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| Dark Passion Play | 
 enlarge | Artist: Nightwish
Label: Roadrunner Records
Category: Music
List Price: $18.98
Buy New: $11.92
You Save: $7.06 (37%)
New (29) Used (9) Collectible (1) from $8.85
Avg. Customer Rating:  170 reviews
Sales Rank: 2675
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.1
Dimensions (in): 5.5 x 5 x 0.4
MPN: 179842
UPC: 016861798420
EAN: 0016861798420
ASIN: B000URDEB0
Release Date: October 2, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: Brand new Item. CD, DVD, Book, VHS more than 400 000 titles to choose from. ALL days Low Price !
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| Customer Reviews:
 Missed opportunity November 2, 2007
17 out of 20 found this review helpful
I want to start by saying that I'm not a huge Tarja fan. She's talented enough, but for my money there are plenty of other female vocalists out there who are as good if not better than the ousted diva. It's a shame Nightwish couldn't have picked one of them to be their new vocalist after their much publicized split with Tarja. When you have what is arguably the biggest female fronted metal band in the world, you should have your pick of great singers. I'm stunned that Annette Olzon is the best they could come up with. I'm sure she's a perfectly lovely person, and I could care less that she doesn't do the whole operatic thing (which can get on my nerves after a while), but the sad fact is she's just not suited for this type of music and is way out of her league here. If Lullacry needs a new singer, I'm sure she'd be a great replacement, but this is Nightwish, people!
What makes this even more of a shame is that musically Dark Passion Play is probably the absolute best album the band has written. I was impressed with Once, but the songwriting and symphonic arrangements on this album are simply awe-inspiring. This is epic metal on par with Therion. With any other vocalist - Tarja, Floor from After Forever, Simone from Epica - this would have been Nightwish's greatest achievement. Even a male singer would have worked (seriously, imagine this album with Evergrey's Tom Englund at the mic). Instead, it just seems like a missed opportunity.
Musically, Dark Passion Play rates 5 stars easily. The vocals deserve 2 stars. I tried to give Annette a fair try, but her voice is just not right here. I think I'm going to have to trade this one in for the "collector's edition" that comes with a bonus disc featuring an instrumental version of the album. That should be a lot easier to tolerate.
One last thing, the songs aimed at Tarja and her husband are just plain petty. I know the split wasn't amicable, but there are umpteen press releases and interviews that make that plain. Your dirty laundry has no business on the album though.
 Definitely a keeper November 9, 2007
17 out of 23 found this review helpful
Okay... I don't write many reviews but for this particular purchase, I felt I had to make an exception. Along with most other fans, I was worried about the future of Nightwish after all of the (somewhat) recent hullabaloo over the band's change of lead singer. Those worries, I am pleased to say, were completely unnecessary. Right up front I will say that this is one of the best albums I've had the pleasure of listening to. The opening song "Poet and the Pendulum" grabs you by the throat and holds you enthralled for its entire 14 minute duration. It is classic Nightwish - powerful and bombastic, soft and melancholy - full of musical twists and turns and amazing lyrics; epic in every sense of the word. Wow. And that is only the beginning.
I won't go into a track by track analysis because so many others have done a better job with that then I ever could (and these things are so subjective anyway). Let it suffice to say that unlike any other Nightwish album (and I own and love them all), there is not one single track on this album that I have any urge to skip over. Not one. Even after many repeated spins. There is so much variety in the musical styles presented here that the sound never becomes boring or repetitive. Yet it all the while maintains that distinctive flavor that is uniquely Nightwish; with the power to evoke a visceral response in the listener (me). That, to me, is quite an accomplishment.
Now, I don't really want to bring up any singer comparisons here because it has already been hashed to death (and not always in the most respectful fashion, which is a shame), but I will say, while not the soprano we're used to, Anette Olzon is a powerful vocalist in her own right. And as the new lead singer for Nightwish, she services the music very well. Exceptionally well, in fact. This is made all the more impressive considering the album was not tailored to her particular strengths. The songs were written and the music recorded before she was even brought on board. That being the case, I can't wait to see what the "new" Nightwish has in store for future albums where her input will have more consideration. But she does a very, very fine job here. Her voice is warm and accessible but can pack considerable punch. And her vocals blend with Marco's beautifully ("The Islander" made my jaw drop). I can't wait to hear more harmonizing from them in the future. Consider me a fan.
I know that certain aspects of this album are going to be nitpicked to death because of the controversy surrounding the band's lineup. But music is so subjective and everyone's tastes are so different. So I guess what I really would like to say is, regardless of any of the reviews you've read (mine included), if you are a fan of Nightwish or are someone just looking for some new music to try, you owe it to yourself to give this album a listen without bias (or at least with an open mind). Hopefully, you'll decide it's worth picking up. I did. And I couldn't be more pleased.
New era for Nightwish November 11, 2007
17 out of 26 found this review helpful
Tuomas Holopainen is probably a musical genius. For certain, he's a gifted songwriter. It's refreshing that on "Dark Passion Play," the first album with new singer Anette Olzon, elements of the "old" Nightwish are in evidence, as well as songs that take Nightwish in a different direction. It might be tempting for some to write off "The Islander" and "Last of the Wilds" as not Nightwish, but the truth is that Nightwish is whatever Holopainen and the rest of the band want it to be. It should be remembered that Led Zeppelin effortlessly moved between heavy and light in their hey-day. No reason Nightwish can't do the same, especially with Olzon bringing a welcome rock sensibility to her vocals. She is simply brilliant on "Amaranth" and "Eva," and her duets with Marco Hietala on "Bye Bye Beautiful" and "The Islander" are effective because she never sounds like she's competing against Marco's voice. Perhaps the only misstep on DPP is "Master Passion Greed" with its overdosing guitars, but I'm sure even it brings headbanging joy to many fans. DPP emerges as the herald of a new era for Nightwish, one I am anxious to see evolve. Can't help but wonder where Tuomas Holopainen's imagination will lead him -- and Nightwish's fans -- next.
 What I had Once is Gone October 4, 2007
15 out of 30 found this review helpful
A long time ago I went searching for magical music and I found Nightwish. The specific combination of voice, music and most important - spirit hit me like a ton of bricks.
Ah - but all perfect beauty comes to an end and life moves on. So I wanted to give this work every chance that I could. I have within my limitations and here are my thoughts:
Just because you can hit a high note doesn't necessarily mean you should -especially repeatedly.
Yelling over metal music is different than singing with power within metal music.
It takes a certain charisma to make inane lyrics seem like they mean something.
An "epic" happens, you can't force it.
An over-reliance on orchestration and arrangement is a crutch.
I appreciate what Nightwish had and I hope they have success going forward but, for me, this sounds like Britney Spears ran into Yanni and they thought they could play some "old" Metallica together with a little but of Transiberian Orchestra thrown in.
I think what is most evident is the spirit. It hasn't morphed and it hasn't changed - it is truly missing.
Color me surprised, but Annette really brings it!!! October 4, 2007
13 out of 21 found this review helpful
Okay, let me be the first to admit, as an old-school Nightwish and Tarja fan, I had a lot of trepidation about this album before I heard it. I worried about whether Annette could fill Tarja's shoes, but not only does she fill her shoes quite remarkably, she brings a whole new kind of atmosphere to the music, and although her vocal style is different than Tarja's, not operatic, it meshes very well with the classical scheme of the music. I understand that she came over from an Abba tribute band, and she brings that 70s dance pop influence in some of the vocal harmonies she creates, especially in the chorus to Amaranth. First, NW showed that real opera vocals can work with metal, and now they've proven that 70s dance pop vocals can also work with metal! Incidentally, the collector's edition of this cd also includes a second disk with instrumental versions of all the songs, as well as the original demo version of Amaranth, then titled "Reach," with alternate lyrics, and a completely different chorus.
Someone else put up a song-by-song review, and it was a good one, but since music is such a very subjective experience, I thought I would do the same. Obviously, some of my opinions will contrast, while some will agree. Ultimately, it's up to the listener to decide which tracks work best for them. Anywho, here's my song-by-song review:
"The Poet and the Pendulum" - Clocking in at just under 14 minutes, this is without a doubt their magnum opus. This story is divided into five parts - "White Lands of Empathica" is a short choral intro that has something of a monastic feel to it, building dramatically into "Home," a metal tour de force. This flows seamlessly into the beautiful and ballad-like "The Pacific," which brilliantly blossoms into the speed-metal frenzy of "Dark Passion Play" (featuring a brutal duet between Annette and Marco). The only weak point of this epic is the final part "Mother & Father," the transition to which is awkward, and the music itself just doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the song. I'll have to read "The Pit and the Pendulum" again to see if more than just the title was inspired by that Poe work.
"Bye Bye Beautiful" - This is a very angry song. Musically, it is very reminiscent of "Wish I Had an Angel," from Once. Not a brilliant song, but quite enjoyable. It's a really good rocker, good driving music.
"Amaranth" - If you hear the original demo version (entitled "Reach") on the collector's edition cd, you'll be shocked by just how different this song is from what it was originally intended to be. A very enjoyable, catchy song, Annette really brings a new element in the chorus harmonies, in which you can really see the Abba influence. But it works, and it works extremely well! This is one of the better songs on the cd.
"Cadence of Her Last Breath" - This song gets really good, really intense toward the end (it takes on a strong Dream Theater feel), but for most of its duration, it just isn't memorable. Good riffs and musical hooks, but that's about it, they're not great, they're just good. All in all, it's not a bad song, but it's not a standout, either.
"Master Passion Greed" - Marco takes over the lead vocals through this one, and Annette provides backup. As others have suggested, this is possibly the heaviest, most brutal, most in-your-face metal that Nightwish has ever done, and the symphonic elements, though not prominent in this one, make it that much more brutal. This song is absolutely fierce, this is Nightwish at their musical metal best! Along with "The Islander" and "Amaranth," this is tied for my favorite song on the cd. If you only buy the cd for this song, you've gotten your money's worth!
"Eva" - haunting, ambient, ghostly, those are the words that immediately come to mind. A very beautiful ballad featuring prominent piano and keys. If there are any lingering doubts that Annette can do justice to Nightwish's more elegant side, this song should banish all such doubts. Gorgeous.
"Sahara" - inspired by Sheharazade and the 1001 Arabian Nights, this is a brooding and atmospheric piece. Again, it's good, but not great. This is one of the weaker tracks on the cd, in my opinion, but it's still a good listen. Heck, Nightwish at their worst is better than most bands at their best!
"Whoever Brings the Night" - This is one where I'm going to have to disagree with the other poster, because this one, to me, is one of the weakest songs on the cd, if not "the" weakest song. I'm a sucker for a good vampire song (pun fully intended), but this one just doesn't do it for me. As vampire songs go in the Nightwish catalogue, "Slaying the Dreamer" is a lot better. Still, this is a good rocker, and the chorus is catchy. But except for some wierdness in the chord progressions at the beginning, there isn't much imagination in this one. This one was written (music) by Emppu, and he obviously doesn't have the same ability at songwriting as Tuomas. Annette is really the only thing saving this song from obscurity.
"For the Heart I Once Had" - this one is a power ballad, and as power ballads go, it's pretty typical and blah. Still not much happening here. It's good, but not great. Along with "Whoever Brings the Night," probably the most forgettable song on the album.
"The Islander" - accoustic folk in a Celtic vein. Though it is about as opposite from "Master Passion Greed" as you can get, it stands alongside that one as the best track on the album. This song is just absolutely amazing! Marco handles the lead vocals again, with Annette providing a bit of vocal airbrush, so to speak, to all but the first verse. I could listen to this one over and over again. Very reminiscent of Blackmore's Night.
"Last of the Wilds" - an instrumental piece, it keeps with the Celtic folk theme introduced in the previous track, with layers and layers of folk instruments woven around a very simple, basic metal core. This song is a pure delight, and is one of the best songs on the album. It'll remind you very strongly of Cruachan, if you're familiar with them, and even Falconer.
"7 Days to the Wolves" - another incredible song, though in a much slower, more moody vein. Again, Annette's classic pop sensibilities bring a whole extra dimension to this song.
"Meadows of Heaven" - I can't really tell it any better than the other posters here already have. Atmospheric, emphatic, layered brilliance. I wouldn't call it the best song on the cd, but it's definitely up there.
On the whole, I think this is right up there with Wishmaster, Angels Fall First and Oceanborn as their best, most visionary and most ambitious albums!
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