Nightwish
Oceanborn

THE REVIEW

I was there wandering around that music store, looking for an album to take home as a memento of the trip. I was browsing the rock section and there were tons of albums, famous, very well-known ones, but I already had those CDs. I also looked at some vinyl records placed at the back of the shop, but nothing, there was nothing that really interested me.

At a certain point, I went towards the metal hard-rock section. I must say there was a sea of interesting albums. They ranged from power-metal to prog-metal all the way to heavy-metal. But even there, I had most of the albums. Until I looked up and saw "Oceanborn", by Nightwish, an album I had been searching for a long time and never found. I didn’t think twice and bought it. I had heard very good things about this band.

Nightwish is a Finnish power-metal symphonic-metal group founded in 1996. The band's musical style is described as epic-metal and opera-metal. The band officially formed in 1996 in Finland, specifically in Kitee. The name of the group, which means "Night Wish", was taken from one of the songs on their first demo. Much of the success the band has achieved over the years is primarily due to the wonderful voice of Tarja Turunen, a student of opera singing in Germany, and previously at the Sibelius Academy in Finland. The musicians who form the band are also very talented, and this is evident in the instrumental pieces that are performed with great mastery of the instrument.

"Oceanborn" is their second album. For the group, it was the album of their worldwide consecration. The cover is very beautiful, with an owl carrying a message in the foreground, and an eye with the earth in place of the pupil watching a woman in water, floating. In the distance on the right, you can glimpse two planets, symbolizing that we are in a fantastical world.

The album starts off very fast with "Stargazers" which is characterized by an intro of drums, guitar, and keyboard. All of it prepares for the entrance of Tarja's voice into the song. "Gethsemane" features a great use of keyboards once again. In this case, Tarja's voice is much more reflective and used in a slower tone. Here too, the instruments try to best support Tarja's voice, the true driving force of the band. The third track "Devil And The Dark Deep Ocean" is characterized by a dialogue between Tarja, who plays the Ocean, and the band's guitarist Empuu, who plays the Devil. A track with much harder guitar and drums than the previous songs. "Swanheart" is the most beautiful track on the album, with Tarja's voice initially left alone by the other instruments, free to express itself in all its beauty. A very sweet song with a very slow pace. Truly wonderful. "Moondance" is an instrumental piece that resembles a Russian dance. The progression of the song is very peculiar. "The Riddler" is a unique track, in typical Nightwish style. Characterized by great orchestral scores performed by keyboards. The progression of the track resembles the notes of "The NeverEnding Story". Among the most beautiful songs on the album. In "Pharao Sails To Orion", the duet of the third track is repeated. It becomes clear how the contrast between Tarja's voice and a lower voice is a strong point of the band.

This album is truly unique, thanks especially to Tarja's voice, one of the most beautiful in the metal scene. Capable of reaching impressive vocal harmonies. The sound of the album is truly unique and offers very beautiful moments in terms of melody. Indeed, Nightwish's music is a melodic and intimate metal. A genre that they represent at their best. Over the years, the band has always managed to maintain a personal style that has improved over time, always highlighting the splendid voice of Tarja.