Dark Passion Play

Although it's not yet released, I couldn't resist getting the new Nightwish album and listening to it for a bit before their concert here on 27th of October. After Tarja left, many people were worried that Nightwish was done for. It was a loss for the band, no doubt, but a loss that was possible to recover from.

Anette Olzon, a rather charming lady, may not possess as unique vocal qualities as Tarja did, but judging from this album, she is doing alright. Although her voice lacks the power, which I sometimes a little bothering, it's something you can get used to. As soon as I've accepted the change, I began to appreciate her as a singer. After listening to several songs, her style sort of grew on me. :-) And, of course, it's the quality of Tuomas and his composing skills that let this band stay on prominent positions of my favourite list.

The album begins with a long (14 minutes!) and slow piece, The Poet and the Pendulum. I found it very likable even on the first go. It's got a very nice dark flavour, and it's good to see that there is no rush. They let the piece unfold as if it was a story. Thumbs up.

Next song is called Bye Bye Beautiful, and it's a fast piece not unlike I Wish I Had an Angel. It's got a nice theme, some male vocals, and certain parts of its melody are rather interesting.
Third one, Amaranth, is a typical radio hit. A fast-paced, short song that develops rather quickly, and has a very powerful chorus. (Silný refrén jak hovado. ;-)) It uses multiple layers of Anette's voice to make it sound stronger and achieve impressive harmony. It's already breaking the charts around Europe, and it's doing good. Although it's a likable song, I only wish it could be a little longer and unravel beyond the single theme. You can watch the official video right here:
Cadence of Her Last Breath. Quite nice. A little heavier, also short and fast-paced, yet rather simple and straightforward for Nightwish standards. I liked to hear Anette's and Marco's vocals together. The sound of frantic female breathing in the background of some passages is a welcome element.

Master Passion Greed is definitely Marco's song. The heaviest piece of entire album, with powerful drums, shouting vocals, and a few unexpected riffs. I can't wait to see this one live.

I won't go into details on all 13 tracks. It's too many, and I didn't listen to some of them enough to form an opinion. I'll mention For the Heart I Once Had, which sounds similar to Nemo, and some of the verses are light and playful. Islander is definitely the new Bard's song. Very nice.

Next to the last track is Seven Days to the Wolves. Slower, quite powerful, with engaging lyrics, and mmm, so good. Some very skilled composing is at play there. This might be my new favourite. :-) The album is concluded by another balad, Meadows of Heaven, which makes a nice dot after it all.

Overall, I am very happy with this album. Although it may not be the best one in their rich discography, it proves that Nightwish is definitely back and kicking. See you guys in 48 days! :-D