Wishmaster (2001). Nightwish's third studio album.

Over the last year or so, I've come across and listened to many power metal bands which are popular overseas. Some like to show off virtuoso musicianship by packing in the guitar/keyboard solos and pounding double-kick bass drums. Others are just 3rd-rate clones of better bands. After a while though, I begun to realize that while it's good to hear bands go for the old-school heavy metal sound, a lot of power metal bands lack in the songwriting department and offer nothing unique to add to the old-school sound. In other words, a lot of it doesn't really stand out and there is little variety between certain bands. Helloween, Gamma Ray, and Stratovarius are just a couple of examples.

The good news is that there are many diamonds in the rough, some incredibly talented bands that stand out leagues above the others. Symphony X, Kamelot, Sonata Artica, Blind Guardian, and Iced Earth are among the elite bands of the genre. But we're here to talk about another exceptional power metal act: Nightwish. Comprised of female vocalist Tarja Turunen, keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, drummer Jukka Nevalainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and bassist Sami Vanska, Nightwish opts to create a very melodic, epic, and romantic atmosphere with their music. Usually 'beautiful' is not the word that comes to mind when one thinks of heavy metal music, but with Tarja's soaring operatic vocals and Tuomas's grand orchestral keyboard textures accompanying the rest of the band, Nighwish proves to be VERY convincing in that regard. I'm not a fan of opera, but Tarja sings in a very tasteful opera style, and in time she can grow on all people who give her a chance. The keyboards are just amazing: they can go from synth texture to balladic piano to an orchestral texture, and this gives Nightwish a powerful 'fantasy' overtone. The rest of the band plays in a good power metal style, though they don't stand out as much. Many have also labeled Nightwish a goth/metal band due to the lyrics and the mood their albums evoke, and I can understand that. Whether you think that they're power metal or goth metal, it's up to you to decide.

Wishmaster is the band's third outing, and unlike a lot of power metal bands, Nightwish doesn't stay exactly the same from album to album. Contrary to Oceanborn's(1998) grand epic vast array of orchestrations the keyboards create, in Wishmaster the keyboards are pushed a bit further back into the mix, allowing most of the guitars to be easily heard. The songwriting here is also slightly more commercial than before, and while I don't find it to be as great as before, Wishmaster is still a wonderful album and perhaps the best place for new fans to start. Here's the songlist:

1) She Is My Sin- A great rocker that serves as a good way to kick off the album. *****

2) The Kinslayer- This faster rocker, though not very memorable, manages to keep the pace up very well, and it contains a narrative male vocalist later on (thankfully not the death metal vocalist that unfortunately plagues Oceanborn and Century Child(2003). As another reviewer mentioned, this track could have been a tribute to the Columbine shootings.****

3) Come Cover Me- Starts off slow and moody with the keyboards and then erupts into a steady commercial mid-paced rocker. Quite good. ****

4) Wanderlust- This song carries a similarity to Gethsemane from Oceanborn. Very dynamic track. The melodic bridge section is AWESOME. *****

5) Two For Tragedy- An awesome ballad, and one of the best ones they've done. Also one of the few tracks on the album to let the keyboards up front. Very slow, moody, and melodic. One of the album highlights, with Tarja's vocals sounding in top form. *****

6) Wishmaster- The title track is one of the standout songs on the album. An excellent epic rocker with a soaring quality to it. The guitaring is at its greatest here. *****

7) Bare Grace Misery- Similar to the first track, and this song sounds like it could have been on Nightwish's debut album, Angels Fall First(1997). A great rocker. ****

8) Crownless- Fastest track on the album shows the bands "harder edge" side. A bit 'power metal-typical' sounding, but still good, and it features some excellent guitar solos. ****

9) Deep Silent Complete- Starts off slow and melodic like track #3, but it turns into an awesome fast rocker. Not too heavy, yet the melody is very memorable. *****

10) Dead Boy's Poem- This ballad is moody like the others Nightwish has done, but DBP is also very touching and haunting. Quite unique. *****

11) FantasMic- Quite a lengthy track for Nightwish, containing several epic sections. Starts off heavy, followed by a softer middle section, and then finishing off with a heavy finale. Musically it doesn't stand out as much as other tracks, but it's still an exceptional epic. ****

Don't let the 4 stars discourage you from checking this album out. Wishmaster is a great release from Nightwish and it should be the place for new fans to start. While it isn't quite as epic as Oceanborn was, this album contains a great dynamic variety of tracks which makes the album flow nicely. I was only let down a little bit because so many fans seem to praise this album as the best so I expected it to be better than Oceanborn. Oh well. It did grow on me over time. Wishmaster is still a stellar release. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Other albums that sound similar to Wishmaster are:

(GOTHIC METAL)

2000's Wishmaster was the third release from Finnish metal sensation Nightwish. The band quickly made a name for themselves with their unique brand of "operatic metal", and would inspire countless imitators. Nightwish was the first though, and with Wishmaster they pretty much set the standard that nearly none of their peers could hope to match.

The band showed incredible potential on

, and continued to develop their sound on

, but with Wishmaster you're hearing a band who is completely confident in their abilities, and whose songwriting skills are the equal of their musical talent. It's a grand, sweeping majestic album that takes full advantage of Tuomas Holopainen's keyboard and songwriting skills as well as Tarja Turunen's majestic, opera-caliber voice. The symphonic elements are the perfect accent to the traditional metal sound. Highlights include "Wanderlust", "Deep Silent Complete", "Fantasmic" and the rousing title track, but there really aren't any sub-par songs on the album.

I still think 2004's

is Nightwish's ultimate achievement, but Wishmaster comes pretty close. Nearly a decade after its original release, it's still the standard by which most other "opera metal" bands are judged.

NOTE: The 2008 reissue of Wishmaster does not feature digitally remastered sound, but there are some extras that might give you sufficient reason to replace your older version. In addition to the expanded liner notes, there are three bonus tracks - live versions of "Wanderlust" and "Deep Silence Complete" and the original version of "Sleepwalker". Live tracks don't do much for me, but "Sleepwalker" is a great addition since it was previously only available as a b-side to an import single. Is that one song worth buying another copy of Wishmaster? Probably not, but I had already picked up the reissues of Angels Fall First and Oceanborn, so I went ahead and upgraded Wishmaster as well.

Sounding like nothing else on the planet, this unique band has bridged the gap between Opera and Metal. Think of a true opera singer with the likes of a Dream Theater-type band behind her. That's the only way to try and explain what infiltrated my ears when I first heard this band. Singer Tarja Turunen is in a class by herself. Much like Jethro Tull made the flute a Rock instrument, or Kansas rocked out with a violin solo; Nightwish takes a genuine full blown opera singer, and makes her a tool for churning out molten metal songs that have incredible depth. Make no mistake either, she is not an "operatic" singer; she is a straight up Opera singer. The band to back this incredible voice is nothing short of stupendous also. With all music and lyrics being written by keyboard player Tuomas Holopainen, he has written a spine-tingling masterpiece here. Many comparisons have been drawn to Evanescence, as of late. The only similarity I really hear is that both bands have a great female singer. I believe that the similarities end there. The ladies have two completely different vocal styles, Tarja Turunen being an opera singer and Amy Lee being more of a rock vocalist. The bands have two totally different music styles also; Nightwish is a more complex and progressive act, where Evanescence is much more mainstream. Both bands are wonderful, but make no mistake.....they are different.

From the very first track, we start an expedition of tremendous all around musicianship. Turunen is a shock to the ears when you first hear her. With the unexpected wailing of her triumphant tone on She Is My Sin, and the medieval chant of the record's second track The Kinslayer, you have no choice but to be shocked by what this act is doing. An incredible band accompaniment makes these first two tracks simply stunning. The surprises never really subside either. From the light flute pieces in Come Cover Me and FantasMic to the mounting drama of Dead Boy's Poem, this record is loaded with a diverse collection of pleasurable nuances. Take note of the heavenly drum track on Wanderlust, and the great guitar riff to fire up Crownless, or the guitar effect on Deep Silent Complete; this is an all around group contribution that is highlighted by Turunen's extraordinary vocal talent. Having all the music and lyrics written by the keyboard player also, you can just imagine what this has to offer on the keyboard front. Many of the keyboard arrangements simply compliment the music that surrounds them. The keyboards never move in and take over any of these songs. It only makes sense that some of the finest written keyboard parts would be written by the guy playing them, huh?!

Great drum tracks, exquisite keyboard pieces, and adequate guitar grind complementing one of the best singers in the world - what more could you ask for?! As the record continues dealing out appetizing, elaborate, and sensitive arrangements, you soon realize that this can't get much better. Songs like Come Cover Me, Wanderlust, Bare Grace Misery and Crownless all have a slight classic metal influence to them; but with its' dark and haunting lyrics, its' instrumental complexity, and Ms. Turunen singing, they barely resemble anything that has come before them. With Turunen and her opera stylings, any and all similarities to anything and everything go straight out the window. There will always be those who'll want to mention Iron Maiden, Dream Theater or Evanescence though, when trying to describe this unparagoned pleasure.

The only thing lacking here is that "Perfect 10 tingle"; you know, the shiver that keeps sprinting to and fro on the track that is your spine. This is one of the most peerless presentations ever offered in the metal genre, though. One of the most unique and delightfully appealing sounds I've ever experienced. Hooray for ingenuity, originality, and talent. Hooray for Nightwish.

OVERALL RATING: 9 (1-10 scale)

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Lets get this out of the way immediately. People either love or hate this band for one reason. The operatic vocals of Tarja Turunen. Frankly it took me a couple of listens to warm up to them. It was an acquired taste for me. That said I can't believe I ever had reservations about her vocals. Tarja's vocals are powerful, crystal clear and very pure sounding. I often find myself mesmerised while listening to her.

Wishmaster is the bands third and best full length CD. The music is hard to categorize. Tarja's vocals definitely influence the feel of the songs. Overall the bands music can best be simplistically described as melodic power metal with a touch of progressive metal. Keyboards are more prominent than in most metal bands even rivalling the guitar in importance. The main reason for that is the band's main songwriter is the keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen. Fear not guitar fans the guitar is far from absent, witness the crunchy riffs that is the basis for "Wanderlust" and "She is My Sin". The keyboard playing is first rate and tends to be more intricate in the slower quieter sounding songs such as "Two for Tragedy" and in the quieter parts of "Dead Boy's Poem". The keyboards also act as a lead guitar would in certain song such as "Bare Grace Misery".

The songs on this CD are all top notch but none the less I do have favourites. The previously mentioned "She is My Sin" and "Wanderlust" are excellent straight ahead rockers. The atmospheric "Two for Tragedy" with its subtle instrumentation is simple terrific. The melodic "Bare Grace Misery" and "Dead Boys Poem" with its change of moods and tempo are first rate.

In closing an excellent album with depth and complexity. The CD to start with if you have never bought a Nightwish CD before.

I had no idea what to expect when I bought and then listened to this record. What I can say is that I was blown away by the impressive mixture of operatic vocals and wicked symphonic power metal music.

I suppose first we should speak about Tarja Turunen, the mighty pipes behind this extravagant release. It takes all of about 10 seconds of the opener ("She Is My Sin") before Tarja's powerful style wins you over and makes you a believer that true opera vocals CAN and DO work over super-melodic hard metal. Other particular strong tracks are "The Kinslayer" and "Wishmaster." Both are so damn metal, you'll instantly fall in love with them.

The second item to speak about on this album are the phenomenal keyboards played by Thomas Holopainen. It's no surprise he's given "2nd billing" in the well-crafted liner notes within the CD booklet. I've never heard (or not very often, at least) such power from a synthesizer within the realm of heavy metal before. Sometimes, like during the epic "FantasMic," the keys take a lead role over the chugging, riffing guitars, and other times, like during the lilting, poetic "Come Cover Me," the keys lay down a beautiful harmonious blanket for the rest of the band.

This record is an extremely worthwhile one to own for ALL fans of power/progressive metal, and for ALL fans of melodic European metal. It'd also be great for anyone who wants to experience something new and a little bit different. I absolutely loved it; you might too.