Once

---

---

Editorial reviews

About the Artists
Following in the footsteps of the Gathering and Lacuna Coil (goth-influenced "symphonic" metal bands with female vocalists), Nightwish were formed in Kitee, Finland, in 1997 by keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen. Initially attempting to create acoustic music, he recruited trained opera vocalist Tarja Turunen, but soon added full metal-band instrumentation in the persons of guitarist Emppo Vuorinen, bassist Sami Vänskä, and drummer Jukka Nevalainen. The band's demos landed them a contract with the Finnish label Spinefarm, which released their debut album Angels Fall First in late 1997 (it appeared in the rest of Europe the following year). The follow-up, Oceanborn, appeared in late 1998 and made Nightwish a bonafide mainstream success in their homeland; the album reached the Finnish Top Five and spun off three Top Ten singles. The band toured Europe heavily, consolidating their success, and in 2000 recorded their third album Wishmaster. Not only did it top the Finnish charts, but it also became the group's first album to be released in the US (by Century Media, which reissued their previous albums in 2001 as well). --All Music Guide

---

Customer reviews

review by: Symphonic Metal Fan date: 2008-03-11 rating:
Just behind Oceanborn -and the end of an era..
FANTASTIC ALBUM!!! Second only to Oceanborn and a genuine symphonic metal
masterpiece with a REAL orchestra - Tarja goes out on a high!
My favourite song has to be Ghost Love Score - now if you use You Tube Videos there is an awesome clip whereby a very cleverly edited montage of The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy from start to finish has been set to this amazing song. The quality is perfect and it looks like The Most Expensive Music Video Ever made. Nightwish with Tarja were made for this!
If you like this there are other similiar clips too, Dimmu Borgir/Troy, Metallica/Saving Private Ryan, Metallica/Star Wars, Motorhead/Mad Max,
Rammstein/Lord Of The Rings (specifically orcs,uruk hai,mordor) etc

---

review by: date: 2008-01-03 rating:
Once and for all!
Quite simply one of the most amazing albums ever recorded.
They entwine beauty with passionate aggression amidst a haunting backdrop of native american, eastern and sweeping gothic passages that would make andrew lloyd weber and danny elfman cower in fear.
The experimental style and ambitious texture that Nightwish encompass makes our resident MUSE look like the tweenies.
The riffs are simple but urgent and impressive.
Tarja sings like an angel and has the power to lift your emotions and drop you again with one note.
The lyrics are deep and poetic.
BUY IT

---

review by: willyscarlet date: 2007-05-27 rating:
I'm gobsmacked
listening to this as I write, the other reviews pretty much cover this, but I just had to write, how can such class go un noticed. Maybe it's better to keep this from the mainstream dross. This is too good in it's whole. I will be getting more of their stuff, emmotional, epic, awesome beyond words, maybe just maybe better than Within Temptation. Just got into these guy's as well, it's close. Ahh what the hell I'll listen to that next and enjoy. Everyone who pretends to be a music fan should be made/ forced to listen to this... nuff said. Top class!!!!

---

review by: Matthed date: 2007-05-08 rating:
UNBELIEVEABLE: this is not an exageration
this was without question the finest rock album of 2004, and i consider it to be among the greatest albums ever put together. it's a huge milestone in modern musical acheivement...full stop. it took metallica almost 20 years before they released an album (S & M) which could actually hold a candle to "ONCE".
The highlights of the album are:
Dark Chest of Wonders 10/10 (absolutely incredible song and the perfect start to any nightwish concert)
Wish I Had An Angel 9/10 (not as good as Dark Chest, but certainly a fabulous song and magically epic and catchy- a good choice for a single)
Nemo 10/10, i don't know many people who dont like this song, a stunning invention of romantic rock and a terrific addition to any rock album
Planet Hell 10/10, terribly brilliant in every way, the cellos at the beginning with the choir really hyping you up in a way u never thought they could and leading into my favourite duet of all time
Creek Mary's Blood 8/10, slow starting, but magical and enjoyable
The Siren 9/10, wonderful and a great guitar part.
Romanticide 10/10, fantastic and very heavy. Perfect for any heavy metal bar.
Ghost Love Score 10+/10, easily one of the top 5 songs ever written by modern person, this rates as one of my favourite songs of all time and any nightwish fan would agree its probably nightwish's best song. incredible, in a word.
Kuolema Tekee Taiteitijan 9/10, beauiful and poignant.

The other two songs i missed out, Dead Gardens and Higher Than Hope and still great songs, but do not compare to the rest of this wonderous album. Seriously, i dont think any rock fan will be disappointed with this album and if i could give it 6 stars, i would- as im sure the others would...


review by: date: 2007-03-27 rating:
More great Finnish music
Perhaps it's the weather, but Finland keeps producing great metal and rock music,especially of the Goth genre. However, this is by no means Goth-by-mumbers like certain, inferior acts, and the music, indoubtedly dramatic, is balanced with excellent, poetic lyrics, to ensure the music doesn't become cheesy, unlike some lesser symphonic/Goth metal bands.
The diversity in Nightwish's sound is best shown in 'Creek Mary's Blood', which features traditional Native American chanting and instrumentation, courtesy of John Two Hawks, and 'The Siren', with Tarja's vocals (outstanding throughout), adding to the track's Middle Eastern flavour, with a sitar thrown in for good measure.
The guitar work is heavy, and the rifs and solos will please any Metallica fans, yet they also know when to soften things up, with some nice acoustic guitar work.
To call this a simple metal release doesn't do it justice, its scope is just breathtaking, much like a film score. On the one hand you have heavier, more 'commercial' tracks like 'Nemo' and 'Wish I Had An Angel', and on the other, 'Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan'(the album's big ballad, sung in Finnish)and 'Ghost Love Score', ten minutes of the finest metal- of any genre- you'll ever hear. The only thing missing from it is the epic film it sounds like it was composed for.
Anyone after metal that is emotive, inventive, yet heavy, should certainly give Nightwish, and this album, the 'Once' over. (sorry about the awful pun)

---

Similar products

Dark Passion Play: Special Edition
Century Child
Oceanborn
Wishmaster
The Heart of Everything

---

Similar categories

Music . Styles . Hard Rock & Metal . Bestsellers
Music . Styles . Hard Rock & Metal . Heavy Metal
Music . Styles . Hard Rock & Metal . General AAS
Music . Styles . Rock . Indie Rock & Punk . Goth
Music . Refinements . Format (binding_browse-bin) . CD . CD Album

---