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Once
Artist: Nightwish
Label: Roadrunner
Length: 13 tracks / 69:12
It’s not often that a song comes on the radio as I’m driving down the highway, tells me it’s Rick James, and nearly smacks me right off the road. The last time I heard a song that good on the radio for the first time was Creed’s My Own Prison eight years ago. Well, it’s happened again.
Nightwish’s "Nemo" (track three on this album) had me describing the song and asking my friends and contacts if they knew who recorded it for nearly a week before I identified it and promptly purchased the album.
"Nemo" begins with subdued pulse-pounding that aptly builds into heavy guitars and sweet female vocals. If you like lulls and build-ups closing with electric guitar soloing, you’ll enjoy this song as much as I do.
Nightwish takes Canterbury prog into thick distorted speed metal dimensions while retaining classic medieval chord progressions. More than anyone else, they resemble Blind Guardian—but with more frequent orchestral accompaniment and beautiful female vocals from Tarja Turunen. Tarja’s Celtic trills initially had me thinking of an Irish band instead of a Finnish one. Yeah, I know. I should have known better since all progressive metal bands are Scandinavian.
Most of the songs have beautiful enigmatic lyrics. Some of the time, their message sounds pagan (and by that I mean actual pagan, not just non-Christian), but I found it easy to connect with their idealism, for example in "Dark Chest of Wonders:"
Faith brought me hereThe lyrical themes are classic goth, and they are very nicely done. The entire album is above average. Most of their songs are Celtic ballads wrapped in the muscles of speed metal. I was especially pleased to find another tune to equal "Nemo." That being the previously mentioned lead track, "Dark Chest of Wonders." Every time you think you’ve heard the chorus, you realize it was just a bridge to an even better chorus. This works for a great symphonic effect and this song isn’t the only time they use it. _Once_ earns a belated #4 spot on my Top Ten Albums of 2004 list. I can’t wait to start obtaining this band’s back catalog.
It’s time to cut the rope and fly
Fly to a dream
Far across the sea
All the burdens gone
Open the chest once more
Dark chest of wonders
Seen through the eyes
Of the one with pure heart
Once so long ago
Dan Singleton
May 21, 2005
