Replacing a key member is never easy and when your key member is considered to be, however erroneously, the figure-head of the band it becomes all but impossible.
When Nightwish fired Tarja many considered it to be the end of the band because they assumed, wrongly, that Tarja was the driving force that gave the band their power. That assumption did a grave disservice to Tuomas Holopainen’s astonishing song-writing skills and ‘Dark passion play’ proved that Nightwish are, and always were, far more than an impressive, albeit diva-like, opera singer. Sadly many were left unconvinced by new singer Annette Olzon, largely because of her marked difference to her predecessor rather than down to any lack of skill on her part; and yet on ‘Dark Passion play’ Anette turned in a fine performance that should have won her plaudits rather than mealy-mouthed criticism. Following a tour dogged with stress, not least the infamous show when the criticism overcame Annette and she left the stage in tears, questions were raised about Nightwish’s future and the band vanished from sight.
However, in recent months tantalising hints began to emerge about an ambitious new project. Named ‘Imaginarium’ the album was to be a full-blown conceptual piece with a movie and artwork to match and as details of the project slowly seeped out the internet buzz reached fever pitch.
‘Dark Passion Play’ was a great album that was dogged, not by any failure on the band’s part, but by the unreasonable weight of expectation placed upon it before it had even been recorded. Here we find Nightwish recording an album largely shorn of expectations, at least with regards to the vocalist, and it is interesting to note that ‘Imaginarium’ would almost certainly not have worked with Tarja’s bombastic approach. This is an album of stark contrast. The epic feel of ‘Dark Passion Play’ and ‘once’ has been retained with huge swathes of sweeping orchestral work flowing through the album, but there is also subtlety and restraint and Anette’s playful voice is perfect for the subject matter and feel of the album. Moreover, whilst the band have not reneged on their symphonic side, ‘Imaginarium’ is an album of devastating heavy-metal power when it chooses to be. As opening single ‘storytime’ kicks in, the guitars rip a hole through the Hans Zimmer-esque score that introduces it before the track dips into a chorus that is painfully memorable and addictive. A modern reimagining of ‘the snowman’s’ classic flight sequence, ‘storytime’ perfectly encapsulates the myriad wonders to be found on the album. Although thematically linked, the songs work in isolation and the music is ubiquitously stunning meaning that it is possible both to sit and listen to the whole piece as one beautiful work of art or dip in to your favourite moments and get an instant fix. By working on both levels Nightwish have ensured that ‘imaginarium’ will last far beyond the initial buzz the tracks generate and fans will get a great deal of pleasure from dimming the lights and drifting into the imaginative and intelligent world the band have crafted. ‘Ghost river’ is a case in point, a blistering work it combines Nightwish’s furious classical bombast with hints of eighties metal (via the opening riff) and the familiar brutal passages that worked so well on tracks like ‘bye bye beautiful’. If one overriding factor typifies this release it is the sense of ambition and excitement that flows from both band and composer and it is clear that any trepidation the band might have felt during the painful search for a new singer has long since abated.
Indeed if you want any evidence that Nightwish are over the difficulties of the post-‘Once’ period then look no further than the sultry, sexy ‘Slow, love, slow’ that takes the band outside their established comfort zone and sees them engaging in a stunning jazz piece that works exceptionally well. Then there’s the insanely catchy, anthemic ‘I want my tears back’ and the ferocious ‘scaretale’ to dig your claws in to and they’re all equally seismic even whilst they represent different ends of the musical spectrum. It’s bold, brave and the band pull it off with astonishing dexterity, even managing to make the whole thing seem coherent even as the music genre-hops all over the place.
It’s hard not to feel a sense of awe at the scale of ‘Imaginarium’. It is an album that more than lives up to its title with the music proving to be the most spectacularly creative of Nightwish’s career and whilst there are plenty of familiar elements for fans to hang on to, there is so much going on here that it will take you many listens to appreciate it all. Moreover Annette emerges as a much stronger singer this time round; for all that she did a fine job on ‘dark passion play’, there is a much greater sense of confidence here as she tries out different voices and attitudes, attempts everything from grinding metal to lascivious jazz and succeeds at it all, the upshot being a massive two-fingered salute to all who doubted her and vindication for the many supporters she has gathered since joining the band. Take, for example, the multiple personalities that surge through Annette’s voice during ‘scaretale’, easily one of the darkest compositions the band have attempted and then contrast that with the lilting warmth of ‘turn loose the mermaids’ – it’s a remarkable performance and one that is admirably matched by the eternally good-natured Marco Hietala who provides the perfect foil for Annette with his powerful roar.
Ultimately ‘Imaginarium’ is a wonderful gothic symphony of an album to lose yourself inside. The amazing breadth and depth of Tuomas’ vision is stunning and the band have all stepped up to deliver a tour-de-force that will be all but impossible to match. This is as grandiloquent a statement as Nightwish could ever have hoped to make and that the band have pulled it off without putting a single foot wrong is all the more impressive. Extra points must surely be given for the beautiful artwork and packaging and a bonus disc featuring the instrumental version of the album will undoubtedly please completists although it is something that will rarely grace my own player.
‘Imaginarium’ stands as a testament to both nightwish’s amazing musical proficiency and Tuomas’s skills as a composer. Quite phenomenally good – this will certainly grace many album-of the-year pages, including ours. Nightwish’s finest work yet – it will take considerable effort to top this. It seems fitting, when faced with a work of this stature, to leave this review with a quote the band use on the insert to the album: “But only in their dreams can men be truly free, ‘Twas always thus, and always will be” – John Keating.
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