This album has a slightly harder edge than Oceanborn. But still retains a few of their wonderful balads (ala: Come Cover Me, Deep Silent Complete, and Dead Boy's Poem). There is even a track about the Columbine shootings (The Kinslayer), after finding out what this song means...it actually made more sense and the line: "Kill your friend, I don't care." is very chilling. And this comming from a Finish band is remarkable how a tragedy can travel so far.

There songs range from tributes to fantasy (FantasMic, Wishmaster) to love (She is my Sin, Come Cover Me), to depression (Dead Boy's Poem, which is really sad).

Plus the female operatic vocals done by the wonderful Tarja Turunen are up to par and perfection. This neo-classical Opera metal band should be a guide for all prog and neo-classical bands out there.

You have astounded us with another divine album. Thank you Nightwish.


I wished for a tad bit more.   January 18, 2005
 7 out of 9 found this review helpful

This Nightwish album is probably their weakest album overall (sans their debut Angels Fall First, which I haven't heard), but that's not to dismiss the worth of the piece, because like all of Nightwishes other works, it's still fruitfully entertaining and as slick as my hairdoo.

The main problem with this album is it just doesn't instinctively feel as "on" as some of their other works. It's not as cohesive either, and though all of the songs possess at least some merit, they don't gel together as a collective whole that well. Also, it seems as if a lot of the songs are merely Nightwish on auto-pilot, which kind of feels like a cheat. Inparticular because they can get away with it and still make an enjoyable album -- every single song possesses at least one strong element, whether it be a great guitar solo or riff, Tarja's soaring voice which in general doesn't require anything special to come across as titillating, or some in general very good synth writing... But, it feels like a lot of the song's compositions on the whole just aren't very inspired, despite having inspired bits within them, and it is this lack of overall enthusiasm I think which hurts Wishmaster most.

The highlight tracks would have to be "Two For Tragedy", a slow and haunting ballad that really lets the vocals take precedence, backed by an angelic synthesized ambience; "Crownless", which has got to be one of the most immediately invigorating pieces of music I've ever heard -- with a wicked, wicked melody and loads of speed; the titular "Wishmaster", which is probably the most driving song on the album with its nice combo of synth, guitar, and heavy choral bits; "Deep Silent Poem", a graceful and generally relaxed yet agressive bit with lovely vocals; "Dead Boy's Poem", a ballad that incorporates a young boy citing off stuff in a surprisingly sophisticated and uncheesy way -- really hits the mark; and the concluding "Fantasmic", which has got an awesome flute solo mid way through.

So, you see, the album does have a lot of highlights, particularly in its concluding half. It's not worthless by any means, and is still a very entertaining listen. It's just that, in comparison, it has a hard time living up to its brothers and sisters, and overall lacks the special fire that they had. But, I'm a large fan of Nightwish, and I'm sure I'll listen to Wishmaster a lot in the future regardless. It just won't be the first CD I'll give to someone else when recommending the band.


Truly an innovative and smashing metal album   June 2, 2001
 6 out of 6 found this review helpful

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.


A stunning masterpiece   June 18, 2001
 6 out of 6 found this review helpful

I didn't think I would find another metal band that could blow my mind away like Lacuna Coil did. I could not have been any more wrong. Nightwish totally took my breath away with the gorgeous vocals by lead singer Tarja. Her operatic vocals made each song emotionally moving which you really don't get with a lot of heavy metal bands nowadays. One would think that opera and heavy metal wouldn't make for a good combination but Nightwish did the impossible and made opera and heavy metal very compatible. I knew I was hooked on Nightwish when I heard the intro to "She is My Sin". I love how acoustic guitar is incorporated into several of the songs on this cd. If only metal today would sound as good as bands like Lacuna Coil and Nightwish.