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Posts tagged Tarja Turunen
Tarja Turunen – My Winter Storm (2007) (@256)
21 Apr 2010
(Review from about.com, allmusic)
Tarja’s first album of original material, My Winter Storm has some similarities to Nightwish’s sound, but she branches out into several different styles.
Some songs are bombastic and symphonic with a heavier guitar sound. Others are very classical in sound and feel with a lot of strings and sparser arrangements. There are a few pop influences as well. Overall, the album is softer and more reflective than her previous work, which tends to be the case when lead singers leave niche bands to pursue solo stardom.
Tarja has a great voice, and belts out her trademark operatic vocals with power and emotion. She also dials it back and sings in a more traditional style at times.
“My Winter Storm” is a mixed bag, hampered by the compromise between her old and new styles.
This edition of the album has a bonus CD of alternate mixes, live recordings and “The Seer” EP.
Line-up:
- Tarja Turunen / vocals
with
- Doug Wimbish / Bass
- Kiko Loureiro / Guitars
- Mike Terrana / Drums
- Maria Ilmoniemi / Keyboards
- Max Lilja / Cello
- Markus Hohti / Cello
- Tony Turunen / Guitars, electronic drums, keyboards
Track List:
CD1
01. Ite Missa Est – 0:27
02. I Walk Alone – 3:53
03. Lost Northern Star – 4:22
04. Seeking For The Reign – 0:58
05. The Reign – 4:07
06. The Escape Of The Doll – 0:32
07. My Little Phoenix – 4:01
08. Boy And The Ghost – 4:36
09. Sing For Me – 4:16
10. Oasis – 5:10
11. Poison – 4:01
12. Our Great Divide – 5:05
13. Sunset – 0:36
14. Damned And Divine – 4:19
15. Die Alive – 4:02
16. The Seer (Bonus Deleted Scene) – 4:20
17. Minor Heaven – 3:53
18. Ciaron’s Well – 3:39
19. Calling Grace – 2:46
CD2 (Bonus)
01. Enough – 5:13
02. The Seer (feat. Doro Pesch) – 4:21
03. Lost Northern Star (Tagtgren Remix) – 4:38
04. Wisdom Of Wind – 6:34
05. The Reign (Score Mix) – 4:47
06. Die Alive (Alternative Version) – 4:10
07. Boy And The Ghost (Izumix) – 4:16
08. Calling Grace (Full Version) – 3:21
09. Lost Northern Star (Ambience Sublow Mix) – 4:58
10. Damned And Divine (Live In Kuusankoski) – 5:48
11. You Would Have Loved This (Live In Kuusankoski) – 4:06
12. Our Great Divine (Live In Kuusankoski) – 5:18
13. Ciaran’s Well (Live In Kuusankoski) – 3:48
Links in comments.
Tarja Turunen – Henkays Ikuisuudesta (2006) (@256)
20 Apr 2010
(Review from amazon, wikipedia)
Released in time for Christmas 2006, ex-Nightwish singer’s solo career kicks off with a special holiday album, “Henkäys Ikuisuudesta” (Breath From Eternity), featuring a wide variety of material and styles.
Smooth and relaxing, all of the songs are covers apart from album opener ‘Kuin Henkays Ikuisuutta’. Tarja’s beautiful rendition of ‘Ave Maria’ has to be the highlight of the album, her incredible voice soars over the piano in such an evocative way. Also, her cover of John Lennon’s classic ‘Happy Christmas (war is over)’ is worth checking out, as she shines on this track.
Track List:
01. Kuin Henkays Ikuisuutta – 4:33
02. You Would Have Loved This – 4:00
03. Happy New Year – 4:11
04. En Etsi Valtaa, Loistoa – 3:30
05. Happy Christmas (War Is Over) – 4:36
06. Varpunen Jouluaamuna – 3:28
07. Ave Maria – 6:16
08. The Eyes Of A Child – 4:27
09. Mokit Nukkuu Lumiset – 4:18
10. Jo Joutuu Ilta – 3:11
11. Marian Poika – 3:32
12. Magnificat- Quia Respexit – 3:37
13. Walking In The Air – 4:40
14. Jouluyo, Juhlayo – 3:46
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Link in comments.
Nightwish – From Wishes To Eternity (Live 2001) (@256 + Video)
07 Apr 2010
(Review from wikipedia, progarchives.com, metaleater.com)
The band’s first live album was recorded in Tampere, Finland on the 29th of December 2000, during the Wishmaster tour. Nightwish was becoming a international smash, but they were still with that novice’s passion and eager to show the world their power.
The songs sound fantastic and are almost studio quality. Aside from the bassist who stands in one place, the band members are energetic and get due attention from the camera, though Tarja remains the focus. Jukka Nevalainen likes to twirl his drumsticks, which adds an entertaining flare to his tight playing.
The performance is bolstered by a tasteful use of lighting and pyro. Often you see the silhouettes of crowd members clapping along to the songs, which is a nice touch. While there’s not much by way of stage banter, at least the dialogue is in English and Tarja’s accent rules: “I vant you to sing vith me”.
The atmosphere at the concert is superb and every time the camera cuts randomly to a section of the audience, there is a sea of outstretched arms and pointing index fingers of fans who are singing along word for word.
In addition to a show of Nightwish material, the band also performes a medley, “Crimson Tide, Deep Blue Sea”, which borrows melodies from many sources, including Hans Zimmer’s music in the 1995 movie Crimson Tide.
Line-up:
- Tuomas Holopainen / synthesizers
- Jukka Nevalainen / drums
- Tarja Turunen / lead vocals
- Sami Vanska / bass
- Emppu Vuorinen / guitar
with
- Tapio Wilska / male vocals (4)
- Tony Kakko / male vocals (14)
Track List:
01. The Kinslayer – 4:12
02. She Is My Sin – 4:49
03. Deep Silent Complete – 4:24
04. The Pharaoh Sails to Orion – 6:39
05. Come Cover Me – 4:44
06. Wanderlust – 4:34
07. Instrumental (Crimson Tide / Deep Blue Sea) – 3:29
08. Swanheart – 3:55
09. Elvenpath – 4:51
10. FantasMic Part 3 – 3:24
11. Dead Boy’s Poem – 6:52
12. Sacrament of Wilderness – 5:06
13. Walking in The Air – 5:10
14. Beauty & The Beast – 6:40
15. Wishmaster – 5:03
Link in comments.
Nightwish – Wishmaster (2000) (@256)
06 Apr 2010
(Review from amazon, wikipedia, metal-archives.com)
While in the studio in early 2000 working on their third album, Nightwish was accepted in the Finnish Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Sleepwalker”. Despite winning the public vote, Nightwish eventually finished in second place.
In their third album, released in May 2000, 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.
“Wishmaster” is more guitar driven than its predecessor, a bit less grandiose, and not quite as bold or dramatic. Its also noticeably more polished; there aren’t really any clunky elements in the music and sound quality is much better. It has a very balanced sound; no single element dominates, you get a strong impression of cohesion and synergy – everyone pulling together.
The faster songs combine Tuomas’ keyboard ideas and Emppu’s riffs outshine Stratovarius in many instances. “Crownless” and “Wanderlust” are two highlights, combining solid guitar and keyboard ideas with some interesting vocal and atmospheric tricks, the former almost sounding like a high speed techno track. “The Kinslayer” is definitely the darkest sounding of the bunch, be it the neurotic sounding narrations or the agitated keyboard lines. “She is my Sin” and “Deep, Silent, Complete” feature impressive vocal performances, while “Bare Grace Misery” mostly relies on simplicity and hooks to keep the listener focused.
“Dead Boy’s Poem/FantasMic”, along with using elements from the rest of the album, mixes in new elements – spoken word, poetic passages read by a child; some great flute work; and mindblowingly effective use of a couple of tolls of an oriental-sounding gong, placed perfectly into the overall flow of the music.
The lyrical content has enjoyed an evolution similar to the musical one they have made since their quasi-folk inspired debut “Angels fall first”. Tuomas Holopainen balances a sense of passion and a sense of curiosity with the occasional poetic comment on the nature of life. Be it his own take on the mind of a pair of killers in “The Kinslayer” or a personal quasi-autobiography in “Dead Boy’s Poem”, he is both witty yet sincere in his word usage, complementing the game of notes that he plays with.
Line-up:
- Tuomas Holopainen / synthesizers
- Tarja Turunen / vocals
- Jukka Nevalainen / drums & percussion
- Emppu Vuorinen / guitars
- Sami Vanska / bass
with
- Esa Lehtinen / Flute
- Sam Hardwick / Dead Boy’s voice
- Ike Vil / Kinslayer voice
choir
- Ville Laaksonen / Tenor
- Matias Kaila / Tenor
- Kimmo Kallio / Baritone
- Riku Salminen / Bass (Voice)
- Anssi Honkanen / Bass (Voice)
Track List:
01. She Is My Sin – 4:46
02. The Kinslayer – 3:58
03. Come Cover Me – 4:34
04. Wanderlust – 4:50
05. Two for Tragedy – 3:50
06. Wishmaster – 4:24
07. Bare Grace Misery – 3:41
08. Crownless – 4:28
09. Deep Silent Complete – 3:57
10. Dead Boy’s Poem – 6:47
11. FantasMic – 8:22
12. Sleepwalker (Bonus Original) – 2:57
13. Wanderlust (Bonus Live) – 4:32
14. Deep Silent Complete (Bonus Live) – 4:20
Link in comments.
Nightwish – Oceanborn (1998) (@256)
05 Apr 2010
(Review from progarchives.com, wikipedia)
Nightwish then returned to the studio in August 1998 as a five-piece with the addition of a bassist Sami Vanska, to record their follow up album for Spinefarm records.
“Oceanborn”, the band’s second album, grabs your full attention immediately. An orchestral burst is rapidly followed by the first taste of female vocalist Tarja’s distinctive operatic vocals. She comes across like a Kate Bush on steroids. There’s loads of sweeping keyboards, soaring metal guitars, and walls of sound. If the opening track “Stargazers” doesn’t make you sit up and listen, move along quickly, there’s nothing for you here. The track sums up perfectly what’s on offer on the album.
“Gethsemane” has a wonderful guitar vs flute section, which abruptly gives way to a symphonic orchestral break, before the band bursts back in with a driving yet stunningly melodic climax of power metal.
There are occasional harsh male vocals on tracks such as “Devil and Deep Dark Ocean”, but these are kept well in check and actually offer a very effective counterpoint with the operatics of Tarja.
Just when the album seems to be settling down into a pattern, “Passion and the Opera” catches your breath with a delightful operatic vocalisation which then builds and weaves to a wonderful fading conclusion. The haunting ballad “Swanheart” follows, with a tear-jerking solo violin. The track is devoid of the pounding double beat of most of the songs. The Finnish origins of the band are more apparent here in the pronunciations, but this make the track all the more endearing. A magnificent vocal backed guitar solo on a powerful base make the track a real highlight.
The folk influence from Angels Fall First can still be heard on some parts, especially in the instrumental “Moondance”. A brief piano intro gives way to the pomposity of the full blast of the orchestra.
The close is a pretty faithful rendition of “Walking in the Air”. The track highlights the beauty of the song, with only a heavier than traditional drum beat and slight lifting of the pace giving away the band’s metallic roots.
In 1999, the band published the melancholy “Sleeping Sun” single, dedicated to the solar eclipse that arose on the European sky. The chorus of this track is truly haunting, Tarja sounds as if she’s making her last dying wish before the angels carry her off in an ethereal chorus, quite wonderful.
Line-up:
- Tuomas Holopainen / synthesizers
- Tarja Turunen / vocals
- Emppu Vuorinen / guitars
- Sami Vanska / bass
- Jukka Nevalainen / drums & percussion
with
- Esa Lehtinen / flute
- Plamen Dimov / violin
- Kaisli J. Kaivola / violin
- Markku Palola / viola
- Erkki Hirvikangas / cello
- Tapo Wilska / male vocals (3, 7, 9)
Track List:
01. Stargazers – 4:28
02. Gethsemane – 5:22
03. Devil & The Deep Dark Ocean – 4:46
04. Sacrament Of Wilderness – 4:12
05. Passion And The Opera – 4:50
06. Swanheart – 4:44
07. Moondance – 3:31
08. The Riddler – 5:15
09. The Pharaoh Sails To Orion – 6:26
10. Walking In The Air – 5:30
11. Sleeping Sun (Bonus) – 4:09
12. Nightquest (Bonus) – 4:17
13. Sleeping Sun (Bonus Live) – 4:32
14. Swanheart (Bonus Live) – 3:55
15. The Pharaoh Sails To Orion (Bonus Live) – 6:44
Link in comments.
Nightwish – Angels Fall First (1997) (@256)
04 Apr 2010
(Review from wikipedia, progarchives.com)
After playing keyboards in several heavy metal bands in the 1990s, Tuomas Holopainen decided to create his own project while sitting around a campfire with friends in 1996: experimental acoustic music he wrote himself, similar to the music usually played around campfires, but with a distinct sound and atmosphere, played on his keyboards.
He soon invited friend and schoolmate Erno “Emppu” Vuorinen to play acoustic guitars, and the classical vocalist Tarja Turunen, who shared the same music teacher. The three musicians recorded their self-titled acoustic demo in the winter of 1996. The name “Nightwish” was derived from the first song the band recorded together.
After recording the Nightwish demo, Holopainen realized that Turunen’s operatic voice was too powerful for an acoustic band, and decided to add in heavy metal elements, including electric guitars and drums. Jukka Nevalainen joined the band, and acoustic guitar was replaced with electric guitar. The addition of heavy metal elements to the band’s existing experimental style formed the unique core of the Nightwish sound.
At the time of the band’s debut album in 1997, the band members were still metaphorically in short trousers, with two of them in the army and lead singer Tarja Turunen completing her University course.
The acoustic roots of the band is most evident in “Lappi”, nominally a nine minute concept track about that area of Scandinavia, sung in both Finnish and English. The track starts with stereo acoustic guitars backing a soft female vocal, the four parts building though ambient instrumentals, and power choruses before the atmospheric, Renaissance like ending.
Tracks such as “Beauty and the Beast” (almost seven minutes) “Astral Romance”, and “Nymphomaniac Fantasia” show the band’s progressive credentials well with time changes, strong guitar riffs, orchestral interludes, great lead guitar solos, flute pieces, operatic vocals and fantasy lyrics a plenty. “Carpenter”, a quasi-religious piece which became an early single, is more in the power ballad mode, with some excellent flute.
The male vocals heard on “Beauty and the Beast”, “The Carpenter”, “Astral Romance” and “Once Upon a Troubadour” are sung by Tuomas Holopainen, as well as the whispers in the beginning of the demo version of “Etiainen”. Holopainen has never sung on an album again (just rarely providing background sounds), because he thinks that he isn’t good enough. Since the band also didn’t have a bassist, the bass playing duties were handled by guitarist Emppu Vuorinen.
This modest 500-unit pressing gives only passing glimpses of what was to come on future albums. That said, “Angels Fall First” arguably remains the band’s most eclectic (or unfocused) album. It may well appeal to those put off by their later symphonic progressive metal albums.
Line-up:
- Tuomas Holopainen / synthesizers, vocals
- Tarja Turunen / vocals
- Emppu Vuorinen / guitars, bass
- Jukka Nevalainen / drums & percussion
Track List:
01. Elvenpath – 4:40
02. Beauty And The Beast – 6:24
03. The Carpenter – 5:57
04. Astral Romance – 5:12
05. Angels Fall First – 5:34
06. Tutankhamen – 5:31
07. Nymphomaniac Fantasia – 4:47
08. Know Why The Nightingale Sings – 4:14
09. Lappi (Lapland) – I. Eramaajarvi – 2:15
10. Lappi (Lapland) – II. Witchdrums – 1:18
11. Lappi (Lapland) – III. This Moment Is Eternity – 3:12
12. Lappi (Lapland) – IV. Etiainen – 2:40
13. A Return To The Sea (Bonus) – 5:47
14. Nightwish (Bonus Demo) – 5:51
15. The Forever Moments (Bonus Demo) – 5:37
16. Etiainen (Bonus Demo) – 2:59
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