Since the band’s formation in 1996, Nightwish has been one of the most consistently popular and influential symphonic metal bands in the world. With their trademark sound of heavy guitars mixed with operatic vocals, orchestration and numerous keyboard parts, Nightwish became immensely popular among metalheads across the world, particularly in their native Finland.
In 2005, however, their singer Tarja Turunen left the band and their future became much less certain. They replaced Turunen with Swedish vocalist Anette Olzon and in 2007 released the album “Dark Passion Play,” but it did not live up to the expectations of many fans.
Because of this, as hype started to build for their album “Imaginaerum,” I was skeptical to say the least. While I liked “Dark Passion Play,” it was certainly a hit-or-miss album with many weak moments in addition to its good ones, and I assumed this one would be at least as weak if not more so. I am very glad to say, dear readers, that I was one hundred percent wrong.
The album starts off with the track “Taikatalvi,” a quiet acoustic song sung entirely in Finnish by male singer and bassist Marco Hietala. This is one of the first moments that I noticed that we’re dealing with a more refined Nightwish here. This is the first introduction of this kind the band has done, and it sounds nothing like any of their previous work. It sets the atmosphere for the album with its very soundtrack-like use of orchestration and choirs in the background supporting the singer, and builds fantastically into the album’s title track.
“Imaginaerum” takes the momentum built up by the first track and runs with it at an energetic and tense pace with a chorus you’ll have stuck in your head in no time. Lyrically, this song, like many of the others on the album, deals with the idea of innocence and the importance of imagination with many allusions to literary characters such as Peter Pan or Alice from “Alice in Wonderland.”
This is also one of the many tracks on the album that shows why Nightwish is frequently referred to as “soundtrack metal.” While many symphonic metal bands are clearly taking their influence from composers such as Mozart or Beethoven, Nightwish’s primary songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen is clearly taking his from modern movie composers such as Danny Elfman and Hans Zimmer. This gives their music a uniquely epic feel.
“Imaginaerum” is also without a doubt the creepiest album that Nightwish has done to date. Songs like “Ghost River” and the delightfully nightmarish “Scaretale” would both be right at home in a Tim Burton movie, feature Olzon doing her craziest vocals yet and use a children’s chorus just for that extra dose of creepy.
While I could go on naming great things about various songs, from the Celtic-influenced “I Want My Tears Back” or the doom metal-inspired “Rest Calm,” one song sticks out in particular, the monumentally surprising “Slow Love Slow.” This song, which is almost entirely non-metal, is done in the style of a 1930s-era American lounge song. It shouldn’t work in theory, but for some reason it does. The slow, dark stand-up bass line, reserved use of guitar and somehow ominous vocal melodies show that these guys can take on any musical style and make it their own, and do so exceedingly well. If you only listen to one song from this album, make it “Slow Love Slow.”
That’s right, the metal reviewer’s favorite song on the album is the lounge track. Sue me. For anyone who likes metal or even anyone who likes movie soundtracks by composers like Danny Elfman, I cannot recommend this album highly enough. If Nightwish continues in this direction, then their reign in the heavy metal world will continue for many years to come.
Four and a Half Stars
In 2005, however, their singer Tarja Turunen left the band and their future became much less certain. They replaced Turunen with Swedish vocalist Anette Olzon and in 2007 released the album “Dark Passion Play,” but it did not live up to the expectations of many fans.
Because of this, as hype started to build for their album “Imaginaerum,” I was skeptical to say the least. While I liked “Dark Passion Play,” it was certainly a hit-or-miss album with many weak moments in addition to its good ones, and I assumed this one would be at least as weak if not more so. I am very glad to say, dear readers, that I was one hundred percent wrong.
The album starts off with the track “Taikatalvi,” a quiet acoustic song sung entirely in Finnish by male singer and bassist Marco Hietala. This is one of the first moments that I noticed that we’re dealing with a more refined Nightwish here. This is the first introduction of this kind the band has done, and it sounds nothing like any of their previous work. It sets the atmosphere for the album with its very soundtrack-like use of orchestration and choirs in the background supporting the singer, and builds fantastically into the album’s title track.
“Imaginaerum” takes the momentum built up by the first track and runs with it at an energetic and tense pace with a chorus you’ll have stuck in your head in no time. Lyrically, this song, like many of the others on the album, deals with the idea of innocence and the importance of imagination with many allusions to literary characters such as Peter Pan or Alice from “Alice in Wonderland.”
This is also one of the many tracks on the album that shows why Nightwish is frequently referred to as “soundtrack metal.” While many symphonic metal bands are clearly taking their influence from composers such as Mozart or Beethoven, Nightwish’s primary songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen is clearly taking his from modern movie composers such as Danny Elfman and Hans Zimmer. This gives their music a uniquely epic feel.
“Imaginaerum” is also without a doubt the creepiest album that Nightwish has done to date. Songs like “Ghost River” and the delightfully nightmarish “Scaretale” would both be right at home in a Tim Burton movie, feature Olzon doing her craziest vocals yet and use a children’s chorus just for that extra dose of creepy.
While I could go on naming great things about various songs, from the Celtic-influenced “I Want My Tears Back” or the doom metal-inspired “Rest Calm,” one song sticks out in particular, the monumentally surprising “Slow Love Slow.” This song, which is almost entirely non-metal, is done in the style of a 1930s-era American lounge song. It shouldn’t work in theory, but for some reason it does. The slow, dark stand-up bass line, reserved use of guitar and somehow ominous vocal melodies show that these guys can take on any musical style and make it their own, and do so exceedingly well. If you only listen to one song from this album, make it “Slow Love Slow.”
That’s right, the metal reviewer’s favorite song on the album is the lounge track. Sue me. For anyone who likes metal or even anyone who likes movie soundtracks by composers like Danny Elfman, I cannot recommend this album highly enough. If Nightwish continues in this direction, then their reign in the heavy metal world will continue for many years to come.
Four and a Half Stars
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