Nightwish – Endless Forms Most Beautiful

A melodic journey across the vast spectrum of music, symphonic metal act Nightwish prepare to launch their newest adventure, Endless Forms Most Beautiful in the USA on March 31^st. With album art that elicits stares and features an immense amount of detail, fans of this artful musical group will certainly not be disappointed. Nightwish often embark on transporting the listener to faraway lands with eloquent lyricism and songs that are both new yet distantly familiar. This album is no exception to the rule, as the band progresses forward with a sound that is both unique to Endless Forms Most Beautiful but harbors elements that tie it beautifully with their past. Featuring a new vocalist whose voice is a happy medium between the band’s two former singers, Nightwish’s ability to consistently present new and powerful material is both outstanding and awe inspiring.

NIGHTWISH – Shudder Before The Beautiful (OFFICIAL TRACK)

[embedplusvideo height=”350″ width=”600″ editlink=”http://bit.ly/1F5d3UT” standard=”http://www.youtube.com/v/5diJsEdLS_8?fs=1″ vars=”ytid=5diJsEdLS_8&width=600&height=350&start=&stop=&rs=w&hd=0&autoplay=0&react=1&chapters=&notes=” id=”ep9382″ /]

With 11 tracks and 79 minutes to amaze, Endless Forms Most Beautiful is inspired by Charles Darwin’s infamous quote “There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.”

The album opens with “Shudder Before the Beautiful”, featuring a spoken piece before hitting hard with a heavy beat. Certain audible quirks are very reminiscent of the previous album, Imaginaerium with a chorus style that will definitely bring nostalgia to long-time Nightwish fans. This song is definitely a good opening for this album.

“Weak Fantasy” follows in suit, twisting the sound darker, with a deep and dark hum much like “Dark Passion Play”. The incredible vocal range of Floor Jansen makes this album all its own. The impressive change from soft to hard in the vocalist’s voice makes this song a statement piece. The folk instrumental kick near the end of the song is quite standard for a Nightwish melody, and that is definitely one of the main factors that conveyances the listener to another world.

“Elan”, the first single, is a beautiful and soft celtic sound that switches the vibe. “Yours is an Empty House” switches back to a darker, twisted metal sound, leaving the listener on the edge of their seat. Heavy guitars and impressive instrumentals partner brilliantly with the intense, edgy duet vocals featuring both Floor Jansen and Marco Hietala. The vocals definitely bring this song closer to the “symphonic metal” genre, offering a very cinematic feel to the entire CD.

NIGHTWISH – Élan (OFFICIAL VIDEO)

[embedplusvideo height=”350″ width=”600″ editlink=”http://bit.ly/1F5cwST” standard=”http://www.youtube.com/v/zPonioDYnoY?fs=1″ vars=”ytid=zPonioDYnoY&width=600&height=350&start=&stop=&rs=w&hd=0&autoplay=0&react=1&chapters=&notes=” id=”ep8209″ /]

Because no album is complete without a slow, classical love song, “Our Decades in the Sun” can bring tears to the eyes of those who relate to its emotional lyrics and piano ballad. The stunning operatic vocals are highlighting brilliantly in this tune.

“My Walden” ties the album even closer to a traditional folk sound by introducing a bag pipe to the impressive list of instruments featured on Nightwish albums. A powerful ballad that will more than likely find itself on the setlist for the upcoming tour, “Walden” is one of the most memorable songs on this 2015 release. A chorus that will linger in your mind long after the album is done.

The title track, “Endless Forms Most Beautiful” embody this album to the fullest extent, featuring elements present in each and every song. A gradual mix of soft and hard, edge and tradition, this soundtrack worthy song tells a story from beginning to end! The chorus is catchy and beautiful written, exciting the adventurer that lies deep in us all.

“Edema Ruh” is a very fantasy, almost middle-earth inspired track, an unexpected track to find its way on this album. Exquisitely performed and executed, this song certainly gives the audience member an escape from the heavy nature of the previous songs.

Next on the list is “Alpenglow”, a song whose opening notes already predict a catchy tune reminiscent of past albums. The vocals will certainly send shivers down your spine, as the song unravels a unique catch in the vocal style.

“The Eyes of Sharbat Gula” is an instrumental piece, a precursor to the final ‘encore’ track. Nightwish is notable for their impressive instrumentals, as the mind behind the band is a talented and skillful composer. The melodic pieces definitely highlight the polish and skill of this band, a rather uncommon find in modern music.

The final track on the album, “The Greatest Show on Earth”, is a whopping 20+ minutes long and divided into five parts. A truly incredibly impressive track, most definitely composer and songwriter Tuomas Holopainen highlight. A track like this would remind anyone of a traditional opera, unwrapping a beautiful story in a variety of different forms. With spoken parts that definitely embody the album’s concept, this song ties each and every past song to itself.

Connect with Nightwish! (click on the icons):

by Anabel DFlux, RockRevolt Magazine Photographer and Journalist