Review Summary: Power Metal at it's perfection
I’ll admit it; I’m a compulsive album buyer. I walk into a store such as Best Buy or FYE and I’m lucky if I escape with one purchase. This is how I first came across Finnish Symphonic/Power Metal group Nightwish. Having already been a fan of their countrymen Sonata Arctica, I figured I would take a chance on this female fronted group. Having heard some about their second album
Oceanborn on Sputnik, I decided this would be my Nightwish starting point, and am I glad it was.
From the opening song Stargazers onward, I was hooked on this album. Combining rapid drumming, atmospheric keys and amazing female operatic vocals, [o]Oceanborn[/i] opened a whole new realm of music to my eyes. From the up tempo tracks like Sacrament of Wilderness and The Riddler, to the slower ballads such as Swanheart and Sleeping Sun,
Oceanborn is perfectly balanced and covers all aspects one might expect from a Power Metal band.
The musical aspects of
Oceanborn are spot on. The drums are standard Power Metal fare, with relentless double bass, but manage to retain a sense of originality with nice fills and the occasional slower tempo amidst the speed. The bass is pretty inaudible, but manages to sneak itself into your aural experience every once in a while. The guitar work is mostly rhythm based, with lots of power chords but does manage to expand with nice solos such as the one in Sleeping Sun, and some catchy lead lines on Stargazers and Passion and the Opera. These instruments really just serve as a backing to the keyboards and vocals, which are front and center on this album.
Keyboards are the musical centerpiece of
Oceanborn. From the blistering key work in the instrumental Moondance to the slow airy keys in Walking In The Air, the keys form the main melody and focus of nearly every track. Along with some orchestral backing on occasional tracks, they give this album a unique identity along with the vocals. The vocals on
Oceanborn were one of the first things to really catch my ear. The classical style may be deemed over the top for some, but really works wonderfully in cohesion with the musical style and direction that Oceanborn goes in. Infectionous vocal parts such as the chorus of Gethsemane and the second verse of Stargazers will get lodged deep in your brain for days to come.
Oceanborn will go down as one of my most revered albums both in the genre of Power Metal and overall. If you are just getting into this genre or Nightwish in general, I highly recommend picking up
Oceanborn, as it may lead to a complete musical euphoria as it did for me.
