rock affair. The band's at its most powerful and convincing on the opening "The Poet and the Pendulum" (all 14 minutes of it), the dynamic "Bye Bye Beautiful," and the infectious pop-inflected "Amaranth." But mid-album tracks such as "Sahara," "For the Heart I Once Had," and the limpid closer, "Meadows of Heaven," retread familiar ground that reminds us of epic metal's more disappointing tendencies--faux pop, bombastic bombast, anemic anthems, and a penchant for the maudlin. With new vocalist Annette Olzon in the ranks, the Finnish outfit stands poised to make a thoroughly convincing and wholehearted classic (listen to "The Islander" for further proof) but falls short, delivering a decent but distracted recording. It's too ambitious, too scattered, and, simply, too long--and that's too bad. --Jedd Beaudoin

Century Child >>

"NIGHTWISH could very well have cloned their last full studio album, Wishmaster, and would have been guaranteed to sell as many copies without the fanbase batting an eyelash. Simply put, the band is that good. NIGHTWISH is not stupid, firmly believing in artistic integrity over sales and clearly having the balls to branch out, explore and experiment with their craft. For a start, the level of bombast seems to have been turned down a notch on Century Child in favour of a more metal approach, even singer Tarja toning down her all-out opera vocals somewhat and using her voice with much broader scope. Ironically, the band has become more operatic at the same time with the addition of bassist Marco Hietala - recently stolen from Sinergy - who acts as Tarja's male lead vocal counterpart on several tracks, making a huge impact on the band's sound. No question that NIGHTWISH would be just another band with out Tarja though, who shines brighter than she ever has before. ! Century Child is yet another firm step towards greatness." (9 out of 10 review) - BRAVE WORDS & BLOODY KNUCKLES

-1st new album in over two years! Massive anticipation! -Fourth full-length from one of gothic metal's leading acts. -NIGHTWISH have already received double platinum and gold album awards in their native Finland, as well as winning two Emma Awards (the Finnish equivalent of a Grammy) and scoring four Top 10 hits at radio. -Produced by Tero Kinnunen (Nightwish) and Mikko Karmila (Amorphis, Stratovarius, Avantasia) at Caverock and Finnvox Studios in Finland.

Once >>

You may not know Nightwish yet, but the Finnish goth-orchestral-metal band is a phenomenon throughout the rest of the world. The group's fifth album, the platinum-certified Once, hit #1 over the summer on the Pan-European charts, and stayed there for three weeks. Behind them? The Beastie Boys, Avril Lavigne, Norah Jones and Usher, among others. So who or what is this band? On first listen, Nightwish seems to fall into the same genre as Evanescence, Lacuna Coil and the Gathering--female-fronted metal band with symphonic and gothic overtones. But any similarities end there. First of all, singer Tarja Turunen may be the only trained opera singer in metal, and her vocal prowess and range prove it. Then there's the rest of the group, led by keyboardist and primary songwriter Tuomas Holopainen. Listen closely, and you'll hear a group that's equally influenced by opera, classical music, Euro-metal, early thrash and even Kate Bush.

Nightwish formed as, of all things, an acoustic-based band in Kitee, Finland in 1997, though they quickly switched to a hard rock sound. Within a year the group had released its debut album, Angels Fall Fast, which featured the first hit single, "The Carpenter." Their second release, Oceanborn, landed in the Top Five in Finland, and featured three hit singles. By the time Wishmaster came out in 2000, Nightwish was a top concert draw and one of the most critically acclaimed metal bands in all of Europe. Thanks to the on-going buzz, the group was also able to land U.S. distribution for the first time. Nightwish's 4th studio effort came in the form of Century Child, which was the product of one of the most tumultuous periods in the band's career. It marked the grand entrance of Marco Hietala, a metal icon in his own right in his homeland. With Hietala's dual contribution to the band (bass and backing vocals), they were able to put forth some of their darkest, most aggressive material ever.

But Once is Nightwish's breakthrough, both in its epic scope and brilliant songwriting. Disgruntled Metallica fans may find a new axe-god in Emppu Vuorinen, who has quickly become one of the most brutal (and tech-savvy) guitarists in metal. Behind him is a seamless blend of top-notch musicianship and orchestral bombardment (much of which is provided by The Academy of St. Martins in the Field, who scored the Lord of the Rings trilogy). The chart-topping single "Nemo" is a monster, building slowly from a simple piano line and molten guitar riff into an over-the-top, orchestral breakdown. Thanks to Turunen's vocals, the song also possesses a haunted quality that modern-day metal often fails to achieve.

Forget formula--the band doesn't have one. Subtle electronic beats color "Wish I Had an Angel," while tribal drums shape the eight-plus minute "Creek Mary's Blood." There's the aptly titled "Ghost Love Score," which sounds like a great, lost Danny Elfman soundtrack. Then, on the other side, is the rough-and-tumble "Romanticide," a violent kiss-off that ends with bassist / back-up singer Hietala scowling "Spit on me, let go, get rid of me / And try to survive your stupidity" over one of the most headbanging riffs of the last five years.

So, are you ready for Nightwish?

Over the Hills and Far Away >>

Dark Passion Play >>

Although it is their sixth studio album,Dark Passion Play marks the beginning of a new era for Finnish symphonic metal masters Nightwish. With new vocalist Annette Olzon onboard, Nightwish returns with their most accessible material to date. Firmly rooted in their trademark symphonic sounds featuring elaborate keyboard and guitar parts blended seamlessly with intricate string and choir sections, Olzon's vocals have more pop sensibility as they are far less operatic than those of her predecessor. This is perfectly exemplified in the vocal melodies in Amaranth, Eva and the scorching duet with bassist Marco Hietala titled Bye Bye Beautiful. Nightwish mastermind Tuomas Holopainen (keyboards) not only wrote all the lyrics and all but two songs on the album, but also helmed the project as one of the producers along with T.C. Kinnunen and Mikko Karmila, who also mixed the album. Dark Passion Play has already made history as Finland's most expensive recording project to date with massive string sections and choirs and it is clearly evident in the impeccable production. Nightwish have taken the symphonic elements of their prior works and infused them with a new voice to create a sound representative of the album title: dark, playful and, most of all, passionate.

Oceanborn >>

Wishmaster >>

Finland's Nightwish steps to the head of the atmospheric-metal class with their third album. The regal quintet blends the brooding qualities of goth and propulsion metal with the gorgeous operatic singing of Tarja Turunen. Thanks to musical prowess and the skilled hand of composer-keyboardist Tuomas Holpainen, what could be a ponderous and pretentious affair is a vibrant metal romp. Nightwish walks that fine line between heavy-rock bravado and classical pageantry without tipping too much in either direction; the balance of aggressive guitars and flowing keyboards is just right, and the multitracked female vocals and guitar harmonies are glorious. While some may find the lyrics a bit flowery, Wishmaster bumps atmospheric metal up a notch in the right direction. --Bryan Reesman

Angels Fall First >>

2007 digitally remastered UK reissue edition with four bonus tracks. The Finnish symphonic metal band's auspicious debut album comes with four pieces that didn't appear on the original issue: 'A Return To The Sea', 'Nightwish', 'The Forever Moments' and a re-recorded version of 'Etiainen'. The package includes an extensive booklet with new sleevenotes, photos and details about the band. Spinefarm