Nightwish
Amaranth

Once upon a time, there were the Nightwish, an extraordinary Finnish band capable of blending the fervor and contagious drive of power metal with the grandeur of orchestral elements and the poetic melancholy of the Great North, all sublimated by a stunning female lyrical voice, which made them unique in their genre compared to Stratovarius, Rhapsody, and Angra. Between 1997 and 2000, this band released three masterpieces: "Angels Fall First," "Oceanborn," and "Wishmaster"; songs like "The Carpenter," "Nymphomaniac Fantasia," "Lappi," "Stargazers," "Sleeping Sun," "Walking In The Air," "She Is My Sin," "Wishmaster" or "Bare Grance Misery" are simply marvelous, evocative and exciting songs that have deservedly become an integral part of the soundtrack of my life. Then came the good "Century Child" (2000) and "Once" (2004), which enriched the band's sound with more gothic and introspective elements, effectively marking their final artistic swan song, given the tumultuous departure of the charismatic vocalist Tarja Turunen.

Three years later, the band reappears (or rather, dares to reappear) to the public with "Dark Passion Play," and this album really sucks: a true sellout to commercial and MTV-style gothic trends. The genuine example of this total sellout and loss of credibility is the single "Amaranth": the song itself lives on the decent creative vein of guitarist Emppu Vuorinen and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, who were the composing souls of the band, but the result is so predictable and easy-listening that it gives you diarrhea after two, at most three listens, lyrics included: "Need someone to blame, In the end, little he can do alone, You believe but what you see? You receive but what you give?" AND WHAT THE HELL DOES IT MEAN, WHERE HAS THE POETRY OF MY NIGHTWISH GONE????

Let's draw seven merciful veils over the "singer" Anette Olzon (who recently even duetted with the Rasmus, no comment...) Amy Lee may also be a commercial product but I dare anyone to say she can't sing, this Swedish damsel, on the other hand, is really pathetic, with that chirpy tone eager for gothicisms and that ridiculous vocal range, that compared to her Avril Lavigne seems like Liv Kristine.

In short, I wish this pathetic cover band to meet the same fate that Litfiba unjustly met with Cabo, unless Holopanien gives the walking papers IMMEDIATELY to the pretty (but not even that) Anette and they call in her place a singer worthy of the Nightwish name. In conclusion, avoid the album and single like yellow fever, an authentic manifesto of the disintegration and total artistic flop of what was once a great band, what sadness.... Oh well, now I'm going to listen to "My Winter Storm," to lift my spirits a bit)

PS: TARJA, I LOVE YOU!!!