Dark Passion Play - Nightwish

I was always curious before Nightwish came back together with a new vocalist, would the new vocalist cut it or not? Well, it came out finally, after a long wait. The new vocalist, Annete Olzon, was completely different to Tarja Turunen! A refreshing change from opera. Anyway, lets review song by song.

1: The Poet and the Pendulum. 13:54
Such a symphonic start, gradually growing darker. That twinkling sound makes you uneasy, ...
...vocals. Very Operatic, i love it anyway. The vocals in this are VERY good. Along with the lyrics, after this, Bang. In come the heavy drums, and the tune. I mean, wow. Drums get more frequent, and then hit in the guitars. Amazing work and songwriting. After this, it gets a little calmer, and in come annetes vocals. Completely different from the old nightwish, and her voice is heavenly. It REALLY grows on you. Then more instruments hit in, i don't ... more

I was always curious before Nightwish came back together with a new vocalist, would the new vocalist cut it or not? Well, it came out finally, after a long wait. The new vocalist, Annete Olzon, was completely different to Tarja Turunen! A refreshing change from opera. Anyway, lets review song by song.

1: The Poet and the Pendulum. 13:54
Such a symphonic start, gradually growing darker. That twinkling sound makes you uneasy, yet comfortable... Quite a strange mix, and in come the vocals. Very Operatic, i love it anyway. The vocals in this are VERY good. Along with the lyrics, after this, Bang. In come the heavy drums, and the tune. I mean, wow. Drums get more frequent, and then hit in the guitars. Amazing work and songwriting. After this, it gets a little calmer, and in come annetes vocals. Completely different from the old nightwish, and her voice is heavenly. It REALLY grows on you. Then more instruments hit in, i don't know what they are, but they really work! After the chorus, bang again. The music takes a sad turn, from metal, to classical music in an instant. Real opera again, with faint violin in the background, it really works. Also some piano at the start, but it dies away to leave this sad atmosphere. Drums eventually come in, calm but heavy bassed, they work. The vocals change again, to annetes more calm vocals. Then it gets darker again, sounds a little like lord of the rings, and a chant by annete, then comes the evil bird sounds, i would guess at. Then, drums. Again. And metal. Another metal dong with violin in there... Simply amazing how a song can change like that! An amazing riff, which part of it sounds like Velvet Revolver! I'm bieng serious! Still i can forgive that, for marco's vocals hit in. Angry, amazing vocals, very well done to how in tune they are, because they are very angry vocals, but in tune! And it gets calmer with annete again! Then back to the first metal songs chorus. WOnderfully works and creates this wonderful song! And it dies againt, to this chant, with the evil background... And finishes with saying "Save Me"... Heartbeats in the background, then comes in this lovely song with the flute and drums, which sounds wonderful. No other word for it. After this for a while, the song dies away... A simply amazing song. Cleverly done, and sounds amazing. 5 stars, if only there was higher...

2: Bye Bye Beautiful. 4:14
This is the song with the video. Much shorter than the new one... Starts with the classic Nightwish tune, with the some guitars, then the opening hits in. Sounds so cool! Then the verse with annete, doesn't sound as good as the previous song, but then the chorus makes up for it. Marco the bassist give some spellbinding vocals saying goodbye to Tarja Turunen, in ways unimaginable. Saying things angrilly and then ending with Bye Bye Beautful... Then hits the oppening and verse 2. Then the chorus soudns the same, then a little keyboard solo. Short, but again, works! Then marco does a vocal solo, sounds so good! I think he might not like tarja... Hehe! Then it dies, with echoing chants which in little time, builds to the darkest chorus in the song, and it dies. A solid song, not as impressive as track 1. But worthy to a 5 star rating.

3: Amaranth. 3:51
A lovely symphonic start, is soon interrupted by metal. I think the start should be longer, but anyhow, the verse kicks in as per usual after a start. Annete sounds much better in this song than in the other one, then a lovely catchy chorus kicks in. Awesome stuff, so cathy and with talent there too! The structure is so similar to the last track, but no marco voicals in this one =[. But never mind, sounds great nonetheless! 5 stars, but song only just made the 5 stars...

4: Cadence of Her Last Breath. 4:14.
You can hear breaths gradually growing louder, then some faint guitars with some piano. Then a four on the floor bass drum, then a real drum beat, with the guitar much more existant, and the classic Nightwish sounds on the keyboard! And the verse kicks in. Much calmer than the other songs, and yet a very similar structure. The chorus is a little lacking (Sorry, but it isn't BIG enough) and the verse 2. Sounds as if 2 people are singing this time... And again, the chorus. I don't like this structure, it's very unoriginal, and the trademark chorus 2 ending. But this time, a solo kicks in, and sounds very good indeed! This solo saved the song, but the same structure again ruined this a little. 4 stars for this one...

5: Master Passion Greed. 6:02
Trademark Nightwish starting, then metal again. But this one is SO much heavier than the others! I mean WOW! It hits you like a bullet, then marcos awesome vocals. Anette isn't in this one, Maybe it's good to have a change, i mean the chorus just rocks! I know theres only 3 different words in it, but this is such a solid song! The song never dies, in a sense. This is obviously a song to tell tarja "What the hell, why were you doing this to us you [censored]". Read the lyrics for it. The same structure, but i am used to it now! It doesn't bother me as much as it did before. 2nd longest song so far, and one of the best too. 5 stars.

6: Eva. 4:25.
A very calm song. A refreshing change indeed. Some lovely piano songs and annetes heavenly voice makes this a lovely classic Nightwish style song indeed. Even so that it swiftly turns into metal for a brief period near the end, much like evanescences song. But much better, of course! A solid 5 star song.

7: Sahara. 5:47
Starts with some twinkling effects, which sounds amazing, then what i think is an electric violin sound. So effective, then another BANG. Heres the metal along with the same tune. Then in come the verses. I will not give this song away, i cannot. It is easlly one of the best songs on the album and i wouldn't want to ruin it for you know would I! The chorus is simply amazing, verses very effective, easilly one of the best songs on the album. It goes without saying, 5 stars.

8: Whoever Brings the Night. 4:17
I've decided i won't give the songs away anymore, i will just simply review them. I don't want to give anything away. Anyway, this isn't as good as the other songs, it is very repetative, and the song is very similar the whole way through. The lyrics are nothing to brag about, trust me, and well, it's just so similar the whole way through. After 2 minutes of listening you want to skip tracks. Not great... Still an OK song though. 3.5 stars.

9: For the heart i once had. 3:56
A romantic one for you! I know why they say Nightwish sing about love now, or love that it lost. It is metal pretty much the whole way through, but calm and lovely. Piano sounds along with guitar, and annete gets high with her vocal pitch. It is a lovely song indeed.But for those who want pure Nightwish metal, this song isn't for you. But i love it! It's nice to have something calm for a change. 5 stars, and let the love roll!

10: The Islander. 5:05
Again not for the metalheads. Not for anyone in metal really, since theres no metal in this song at all. But don't be fooled, it's noe of the best songs on the album. Trust me. It sounds like somehting you'd hear on TV on a pirate movie when a hero dies and everyone around him is crying around his corpse (I have one warped imagination). Mostly marco again, predominantly acoustic guitar and the sound of wind and birds, such a lovely mix, and later on, annete is in it! Awesome song, after all that metal, even punks need a rest. 5 stars.

11: Last of the Wilds. 5:40
Now, i think this is a song where the instruments do the talking, since theres no vocals in it whatsoever. Now you could think they were bieng lazy and just forgot to put vocals in because they could get off their buttocks to make some, or you could think they are showing not all songs need vocals to be a 5 star song. The second reason hitted the nail on the head for me. A solid tune, lovely instruments you wouldn't quite expect, and the acoustic part it a great edge to the song! 5 stars!

12: Seven Days to The Wolves. 7:03
Did anyone buy the 20 Years of Nuclear Blast? And the 3D part at the start with that awesome song at the start? This is the song. One of the most catchy riffs you'll ever hear anywhere, and heavy enough to headbang to! Maybe the title is obscure, but the song just kicks it! Kicking! 5 stars!

13: Meadows of Heaven. 7:09
Get ready for this, because this might be THE best song on the album. Not fully metal, it starts as completely awesome acoustic song, then builds quietly, seriously. And bang again, but this time, it is a goosebump moment when it kicks on with a solo from the legendary guitarist, from then it is loud, kicking, with awesome backing vocals like what you'd hear in talent shows (In a good way). This song counds as sweet as sugar, and as crisp as fresh air, and an absolutely AWESOME ending to a legendary album. 5 stars.

To conclude, get lost all who say it isn't Nightwish. If you hadn't noticed, tarja was SACKED. She didn't leave, do you have any idea how selfish Tarja was? And you caring about how Anette doesn't cut it. Take it from me, this album proves it, she cuts it with flying colours. If a band is capable of doind an album this good, then Tarja leaving must have been a good thing.
Honestly, i recommend it. Hails!

From,
Necormancer! 

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