Nightwish

[britneyspearsisgod]

Right. Everyone tells me I gotta listen to Nightwish. I think "Who? Finnish? They will be by 6 weeks time, I'm sure!". However, I bought one of their albums (I gave it a quick listen to in the shop), and I must say that in all honestly:

I actually like them.

Don't get me wrong, it's not that I detest this type of band... but I hear Scandinavia, Opera, Rock and new band, and I don't exactly get high hopes. But these guys actually impressed me. It's not quite what I expected (although I won't say it's totally unique). It's more melodic than I anticipated. A lot fucking longer as well. I saw 10 tracks on the CD cover, and I'm all like, whoa! Easy listening! But then I'm listening, and about ten minutes later it's just starting track 3. Which isn't a bad thing, because I like the longer songs. I feel as if I get my money's worth with long songs. It's not one of those albums you can listen to and play a song over and over or anything... it's the other type of album - the one where you can stick it in and listen to it all and enjoy heavily. Both equally good. Plus, lyrically (something important to me) it's interesting and cool. Anything that discusses elves and touches upon nymphomania within the same album HAS to be automatic gold, right?

Anyway, I bought myself "Angels Fall First" (It was the only one I could find, so I listened and figured "why not?"). It's about 10 "official" songs if you will, with one song split over 4 tracks. It's been remastered I believe, so they added a bonus track to it. Let me run down the tracks if you will:

[1] ELVENPATH

- The song that talks about elves. A nice way to open up the album, although I was confused as Tarja (lead singer) never immediately did the operatic vocal thing she's known for, so I was wondering if I messed up and bought the wrong album. However, I hadn't. Which was good, because I could have bought stuff with that 20 euros. Anyway, a song about elves. More specifically, it's about how someone longs for the magical world of elves and all of that majestic magical stuff. I don't care to be honest, as I'm just glad our elven friends finally get some good recognition.

[2] BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

- Ever see the film "Beauty & The Beast"? Yeah... the song isn't much different. Except it's not made by Disney, so it's not cheesy and has talking objects you just want to throw at the wall. Seriously, did ANYONE like that fat clock thing and the annoying little tea cup called "Chip"? The fact they called him chip because he had a little "chip" in him was just fucking cringe worthy.

Uh, yeah... so, the song. It's good. This one has a classical feel to it, and is generally a fast-tempo song. It kinda almost reminds me of Cradle of Filth and all of those shitty bands that I detest (not because it's dark metal or whatever you call it - it's just shitty emo shits screaming about how they wish they were dead - I wish they were too). This song also starts off with Tuomas (synth expert and other vocalist), who's Finnish accent makes him sound like he's been singing punk before he got into this genre. Generally, it's good.

[3] THE CARPENTER

- No, not that shitty twosome of so many years ago. No, this is about a carpenter. Well, it says that. It's actually (if you read into it) about Jesus (Joseph, his real dad - God was just the cool step-dad with all the powers and glory) and how he saved us. In a sense. It's a song of symbolism and all of that poetic emotive shit. But it's done well. It also has a Middle-Eastern flute and guitar solo placed into it, so if you think they're just singing the praises of a random carpenter, you are sadly mistaken. Interesting to listen to at least.

[4] ASTRAL ROMANCE

- A lot more up-tempo than the other songs to begin with, then as the intro finishes, it all just turns into a slower-than usual song about a romance that is bigger and more vast than the universe. How that can happen is something I'm still working out with ladies underwear and a copy of Hustler.

[5] ANGELS FALL FIRST

- About angels dying/falling down first, then us all later. I never understood that concept actually, until now. Listening to the song (a melodic, slow, acoustic/electric hybrid of a song), I finally realize what people mean when they talk about angels dying first. It's not really about such a concept to be fair - it's more about not understanding the concept if anything, but then asking and wondering about why angels, do indeed, fall first. A personal favorite of mine.

[6] TUTANKHAMEN

- About Tutankhamen. Remember him? The Egyptian King we all get forced to learn about? Hey? Yeah... it's about him. Well, about the worship of him. About how someone wishes to be his "Queen". Symbolism again folks, for you can subsitute Tutankhamen with someone who's pants you wish to get into. It's different at least. The song, not wanting to get into Tutankhamen's pants. He wears none.

[7] NYMPHOMANIAC FANTASIA

- Any song that has the lyrics:

"Our love lives deep, you said

Deeper shall be the wound between your legs"

AUTOMATICALLY BECOMES THE GREATEST SONG IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND!!!

It's a good song otherwise. At least it takes a new approach to sex. Not much on lyrics, but what lyrics that are there are cool.

"Touch my milklike skin

Feel the ocean

Lick my deepest

Hear the starry choir"

AUTOMAITCALLY THE GREATEST SONG IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND!!!

I could keep doing that. Trust me, songs about nymphomania are cool.

[8] KNOW WHY THE NIGHTINGALE SINGS

- Do YOU know why the nightingale sings? Nightwish don't either. All they know is that it's a magical thing and it takes you to places you've never been before. That is the subject of this song. It's the fact that the nightingale has such a melodic and enchanting tune to itself that listening to it is akin to being able to fly. Amazing, no? It's a good full out rocking tune that makes me bang my head and then curse at the wall for getting in my way.

[9] LAPPI (LAPLAND)

- The "4 songs pretending to be 1" song. It starts off in Finnish, with "Eramaajarvi" (don't know what the fuck that means. Then it's "Witchdrums", which be-witch-in drums, yo! (OMG I IZ TEH BUTTSECKS!111!!11!! ). It's basically more of a drum deal, but still good. Then it's "This Moment is Eternity", which is in English (thankfully - Finnish seems too complicated). It's about beauty and stuff. Then it finishes in Finnish (OH THE PUNS!!!) with "Etiainen", which is a good acoustic mellow out finish. Very cool finish.

[10] A RETURN TO THE SEA

- It's a return to the sea. Kinda reminds me of Enya in a sense... spacey, out there and actually makes me think of a marina with ships and shit back in the Victorian ages. Which scares me, because I am shit scared of the Victorian ages. Honestly, watching The Ring has put me off the Victorian ages. They scare me. Victorians scare me. They're all like, "Oh, good sir, come see this!" and then it's all disease and deprevation and shit, and it makes me scream like "AAAAAIIIGGGHHHH!!!" and I end up rambli...

Yeah, it's a good song

So yeah, overall, it's a good album. Interesting, and I certainly will try to get more of their stuff. Much kudos to Nightwish - they turned me to the dark Scandinavian side. Well done, you weird Finnish people, you!

[tristy]

Within Temptation is better

EDIT: BSIG, did you just call Cradle Of Filth....EMO?!?!

Edited August 1, 2004 by Tristy

[lafunky xxvii]

My brother likes Nightwish. I've never actually bothered listening to them since he's into metally stuff like Children of Bodom, which you can't drive to.

[MalaCloudy Black]

Uh, yeah... so, the song. It's good. This one has a classical feel to it, and is generally a fast-tempo song. It kinda almost reminds me of Cradle of Filth and all of those shitty bands that I detest (not because it's dark metal or whatever you call it - it's just shitty emo shits screaming about how they wish they were dead - I wish they were too). This song also starts off with Tuomas (synth expert and other vocalist), who's Finnish accent makes him sound like he's been singing punk before he got into this genre. Generally, it's good.

Congratulations! Been taking lessons in "Metal" from that cunt SeanDMan?

Seriously; I don't like CoF, but to call them emo is like calling Metallica the best metal band of all time - they aren't. You want emo? Listen to Dashboard Confessional. CoF is more along the lines of "operatic black metal", despite the fact that I don't quite like them.

And "shitty emo shits screaming about they wish they were dead"? Yeah, way to research the subject there, buddy. :thumbsup:

Edited August 1, 2004 by Chemical Imbalance

[britneyspearsisgod]

I mean emo in the sense that they are such whiney bitches screaming their heads off about the depravity of life and other such stuff (at least, from what I've heard on the TV and the usual sources). To me, that's getting into "emotive" territory. There's being in touch with your emotions, no matter what side of the spectrum it is, and then there's being a soft cunt and infesting my ears with such shit music. I appologize for not using the correct wordage (I tend to stick nearer to the center-left where music is concerned) or not properly giving such bands their dues or being a "expert" on this all, but I like what I like so I couldn't really care

Bah. The point wasn't that! THE POINT IS I ACTUALLY LIKE NIGHTWISH.

Fuckers

[Guest SelfHighFive]

10th Man Down is the only good Nightwish song I have EVER heard. I don't like them, but I've listened to every song of theirs I could find, and that is the only one worth listening to.

[gunnar hendershow]

Blind Guardian > Nightwish > Everything else in the world of metal.

You heard it from me, the pretentious metalhead.

EDIT- And for a classification on Cradle of Filth. Symphonic Black Metal more or less.

Edited August 2, 2004 by damshow

[lanky316]

The new album "Once" completely blew me away. The use of the huge orchesra really was incredible.

Angels Fall First is also a good album. Very lyrical and a lot of interesting stuff there. I love the guitar rif on Tutenkhamen esepcially but another good album. For the record, did you notice on Elvenpath the references to Bilbo and "Great rings of Power", sounds familiar methinks...

For the record Nightwish also done a fairly faithful rendition of "Phantom of the Opera". Surprisingly good when you consider the source material.

[gunnar hendershow]

The new album "Once" completely blew me away.  The use of the huge orchesra really was incredible.

Angels Fall First is also a good album.  Very lyrical and a lot of interesting stuff there.  I love the guitar rif on Tutenkhamen esepcially but another good album.  For the record, did you notice on Elvenpath the references to Bilbo and "Great rings of Power", sounds familiar methinks...

For the record Nightwish also done a fairly faithful rendition of "Phantom of the Opera".  Surprisingly good when you consider the source material.

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They're another one of those European fantasy power metal bands. In the vain of Blind Guardian and Rhapsody. Hence why there is a Bilbo reference in Elvenpath.

I only have "Wishmaster", but I'm getting "Once" and probably "Angels Fall First" in a few months. You know, when "Once" comes out.