Tracks
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As a long-time fan of the band, this album gives me mixed emotions: it definitely recalls some of the band's earlier work (particularly "Century Child" and "Once"), but at the same time, it's missing that certain special something that really made those records what they are. Don't get me wrong; there are some phenomenal songs on here, but it all sounds like slightly-more-refined versions of songs they've already written.
There are a few exceptions though, some real standouts. For me, they are "Weak Fantasy", "Yours Is An Empty Hope" and "The Greatest Show On Earth". That last track is pure Holopainen gold, with 5 movements which all truly feel like one song. And it doesn't feel like 24 minutes has gone by, by the time it comes to an end. Although you could argue that the actual meat of the song is really only about 11 or 12 minutes in the middle, the surrounding instrumentals and spoken-word passages are really very beautiful, and succeed better (I think) than the spoken word passages on, say, "Imaginaerum".
"The Eyes of Sharbat Gula" is a little long for an instrumental for me, but still beautiful. If you've heard keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen's fine solo work, this will be familiar ground to you. Opener "Shudder Before The Beautiful" really feels like classic Nightwish too, and definitely gives a good taste of what's to come.
Definitely a simpler album, overall, than both of the previous records with singer Annette Olzon, and more of a "band" feel than just over-the-top orchestration (which was also fine by me, by the way). Also I should note that new vocalist Floor Jansen is a perfect fit for the band, although the few moments where she really gets to shine ("Empty Hope", "Greatest Show") really make you wonder if she could have done more. But overall, very happy with her performance.
This album is classic Nightwish. Not their best work, but certainly not bad by any stretch.
There are a few exceptions though, some real standouts. For me, they are "Weak Fantasy", "Yours Is An Empty Hope" and "The Greatest Show On Earth". That last track is pure Holopainen gold, with 5 movements which all truly feel like one song. And it doesn't feel like 24 minutes has gone by, by the time it comes to an end. Although you could argue that the actual meat of the song is really only about 11 or 12 minutes in the middle, the surrounding instrumentals and spoken-word passages are really very beautiful, and succeed better (I think) than the spoken word passages on, say, "Imaginaerum".
"The Eyes of Sharbat Gula" is a little long for an instrumental for me, but still beautiful. If you've heard keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen's fine solo work, this will be familiar ground to you. Opener "Shudder Before The Beautiful" really feels like classic Nightwish too, and definitely gives a good taste of what's to come.
Definitely a simpler album, overall, than both of the previous records with singer Annette Olzon, and more of a "band" feel than just over-the-top orchestration (which was also fine by me, by the way). Also I should note that new vocalist Floor Jansen is a perfect fit for the band, although the few moments where she really gets to shine ("Empty Hope", "Greatest Show") really make you wonder if she could have done more. But overall, very happy with her performance.
This album is classic Nightwish. Not their best work, but certainly not bad by any stretch.