Nightwish
Eva

It has been talked about for a long time now, perhaps too long; the rumors about the new frontwoman of Nightwish have been numerous, many unfounded, but with great discretion, Tuomas Holopainen's band managed to keep the secret until the last moment. The news has just been made official: the Swede Anette Olzon has become the new singer of the famous Finnish band, the one to whom her teammates have decided to entrust the position that was once worthily occupied by the charismatic, talented, and beloved Tarja Turunen, who was dismissed within the group, without notice and for somewhat questionable reasons following a highly successful world tour that ended in 2005, immortalized in the recently released DVD "End Of An Era".

The year 2006, apart from the exhausting wait to which the music world has been subjected, was not actually a real year of hiatus. Fans were rightly entertained by a series of publicity stunts and constant interviews by industry magazines, while Tuomas and his companions had the opportunity to write some of the songs that will be part of Nightwish's new studio album, the sixth of their career, currently scheduled for September. Among these will also be "Eva", the first single released, available only through legal musical downloads starting May 30.

Considering the peculiarities of this release, somewhat questionable even from a mere commercial standpoint, I feel I must announce right from the start that, in order to have a clear idea of our new musical direction, the usefulness of this song is practically nil. A simple track, a small consolation prize that once again brews a notable sense of suspense which ultimately will only be satisfied exclusively with the upcoming release. "Eva" is nothing more than this; on the one hand, it allows us to (partially) discover the potential of the new singer, and on the other, it leaves one rather bewildered about the musical direction they have decided to take. There is nothing left but to listen to this track to grant yourself a brief and fleeting contact with the new Nightwish.

The notes of a piano, supported well by strings and winds, transport us immediately into a triumph of classical grandeur characterized by the classic atmospheres of the more mellow episodes of the old albums, sweet and melancholic like a winter sunset in Lapland. Anette's voice, rather graceful in style but somewhat lacking in overall impact, helps to spread a pleasant and soothing sensation, especially thanks to a performance in which it is impossible to find the slightest excess. Her progress is rather calm and only caresses the listener and melts their defenses, even if in reality it is the orchestral section that is the true strength of the track. Only at the end do we witness a small electronic incursion from the guitars: a vibrant solo by Emppu launches the track into its final reprise, the culmination of an episode that leaves a bitter aftertaste as it conveys the evident sensation of not being in the presence of a masterpiece. Unfortunately, there are no traces of innovation in this single: the newcomer proves to be professional and prepared, but in more than four minutes she fails to convey the emotions that Tarja's voice spread in the heart in just a few seconds. The metal component is completely absent: it is a fairly cute ballad that in some ways even harks back to the winter climates of "Angels Fall First" and "Oceanborn", but compared, for example, to "Forgiven" by Within Temptation or "Cry With A Smile" by After Forever, it cannot help but lose the challenge and disappear into nothingness. Only the romantic atmosphere infused in these notes, as well as the dreamy lyrics, do not disappoint expectations.

"Eva" earns a full and confident pass, but I am far from intending to issue a definitive judgment on the new course of Nightwish; after all, one song is still too little to understand and evaluate it. The band has decided to make us wait a little longer, perhaps to make a splash and erase in one fell swoop the glories of the two "rival" bands mentioned above, and we can only submit to their will with a simple yet far from futile hope of seeing them reign once more on the throne of symphonic metal.