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107 of 111 found the following review helpful:
 Nightwish's Crowning Achievement - Album of the Year Feb 07, 2005
By Dan Solera
It was bound to happen - Nightwish's recording budget increased, and the Finnish quintet added an entire orchestra to their new album, thus forging the most epic and powerful doom album to ever be released. Like giving a child everything he has ever wanted, the band have let loose their boundless creativity. The album is very similar to their previous release, Century Child, but with strings, horns and woodwinds in absolutely every nook. Oh, yes, it is absolutely over-the-top, but in a band such as this, it is fitting and magnificent.
The opening song, "Dark Chest of Wonders" begins with a pounding metal riff unlike anything else on the album - very reminiscent of "Slaying the Dreamer" or more recent In Flames. However, it doesn't last. Soon afterwards, trademark Nightwish power-riffs kick in, infectious and energizing, bringing along with them a parading symphony that does not go unheard. The last chorus is absolutely beyond belief, with the band almost *dueling* with the symphony in a musical power struggle. "Wish I Had an Angel" is very similar to "Dead to the World", with bassist Marko Hietala taking over the vocals in the chorus of this heavy piece. "Nemo" (released as two singles) and "Planet Hell" are Nightwish staples, accessible and tremendously melodic; the latter of which showcases the symphonic textures in a very isolated, gothic atmosphere ("Carmina Burana" is not a stretched comparison).
The album has two longer pieces, both of which are exceptional tracks. "Creek Mary's Blood", an 8-minute eulogy to the destruction of native Americans during the colonial period is woeful, slow and touching, building up to becoming a horn-driven hard rocker.
But it is nothing in comparison to "Ghost Love Score", a near 10-minute concoction of tremendous melodic fireworks. The song left me speechless, and would surely have impressed Carl Orff. Everything from the chorus to the symphonic bombast to the choirs is absolutely hypnotic and energetic. The song makes any other song seem pale, ordinary and thoughtless, including the last two tracks on the album. It is that good. Sometime after the 4-minute mark, the band stops playing, and leaves the song in the hands of a passionate symphony, culminating with the band's re-entry into the song. The choirs that aid in the choral delivery are mostly female, and absolutely majestic. The song is theatrical and truly unrivaled.
To be perfectly honest (and a bit cynical), the symphony in the album takes a little too much credit. The guitar-work on the album is far from impressive and, if the orchestra were removed, many songs would sound very similar. If it weren't for Turunen's voice and the orchestral onslaught, Once would be quite ordinary. Regardless, it is the symphonic album of the year, and the best of Nightwish's career thus far. My congratulations go to keyboardist/songwriter Tuomas Holopainen and his magnum opus.
See also: Nightwish - Wishmaster, Nightwish - Century Child
32 of 32 found the following review helpful:
I'm going to try to help with this review. Oct 06, 2004
By against_the_radio_and_mtv
First Part:
Nightwish, the most succesful Finnish band are back with their 5th album, Once. Just like the import version, this will probably get many confusing reviews so I'll try to help.
First, about Nightwish.
In the mid 90s, Nightwish appeared as a Power Metal with Symphonic elements that had Tarja Tarunen A professional Mezzo Soprano as frontwoman. Their first album, "Album fall first", is actually a good album but doesn't have a good production. Their next album, "Oceanborn" is an excellent release with a better production. Tarja's performance is awesome.
Their next release "The Wishmaster" is considered by many their best album. Is certainly the most "Power Metalish" but it doesn't lose the atmosphere. After "The Wishmaster", Nightwish comes out with "Century Child" which was a big change. The guitar work almost dissapeared, the Operatic vocals almost go away showing another style from Tarja and the band becomes more quiet plus they added a second vocalist (Marko Hietala who is also the bassist). Now to me, "Once" is pretty much "Century Child" mixed with "The Wishmaster" which is great. Tarja adapts her voice to the new style better than in "Century Child" basically because Toumas Hollopien (Keybordist and songwritter of most of the material) wrote the music in a way that they can fit with Tarja's voice.
Songs like "Dark Chest of wonders" or "Nemo" are actually Power Metal songs but that have the atmosphere of the new Nighwish. Epics like "Ghost Love Score" show the orchestra that worked with Nightwish for this album more than the other tracks and "I wish I had an Angel" show the alternative ideas being a track with heavy riffs and a "Techno Beat" that sounds like an Industrial Metal band.
"Once" is a good album for old and new fans of Nightwish. I recommend it.
Second Part: Well, "Once" is a very successful album. It got first places in European radios and it has sold a lot of copies. The most successful album by Nightwish to date. However, Nightwish has some detractors. The main detractors of Nightwish are some Metal music fans that don't like Nightwish because they are not heavy or fast enough. In terms of speed and virtuosity, Nightwish can't match other Finnish acts like the Power-Melodic Metal bands "Stratovarius" and "Sonata Arctica" (Both very good bands) or the Power-Black Metal band "Children of Bodom"(Another awesome band) however, remember that virtuosity doesn't always mean the best music. I'm not saying that Nightwish doesn't have technical quality. Certainly, all their members are stronger than the members of Evanescence and also Nightwish is more technical than the incompetent Nu Metal bands that you can find in the American Radios. However, compared with other Metal acts, they are a kind of weak but they still play awesome music.
The idea of putting Metal and classical music together began way before Nightwish, however Nightwish is still original. Just like the Import version, here, there will be some reviews that will mention "Symphony X"(Another awesome band indeed) as a better alternative. Symphony X is not even the same music. Sure, the members of that band are extremely talented and they are monsters with the instruments. The guitarist there, Michael Romeo, is one of the 5 best guitar players in the world today and all the other members play more complicated material than Nightwish but as I said, Nightwish is different and can play good music without so much technical quality. There is a possibility that Nightwish will become popular here in the United States (They are already very important in Europe) however, the American music industry doesn't want foreign bands to get popular here. Even the British bands don't receive publicity. I personally think that keeping the American people unaware of the good music is disgusting. American Mainstream music is in its worst moment. There is nothing but crap and Nightwish is an excellent alternative. Unfourtunatly, some rich forces try to keep this album away from the American people. How? They don't play the songs in the radios (Most of them owed by the same two companies) and well, this is just too good for MTV.
Buy this album and spread the word. There is awesome music out there that is way better than the lame Nu Metal. Nightwish is an excellent band and this is one of their best works to date.
45 of 48 found the following review helpful:
WOW! Feb 15, 2005
By The Deac
Nightwish has produced several exceptional albums, but this time they managed to top themselves. Once has that "it" appeal...it is bombastic, and yet still accessible. The album offers a great variety of tones, moods, and sounds that will satisfy any taste, and will thrill metal fans who search for originality.
From the opening number "Dark Chest of Wonders", you hear the great orchestral arrangement that compliments the music so well. It is basically like hearing a heavy metal movie soundtrack. There is a lot going on, but somehow, it works. And it works to damn near perfection. This track alone is worth the purchase, but it continues with the 2 songs that could help the band breakout here in the states, "Wish I Had An Angel" and "Nemo". The brilliant thing about these tracks is while each of them maintains intense musicianship, they both have big hooks that will be embraced by a more mainstream audience. And at the same time, they will satisfy even the most jaded metal fan. The assault continues with "Planet Hell", easily the albums most fierce song, and goes through a rollercoaster of changes as the album continues.
Opera and metal meet in perfect harmony. Who would have thought?
20 of 21 found the following review helpful:
They get better and better!!! Jun 07, 2004
By Terhikkki
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 Artist Only 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 there My Creator, let me come to you
as what my child thinks I am In you the beauty of the world
From which death made me an artist My Creator, let me come to you
as what my child thinks I am Created 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.
11 of 11 found the following review helpful:
An Amazing Step Forward. Brilliant. Aug 08, 2004
By MusicFreak
"Ivan"
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.
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