Album Rating: 2.5

"The overly bloated nature of the songwriting has been an increasing bane on Nightwish since Imaginaerum, and it reaches new peaks here. Despite how much they're trying to make everything sound epic, it all comes out suffocating, exhausting. Another waste of Floor Jansen's massive talent."



i'm not sure i agree - i think the songwriting is quite subtle here (in context, at least) and the divergence between her rather subtle approach here just makes her live performances seem all the more surprising and overwhelming. it's an interesting dynamic.

Album Rating: 3.0

it's not II it's ||

Album Rating: 4.0

Big European arena tour in 2018 and people are asking why they are still around.... okay then..

Album Rating: 3.0

“They're both bland, imo. Tuomas is complacent and Floor isn't enough to offset that”

I don’t think she has much of a choice. I read an interview with Tuomas last year where he said all the music was finished but none of the other band members had heard it/seen it. Sounds like she didn’t get any creative input and we all know what happens to the singers Tuomas doesn’t like

Tuomas is a great songwriter but I feel like we've heard all his good ideas already imo.

Album Rating: 3.0

Not sure how I feel about this, I'm going to give it some more spins.



You know what really stuck out to me, though? There's nothing spectacular in here. Nothing that truly impressed me, makes the hair on my neck stand, nothing that gets me excited.



You know what I always loved about Nightwish albums, they had their parts that not a single other band in the world could replicate. The choruses of The Greatest Show on Earth gives me chills every time I listen. I get the same feeling from Song of Myself, Ghost Love Score, Poet and the Pendulum. It's not just song length: there's real emotion being conveyed through those songs that stirs something in me when I listen.



I'm pretty disappointed I haven't found that on this album. That said, there are some good songs in here.



Oh yeah, and I'm never listening to the second disc again, that was a waste of half an hour.

Album Rating: 2.0

I don’t think she has much of a choice. I read an interview with Tuomas last year where he said all the music was finished but none of the other band members had heard it/seen it. Sounds like she didn’t get any creative input and we all know what happens to the singers Tuomas doesn’t like

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

If he has ran out of inspiration, maybe it's time to become a little more collaborative.



Edit: Although I don't know if that would help either. Marco's solo album was trash, and Revamp was bland as fuck.

Album Rating: 4.0

He can collaborate more with Emppu and they can just do more power metal songs! I don't know how many fans who like the softer symphonic side of Nightwish would like it, but whatever....I'd love it.

Album Rating: 3.0

"You know what really stuck out to me, though? There's nothing spectacular in here. Nothing that truly impressed me, makes the hair on my neck stand, nothing that gets me excited."



agreed dude, first listen left me pretty unimpressed.

Album Rating: 3.0

There’s a lot of what feels like build off but no payoff, except for Shoemaker I suppose.



I hope they go back to their more epic/power metal side next time

Album Rating: 1.5

i just found out anette olzon is in a band called the dark element and they have like 2 albums already lol

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

The new Dark Element wasn't bad, actually.

Album Rating: 3.5 | Sound Off

Double Post... but only because no one else has posted here in the last hour.

Finally listened to the second disc and it's a total waste. I figured the instrumental disc would at least be the whole band, but it's just orchestral bullshit.

Album Rating: 2.5

Listened to the first disc again and today it struck me as self-indulgent and bloated. As others have stated here, nothing really seems to stick out. Noise might still be my favorite track, and even that one is chug-chug Nightwish par for the course.



However I still do appreciate the expert musicianship on display here. I just wish I could get more into it. Maybe it needs a few more spins.

Album Rating: 4.0

"Finally listened to the second disc and it's a total waste. I figured the instrumental disc would at least be the whole band, but it's just orchestral bullshit."



I don't feel as strongly, but yeah....I was extremely disappointed aside from the two tracks I discuss in the review. I'm a huge fan of E.S Posthumus and Two Steps from Hell so I am okay with strictly orchestral and instrumental stuff, but for the most part this second disc did nothing for me.





"You know what really stuck out to me, though? There's nothing spectacular in here. Nothing that truly impressed me, makes the hair on my neck stand, nothing that gets me excited."



Tbh, only Shoemaker, Pan, and Tribal did that for me. The other songs took time to digest after a few listens. I don't know how much you've listened to Oceanborn or Wishmaster, but Pan is peak 2000 Nightwish. I haven't stopped listening to it for the past week.

Album Rating: 2.5

"I read an interview with Tuomas last year where he said all the music was finished but none of the other band members had heard it/seen it. Sounds like she didn’t get any creative input and we all know what happens to the singers Tuomas doesn’t like"





Can't see him wanting to go vocalist hunting again at this point in their careers, but I see your point. I think Tuomas has been that way with the production process for a good while now.

Album Rating: 2.5

tuomas just wanna make pretty music about the space dust

Album Rating: 3.0

"I don't know how much you've listened to Oceanborn or Wishmaster"



Obsessively

Album Rating: 2.0

Pretty boring, I still don't like the new vocalist. I miss Tarja.