The UK Connection-Nightwish: Favorite & Least Favorite Albums
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ก.ย. 2024
- Join Pete Pardo, Simon Bray, and Steven Reid for a discussion of their favorite & least favorite albums by Finnish symphonic metal veterans Nightwish. #nightwish
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Big thumbs up for a future Motorhead episode.
Yes👍👍
Me again, sorry, forgot to thank Simon for namechecking Richard Stilgoe and Pebble Mill at One and confusing our American friends once again!
Remember big, jovial presenter Donnie B McLeod? Interesibg fact, his son Dave was the rock show presenter on NE Scotland's Northsound, who went on to become a Channel 4 continuity announcer. Just thought I'd mention it...
My opinion: there is no Nightwish without Tuomas, he is a musical and creative genius, a true maestro. And Floor could never be replaced, she is the perfect voice for the band and one of the greatest female vocalists of all time - she is THE Queen of Metal. I also think their live albums (with Floor) are the best albums to have - the band is at their best on stage: "Showtime, Storytime" (Wacken 2013); "Vehicle of Spirit" (Wembley and Tampere 2015); and "Decades: Live In Buenos Aires" (2018) are all phenomenal performances and essential live albums for any fan of metal
Floor is my favorite singer. I prefer her versions of the classic songs. Their streamed concerts of different festivals this summer were amazing. Made me appreciate some songs from their latest album much more. Like you three said the album as a whole though is a bit boring.
Have you reacted to floor's side project Northward?
I think I agree with Steven in that the best years of the band were the Anette Olzon years where they focused on just doing good symphonic metal without me feeling like they were constantly trying to fill the entire audio spectrum with one noise or another. For me, nothing is worse for dating music than over-production - it happened in the 1980's and Nightwish are masters of it.
To be honest, a lot of this female-lead operatic and gothic metal peaked around 2010 for me and then just got very samey - Nightwish, Lacuna Coil and The Gathering are three bands that I enjoyed a lot around that time, but their stuff leaves me cold now.
Operatic and gothic metal? 2010 is calling and it wants you back.
I pretty much agree with all of that Terry.
I’m not a fan of Nightwish and don’t own anything by them but there is no way I’m missing an episode of The UK Connection. Pete has put together a wonderful, funny, informative trio who will keep you entertained and wanting more. Thanks Pete, Simon and Steven Reid. SOT IS THE BEST CHANNEL ON TH-cam
Thanks Sam!
Thank you Sam!
Just watched Floor singing all the parts at Hellfest . Sounded great 😁👍
Interesting discussion. Lots of discussions regarding the 3 different singers. No one just remembers that it's the music of Tuomas that counts. He is for sure not an average power metal composer. The guy is a genius.
Funny they kept saying 'they' decided etc.....There is only one who decides....and that's TH.
As usual, the trio” did a bang up job. Thx. Steven: Simon : PETE. 🍺 beers: laughs / 😂music /. Saturday afternoon 👍💯
Thanks Gary!
Floor is my favorite vocalist for Nightwish. I agree with Pete in that her vocals strike the perfect balance for symphonic metal.
One thing Floor does is sing the whole catalogue in an exemplary fashion. A wild card would have to be one of the live albums, Showtime, Story Time or Decades with Floor killing it. As no one, on the panel or comments, seems to like Human II Nature (yes, rubbish title), I’ll stick up for it. Every song on the first CD is very good and some, Music, Noise, Shoemaker, Pan, How’s The Heart, Tribal are excellent. Floor’s singing is evident and immaculate throughout, and the performances of those songs in the live set of their current tour demonstrate how good they are. The largely instrumental second half, is a matter of taste. I like it but don’t listen to it much, or occasionally skip to the final part - Ad Astra - with Floor’s vocalisation.
I would say that as they have evolved - and not always to everyone’s taste, but it can be quite refreshing to have a band leader who never wants to keep circling the same patch of ground - they have lost the immediacy of some of their early songs. The composition is more complex, the metal tendencies more muted. Yet on Endless Forms they still had the riff-tastic power of Yours is an Empty Hope and the poppyness of Elan. It will be interesting to see what the next record (out of a trilogy starting with EFMB) brings.
Favourites- Once & Endless Forms most Beautiful
Least Favourite - Century Child & Dark Passion Play
Wild Card - Imaginaerum
It was surpising to me how many of their albums I found I really liked when I relistened to them all over the past week. It made choosing the least favourites and Wild Card quite difficult as I dont think tere are any real duffers in the catalogue - there are two or three that to me arent quite so good as the others though.
I'll start with the Wild Card.
After going through the first three albums I was going to pick one of them becuase they are great powermetal albums, and I nearly went with their first, Angels Fall First, as its pretty much devoid of their later operatic orchestral trappings and has a good dose of Emppu's guitar soloing. Then as I got deeper into the catalogue I found that maybe I should pick a live album with Floor seeing as she's such a great vocalist. But then I finally decided that while the first Anette album fell to the bottom of my list it sounded as though Holopainen may have wirtten the music on Imaginaerum to better suit her voice. It was also one of their albums that I wanted to listen to again - however it battled it out with Endless Forms for favourite and just fell down due to the end of the last part of Song of Myself with the spoken narratives I think it would have been better to have left those off. Otherwise I really enjoyed it - though I'm sure many may rank it lower down.
So least favourites -
Century Child has some great stuff on it but it ws also one of the albums where I got fed up with listening to it around three quarters of the way through, then when I went back to it I started off again with the phantom of the Opera - pretty much what the originaly should have sounded like. not a bad album just one taht I grew a bt tired of.
Dark Passion Play - When it first came out I thought Anette's voice was a bit of fresh air after the operatics of Tarja - but that may have been because there were other bands of this ilk popping up around that time and I was growing tired of lisening to female sopranos over a detuned heavy guitar, orhestral backing and saw tooth keyboards. Relistening I found Anette's vice to sound a bit thin and weak, it was alsmost as though he music had been written for Tarja and Anette had to struggle to hit the notes? It was also one where I abandoned it part way through. Its still a great album but not quite as good, in my opinion as the ones before or after.
I very nearly chose Human 2 Nature however while disc 2 is all orchestral, I didnt really mind that and disc one is pretty ok.
I also nearly chose Over the Hills and Far Away if only for it being an extended e.p. and having a , to me, sacriligious cover of a Gary Moore classic. The live stuff saved it to be honest - though that was nearly shot down with heir cover of Walking in the Air.
Favourites -
Once - This may well be a common pick for favourite. To me it brings together everything done previously and builds it up to this album. While Tarja had started to annoy me on Century Child she didnt on this one and there are some pretty damn good tunes across the whole of it (still humming Wish I Had an Angel now). Had to play it a couple or three times
Endless Forms Most Beautiful - I was toying with putting Imaginaerum as a favourite as while this has the magnificent vocals of Floor Jansen it also has the Greatest Show of Earth that nearly knocked it downwards. After relistening a few times though, it was really Floor's vocals on that track that convnced me to put it as a favourite above Imaginaerum.
If I could have chosen 3 favourites though I'd have added Imaginaerum to Once and Endless Forms and my wild card would have been my 4 disc collection of their output from 1997-2001 that has Angels Fall First/ Oceanborn/ Wishmaster and Over the Hills in it. And if choosing 3 least favourites I think I would have added Human 2 Nature though it would have been a close run thing with Over the Hills.
Great stuff as always Terry!
First thing I noticed Simon what happened to the iconic Unmasked poster
I discovered more of my old bedroom posters Darren, so Unmasked has been retired... for now.
I have literally NEVER heard a #Nightwish song... arghhhh! Where should I start?
Wacken 2013 on TH-cam
Really looking forward to this one. As time goes on I actually prefer the Tarja albums even more. Oceanborn is probably my favourite followed by once. Floor despite being an amazing vocalist I feel has weaker material and I have no desire to listen to human 2 nature again, for that reason it is probably the weakest album. Love nightwish though, amazing band
Another great video guys! Agreed they need to go back to a 48min album with no filler. Favourites for me -
1.Once (seem to remember this being the best selling album in Europe for six weeks straight when it came out)
2.Dark Passion Play (Annette Olzon wasn`t in the band for that long but she`s on this and that can`t be taken away from her!)
Least favourite -
Human2Nature
Wildcard-
Century Child
I met Troy Donockley a couple of times in the pub after he`d guested with Mostly Autumn some years ago. Apart from looking after his pipes for him (the set he has are worth a few thousand he said)on the pavement outside the pub whilst he got a round in he did a fancy levitating magic trick for us and I believe he is actually in the Magic Circle? Nice chap!
Lastly, lost count of the amount of times I`ve watched the video of Nightwish performing `Ghost Love Score` with Floor Jansen on vocals at Wacken 2013. Wow!
Great stuff. Thanks for watching!
Based on my week of listening (only heard like one or two songs before this week's homework)
Favourite: Endless Forms Most Beautiful, Once
Least': Angels Fall First, Dark Passion Play
Wild Card: Human II Nature (orchestral disc and all)
Honestly though if you like this kind of stuff they seem like a band who won't let you down. All pretty consistent
I genuinely don't know what to expect from them in the future, the fact that the entire rhythm section is now gone (one of my all time favorites of Marko and Jukka), not to mention an incredible vocalist, scares me just a bit.
To each their own but I never got into nightwish or symphonic metal…it always sounds a bit Eurovision to me…like Anna with strings attached…just not my cup of tea or mazer of mead. Like I say though - To each their own. Yes Motörhead please .. proper rock and roll
ABBA not Anna….stupid phone!!!😂
Absolutely Al, we can't all like everything - I sure don't!
Please do Motorhead. One of the all time greatest bands with so much choice for your picks
Another thing about Floor: she seems to have a more "agreeable" personality than the other two, which means fewer conflicts. Although I bet she had some stipulations in her contract about not being overworked on tour with too little rest between shows or over long tours. Either that or Thomas finally learned that he couldn't over tax his singer's voice anymore and keep his singer. What they did with Anette was ridiculous with the length of her first tour, which was almost two years!
Finally saw them at Terminal 5 this year after a couple of covid postponements and they were f’in fantastic.
Dark Passion Play is my fave album . Chock full of emotion . Without that emotion they kind of fall flat ( last 2 albums).
I was at the same gig, was on the barrier right in front of Floor
Great discussion tonight chaps I'm a Big Annette fan and she did not deserve the flack she got.
Favourites
1 Dark Passion The Poet and the Pendulum is my favourite song by Nightwish
2. Once Wish I Had an Angel & Nemo the Dogs Do Do's
Least Favourites
1.Human. :II: Nature.
2. Endless Forms Most Beautiful both not enough Floor singing as she fantastic when you hear her
Wild Card
Vehicle of Spirit because Floor nails the vocals from both Tarja and Annette era's
Great choices!
Cool to see you here Iain.
Cheers UK Connection. Floor is an amazing singer. Love the live performance from 2013 Wacken everything on it.
Floor's value is her live performances. She can handle the Tarja songs and put her own stamp on it. In the studio? Bit player.
Tarja was much better
@@jormungandr7885 😂🤡
Hello chaps, another great episode. I sort fell off nightwish train during annette period not her fault, i think it was lack of product. I was so into floor's voice in after forever, really excited when she joined nightwish, but they seem to be wasting her talents. Not seen them with floor as i'am getting old and don't want to sit/stand in large sheds getting fleeced. Definatively reccomend any one of the scintila of live albums. P.S thanks simon for pebble mill reference, and stephen for honest opinion on the fluffery. See we can all make up words.
I'll be using fluttery at some point Ian. Cheers!
@@TranquilityFireReid lubbery answer. Which of the social media is everyone on? Bit new to all this nonsense, ta.
A tall glass of lactose free milk over ice (old man style) and fresh baked chocolate chip cookies.
Tuning in for the recommendations this week.
Tracking down the first of the winter ales for next week.
Nice show as always.My favorite Nightwish album is Wishmaster.
Can't stand anything post Taria. I love Floor, but only in After Forever.
Least Favorites:
Human. :II: Nature. Just way too self indulgent. Very unmemorable and boring.
Angels Fall First. Trying to determine what they wanted to do. Not terrible, I just don't ever go back to this one.
Favorites:
Century Child. Ever Dream is one of my favorite tunes, not just Nightwish, but favorite tunes.
Once. Creek Mary's Blood and Ghost Love Score ...c'mon...amazing!
Wildcards:
Dark Passion Play. Start to Finnish (see what I did there...), some of the best songwriting they've done. Really strong album, but I came in with Tarja, so she will always rank high for me.
Showtime, Storytime. What an amazing live performance! I was already a fan of After Forever and Floor stepped into the lineup flawlessly. EASILY the greatest version of Ghost Love Score in existence.
This one is a struggle for me as I own nothing by them though I probably should like them. I love symphonic classical music and opera, I'm prog rock and enjoy various prog metal bands of different hues, but any time I heard them on internet radio stations, I've hated them and been left hugely cold and underwhelmed by what I hear. Yet upon watching the epica ranking the albums show, I've invested in epica even though maybe not all Pete's highest rated ones. Not everything is top notch but plenty to enjoy. I either need to invest time in nightwish or else assume other bands in the genre more aligned with epica is where I should concentrate. So definitely interested seeing where the favourites are tonight
I'll be interested in what you thought of the albums Gary.
I'll give them a shot, and individually, the elements should have made this a no brained, but just never clicked with me. Let you know what I think, but from the show, it feels like I'll admire some earlier albums more, and then I'll add my favs, hopefully before the next show!!
I don’t know but to me that beer Pete has just has a prog looking marshmallow on it lol. Maybe Pete had more than one lol
At one stage Nightwish were probably my favourite band. I still love them, and will be seeing them again in November, but I don't listen to them as much these days.
Favourites: Dark Passion Play & Once
Least Favourites: Angels Fall First & Human. :||: Nature.
Wildcard: Vehicle of Spirit (as I was at the London show)
Favorite: Once
Runner-Up: Dark Passion Play
Least Favorite: Human :II: Nature
Wild Card: Angels Fall First
I agree with a lot of things..
At first I thought.. pfff it's easy.. this albums and those and then after listening to the entire catalogue, I got like.. "hmm damn.. it's not that easy now"
My favs:
Once: the very first song I ever heard was NEMO. I HATE the video because they cut the pre-solo part, but that song was my push to get into their music.
Dark Passion Play: it's a masterpiece..ooor another masterpiece. All the songs are great.
I saw them during the DPP tour and Anette and company were awesome!
Least fav
angels fall first: it has a few classics/hits but after a while I was... when is this going to end?! it gets boring and the backing vocals are painful.
human - nature: it's a better album than I thought. The big problem is the second part, it could be a Tuomas side project. I like it!! it almost made me cry !! but I want nightwish to be a heavy metal band.
I agree that Tarja is not the best vocalist and that operatic style can make you feel fatigued, I also agree that her solo career is not great.. the first two records are very good and then... where is Tarja?
I agree Anette is a great singer, she can deliver but she is not that operatic singer.. her previous band was alyson avenue and that band played soft rock hard rock, but she recorded two great records with nightwish.
Floor is in the middle, she can sing all the stuff. And I think she is gonna be the last singer, because I can't see a future with this current line-up, Marko is essential to the band. Without Marko they can't play certain songs.. they can but they can't.
My favorite albums are between century child and human-nature.
I was thinking.... Is nightwish a heavy metal band with symphonyc elements or vice versa? because everything from the first album to the last one makes me think about it...
Great post Juan - and some interesting follow up questions.
Favourites: Dark Passion Play, Wishmaster
Least Favourites: Endless Forms Most Beautiful, Angels Fall First
Wild Card: Human II Nature
Only managed to listen to Oceanborn over the week, but thats was...
pretty good.
Nothing mindblowing, but enjoyable enough to put the rest of their catalog on "the list".
Funny MIDI Keyboards.
Motörhead would be an awesome show! Finally a band I also know my stuff with again :)
Which I can't really say for Def Leppard. I really love the debut and High 'N' Dry is cool, but I never really ventured into the two you mentioned... more homework then.
Bacchus excellent choice Simon 👌 👏
This is a band I LOVE so much. It’s hard to pick my favorites. I am pretty sure I love most of their albums equally. Although my least favorites are probably the debut Angels Fall First, and the newest one Human II Nature. Both of which I still find very good. And no, the newest isn’t that bad Chris Alo lol
My favorites? If I had to choose, Wishmaster is my nostalgic favorite due to it being the first one I listened too. Other favorite varies from Oceanborn, Century Child, Dark Passion Play, and Imaginaerum.
Favourites: Oceanborn and Wishmaster - I love their power metal years, and those wonderfully beautiful melodies. They're also some of my favourite soundtracks for those long, warm summer nights.
Least favourites: Endless Forms... and Human :||: Nature - I really like what Floor has added to the band (live especially,) but to me, these albums have high highs and low lows. They are nowhere near bad, though, and the orchestral disc on Human is awesome!
Wild Card: Imaginaerum - I'm probably the only one who likes Anette, and I enjoy the circus feeling here. And the choirs! It probably also helps that it was released during a good time in my life.
I'd also like to add Tuomas' solo album from 2014: The Life And Times Of Scrooge. I'd put this as one of my favs if it wasn't a side project. You can tell that Tuomas is a huge Don Rosa fan; the music really describes the stories well. Check out the videos that show the comics as the music plays!
You are definitely not alone in liking Anette's vocals and albums in Nightwish and beyond Daniel!
I remember the anti-Anette storm which always seemed ridiculous to me. Yes, she's not Tarja but I thought that was very refreshing. Love what Anette did on songs like Scaretale and Slow, Love, Slow!
Helix! Also...Motorhead episode YES!
Hi guys!! I absolutely, enjoyed this discussion and your picks.
All the damn time.
My favorite Nightwish picks:
1. Once
2. Wishmaster
3. Dark Passion Play
4. Century Child
5. Oceanborn
🎤🎸🎵🎹🥁
Life is better with music.
My favorite NW album is the live "Showtime, Storytime" (Wacken '13). Floor does the classics. Not to be missed! For studio albums I'd have to go with either "Dark Passion Play" or "Imaginaerum" for all the great songs... I guess I'd give the edge to DPP. My least favorite? There aren't any that I dislike, but as mentioned in your video, "Angels Fall First" has some occasionally seriously cringy lyrics and Tuomas singing so I'll have reluctantly choose that. Wild Card: "Once"
Favorites: Once and Dark Passion Play
Least Favorites: The last two with Floor. I love Floor’s vocals, but her talent was wasted on these two.
Wild Card. Ocean Born
Well said Tim!
We need a top 10 beers that were consumed from all these shows plus a top songs show from Helix
Why not a UK connection on the superb Scottish bluesrock band King King?????
I've never really gotten into them WB.
I've read about two things that led to Anette's departure. Marko stated in his book that Anette thought the Imaginary movie was not a good idea, which did not sit well with Tuomas. And then the band's refusal to postpone an Australian tour when Anette would have been very pregnant led to some more bad blood, and things went downhill from there.
Imaginaerum not Imaginary. I hate spell correct. And where's the Edit button?
The simplest answer is whichever album I'm listening to is my favourite. As they are all really good. If I am nit picking, I would say on their earlier albums there are certain production choices that spoil the songs.
But, I really like Century Child through to Endless Forms most Beautiful.
Great show. Steven, I agree with your points on the Annette albums. They are eeking there way to the top. Here debut album is really good.
Agree with all of that Dai. 👍
One of the great bands of the 00s. Still going on but not at the same level. My favorites are Once and Endless forms, my least ones are Wishmaster and Oceanborn. Wildcard would be Century child.
What was the thing you didn't like about wishmaster I'm just wondering
The name of their most recent album is simply "Human Nature." Check the interviews.
I love Wee-Heavys and scotch ales in general. I have had Belhaven Scottish ale, but not the Wee-Heavy. I will seek that one out. I see it’s available at our local Total Wines & More - time to go shopping😃
I REALLY liked the Belhaven Wee Heavy Mike. Packed with flavour. Lovely stuff and I'll be buying more.
Hi UK Connection. Great show. I am a fan of Nightwish. Here is my ranking. I agree with Steven on my favorite and Pete on my least favorite.
Favorite - Once - This album is a masterpiece IMO.
2nd Favorite - Dark Passion Play
Least favorite - Human:II:Nature - This is not a very good album IMO.
2nd least favorite - Angel Falls First
Wild Card - Wishmaster
Great choices Mike!
I get nagged constantly to listen to this band... Haven't given it a fair chance yet. This is the moment I'm gonna put all my faith in the accuracy of your opinions, because if I hear another metal soap opera like the ones that jump at me on social media, I swear a lot of people's first Judas Priest album is going to be Nostradamus...
Interesting choices from everyone.
I agree with Mr Simon and Mr Steven in that there arent any real clangers in their catalogue. My least favourites were chosen because I had had enough of listenig to them when re-listening (by the time I got half way through Century Child Tarja's vocals were doing my head in) so I think I'll need to go back after a short break and listen to them without having listened to anything else by them for a short while. I may then appreciate them more.
I wasnt sure if including solo albums was going to be allowed otherwise one of my least favourites would have been Holopainens Music inspired by the life and times of Scrooge and another would have any of Tarja Soile Susanna Turunen-Cabuli's My Winter Storm. I was also thinking maybe I should have stuck with Imaginaerum as a favourite rather than Endless Forms and put that as a wild card.
I agree with Steven in that Anette Olzon's Shone is a damn fine album and she is a damn fine singer.
Not looking forward to next week as it means I'll have to give Hysteria another listen, not so much of a problem with Pyromania though as that's ok. But heck, maybe I'll refind my iniial love for them both - then again I can just see some squiggly pink tails disappearing into the clouds.
My faves: Endless Forms, Dark Passion Play, Human Nature.
Steven, you weren't kidding about something good coming soon. I love and have both albums. I'm totally looking forward to next week's show😁😁And, if it two hours, I'm sure we won't hold it against you. Come on, it's two of Def Leppard's best albums in one show. This was a genius idea guys, seriously! The only thing that surprised me is that it took Hysteria for Def Leppard to breakthrough in the UK.
'
You can't say that I don't keep my promises Kimberly!
@@TranquilityFireReid I can't wait to compare notes next week. And if we don't match, it just means more lively conversation😉You're cool as always, Steven!
@@kimberlywalker3970 Definitely agree regarding the conversation.... not so sure about the cool part!
@@TranquilityFireReid Just do your best. It'll always appreciated by me😉
SIMON!!!!!!
That solo Tuomas album The Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck IS AMAZING. It’s not a metal album but it’s fun music. It also features Tony Kakko from Sonata Arctica.
WHOOOO???? Thank you lads, always enjoy, even if I've never heard of 'em.
Cheers Trev!
My Wild Card is: Showtime Storytime( the video) when watching Floor perform Ghost love Score I just get the same whelm as when I first heard Geoff Tate. Best : Dark Passion Play and Worst is HumanIINature. Ive never been much of a Tarja fan, I love opera, but her forced vibrato that never lets up just puts me on edge. Perhaps if I didn't know what real opera sounded like I would be far more forgiving of her vocal choices.
Good show guys my top two are
1. Wish master
2. Imaganarium
Wild card dark passion play
Also are steve or Simon aware that troy donoacly was in a celtic folk rock band called you slosh.they where big On the club scene in the late 80s early ninety.they where pretty decent aswell
I was unaware of this situation. Thanks for the information.
His solo album, 'The Madness of Crowds' is pretty special too...great show. Many thanks.
Not interested in Nightwish at all, but watching because I love all 3 of you.
Thanks TJ!
Steven Reid….
I love Anette! I think she is underrated. She was great in Nightwish. But I love her albums since a lot, especially the two she did with with ex-Sonata Arctica guitarist Jani Liimatainen...
as The Dark Element.
Her second last solo album Strong was also good.
BUT you really need check her most recent album with Ultima Grace. It features members of various Japanese bands including keyboard player Yuhki from power metal legends Galneryus. I know you said she does better outside of Metal, I think you need to give this a listen. For me it is a contender to album of the year.
I agree that her two albums with Russell Allen don’t work quite as well.
I think the Allen/Lande crossover project was much better. Allen and Lande’s voices work much better in the more melodic metal sound
So for me metal isn’t the problem, it’s the type she is doing. Her voice fits much better with a more poppy power metal sound.
Appreciate the info and thoughts Tim. I agree completely regarding Allen/Olzon vs Allen/Lande and also that Strong is really good.
I haven't heard Ultima Grace but I will now. Thanks!
Great show as ever gents. While watching this evening I am enjoying a fine Saltaire Blonde, a "Light & Refreshing Ale", according to the label - which indeed it is!
Most fave Nightwish albums: "Once" and "Century Child"
Least fave: "Human: II : Nature" and "Wishmaster"
Wildcard: "Decades" predicable perhaps but does give you a little bit of everything!
Great choices and tasty brew! Thanks Jim!
I’ll have to come back and watch the video later. We have the family over and I have chicken quarters on the grill. Right now I am having a Sour Ale with Coconut and Pineapple. 6% ABV from Arkansas called Turn the Tide. Very tasty.
Hope you enjoyed the brew, the chicken - oh and the family!
To back up Steve's point I saw Them live a few years ago and the pipes drove me crazy.
Good lad Peter!!
Excellent show yet again guys. If Pete comes over to blighty a meet up is essential. Make it so.
Everyone hears music differently. I think Annette has a song in her head. You only have to listen to The Dark Element/Allen & Olson and her solo material. For studio work I believe Annette yields the better material, though live performances I believe Flor replicates the material far better.
Very good points David.
Yes Richard Stilgoe helped write "the phantom of the opera" with additional help from Mike Batt of Wombles fame. There is a musical connection... nightwish and the wombles😂.
Thanks for confirming madjock!
Nightwish does very little for me but I can listen to these ol' codgers talk for days on end. Thank you for being such rich company.
Ol' codgers???
You've got a point! lol!!
Favorites - Century Child & Once
Least - Angels Fall First & Human/Nature
Wild Card - Over the Hills and Far Away EP
production on the early records was not great, the 2 Annette records are good & the most disappointing was Endless Forms
I'd encourage people new to the band to start with the two live albums: End of an Era & Showtime, Storytime
That is sound advice!
Top
1. Century Child
2. Dark Passion Play
Bottom
1. Hvman Natvre (Dreadful album)
2. Angels Fall First
I love the fact Century Child is highlighted here. Nightwish are often cited as 'Power Metal/Symphonic Metal' but really - the Power Metal albums are only Ocean Born and Wishmaster. Angels Fall First - their debut - is a gestational album where they are finding their sound but Finnish Power Metal band Stratovarius heavily influenced their 2nd and 3rd album - the combination of fast paced frantic neo-classical guitarwork, symphonic sounding keyboards, and operatic vocals - that was their sound for albums 2 and 3. But Century Child - their 4th - was a NEW more 'mature' sound for them. A lot less 'Power Metal' - the doublebass is mostly gone, they're more 'mid tempo' and even more Symphonic. The shift between Wishmaster and Century Child is the key move that really defined the sound they would have going forward.
Very good point Stevie.
Was waiting for this as I know nothing of Nightwish and wanted a guide of where to start. So ignoring Simons start at the beginning advice, I’m going to try for Century Child, Once and Dark passion play then take it from there , or not 😊
I personally think that's the right approach Steve.
One of my favorite bands. Once and Century Child are my top choices.
Amorphis are the symphonic metal band that have grabbed my attention....loving them at mo.....
Male duet symphonic metal band?
Yes please 😅
Thanks, guys!
Once and Century Child are my two favourites. Nothing beats the combination of Tarja and Marko.
I like the new Allen/Olzon cd 💿
Hi Pete and Simon and Steven great fun as always like you I like all three singer , just a note to Steven I am sure you have heard that Galahad and Gandalf's Fist have new album coming out soon
I'm fortunate enough to have a promo copy of the Galahad already David and it's a cracker! And yes, picked up on the Gandalf's Fist. Really looking forward to that as well. Currently listening to the new Arena - it's been a simply superb week of prog releases and news for me! Cheers!
@@TranquilityFireReid hi Steve then I am looking forward to hearing the new Galahad album and I also have placed an order for the Arena album
Lovely poster Steven, I noticed it right away (truly unmasked LOL), Actually the Helix logo caught my eye.
Just to preface my picks I actually heard them on the movie soundtrack for The Cave. I've never seen the movie but I sometimes hunt down music from soundtracks. Obviously horror movies link up well with metal. Nemo is on the aforementioned soundtrack, which brought me into the Nightwish fold with Once. This is where I go against the theory of where you start you usually tend to pick as your favourite.
The picks for favourite: Endless Forms Most Beautiful, 2nd Dark Passion Play
Least Favourite: No surprises here Human, :II: Nature. 2nd least favourite Angels Fall First (hard to pick a 2nd least favourite I like this album but, I like more on the other ones)
Wild Card: Highest Hopes The Best of Nightwish ( a good starting point to introduce the catalogue to a newcomer)
Thanks Douglas, I was in the left last week and discovered a few posters I used to have up in my bedroom so there might be a semi-regular change of backdrop!
Is NIGHTWISH the only band like this you listen to ,no sirenia,delain,lacuna coil,amaranthe ,within TEMPTATION,and others theres so many great metal bands in Europe
I've got all....Nightwish rule. Century Child is currently my fave. But like all the best much overplayed. So I rarely listen to this tasty dish. But I will always get the next Nightwish. I enjoy HumanllNature quite a bit. And nay not a record do I consider shit.😅🇫🇮 Nightwish!!!🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
I think a lot of people feel Floor is underutilized on the albums is because she sings pretty quietly most of the time, other than some big finishes or occasional belts. That's part of her style and it also preserves her voice for tours. Even live, if you really listen, Floor sings pretty quietly most of the time, but makes up for it with her tremendous stage presence and energy. Can't do that on record though. I doubt that Tuomas is telling her to tone it down; he "allows" Floor to have a very big presence on stage. It's just that her quieter style doesn't translate well to studio work, while on stage she can make up for it with her showmanship. Just one fan's opinion.
One of my recent discovery bands last few years.
Favourite 2 are, Dark Passion Play / Once
Least Favourite 2 are, Human II Nature / Angels fall first
Wildcard is, Endless forms most beautiful.. Tar-Ya......Fun fact Olivia Sparneen of mostly autumn was considered for the vocals before Annette was chosen. Do you guys like Delain?
I've seen Delain and thought they were excellent. Can't say I've ever invested in any of their albums. Sorry!
@@TranquilityFireReid Oh you should they are all excellent, would be a hard catalogue to rank for me.
A Brilliant UK Connection guys . Nightwish coming to Dublin very soon ( at last ) and my wonderful friend Priscila Carvalho has waited for so long to see them after the cancellation last year due to the pandemic . Endless Forms Most Beautiful , Once and Dark Passion Play are incredible albums .
Have a great time!
Thanks Jim. Enjoy!!
Despite counting Troy's sister as a mate (that's as name-droppery as I'll ever get folks) have never listened to an album. Nightwish became a thing on reaction channels (many of which I watched in the lockdown years) and they've always struck me as a band I'd probably enjoy live but struggle with the albums...but who knows, was tempted to check out Dark Passion Play after this, only to see that it's a mere 2 minutes shorter than the one ya all said was really fecking long, so maybe, maybe not...!
Top class obscure name-droppery. Impressive stuff.
Yes, but it doesn't feel so long Jospeh (he says trying to get out of that faux pas!)
I have to say that I always look forward to the UK Connection. And even if I am not interested in the topic, I love the discussion about beer or drinks before the discussion. These guys are great.
Thanks Don, hugely appreciated.
I gave up drinking but I must say that beer that Pete is drinking looks very nice.
There is also the fourth edition of ''Once'' album,called the Platinum Edition,with a huge,silver booklet,signatures of all the band members and four bonus tracks.
Great show again! I was looking forward to this discussion. I really like the Allen/Olzon albums, great catchy metal 🤘. Will definitely check out Once and the first album with Floor. Thanks UK Connection, cheers 🍻
Thanks Jose!
This is going to be very interesting comparing the Tarja era to the Floor era, some excellent albums in between as well.
Just finishing my nice bottle of Proper Job... (St Austell Brewery's finest...)
Wow, great show again, and again, really hard to choose as all eras of the band are enjoyable, but I hummed and hawed and came up with...
Fave 1 Once
Fave 2 Dark Passion Play
Wildcard Wishmaster (where I came in!)
Bad 1 Over the Hills
Bad 2 Human II Nature - mainly as disc 2 isn't really Nightwish, just Mr Holopainen being really self indulgent.
Cheers!
Nice beer and excellent choices Iain!
@@TranquilityFireReid Certainly tasted nicer than, I suspect, Mr Bray's original tipple... I do quite like those Bacchus fruity ones wrapped in the brown paper though...
Even though I'm aware of Nightwish, I've got nothing, so I really can't participate. That being said, the discussion from minute 44 to minute 50 regarding the lead vocalists (past and present) was very fascinating.
Steven replaced the Unmasked poster with...the unmasked poster? 😉
Hawaiian (pineapple) Pizza - not a US invention, even with its name - was never for me! Nope. (With all due respect to those who do enjoy it.)
Great show, guys.
Yes, KV. See what I did there?!?!?!
Thanks!
@@TranquilityFireReid Of course I did, haha! Love it.
@@knightvisioniixv I aim to please!
I have to say that I am not really a fan of this particular genre but after watching this episode, I did a little research and listened to tracks with each of the singers. I may actually dig deeper now.
Good stuff Shane!
Try the live performances....they're better than the studio recordings.
The five album run between Oceanborn and DPP are classic. Everything else I don’t care about really. Hvman Natvre was shite
But I DO love Lick It Up Steven
Good show ❤ SOT
Thanks Mark!
Scratching my head on the 'writing a letter' reference.....!?? Obviously an 'in' joke?
It's a Nightwish reference...
@@simonbrayfromsot1375 aha, thats why I'm scratching my head - just playing some Nightwish for the first time today following the show last night. First listen of Century Child sounds ok to me....
I was disappointed by Endless Forms for a year or so after it came out. But man it grew on me....went from average overlong fair to loving it all almost as much as my faves. It is epic. And also references one of my fave ever books....The Name of The Wind. So your need to be in an epic mood I think. Go figure!
I'm going with
Faves 1 Century Child 2 Oceanborn
Wildcard Endless Forms Most Beautiful
(The grower of the discography...Love the overblown nature of it and the instrumentals get better everytime)
Least fave but still a solid to v good 7.5/10 Human II Nature
I have absolutely no knowledge of Nightwish, other than they exist and what (I think) they do. I will now take the time to explore them. As a show I will forever smile at the "esoteric British sh!t", I mean who ever thought Pete would be bemused by a reference to Richard Stilgoe (who, along with Roger Roger Whitaker personified the definition of "smug bearded goat", with all apologies to the hirsute and goats everywhere)? I can recommend the Motorhead craft cider served in the Waterloo.