Originally I didn't know what to think of "Oceanborn" on the first listen. There weren't songs that got to me as "She Is My Sin" from "Wishmaster" but on as I gave the cd another listen, I totally changed my mind about "Oceanborn" and fell in love with the music as I had with "Wishmaster". Tarja has the most amazing voice I've heard in a long time. It is refreshing to hear someone actually sing in the heavy metal genre as opposed to screaming incessantly until my ears bleed.

Songs like "Moondance" and "The Pharaoh Sails to Orion" transports the listener to another world. I love it how the band's songs are like little vignettes and actually has a story to tell, as if it was opera. You just don't get that with most metal bands today. Nightwish is a rarity nowadays to hear a band in the heavy metal genre that can blend both the heaviness of metal with the melodies of classical music. I can't get enough of this band.


What a refreshing joy to listen to!   June 25, 2001
 25 out of 29 found this review helpful

I borrowed this CD from a friend of mine at work. I normally don't listen to his type of metal (he's into the hardcore gothic and death stuff). Anyway, he had a note on it labelleing it "Operatic Metal". Decided to take a chance. Boy, was I glad I did - this thing is spectacular! Decided to pick it up immediately!

I don't know how to describe it other than some intelligent stuff, well written, catchy, and definitely NOT your standard stuff that falls under the label of "metal".

I normally listen to stuff like Black Sabbath (I run black-sabbath.com), and stuff that falls under the category of 70's metal; the only metal to come out of the 80's that I truly liked was Queensryche & Metallica. This is the first new thing in a long time that I've had this kind of positive reaction to!

Highly recommended!


Nightwish -- not your typical Goth/Symph metal band!   February 22, 2002
 15 out of 16 found this review helpful

Oceanborn, the second album from Finnish symphonic/Goth metal/power prog band Nightwish is distinctly different from other bands in this B&B (Beauty & Beast) genre.

It still boasts occasional riffing and drum beats in triple time. And there are still the odd growling male vocals (only on a couple of tracks, however). And the de rigueur juxtaposition of metal guitars with orchestration and synths accompanied by a crystal-clear operatic female vocal (from Tarja Turunen) is still the banner under which Nightwish proudly marches.

But whereas other Beauty & Beast/Goth metal bands (such as the dismal The Sins of Thy Beloved, or the aptly named Theater of Tragedy) wallow in the mire of doom and gloom, Nightwish takes the high road. Most of the songs are extremely upbeat, lively and seem to be full of -- dare I say it? -- joy.

Another difference is the presence of guitar solos. Many bands in this genre (even my beloved After Forever) eschew guitar solos for one reason or another, but Nightwish sprinkles their bombastic songs with an occasional fretboard flurry that ratchets up the excitment level a notch or two. Tastefully done.

The CD starts with a bang -- "Stargazers" -- and takes the listener on a brisk, but enjoyable, ride. This track has more in common with progressive rock's grandeur and majesty than it does with European Goth/symphonic metal. This is a great song, the perfect album opener. Lots of power and Dream Theater-like fast guitar/keyboard runs. (I love that synth change-up at 3:20 into the song!)

Some songs on Oceanborn are slower than others, and a flute plays a key role in a few (the beautiful "Swanheart," for one). But all are nicely done and worthy of repeated listenings.

"Gethsemane," for example (track two) sounds like Baroque meets Metal -- in a Trans-Siberian Orchestra sort of fashion. Lots of piano tinkling and syncopation. This song features a nice flute melody dancing lightly over the top of the crunching guitars -- with a suitably neoclassical break at 3:04 into the song.

The first track to feature the growling male vocals (unfortunately) so common to this genre is track three: "Devil & the Deep Dark Ocean" (although this is more of a rap-tinged, talk-sing vocal than a flat-out growling vocal).

Track four ("Sacrament of Wilderness") begins with a cool guitar/drum/synth combination that gives way to a neoclassical burst of notes and driving beat that propels the song forward.

"Passion at the Opera" (track five) begins as a straightforward hard rock riff -- but with an operatic female vocal rather than what would be (in America, at least) a male vocal.

The aforementioned "Swanheart" (track six) is a slow-paced, emotional, piano and flute composition that sounds like it could be sung in church on Sunday morning. Even when the drums pound in at 2:20 and the guitars enter at 2:44 (hey, Stryper did it, didn't they?) it still sounds like a power ballad you'd be pleased to hear played on a sleepy Sunday morning. Nightwish truly know how to craft a song, and "Swanheart" is audible proof.

"Moondance" (track seven) is pure life and joy. It's a Russian dance beat that begins slowly, almost sadly, then bursts upon the scene as a song you can picture in your mind as being the backdrop to a line of guys, crouching with their arms folded, kicking out first one leg and then the other, yelling "Hey!" This instrumental track is brilliant. A lot of fun. And much too short at 3:30.

"The Riddler" (track eight) is a Eurythmics-sounding song that you'd swear was sung by Annie Lennox. Tarja Turunen's voice reminds me of Lennox's, anyway, but on this song the similarity is striking.

"The Pharaoh Sails to Orion" (track nine) is a scorcher. It's 6:15 of hard-driving, twisting and turning rock music that builds to a wonderful crescendo.

The album begins to wind down with "Walking in the Air" (track 10), a much-needed breather after "Pharaoh." The slower "Walking in the Air" leaves a pleasant taste in one's mouth. In fact, it leaves one wanting more.

And the "more" comes in the form of the CD's final track ("Sleeping Sun") an ambient, Enya-like track with a wistful, melancholy quality to it.

Oceanborn shows the world that Nightwish are not your typical Goth metal band. They have solid songwriting abilities, a firm grasp of melody and a desire to be known as a group that rises above the norm. Their songs are much lighter, much happier and much easier to listen to -- a far cry from most other bands in this genre that usually leave their listeners bruised, bloodied, broken and depressed to the point of suicide after their sonic onslaughts.

I wholeheartedly recommend Oceanborn ....


Metal with Sophistication   July 15, 2004
 14 out of 15 found this review helpful

First and foremost, ignore the ignorant, and immature brats posting the negative one-liners. They probably heard the 30-second clip in the album description, and realizing it is not the latest "thrasher album" or the latest "rap album", they immediatly think it sucks. Just ignore them.

That being said, I am a long time metal fan, listening to and having just about everything from Metallica, to Hammerfall, to Kamelot, to Stratovarious, to Symphony X, to Iron Maiden, to Queensryche, to Fates Warning, and several others. Recently, one of my friends in one of the forums that I frequent clued me into Nightwish. While running errands around town, I decided to pop into one of the local record stores and see if they had any Nightwish albums. It turned out they indeed did. They had this one (Oceanborn), as well as Century Child, Wishmaster, and Angels Fall First. That particular record store lets people listen to albums before buying, so I asked the attendent if I can give this one a listen. I was completely blown away at what I heard. The hauntingly beautiful operatic female vocals was the biggest stand-out on this album. I also love the nice mix of hard-hitting guitars, and symphonic/ochestral parts. This is certainly one of the most interesting mixes of ochestral, operatic, and metal that I've heard. Not only that, it seems to have a bit of sophistication to it, which this 34 year-old really likes, not the typical "thrasing" and "screaming vocals" that grates on me like fingernails on a chalkboard. I am just so sick and tired of the drek that I hear on the local FM stations (to the point that I ended up getting XM Radio), that it is truly nice to hear something such as this for once. Also nice to truly get to enjoy an entire album, from the very first note to the final fade-out, and love every bit of it (not the typical "one-hit wonder, and the other 12 tracks stink" syndrom).

Also, some of the reviews commented on the male vocals/narratives in a couple of the tracks. Personally, I think they work great as an offset to the beautiful female vocals and give a little more variety to the music (like there is enough already).

Also, if you have not already, and if you have access to one, try to play this on a truly high-end "audiophile" type system (not the typical $30 Wally*World boom-box). Fortunatly, I am blessed with such a system, and I gotta tell you, this disk sounds just friggan amazing on there! There is a lot of detail and wonderful dynamics throughout! Some of the bass on there truly does hit hard, but not with the typical "boom-boom-boom" that seems to be popular on most current "mainstream" albums.

In the end, I ended up buying all four of the Nightwish albums that particular store had, and also ordered "Once" from right here at Amazon. Oceanborn is my favorite, followed closely by Centuary Child. Can't wait to here Once, though, since it seems that one is talked about quite a bit by fans of this genre of music. Wishmaster and Angels Fall First are also good albums and definitly better than any of the "mainstream" drek that has been out in recent years. However, I still gotta give the edge to Stratovarious's Visions and Elements Pt 1 and Pt 2 or Hammerfalls Crimson Thunder album.

If you are a fan of power/prog symphonic metal, than this album is definitly worth checking out. Highly recommend by this long-time metal head.


Children of Bodom meets Ajda Pekkan   April 25, 2001
 12 out of 12 found this review helpful

Powerful guitar riffs with beautiful female vocals? I didn't think it was possible either, until I started listening to Oceanborn. I'm simply amazed!

Much of the sound on this album is reminiscent of Finnish neoclassical power metal bands like Children of Bodom and Stratovarius, especially with the heavy emphasis on keyboard work. However, Tarja's vocals and Tuomas's beautifully-written melodies take Nightwish far and beyond any typical power metal!

Every track on this album is excellent! You MUST listen to the second song (Gethsemane) -- it is simply fantastic and beautiful! The third song (Devil and the Deep Blue Ocean) has an unusual twist with interspersed death-metal style backing vocals.

On a side note, I am hoping that this album attracts more female fans to the vast and diverse heavy metal genre (even though I happen to be male). The American "nu-metal" market has largely turned off female fans with their bad vocals and crude cliches, and it is refreshing to see a band like Nightwish add classy female vocals to music that is already great.