Nightwish - Wishmaster
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Category: Music CD
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Music CD Cover
Artist: NightwishEdition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2001-02-06
Music Label: Century Media
Soundtracks:
- She Is My Sin
- The Kinslayer
- Come Cover Me
- Wanderlust
- Two for Tragedy
- Wishmaster
- Bare Grace Misery
- Crownless
- Deep Silent Complete
- Dead Boy's Poem
- Fantasmic
Free Music Notes for Wishmaster
Free Music Review: Stunning - gorgeous and powerful - don't overlook this!
Hit: 5 Stars
Having been profoundly impressed by my first exposure to Nightwish, via "Oceanborn", the next step was to immediately procure their next three releases; obviously, right!? I was really curious to hear "Wishmaster", since there seems to be some difference of opinion about it; it seems to inspire ambivalence or lack of enthusiasm in some and sometimes seems to grade out lower than other Nightwish CDs.
I had no such reaction; I absolutely loved it from the start and it will probably end up being an all time favorite (like top 10) for me. My impressions - well everything I could want in music - power, beauty, passion, memorable melody, rhythmic drive, vibrant/positive/life-affirming attitude - its all there. To me, "Wishmaster" comes off more as classic melodic metal. Its somewhat reminiscent of vintage Iron Maiden, as opposed to the Dream Theatre type progressive vibe of "Oceanborn" or the heavier more modern flavor of "Century Child" and "Once". Not to suggest Nightwish is derivative - without a doubt they have a strong character all of their own - those comparisons are just a rough frame of reference.
"Wishmaster" is more guitar driven than "Oceanborn", a bit less grandiose, and not quite as bold or dramatic. Its also noticeably more polished; there aren't really any clunky elements in the music and sound quality is much better. "Wishmaster" doesn't have the harsh high-frequency issues "Oceanborn" did; this really helps the listening experience. It has a very balanced sound; no one element dominates, you get a strong impression of cohesion and synergy - everyone pulling together. I'd say the vocals benefit most from this. I've noticed that the vocals can sometimes get a little lost in the mix on other Nightwish CDs - not the case here.
And that's a really good thing because if there is any vocal performance that should be highlighted its Tarja Turunen's performance on "Wishmaster". The only word I can use is sublime. I'm probably guilty of overusing this adjective when it comes to Nightwish, but that's the only way I can really sum it up. I guess gorgeous and stunning work pretty well too, but I'm sticking with sublime. The vocals are firmly in the classical operatic style; really similar to those on "Oceanborn". Though I like classical music, I never liked classical vocals; I`ve always thought of them as stuffy and self-indulgent. I don't have that feeling at all with Tarja; in contrast, I just can't get enough. Somewhat sadly, Nightwish went to a more conventional vocal style following "Wishmaster". Though I think Tarja is still the best heavy music singer out there, even in a more conventional style, the unique flavor of her performances in "Wishmaster" and "Oceanborn" are unforgettable.
All this raving about the vocal performance shouldn't overshadow the other performances in "Wishmaster". As usual, Nightwish is really disciplined in songwriting and arrangement - there's no self indulgence here. The songs are all memorable, there's terrific use of melody and harmony, and the playing is top notch. Also, as usual, I find it impossible to pick favorites; my favorite track is whichever one I'm listening to at the moment. I love it when a CD is so consistent - listen all the way through - take a quick break - repeat - repeat again.....
In some ways, "Wishmaster" isn't super original, its more of a unique take on the classic metal formula. You could argue that the guitar leads have all been heard before, operatic vocals are common on PBS, you've heard those chord changes before, and so on. I think that's true of the vast majority of music out there; you could make similar arguments for just about any LP/CD. Truly ground breaking efforts aren't that common; "Wishmaster" is not in that category. If you're interested in that vibe "Oceanborn" or "Century Child" might be better choices. If you're really into the heavy modern grindy sound or a bit more of a darker vibe, "Once" would be a better Nightwish choice.
I think "Wishmaster" will appeal most to people who value melody, harmony, and balance in their music as opposed to those who favor heaviness or sheer guitar drive or are finicky about their metal. I think that "Wishmaster" is so strong in these areas that I would probably pick this as the CD that I would use to expose non-metal fans to the music - I think it transcends the genre or as one of my bros likes to say - its world class.
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