Nightwish - Once (11 tracks) +Album Reviews

They get better and better!!!

Terhikkki | Lohja, Finland | 06/07/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I'll start by saying that Nightwish gets better by every album they release, they develope the albums, not staying the same, but still being Nightwish. Tuomas has again done a great job composing with a little help from Emppu and Marco.This one (Once) is more soundtrack'ish than the previous ones (they're accoimpaned by a full orchestra on most songs), still not forgetting the fast heavy-metal songs which in this album are for example Dark Chest Of Wonders, Wish I Had An Angel (great duet with Tarja and Marco), both have really heavy, even murderous guitar riffs By Emppu.I'll review some of my favourites on the album:3. Nemo - Released as a single, usual Nightwish style music, more popular-sounding than the others, still really good, great chorus *****5. Creek Mary's Blood - A long, epic song. I especially love the Native-American Indian chanting and Tarja's singing is supreme *****9. Ghost Love Score - Also a long, epic song, AMAZING chorus which sends chills in my spine. Great slower parts in the middle of the song. *****10. Kuolema tekee taiteilijan - A song with only orchestra, piano and solo cello with Tarja singing in Finnish. The lyrics are sad, almost prayer-like, but really beautiful. I'll translate the lyrics for you into English, so you can understand the meaning (there may be errors, sorry for that)
Original Finnish lyrics by Tuomas Holopainen."A Death Makes An ArtistOnly once my dreams
I got to see
Didn't feel the smallness
under the stars
Once I got bars on my cradle
As a prisoner I write a letter from thereMy Creator, let me come to you
as what my child thinks I amIn you the beauty of the world
From which death made me an artistMy Creator, let me come to you
as what my child thinks I amCreated my own heaven here
Let me get away"The meaning of the word suffered a little in the translation. Hope you get at least the idea.All in all a really great album. I really recommend you should buy it, you won't be disappointed."

An Amazing Step Forward. Brilliant.

MusicFreak | FL | 08/08/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Nightwish are back with their best album to date, if you can believe such a thing is possible after the amazing Masterpieces they have already put out. I think it is different than their previous albums, but not extremely so that you would need to be told it is Nightwish (as has happened with other bands, such as Amorphis and Anathema which have gone from extreme doom/death to goth/rock from one album to the next). Tarja's voice is faultless, though she is again most of the time NOT using the pure operatic voice she used on their first 3 albums. She only goes there on a couple of verses on the whole album. She still sings impeccably, though, and still manages to send chills down my spine. If you are a Nightwish fan, this album should definitely be on your wish list, as no true fan of their music will be dissappointed. That said, it is no mere copy of any of their previous work, like I said before - they have progressed, they have matured, and it shows. There is MUCH MORE emphasis on the symphonic/choral elements than ever before, and boy, is that a good thing! In past albums, they have occasionally incorporated a very small number of classical stringed instruments to add color, but mostly, it's been Tuomas' synthesizer that has provided the "string section" sound. They have also employed (at least according to the "Wishmaster" CD credits) several singers for a pseudo-choral effect. But on this latest, they are heavily employing virtually a full symphonic orchestra and a choir of about 18 singers. Now they can really be called a Symphonic Metal Band, and a great one at that. I was absolutely enthralled and amazed that they, being already a top-notch, incredible band, could significantly up the ante, and deliver an awesome musical journey, fully utilizing and integrating Classical music into their trademark heavy stylings. An incredible step forward for one of heavy music's most talented institutions. The question is: Can they top this? Maybe not. But, as it stands, they have already secured a very honorable place in the history of Metal.

It is really funny to read the "hate" reviews which sound like 5 year olds: "This album sucks, the singer sucks, they are not original, they are amateurs..." bla ,bla bla. They never really provide the reader with a) BETTER musical options, such as really better bands and singers; or b) Valid REASONS backing up their mindless rants. As it stands, none of them really amount to anything worth paying attention to. The fact remains that Nightwish, for those who know music (read my "About You" area) stand head and shoulders above almost ANY Metal band, EVER. Those who call them amateurs, are below amateur listening experience themselves, and sorely points out their complete lack of musical knowledge. Another funny thing about the haters - most of them have only written 1-2 reviews...hmm...Could it be only one or two people just creating names and writing bad reviews over and over? Could be. I am using the word "review" just so that you know of what I'm talking about, but really, these little childish rants do not deserve to be called reviews.

Nightwish's entire discography is an amazing body of work: Every succesive album is different and better. Once is their best. It is one of the best Metal albums of the last 10 years. Easily. Facts are facts."

What music is all about

Stormrider | Illinois | 06/26/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Nightwish does what few other bands can, they create an atmosphere, a mood with their music. With their new release, Once, they do it once again. I am a big fan of Oceanborn and Wishmaster, and I liked Century Child too, but Once is a much different album than their previous work. I think it's much better than Century Child, and slightly better than Wishmaster, but it's really a toss up between Once and Oceanborn. I love the style of Once because of the orchestra and symphonic elements. It adds a depth to Nightwish that they always seemed to be missing. IMO Ghost Love Score is the best song Nightwish has EVER written. It's just beautiful and that can be credited to the orchestra featured in it. Oceanborn is plain and simple classic Nightwish and is probably the place to start with Nightwish. The first time I heard Gethsemane I was hooked. After countless listens to both albums I would have to say they are BOTH my favorite Nightwish albums. Other people reviewing are complaining that they have "changed too much since Oceanborn". It's natural maturity of the band, and they are definitely maturing in the right direction. I think people would get tired of Nightwishs' sound if they kept reproducing Oceanborns. All in all, Once stands as one of my favorite albums in my collection. It grabs you and takes you away, into Nightwishs' world, and it will keep you there for some time."

A rebuttal and an appreciation

Southern Son | Australia | 11/18/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I would like to answer the reviewer who suggested that efforts by Alas:Absolute Purity, Lacuna Coil, After Forever, and several others where "100x better" than this album.

I try to be open minded about these things - I went and checked out every one of the suggested acts to test this claim in my own set of filters.

Several were OK, although the first mentioned was abysmal. In my opinion, not one of the other mentioned acts was better than Nightwish, let alone "100x better".

Who came closest? - Lacuna Coil - pretty cool and I'll be looking into them some more. As good as but not better than Nightwish, and they are quite different. As for the rest ...

So, having delivered my rebuttal, here is the appreciation ...

Here are my responses to each of the songs on Once:

Dark chest of wonders - the best track on the album, and one of the best pieces of musical structure I have heard in any rock based genre. Great drumming from Jukka. Brilliant! 10/10

Wish I had an angel - great rocking stomp - Marco steals the show on this one - very nice short instrumental bridge within. 9.5/10

Nemo - umm, nice. Not my cup of tea, but good. Good lead break from Emppu. 8/10

Planet Hell - excellent song, again very well constructed. The lyrics are perhaps less hard hitting than the music - occasionally, Tuomas tends to talk down to his audience from an Olympian height rather than to them - in this case the message is a little obscure as a result. Fantastic vocals from Marco and Tarja. 9.5/10

Creek Mary's Blood - a long and rather uninvolving piece - I, like many people, can relate to the story told intellectually but not necessarily emotionally. Musically not as impeccably constructed as DCoW, but nonetheless a very captivating and interesting piece of music. Really nice Tarja vocal. 9/10

The Sirens - excellent - I love this. I love the faint overtones of the east, mixed with a really convincing suggestion of the siren as experienced by Jason. Marco and Tarja a great team in this one. 9.5/10

Dead Gardens - also very good, but a little dull in construction. Musically a bit close to The Sirens. Carried by the fine melody and singing. The final grinding finish is really quite violent for Nightwish. I love it! 9/10

Romanticide - This and the preceding two have a sameness which makes me agree with others that a better song order could have been chosen. Otherwise, a fine song, though not one of the best. Great lead break from Emppu gives it a lift. 8/10

Ghost Love Story - what can I say. Grand, massive, other worldly and remote. The goddess speaks from high with "heavenly choir and orchestras abounding", or something like that. It IS a little too long, and the parts I would drop are a) the total orphan in the middle - the rather lumpy guitar melody/solo, and b) half of the choral fade out. I love the 6/6/5/6 (orchestra and drums/percussion) and 4/4/3/4 (band and orchestra) variations on the initial theme at the beginning. THIS SONG SHOULD HAVE CLOSED THE ALBUM! 9/10

Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan - very nice - not my cup of tea. This borders too much on the classico-pop domain for my taste, but nevertheless a fine piece of lieder - would be better on a Tarja solo album. It needed to happen quite a lot earlier in this album, as it brings the pace down too much for Higher than Hope to pull back. Being in Suomi is a plus for me - I love Finnish people, and I have friends who live there. Moomintrolls forever! 8/10

Higher Than Hope - mushy, extravagent and quite uplifting. The spoken bit I find irritating. Not quite enough to rescue the end of the album from a touch of droop. 7.5/10

In my opinion, Nightwish is the class act in this genre. The vocals in particular have become truly first rate - I still can't listen to anything before Century Child without cringing at the endless operatic strain (in both senses) displayed. Tarja's voice just gets better, and is now much more flexible. Marco's growling howls and gruff singing are a great counterpoint. Marco and Tarja are now a great team.

Emppu's guitar has come to the fore, and he pulls off a couple of really good leads (and one clanker!). I love the precise deth-metal rhythm contrasting with the airy keyboards and orchestration. Jukka and Marco are now working very well together, and Jukka has pulled in the double-kick, although it is still present in both positive and negative ways.

One ask, guys - next album, lay back on the a) orchestration, b) choirs c) hits. The best bits of the album were those that said "we are a band". I am a little tired of the Pip Williams arrangements now, but I still love the essential Nightwish sound so clearly presented in this album. It keeps me listening on ...

What I am saying is - "film score" worked *really* well for Once - now leave it alone and move on.

And finally - contrary to those who state otherwise, I don't think Once is the be-all and end-all album for Nightwish - there's a lot more to come. This album displays many ongoing changes in progress, and some of the earlier motifs fading out, so look for more great music from Nightwish. Nightwish never rest on their laurels, so I think we can be sure of that."

Symphonic metal at it's finest

gastoryrguffa | Kitee, Finland | 07/07/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Once is clearly the most crucial release in the history of this finnish band, as they paid 200 000 ?uros from their own pockets to finance this album. I must say that it has really paid off since this is simply one of the finest albums ever by any Finnish band and the beast album I have heard in a while. Nuclear Blast staff must have difficulties keeping their pants clean as this has become the biggest success story in the history of the band, going number one in various European countries. Once sees the band moving away from the double-bass-guitar-solo operatic power metal towards more symphonic and heavier sound. The London Symphony Orchestra and the choirs are well worth the cost as tracks like "Ghost Love Score" and "Nemo" can demonstrate. Naturally some of the older fans might be dissappointed by the change but nevertheless this is the album I feel songwriter Tuomas Holopainen has been dreaming of making, and as it is finally here, I can say that the man is a true artist. Some fans have also been critisized about Tarja's vocals as she uses a lot less opera vocals as in the early albums. But in my opinion, she is singing better than ever, as her vocals really support the melodies while with the earlier material it wass sometimes in contrast to the music. Her range seems much wider. My God, she is eveng doing oriental vocals there! This is just another example that Nightwish has found their true musical identity as Tarja's vocals now completely serve the music instead of being a curiosity it seemed to be.Of course, this is not a perfect album and some moments even seem to include a bit of unpurpous hilarity (like the beginning of "Wish I Had An Angel"), but there are no really weak tracks and there are plenty of moments and songs that are simply the most stunning music made in a while - by anyone. Only the chorus of "Ghost Love Score" is worth the effort. "Nemo" on the other hand is a perfect single, catchy, breathtakingly beautiful and majestetic. No wonder it's a hit. A true musical journey, not just for fans of metal. Highly recommended."

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	Nightwish Once Genres: Alternative Rock, Rock, Metal Track Listings (11) - Disc #1 Dark Chest Of Wonders Wish I Had An Angel Nemo Planet Hell Creek Mary's Blood The Siren Dead Gardens Romanticide Ghost Love Score Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan Higher Than Hope 2004 album from the Finnish metal sensation Nightwish! 11 tracks. Nuclear Blast.
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