Highest Hopes (The Best Of Nightwish/+DVD) - Nightwish > Reviews > All you could wish for!

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Groundbreaking
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Outstanding
Value for Money	Excellent

Advantages:	Best Of Collection
Disadvantages:	None !

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

I was introduced to Nightwish over the past year and after hearing 'Nemo' and 'Wish I Had An Angel' I was hooked. I went and purchased one of their albums, it was the Greatest Hits.

Nightwish was Tarja Turunen (Vocals)
Tuomas Holopainen (Keyboards)
Marco Hietala (Bass/Male Vocals)
Erno "Emppu" Vuorinen (Guitars)
Jukka Nevalainen (Drums)
Sami Vänskä (Bass on some tracks)

The genre (according to Wikipedia) is Symphonic Metal and it's something I'd agree too, though I have friends who would call it Heavy Metal. The album was released in 2005.

Track 1 - Wish I Had An Angel
This track is what brought me into the group. Marco's vocals contrast Tarja's perfectly. The overall style of this song is great. 9/10

Track 2 - Stargazers
The start of this track is amazing. Just Tarja singing on this one. 8/10

Track 3 - Kinslayer
This song is also on the DVD which comes with this album. I think it's a good song makes you remember they're a metal band. A male vocalist on this one, I don't think it's Marco. 8/10

Track 4 - Ever Dream
This one starts with just orchestral music and piano, but soon comes in with the band. This is one of the slower songs. 7/10

Track 5 - Elvenpath
The song begins with Tarja just speaking. Then the band kicks in and she begins to sing. She signs quite differently on this track to the other. 7/10

Track 6 - Bless The Child
It begins with a man speaking a passage over Tarja's backing vocals. Tarja soon moves to the forefront and begins to sing. It ends with the man talking again. 7/10

Track 7 - Nemo
This track is the second song which dragged me into liking this group. Starts off with just the keyboard and then hits you suddenly with the guitars. It slows when Tarja sings and then speeds up, it repeats this throughout the song. 9/10

Track 8 - Sleeping Sun
This is a cover of one of their own songs but it's been done differently. I prefer this version to the original. It's a slow song with Tarja's voice really shining. 7/10

Track 9 - Dead To The World
This song is also on the accompanying DVD. This song uses both Tarja's and Marco's vocals. Marco having a much bigger singing part in this one than before. The song starts with both Marco and Tarja signing "All the same take me away, we're dead to the world" before the music starts. 8/10

Track 10 - Over The Hills And Far Away
This song starts off with a drum beat before Tarja comes in, with just the keyboard and the drums. It goes a little in and then it hits you with the rest of the band. It also tells a good story, like most of their songs. There is a particularly good guitar solo on this but unfortunately a lot around it is just the keyboard. 9/10

Track 11 - Sacrament Of Wilderness
This song keeps a fast tempo throughout, not much more I can say about this one. 5/10

Track 12 - Walking In The Air
I can never get into like this one. It's just Tarja singing 'Walking In The Air'. 1/10

Track 13 - Wishmaster
This is a nice song a they keyboard stays to the background throughout this one. Tarja's voice sounds quite haunting on this one. 5/10

Track 14 - Dead Boy's Poem
This song begins with a boy speaking quietly and then just Tarja singing with the guitar coming in slowly. I don't really like this song. 2/10

Track 15 - Phantom Of The Opera
I love this song. This is a great cover of the old song, makes the song sound totally fresh. Marco fits the vocals perfectly and Tarja's voice helps to reach complete the feeling. 10/10

Track 16 - High Hopes
I've been told this is a cover of an old Pink Floyd song, but I've never heard it so I can't compare. Tarja is not present on this song but it has some awesome guitar parts and Marco's voice is great. 8/10

The DVD has three tracks from a concert held at M'Era Luna. The video quality isn't great and I don't know if its been over-dubbed or not. It does have an extra song on though 'She Is My Sin' which is quite a good song.

Overall, I can recommend this album whole-heartedly. Its great as a starting point into liking this band, but don't get too used to Tarja as she was removed from the band.

EDIT 04/07/06 - The times listed on the back on the CD case are actually wrong, this is most apparant on the last track "High Hopes" as the CD case says its 4:03 yet it lasts for 7:20. Also the DVD tracklisting is in the wrong order as it is
1. She Is My Sin
2. Dead To The World
3. Kinslayer
not what it says on the back of the CD case.