I've seen them and always liked them. What albums would everyone here recommend to start my NW collection??
NIGHTWISH - WHERE TO START??????
- Thread starter SavaVIMan
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WorldOfSilence
New Metal Member
- Nov 4, 2017
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Peak Nightwish IMO was Century Child and Once. Here, all the best parts of the Nightwish sound come together: the juxtaposition of Tarja's operatic vocals against Marco's gruffer "metal" vocals; the right balance of metal and symphonic; strong choruses. Many of their best and most popular songs are on these two albums: Nemo, Wish I Had an Angel, Dark Chest of Wonders, Ever Dream, Bless the Child.
Once you have listened to these, where you go next depends on your preferences.
Once you have listened to these, where you go next depends on your preferences.
- The early Tarja albums are hit and miss. They are very symphonic and Tarja's vocals are excellent, but the overall songwriting is sometimes lacking. The absence of Marco's vocals is a big miss.
- The Anette albums have their moments (e.g. Amaranth), but are generally a lot more pop oriented.
- The two Floor albums are largely forgettable. The songwriting is sub-par and Floor is largely sidelined in favor of pipes, washboards and foot stomping.
5150
Member
You mentioned you have seen them. Which version did you see and like? That will help determine what to listen to with NW. Personally I never liked operatic vocals with my metal. Just too bizarre and grading. Not unlike fingernails on a chalk board. But that’s me. I recognize the talent of Tarja, just don’t like it. I agree with the comment about Once. It's a good album from that time period and the only one I own. As for Annette, it’s a slightly different operatic vocal, so once again, not wild about this period of NW … although the music was starting to evolve for the better.
Now here’s where I really differ with most NW fans. I like Floor and the newer direction of NW. There’s less and less opera and more of a regular female voice and a talented one at that. I also like the more mature sound and subject matter of the two Floor albums. So I went from avoiding NW to a fan of Endless Forms Most Beautiful and Human :II: Nature. I also prefer her versions of the older songs.
But your mileage may vary. If you like fast double-kick drums and bass with classic opera vocals, old NW is what you should listen to.
Now here’s where I really differ with most NW fans. I like Floor and the newer direction of NW. There’s less and less opera and more of a regular female voice and a talented one at that. I also like the more mature sound and subject matter of the two Floor albums. So I went from avoiding NW to a fan of Endless Forms Most Beautiful and Human :II: Nature. I also prefer her versions of the older songs.
But your mileage may vary. If you like fast double-kick drums and bass with classic opera vocals, old NW is what you should listen to.
Err....Anette's vocals were NOT opera at all...they were much closer to Abba. That's why fans were happy they got Floor in the group, since she kicks ass at BOTH opera and mainstream vocals.
Thanks, everyone. I saw them wit Tarja. I can't listen to the operatic voice all the time, but it's a nice change of pace for me. Will start there.
This may be a cop-out but you may want to check out their Greatest Hits set Decade, which is a two-CD set that nicely covers their entire career as of 2018, usually with about 2 or 3 songs per album, including some of their longer, epic songs. Their live albums are also pretty good, especially "End of an Era" which was Tarja's last show with the band. It is especially awesome for the live rendition of the cover of Gary Moore's Over the Hills and Far Away. They also do a pretty good take on Pink Floyd's High Hopes.
spag
I am a leaf on the wind
They got Floor, and she's been largely under utilized. Her vocals were downplayed in Endless Forms, and this last album is a waste of everyone's talent.
No doubt about that....with a vocalist of her caliber, she should be the focus. Instead, she's been pretty much underused/ drowned out by all of the other elements Tuomas wants to bring to the forefront. Oh well...
NorseBlood
franks n steins
I agree, its a crime how Floor's talents have not been fully tapped since she joined the band.
Nightwish was once one of my favorite bands. They've got a lot of talent in the band, but for some reason they seem to have lost direction. They have some great material, but this is what I would consider their "must have" releases, and this includes some live recordings. These are their best albums in chronological order.
Tarja
Wishmaster
Over the Hills and Far Away (EP)
From Wishes to Eternity Live
Century Child
Once
Annette
Dark Passion Play
Made in Hong Kong (and in other various places)
Floor
Showtime, Storytime
Over the Hills and Far Away has the Gary Moore cover. The band really does a great job playing it. There are several different versions of this fantastic EP, most of which contain live recordings. Edit: Live recordings are from their previously released live album. This is a good EP if you're a Gary Moore fan and also want a few extra songs that didn't make it on Wishmaster.
From Wishes to Eternity captures the band as the band is hitting their stride at the beginning of their most creative period. You can feel the energy & excitement from the band and the audience.
Nightwish was once one of my favorite bands. They've got a lot of talent in the band, but for some reason they seem to have lost direction. They have some great material, but this is what I would consider their "must have" releases, and this includes some live recordings. These are their best albums in chronological order.
Tarja
Wishmaster
Over the Hills and Far Away (EP)
From Wishes to Eternity Live
Century Child
Once
Annette
Dark Passion Play
Made in Hong Kong (and in other various places)
Floor
Showtime, Storytime
Over the Hills and Far Away has the Gary Moore cover. The band really does a great job playing it. There are several different versions of this fantastic EP, most of which contain live recordings. Edit: Live recordings are from their previously released live album. This is a good EP if you're a Gary Moore fan and also want a few extra songs that didn't make it on Wishmaster.
From Wishes to Eternity captures the band as the band is hitting their stride at the beginning of their most creative period. You can feel the energy & excitement from the band and the audience.
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Yeah...it's great to see a band evolve and expand what they do...unless it's in a direction you might not like! Nightwish is falling under that category for me...I'm not thrilled where they are going. Another band that's going in this direction for me is Within Temptation....I absolutely LOVED Mother Earth and The Heart Of Everything (my faves from them), but Resist? Yikes...I really don't like where they are heading....
spag
I am a leaf on the wind
Spot on.
I think Nightwish could turn around. I actually enjoyed Imaginarium quite a bit, even with Annette singing. Still no idea why you'd get the strongest set of pipes in the genre, Floor, and lose her in the mix like that though.
I haven't even thought about WT in a long time. I don't even know what I'd call their current music, but they released a great live concert, Black Symphony, and then that was about it for the band for me. That was 2008? Damn. Time is flying by.
To me, Once is the pinnacle. If things had worked out with Tarja it would have been perfect, because on that album she was doing both operatic and poppy very well.
As for Floor, best Nightwish vocalist ever, but I suspect they got her for live shows more than anything because she can do all the songs better than the original vocalists. On the studio albums she's just sorta there, competently doing what's asked of her. But it's clearly Tuomas' vision and I suspect he'd just do instrumental albums with voiceovers if it would sell.
As for Floor, best Nightwish vocalist ever, but I suspect they got her for live shows more than anything because she can do all the songs better than the original vocalists. On the studio albums she's just sorta there, competently doing what's asked of her. But it's clearly Tuomas' vision and I suspect he'd just do instrumental albums with voiceovers if it would sell.
Within Temptation I actually dug the pop direction... Until pop got really terrible in the last few years, which means Within Temptation got terrible with Resist. But what they were doing with Hydra, that was great, at least if you're a pop fan like me. Or usually a pop fan. Last few years have tried my patience with that genre. The fun's been sucked out of it.
WorldOfSilence
New Metal Member
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Mother Earth is probably my favorite Symphonic Metal album. I love the way the metal and orchestral elements interact. Each are given their own space to breathe. I also like the emphasis on horns over strings and choirs. Songs like Mother Earth, Deceiver of Fools and The Promise sound really dynamic and epic as a result, without needing to be that heavy. So many Symphonic Metal bands fall into the trap of being metal with some female vocals and stringy keyboard patches overlaid (Nightwish being the pinnacle of this sound) or they try to throw too much together all at once and it sounds muddy (later Epica, for example). Early Epica and Damnation Angels' The Valiant Fire are too more examples of bands getting the dynamics right.
I also love The Unforgiving. Its much more pop than Mother Earth, but undeniably still symphonic and epic sounding. The two albums in the middle (The Silent Force and The Heart of Everything) are also strong, but tend too much towards power ballads. The symphonic elements are there, but often toned back to the level of occasional overlaid stringy keyboard patches rather than something integral to the sound.
I even liked Hydra. Despite an obvious move towards pop metal, the song writing is good. Its not a top 10 album like Mother Earth, but its good for what it is - a well constructed slice of catchy, radio-friendly metal.
Resist is terrible. Why does every band think they have a futuristic, industrial-sounding album in them? Bury the vocals in the mix and put some ghastly auto tune effects on them, make the guitars thick and low, strip back the melody. I understand Sharon was feeling burn out and the band nearly split up - perhaps they should have done rather than release this disaster. There's not a memorable song on it. Kamelot managed to recover after the horrible Poetry for the Poisoned, which pulled the same low-melody industrial trick. I hope WT can do the same, although their latest single doesn't fill me with hope.
I also love The Unforgiving. Its much more pop than Mother Earth, but undeniably still symphonic and epic sounding. The two albums in the middle (The Silent Force and The Heart of Everything) are also strong, but tend too much towards power ballads. The symphonic elements are there, but often toned back to the level of occasional overlaid stringy keyboard patches rather than something integral to the sound.
I even liked Hydra. Despite an obvious move towards pop metal, the song writing is good. Its not a top 10 album like Mother Earth, but its good for what it is - a well constructed slice of catchy, radio-friendly metal.
Resist is terrible. Why does every band think they have a futuristic, industrial-sounding album in them? Bury the vocals in the mix and put some ghastly auto tune effects on them, make the guitars thick and low, strip back the melody. I understand Sharon was feeling burn out and the band nearly split up - perhaps they should have done rather than release this disaster. There's not a memorable song on it. Kamelot managed to recover after the horrible Poetry for the Poisoned, which pulled the same low-melody industrial trick. I hope WT can do the same, although their latest single doesn't fill me with hope.
edgeofthorns
24 Hours Ago...
I absolutely couldn’t agree with you more about Floor! She’s a beast and has fallen victim to crappy writing. The last two NW albums are sub-par, yes.
edgeofthorns
24 Hours Ago...
I loved everything Nightwish until the last two albums. I love Floor, but she is so underutilized! Century Child is my all time favorite NW album. It’s what got me into them. End of All Hope is one of my all time favorite songs as well.
