Sakalli
Freedom to Music
Nightwish – Dark Passion Play (2007) (@256)
17 Apr 2010
(Review from wikipedia, amazon, metalstorm.net, amazon, progarchives.com)
In order to find a replacement for Turunen as the female vocalist, the band allowed vocalists interested for the position to send in demo tapes as an audition for the spot, receiving over 2000 demo tapes in the process.
Nightwish’s new vocalist, Annette Olzon is an alto rather than a soprano, uses very little vibrato, and sounds like a rock singer rather than an operatic vocalist. She is a change from the vocals that are very often found in this genre. Her vocals are more a part of the band’s overall sound.
“Dark Passion Play”, the band’s first studio album with her sees them progressing steadily as usual.
As bombastic and grand as Nightwish have ever sounded, the fourteen minute monster of an opening track, “The Poet And The Pendulum” is not just a statement to anyone who may have questioned the future of the band, but is also if you will, the title track with the pendulum on the front cover of the album and is also the epitome of the whole album to come. The band sound as heavy as they have ever been before – full of sound, many layers.
Continued use of harmonized vocals make for a very full and stage-like feel when combined with the instruments and orchestration behind it and some of the songs just get so loud that’s it’s hard not to get overwhelmed by the grandeur.
75 minute long, the album is diverse and adventurous. “Amaranth” sounds very commercial and appealing to the wider audience; “Master Passion Greed” is one of the heaviest and angriest songs this band have ever put on with furious guitaring, double bass drumming and Marco taking to the lead vocal position, and to another far out tangent of the musical spectrum of the album we even have strong folk elements with “The Islander” and “Last Of The Wilds” that seem to work surprisingly well. Elsewhere, “Eva” focuses primarily on the vocal talents of their new frontwoman.
The album includes an unusual amount of personal songs, including “The Poet and the Pendulum” which has been described as Holopainen’s life story, and about being a composer and musician. Another song, “Meadows of Heaven” is a depiction of Holopainen’s childhood and the feeling that it’ll never return. Two songs, “Bye Bye Beautiful” and “Master Passion Greed” are about ex-member Tarja Turunen and her husband Marcelo Cabuli.
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.
This edition of the album has two bonus CDs. The first is a complete instrumental version of the album, which contain instruments that are hard to hear, or are omitted, from the original version of the album. The second contains two alternate, a b-side bonus track.
Line-up:
- Tuomas Holopainen / Keyboards, Piano
- Anette Olzon / Vocals
- Marco Hietala / Acoustic Guitar (10), Bass, Vocals
- Erno “Emppu” Vuorinen / Guitar
- Jukka Nevalainen / Drums, percussions
with
- London Philharmonic Orchestra
- Guy Elliott / Lead Boy Soprano (1)
- Tom Williams / Second Boy Soprano, Voice (1)
- Metro Voices / Choir
- Troy Donockley / Bodhran, Uilleann Pipes, Low and Tin Whistle (10, 11, 13)
- Nollaig Casey / Fiddle (11)
- Senni Eskelinen / Electric Kantele (11)
- Greg Knowles / Cymbalom
- Johanna “Jonsu” Salomaa / Vocals (11)
Track List:
CD1
01. The Poet And The Pendulum – 13:54
02. Bye Bye Beautiful – 4:14
03. Amaranth – 3:51
04. Cadence Of Her Last Breath – 4:14
05. Master Passion Greed – 6:02
06. Eva – 4:25
07. Sahara – 5:47
08. Whoever Brings The Night – 4:17
09. For The Heart I Once Had – 3:55
10. The Islander – 5:05
11. Last Of the Wilds – 5:40
12. 7 Days To The Wolves – 7:03
13. Meadows Of Heaven – 7:12
CD2 (Bonus Instrumental)
01. The Poet And The Pendulum – 13:54
02. Bye Bye Beautiful – 4:14
03. Amaranth – 3:51
04. Cadence Of Her Last Breath – 4:14
05. Master Passion Greed – 6:02
06. Eva – 4:25
07. Sahara – 5:47
08. Whoever Brings The Night – 4:17
09. For The Heart I Once Had – 3:56
10. The Islander – 5:05
11. Last Of the Wilds – 5:40
12. 7 Days To The Wolves – 7:04
13. Meadows Of Heaven – 7:09
CD3 (Bonus)
01. Escapist – 5:00
02. Meadows Of Heaven (Orchestral Version) – 7:13
03. The Poet And The Pendulum (Demo Version) – 13:40
Links in comments.
Mike Pinder – Promise (1976) (@256)
16 Apr 2010
Thanks to Bragi Taliesin for the contribution.
(Review from amazon, allmusic rateyourmusic.com)
During his years with the Moody Blues, Pinder was known for the lush, dense sounds he generated from his Mellotrons, which he modified so extensively by the beginning of the 1970s, that they became known unofficially as “Pinder-trons”; and for his compositions, which were frequently steeped in a brand of mysticism that recalled the English Romantic poets.
During the group’s mid-’70s hiatus, Pinder recorded a solo album, The Promise, which grafted elements of what would later be called new age music onto his established romantic sound.
It seems Pinder used his famed Mellotron mostly for ‘ornamental’ effects, and actually went with an Arp synth for the ‘string’ sounds on “You’ll Make It Through”. There’s very much of a jazz flavor to the flute-laden “Someone To Believe In”, as well as a heavy gospel vibe on “You’ll Make It Through” and on the coda of “Free As A Dove”. His vocals are generally mellow and typically earnest.
The material is sort of funny in a happy, unintentional sort of way. There’s even a short, light ‘n’ airy, sunny 70s instrumental on side two. Pinder pulls out the old Moodies poetry-recital trick on “The Seed”, which along with “Message” forms a mini-suite of sorts.
There are two bonus tracks in this edition of the album, first one is a remake of ‘One Step Into the Light’ originally from the Moody Blues’ Octave album. The other, ‘Island to Island’ is an unreleased track from the 80s.
Track List:
01. Free As A Dove – 4:11
02. You’ll Make It Through – 3:51
03. Only Want To Love You – 3:25
04. Someone To Believe In – 3:17
05. Carry On – 4:16
06. Air (Instrumental) – 2:19
07. Message – 2:45
08. The Seed – 1:24
09. The Promise – 6:04
10. One Step Into The Light (Bonus) – 5:44
11. Island To Island (Bonus) – 3:14
Link in comments.
Nightwish – End of an Era (Live 2005) (@256 + Video)
15 Apr 2010
(Review from amazon, allmusic)
This is the live performance at the Hartwall Arena in Helsinki on October 21, 2005, the final concert of a long worldwide tour for their album “Once”.
With high energy all around, the intensity level stays up throughout the entire show, everyone in the arena seems to be fully engaged in the event, the band’s performance is great, the audio is the best yet, and the video work is generally solid too. Realistically, its just about as much as one could hope for as far as capping things off in a positive and energetic way.
There are 18 songs with a concert length of 103 minutes. Despite reputedly having the flu that day, both Marco Hietala and Tarja Turunen sound fantastic – at the top of their form. Hietala adds a lot of onstage chemistry compared to Sami Vanska, as expected.
The biggest strength of “End of an Era” is its ability to re-create the concert experience; the band is at the forefront, but the cheering, clapping, and chanting of the crowd are included as an integral element of the music, not a separate entity. There’s nothing more authentic on a live recording than capturing the requisite concertgoer whose duty it is to break the mood by shouting at inappropriate times.
The opening number, “Dark Chest of Wonders” brings it all together — the song itself, dark, theatrical and operatic, with Turunen’s rich voice floating over power chords, a charging rhythm section, an orchestral backing track, and the enthusiastic crowd at her feet. The vibe continues on “Planet Hell”, the first of several songs to showcase a Turunen/Hietala duet and solos by keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen and guitarist Emppu Vuorinen.
Powerful performances and dark, romantic themes continue to dominate throughout the album. Each song plays to the band’s strength and uses the crowd’s energy and enthusiasm to drive forward and craft memorable moments. A notable cover of Pink Floyd’s High Hopes features Marco Hietala’s vocals as Tarja Turunen takes a break.
As in the beginning of the concert, the final songs are rousing, passionate, and dramatic. “Creek Mary’s Blood”, a lament inspired by Dee Brown’s novel of the same name, benefits from the talent of Native American musician John Two Hawks, who also appeared on the studio version of the song. After an extended flute solo named “Stone People”, Two Hawks sings and plays in a striking duet with Turunen, whose operatic tremolo stands in contrast to her partner’s straighter tone.
The sound takes an abrupt turn immediately afterward as Nightwish launch into a rollicking cover of Gary Moore’s “Over the Hills and Far Away” transformed into a power metal epic as Holopainen and Vuorinen trade riffs between verses and choruses. The album comes to a close with the sprawling, gothic “Wish I Had an Angel”, a looser and more straightforward rock song that sees Turunen and Hietala alternating their vocal duties for what would be the last time.
The aptly titled “End of an Era” is the final Nightwish production to feature Tarja Turunen on vocals. She and the rest of the band parted mere hours after this concert.
Line-up:
- Tuomas Holopainen / Keyboards and Piano
- Tarja Turunen / Vocals
- Marco Hietala / Bass guitar, male vocals
- Erno “Emppu” Vuorinen / Lead guitars
- Jukka Nevalainen / Drums
with
- John Two-Hawks / Vocals, Native American flute
Track List:
CD1
01. Dark Chest Of Wonders – 5:08
02. Planet Hell – 4:44
03. Ever Dream – 5:27
04. The Kinslayer – 4:08
05. Phantom Of The Opera – 5:11
06. The Siren – 4:52
07. Sleeping Sun – 4:55
08. High Hopes – 6:54
09. Bless The Child – 6:24
10. Wishmaster – 4:43
CD2
01. Slaying The Dreamer – 5:04
02. Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan – 4:13
03. Nemo – 4:46
04. Ghost Love Score – 10:29
05. Stone People – 4:08
06. Creek Mary’s Blood – 8:39
07. Over The Hills And Far Away – 5:26
08. Wish I Had An Angel – 7:52
Links in comments.
Moody Blues – December (2003) (@256)
15 Apr 2010
(Review from allmusic)
With Ray Thomas deciding to retire after the latest tour, the band is trimmed to a trio with additional musicians.
“December” is an album about the spirit of Christmas but with its lack of carols, it sounds more like another chapter in the Moody Blues’ legend.
Like many Moody Blues records since the 1980s, the original songs are nostalgic, pointing listeners back to memories of an idyllic past when things were simpler, and toward the hope that social and spiritual renewal are just around the corner.
The set features a number of Hayward and Lodge originals, obscure and traditional Anglo folk songs, a transposed piece by Bach, and a cover of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” — alas, if only that were true.
There is no new age drivel here; its topics and themes are indeed Christian, but weigh on the side of those that are universally held: brotherhood, compassion, hope, goodwill, and generosity.
It’s beautifully orchestrated and produced. Its sound is pristine, and Hayward and Lodge with their trademark elegance sound as if they mean every word they write and sing. It most certainly is sentimental and lush, and has nothing whatsoever to do with rock & roll.
Line-up:
- Justin Hayward / vocals, guitar
- John Lodge / vocals, bass
- Graeme Edge / drums
with
- Danilo Madonia / keyboards, sequencing
- Norda Mullen / flute
Track List:
01. Don’t Need A Reindeer – 3:59
02. December Snow – 5:11
03. In The Quiet Of Christmas Morning – 2:51
04. On This Christmas Day – 3:40
05. Happy Xmas (War Is Over) – 2:37
06. A Winter’s Tale – 4:28
07. The Spirit Of Christmas – 4:52
08. Yes I Believe – 4:21
09. When A Child Is Born – 3:34
10. White Christmas – 3:08
11. In The Bleak Midwinter – 3:21
Link in comments.
Nightwish – Once (2004) (@256)
14 Apr 2010
(Review from amazon, wikipedia, seaoftranquality.org)
It was bound to happen – Nightwish’s recording budget increased, and the Finnish quintet added an entire orchestra to their new album, thus forging their second breakthrough album. 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. 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”. 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.
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.
“Wish I Had an Angel” features bassist Marco Hietala’s gruff vocals on the chorus and believe it or not the song manages to marry dance music with heavy metal! “Planet Hell” is accessible and tremendously melodic; showcasing the symphonic textures in a very isolated, gothic atmosphere.
Both “Dead Gardens” and “Romanticide” are rough-and-tumble, even too much for some ears, 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 recent years.
The eight minute “Creek Mary’s Blood” depicts the plight of Native American Indians, the song features John Two-Hawks, a Lakota musician on flute, chants and vocals. It is a brooding and evil sounding song with a folk feel behind it’s malevolence. Woeful, slow and touching, building up to becoming a horn-driven hard rocker.
“Ghost Love Score” is a near 10-minute concoction of tremendous melodic fireworks. 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. The choirs that aid in the choral delivery are mostly female, and absolutely majestic. The song is theatrical and truly unrivaled.
The album was a huge success, it allowed them to perform the “Once World Tour”, taking Nightwish to play in many countries they had never visited before.
Line-up:
- Tuomas Holopainen / Keyboards and Piano
- Tarja Turunen / Vocals
- Marco Hietala / Bass guitar, male vocals
- Erno “Emppu” Vuorinen / Lead guitars
- Jukka Nevalainen / Drums
with
- Marc Brueland / Spoken part (11)
- Jouni Hynynen / Growling (7)
- John Two-Hawks / Vocals, Native American flute
- London Philharmonic Orchestra – Orchestra
- The Metro Voices – Choir
Track List:
01. Dark Chest of Wonders – 4:28
02. Wish I Had An Angel – 4:06
03. Nemo – 4:36
04. Planet Hell – 4:38
05. Creek Mary’s Blood – 8:29
06. The Siren – 4:45
07. Dead Gardens – 4:28
08. Romanticide – 4:58
09. Ghost Love Score – 10:02
10. Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan – 3:58
11. Higher Than Hope – 5:38
12. White Night Fantasy (Bonus) – 4:04
13. Live To Tell The Tale (Bonus) – 4:58
Link in comments.
Moody Blues – Strange Times (1999) (@256)
14 Apr 2010
(Review from wikipedia)
After a lengthy (8 year) break, Moody Blues release a very airy and generally more minimal-sounding album, with a slower pace. The sound features acoustic guitar, slightly processed electric guitar, light organ, flute, and string arrangements.
The exception may be the opening track “English Sunset,” which is arguably one of the fastest, most emotionally-charged, and synthesiser-laden Moody Blues’ songs ever recorded.
Line-up:
- Justin Hayward / guitars, vocals
- John Lodge / bass, vocals
- Ray Thomas / flutes, harmonicas, vocals
- Graeme Edge / drums
with
- Danilo Madonia / programming, keyboards, orchestrations
Track List:
01. English Sunset – 5:05
02. Haunted – 4:31
03. Sooner Or Later (Walkin’ On Air) – 3:50
04. Wherever You Are – 3:35
05. Foolish Love – 3:56
06. Love Don’t Come Easy – 4:33
07. All That Is Real Is You – 3:33
08. Strange Times – 4:29
09. Words You Say – 5:31
10. My Little Lovely – 1:45
11. Forever Now – 4:37
12. The One – 3:39
13. The Swallow – 4:58
14. Nothing Changes – 3:32
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Justin Hayward – Live In San Juan Capistrano (1998) (@256)
13 Apr 2010
(Review from cd.ciao.co.uk)
One night in April 1998, Justin Hayward and his band performed a concert before a packed house at The CoachHouse Theatre in San Juan Capistrano, California.
The concert opens with an announcer greeting Hayward onto the stage. He is on his own for the first seven of his songs, accompanying himself on acoustic guitar and stands illuminated by a single spotlight. He looks ‘good for his age’ and appeared very relaxed, wearing a shirt with a mandarin collar.
He is joined by members of his own band as the concert proceeds, firstly by Mickey Feat on bass guitar for “Troubadour” and then Paul Bliss on keyboards and Gordon Marshal on drums for the remainder of the songs. Feat and Bliss had backed him on his latest solo album. Indeed seven of the twenty two songs presented in this concert come from this album.
Naturally a solo voice and a lone guitar cannot match the sound from the various studio albums. However, Justin is in fine voice and is able to show his expressive vocal range. He never forces his voice and the overall sound is not overpowering. His diction as usual is excellent and the words of the songs are easily understood. With his backing players he gains a much fuller sound and this does then give an excellent approximation of the Moodies in full swing. They do not attempt to cover up any deficiencies merely by turning up the volume on the amplifiers.
He quickly develops an easy rapport with his rapt audience. The songs are interspersed with light banter and anecdotes of his career.
Line-up:
- Justin Hayward / Guitar, Vocals
with
- Mickey Feat / Bass, Vocals
- Paul Bliss / Keyboards
- Gordon Marshall / Drums, Percussion, Keyboards, Flute
Track List:
01. Your Wildest Dreams – 4:07
02. Lost And Found – 2:58
03. Land Of Make Believe – 2:24
04. Blue Guitar – 2:28
05. Children Of Paradise – 3:14
06. Troubadour – 4:03
07. The Way Of The World – 4:55
08. Forever Autumn – 4:19
09. The Actor – 4:58
10. Watching And Waiting – 4:29
11. Something To Believe In – 4:10
12. Broken Dream – 6:29
13. The Story In Your Eyes – 5:25
14. Billy – 6:08
15. It’s Not Too Late – 4:53
16. Tuesday Afternoon – 4:23
17. Nights In White Satin – 5:23
18. Raised On Love – 4:19
Link in comments.
Nightwish – End of Innocence (2003) (@Video)
12 Apr 2010
(Review from metal-archives.com)
With this two plus hour documentary, End Of Innocence offers an in depth and insightful interview with founding member, keyboard player, and chief song writer Tuomas Holopainen. Joined by drummer Jukka Nevalinen and current Finntroll vocalist Tapio Wilska, Tuomas tells the story of the band the way only he can. From their humble beginnings in the small town of Kitee to the widely successful world tours of late, this video scrapbook showcases and array of candid memories in a genuine behind the scenes setting that is enthralling on multiple levels.
End Of Innocence is an unprecedented and revealing glimpse into the personalities of each of the five Nightwish collective, but more than anything else, it is a personal journey into Tuomas’ being. The video biography exposes the pressures of living under the microscope and the hardships of trying to live up to the expectations that come with being a rock star. Though he has accomplished so much in such a short time, Tuomas seems to have trouble accepting that his hard work has somehow paid off. Though every Nightwish record reaching platinum status in most countries throughout Europe and other parts of the world, he is a passionate perfectionist that is never truly satisfied with his art.
Spoken mostly in the band’s native tongue, for many people “End Of Innocence” plays much like a Japanese anime with english subtitles across the bottom of the screen. At times this makes things a bit confusing and hard to follow along during key moments. This is a prime example of why God created patience and, of course, the reverse button. Surfacing every few minutes or so between the discussions are priceless clips of back stage pranks and high energy performances from all over the globe. These tidbits show how the Nightwish crew interacts as a band, and more importantly, as a family. Every person closely linked to them, whether it be a manager, producer, or roadie, all share a special bond that keeps them going day after day.
Once, when Nightwish was just starting out, an unwise critic took it upon himself to declare the band as having ‘no future or commercial potential’. End Of Innocence depicts perfectly how wrong he was and charts where the band has been, where they are, and where they are heading.
Video: Xvid, 544×432, 25 fps
Audio: AC3, 192 kbit/s, Finnish
Subtitles: English
Total Runtime: 134 min
Links in comments.
Justin Hayward – View From The Hill (1996) (@256)
12 Apr 2010
(Review from amazon)
Justin Hayward carries on the legend of the Moody Blues with his latest solo effort. As in most Moody Blues recordings the beginning starts with an eerie spiritual instrumental before launching into the upbeat “I Heard It”. All the songs are also mixed and faded into each other, another common element.
Stand-out cuts include, “Broken Dream” a melancholy look at days gone by and a coming of age; “The Promised Land” focuses on immigrants with a strong beat, clever, fast paced piano and uplifting lyrics and “Troubador”, an upbeat rock/folk number speaks about love and hopeful futures.
Two songs seem more stringently like storytelling. “Something To Believe In” speaks in a positive way about a family on the edge and “Billy” is one of the saddest, lonliest songs ever written by Hayward. Even with it’s bleak outcome, the song never reaches the depths of depression, but one of hope – a common theme in most of his songs.
Track List:
01. I Heard It – 5:37
02. Broken Dream – 5:51
03. The Promised Land – 7:25
04. It’s Not Too Late – 5:02
05. Something To Believe In – 4:21
06. The Way Of The World – 5:07
07. Sometimes Less Is More – 4:07
08. Troubadour – 6:34
09. Shame – 4:35
10. Billy – 6:59
11. Children Of Paradise – 3:15
Link in comments.
Nightwish – Live at Summer Breeze 2002 (@256)
11 Apr 2010
(Info from wikipedia)
Included as a bonus to the documentary “End of Innocence”, this live album shows Nightwish performing eight songs in the Summer Breeze Festival in Germany, 2002.
Line-up:
- Tuomas Holopainen / keyboards
- Tarja Turunen / lead vocals
- Marco Hietala / bass, vocals
- Jukka Nevalainen / drums
- Emppu Vuorinen / guitars
Track List:
01. End of All Hope – 4:15
02. Dead to the World – 4:42
03. 10th Man Down – 5:29
04. Slaying the Dreamer – 4:53
05. Over the Hills And Far Away – 6:02
06. Sleeping Sun – 4:29
07. The Kinslayer – 4:10
08. Come Cover Me – 5:08
Link in comments.
Justin Hayward – Classic Blue (1994) (@256)
11 Apr 2010
(Review from amazon)
This is a beautiful collection and selection of songs by the voice of the Moody Blues who delivers interpretations in his own signature style with the London Philarmonic Orchestra. His plaintive vocals are crystal clear and immaculate throughout, with many a number sending a shiver up the spine as only an emotional Justin Hayward vocal can.
The album includes renditions of many hit songs, such as The Beatles’ “Blackbird”, and Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven.” It also includes a re-recorded version of “Forever Autumn,” a song from Jeff Wayne’s musical version of The War of the Worlds, in which Hayward originally sang lead vocals.
Other notable covers include Simon & Garfunkel’s “Scarborough Fair”, Procol Harum’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale”, Fleetwood Mac’s (Peter Green era) “Man of the World” and the infamous “MacArthur Park”.
Track List:
01. Tracks of My Tears – 3:23
02. MacArthur Park – 7:16
03. Blackbird – 2:31
04. Vincent – 4:53
05. God Only Knows – 3:34
06. Bright Eyes – 3:53
07. Whiter Shade of Pale – 4:28
08. Scarborough Fair – 4:18
09. Railway Hotel – 3:23
10. Man of the World – 3:29
11. Forever Autumn – 5:15
12. As Long as the Moon Can Shine – 4:20
13. Stairway to Heaven – 7:42
Link in comments.
Nightwish – Century Child (2002) (@256)
10 Apr 2010
(Review from wikipedia, seaoftranquility.org, progarchives.com)
After a week of hiking in Lappland, Holopainen got the band back to its feet. The band switched managers and Marco Hietala replaced bassist Sami Vanska. Hietala also started to perform male vocals; allowing Holopainen to take advantage of Hietala’s distinctive raucous voice to add a new dimension to the band.
The fourth full studio album of Nightwish, 2002′s “Century Child” is a notable departure from previous Nightwish releases, musically and lyrics-wise. It contains real orchestral backing, an ethereal production, a much more streamlined vocal work from Tarja Turunen and the lyrics depict a strong concept album undercurrent. Hietala’s male vocals make the band’s sound heavier and angrier.
Beginning with “Bless The Child” you are quickly drawn into the sound of the band by Tarja’s warm vocals and a very eerie haunting melody. When the “End Of All Hope” kicks in you find that the group can be heavy as they find the need. This number is full of incredible double drumming by Jukka and great guitar wizardry of Emmpu. For those who enjoy a hearty chorus the track “Dead To The World” might be most impressive.
“Ever Dream”, the album’s first single, is one of Nightwish’s heavier ballads, with a piano and strings complementing the guitars very well and producing a gorgeous melody. Tarja sounds heavenly, and the last minute or so of the song is chilling in how gorgeous it sounds.
In many ways, the album is constantly building towards its wonderful climactic conclusion. That conclusion starts with the penultimate track, a magical reworking of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Phantom of the Opera”. Those who know the music of Nightwish will appreciate just how appropriate this track is for the band, and will be able to create a mental vision of the track even before hearing it. It is slightly speeded up from the stage show version, but otherwise faithful, including a fine male/female vocal duet.
The final track, “Beauty of the Beast” is where it all comes together. The song is a 10 minute masterpiece in three parts. Those three parts fit together seamlessly to form a complete piece. The extra space offered by the track allows Emppu Vuorinen to slip in some fine guitar work. There still plenty of orchestration, and dramatic vocalisations, which cumulate in the fading refrain.
Nightwish seems to be unafraid to experiment and evolve.
Line-up:
- Tuomas Holopainen / piano, keyboards
- Tarja Turunen / lead vocals
- Marco Hietala / bass, vocals
- Jukka Nevalainen / drums
- Emppu Vuorinen / guitars
Track List:
01. Bless The Child – 6:12
02. End Of All Hope – 3:55
03. Dead To The World – 4:19
04. Ever Dream – 4:43
05. Slaying The Dreamer – 4:31
06. Forever Yours – 3:50
07. Ocean Soul – 4:14
08. Feel For You – 3:55
09. The Phantom Of The Opera – 4:10
10. The Beauty Of The Beast10:23
11. Lagoon (Bonus) – 3:47
12. Wayfarer (Bonus) – 3:24
13. Bless The Child (Bonus Edit) – 4:09
14. End Of All Hope (Bonus Live) – 4:12
15. Dead To The World (Bonus Live) – 4:45
Link in comments.
Moody Blues – A Night At Red Rocks (Live 1993) (@256)
10 Apr 2010
(Review from progarchives.com, wikipedia)
Performing on tour with a series of regional orchestras, they brought the majesty of their old studio sound onto the stage for the first time and audiences responded by turning them into one of the top concert draws of the decade.
Red Rocks is a natural amphitheatre near Denver in the USA, into which an outdoor concert arena has been built. A number of artists have released live albums recorded there, presumably due to the favourable acoustics. Moody Blues was there with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra.
The songs included in the concert are largely predictable, their live repertoire showing relatively minor variations over the years. There is no criticism in this, the tracks selected are among their best, and cover a good cross section of their albums.
The performance here is very good, and the songs are recreated pretty faithfully throughout. The addition of an orchestra does enhance the overall sound, but they are kept firmly in check in terms of the mix, with the band very much to the fore. There are some notable exceptions, such as the wonderful orchestral break on “Isn’t life strange”, which helps to give this majestic song an impressive new dimension.
Line-up:
- Graeme Edge / drums
- Justin Hayward / guitars, vocals
- John Lodge / bass, acoustic guitar, vocals
- Ray Thomas / flutes, vocals
with
- Spencer Allen / keyboards
- Paul Bliss / keyboards
- Bias Boschell / keyboards
- June Boyce / backing vocals
- Matt McShane / guitar
- Sue Shattock / backing vocals
- Allan Terry / drums
Track List:
01. Overture – 2:58
02. Late Lament – 1:35
03. Tuesday Afternoon (Forever Afternoon) – 4:42
04. For My Lady – 4:11
05. Lean On Me (Tonight) – 4:39
06. Lovely To See You – 4:04
07. I Know You’re Out There Somewhere – 5:22
08. The Voice – 5:28
09. Your Wildest Dreams – 4:57
10. Isn’t Life Strange – 6:44
11. The Other Side Of Life – 7:05
12. I’m Just A Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band) – 6:55
13. Nights In White Satin – 6:33
14. Question – 6:22
15. Ride My See-Saw – 5:26
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Nightwish – Over The Hills And Far Away (EP 2001) (@256)
09 Apr 2010
(Review from wikipedia)
“Over the Hills and Far Away” comprises of 4 brand-new tracks – a cover, a remake and two original songs written specially for this EP.
The beautiful rendition of the Gary Moore classic “Over the Hills and Far Away” elevates the song to entirely new proportions, complete with the blaring guitars, keyboard riffs and soaring operatic vocals. The mesmerizing “10th Man Down”, a song written about the gruesome reality of war. It is a midtempo song with some really great guitar riffs. “Away” is the ballad of the EP, the chorus to it is simply unforgettable. The EP closes with a remake of “Astral Romance” from the band’s debut album, featuring the vocals of Sonata Arctica’s Tony Kakko, quite an improvement over the original vocals of Holopainen.
During the tour of “Over the Hills and Far Away”, tension was building up among members, centering on Sami Vanska’s missing appointments and not taking the gigs as seriously as the others. By the end of the tour, the band unofficially broke up.
Line-up:
- Tuomas Holopainen / Keyboards
- Tarja Turunen / Vocals
- Erno “Emppu” Vuorinen / Guitars
- Sami Vanska / Bass
- Jukka Nevalainen / Drums
with
- Tapio Wilska / Vocals (1, 2)
- Tony Kakko / Vocals (1, 4)
Track List:
01. Over The Hills And Far Away – 5:03
02. 10th Man Down – 5:24
03. Away – 4:33
04. Astral Romance (2001) – 5:22
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Moody Blues – Keys of the Kingdom (1991) (@256)
09 Apr 2010
(Review from wikipedia, progarchives.com, blogcritics.org)
Keyboardist Patrick Moraz left the band after completing only a few tracks for this album. Drummer Graeme Edge does not play on any tracks, the live drums being supplied by Andy Duncan. Flautist Ray Thomas is back and he plays more of a substantial role on this record, with his first ambient flute piece in eight years. Although drum machines are still used heavily, this album sees the band beginning to return to a more airy rock oriented sound (similar to The Present).
“Bless the Wings That Bring You Back” is a powerful mid-paced track, which affords Patrick Moraz slightly more than the usual exposure he enjoys with the band. The keyboards have a very modern, almost synthetic sound, more akin to a melodic rock band.
“Celtic Sonnet”, which Ray Thomas composed and takes lead vocals on, is a traditional sounding air, with a simple but infectious chorus. His clear baritone rising above the harmonies and his flute weaving its intricate sounds in and out of the other instruments was a look back to the classic days of the group.
“Never Blame the Rainbows for the Rain” is a Ray Thomas/Justin Hayward song strikes a chord, both in terms of the quality of the song, and its performance, it is quite beautiful. It is a poetic and melodic look at aging and is one of the album’s stronger compositions.
Since the album didn’t prodce any major hit singles (where its two predecessors did), it would mark the beginning of the Moodies’ decline in popularity with mainstream audiences.
Line-up:
- Justin Hayward / vocals, guitar
- John Lodge / vocals, bass guitar
- Ray Thomas / vocals, flute
- Patrick Moraz / keyboards
with
- Andy Duncan / drums
Track List:
01. Say It With Love – 3:57
02. Bless the Wings (That Bring You Back) – 5:10
03. Is This Heaven – 4:04
04. Say What You Mean (Parts I & II) – 5:38
05. Lean on Me (Tonight) – 4:58
06. Hope and Pray – 5:03
07. Shadows on the Wall – 5:07
08. Once is Enough – 4:03
09. Celtic Sonant – 5:02
10. Magic – 5:11
11. Never Blame the Rainbows for the Rain – 4:57
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