Nightwish
End Of An Era

THE REVIEW

An incredibly tasty opportunity for all Nightwish fans. We are facing the first DVD from the Finnish band for Nuclear Blast, documenting an extraordinary show that took place on October 21, 2005, at the Hartwall Arena in Helsinki. Everything is absolutely perfect: the special effects, the lights, the editing, the intensity of the songs, the evocative artwork (a heart about to break, symptomatic in describing what will come) and the beautiful booklet filled with images of Tarja and colleagues experiencing one of the most important moments of their young lives. Everything is perfect. Except for a small, tiny detail: we are facing an illusion, as Nightwish is not a compact and united band, but a group in crisis. In fact, right after the concert, the letter of discord was handed to Tarja. Her adventure with Nightwish has come to an end. It's a strange feeling to see Tuomas overwhelmed with emotion during "Ever Dream" or to see Emppu and Tarja exiting the stage together. The other four members already knew that Tarja would no longer be a member of Nightwish, marking what would truly be the End Of An Era for the band.

The intro “Red Dragon” by Hans Zimmer leads us into the song that has always opened the band's latest concerts: “Dark Chest Of Wonders”, a rush of adrenaline hits all the spectators in the arena. Initially, there's emptiness, but gradually all the band members appear. The orchestra is replaced by pre-recorded parts. With the end comes the explosion of flames, and it's the turn of “Planet Hell,” one of the most epic pieces from the masterpiece “Once”. A grand piece. “Ever Dream” is one of the most intense moments of the show, with Tarja subdued and emotional and Mastermind Tuomas overtaken by emotion. A decisive guitar riff introduces us to the apocalyptic “The Kinslayer,” dedicated to the Columbine High School massacre. Grand “The Phantom And The Opera,” one of the most appreciated covers by fans. The piece creates a great atmosphere, and some spectators let themselves go into a liberating cry. “The Siren” is one of the darkest pieces of the evening. During its execution, images showing the stormy sea are projected. Then Tuomas with his keyboards introduces us to a magical enchanted world: “Sleeping Sun,” perhaps the combo's most famous ballad. Tarja wears the same dress worn in the remake of the old video, dating back to 1999. Snowflakes, misty skies, aurora borealis. Let the lighter ritual begin. “High Hopes” is a Pink Floyd cover that appeared on the recent Best Of “Highest Hopes.” Tuomas's keyboards soothe us with sweet ancient lullabies. The singing parts are obviously entrusted to Marco. “Bless The Child” follows, where the song's introductory words and evocative images are projected. “Wishmaster” is surely the group's anthem par excellence, at least as it becomes clear from the delirious audience. “Slaying The Dreamer” is the fiercest piece in the Finns' entire discography, which is why flames are added to give an even more sinister effect. Tarja proves to be a surprise: she moves around a lot and doesn't seem like the classic opera singer at all but a full-fledged Metalgirl. The end is beautiful when Marco shouts the key lines of the song: “I true hate all!!!”.
“Kuolema Takee Taiteilijan” is a very intimate moment where Tarja is left completely alone; here too the lighters make an appearance... Keyboard riffs introduce us to the famous “Nemo,” the piece of absolute consecration. Tarja wears the same red coat from the video. “Ghost Love Score” is surely the masterpiece of “Once,” with its sudden changes of atmosphere. Images of ancient manuscripts appear, titled “Nightwish.” “Stone People” is a piece interpreted by John Two-Hawks, a native Indian protagonist of the subsequent “Creek’s Mary’s Blood.” The next song is “Over the Hills And Far Away,” a Gary Moore cover. The final part is also sung by the enterprising Marco. The concert closes with “I Wish I Had An Angel,” and the audience goes wild. The piece is presented in a fiercer version than the studio one. It's funny to see little Emppu bouncing here and there. On the notes of "All Of Them" by Hans Zimmer, the show ends while Tarja incites the audience and Emppu throws the picks to the crowd.

The Extra contents consist of a photogallery and a very amusing 55-minute documentary that captures the 2 intense weeks before the great concert. The perfection of the concert is destroyed: the band and Tarja spend most of their time apart, Tarja always travels with her husband Marcelo. Still, it is nice to see her sign autographs and take photos with the fans with an infinite sweetness that I thought she lacked. Faced with all this perfection, why only 4 stars? Simple: The setlist. You can't create a DVD and title it End Of An Era and not include immortal tracks from "Angels Fall First" and "Oceanborn": “Stargazers,” “Beauty And The Beast,” “Gethsemane,” “Sacrament Of Wilderness,” “The Carpenter,” “Walking In The Air”... Not to mention the more recent gems left out for no reason, such as “End Of All Hope” and “Dead Boy’s Poem.” The End Of An Era.