|
-
Musicians:
- Tarja Turunen: Vocals
Jukka Nevalainen: Drums
Emppu Vuorinen: Guitars
Tuomas Holopainen: Keys
& Piano
Marco Hietala: Bass & Vocals
|
- Release : may 2002
- Label : Spinefarm
Records
- Total
time: 50’15
|
-
Website:
- www.nightwish.com
- Contact:
|
-
Tracklist:
- 1. Bless The Child 6’12
- 2. End Of All Hope 3’55 - 3. Dead To The World 4’19 - 4. Ever
Dream 4’43 - 5. Slaying The Dreamer 4’31 - 6. Forever Yours
3’50 - 7. Ocean Soul 4’14 - 8. Feel For You 3’55 - 9. The
Phantom Of The Opera 4’21 - 10. Beauty Of The Beast 10’21 (Long
Lost Love – One More Night To Live – Christabel)
|
This album can be
considered as a temporary goodbye from Nightwish as they are going to take a
break for a year. (I hope they return afterwards) It’s understandable if
you know that Tarja studies in Germany as the rest of the band resides in
Finland. So her summer vacation is spent completely on touring with
Nightwish. So it’s a deserved rest.
I considered
“Wishmaster” a bit as “Oceanborn 2” as there were not that many
changes. “Century Child” is certainly not Wishmaster 2 or Oceanborn 3,
there has changed quite a lot. It’s still Nightwish of course, and they
still sound as Nightwish, but what’s the big difference?
Because the guitars are placed more in front, the sound is heavier. The
production is close to perfection. The use of a real orchestra and a real
choir makes the music sound more symphonic. (a bit more like Therion?)
There has been a first change of line-up in the career of the band. Marco
Hietala (ex-Sinergy) plays the bass now, but what’s more important, he’s
doing some vocals. He even takes the lead vocals from time to time. So for
the first time there’s a male voice on the songs of Nightwish. Not every
fan is happy about it, but it gives more variation to the songs. His voice
is not bad at all.
Another major change is the vocals of Tarja. She doesn’t only use an
operatic voice, but from time to time she sings with a normal voice.
Something she has learned in Germany, she says. The intensity of her vocals
in those particular songs takes a step backwards, but there’s more emotion
in her voice.
The best songs are
“Bless The Child”, “Dead To The World” and “Beauty Of The
Beast”.
There’s a cover of “Phantom Of The Opera” by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Maybe Andrew can be convinced to make a Progmetal Opera of his work. This
song sounds better is this version, although I like the original as well.
”Slaying The Dreamer” starts off like “Enter Sandman” of Metallica
and is the hardest song they ever recorded.
So a lot of changes
compared to the previous albums, but I’m not yet convinced that this album
is really their best. I liked “Oceanborn” very much and maybe it will
take a while to let this new album take its place and sink into our minds.
Sometimes it takes time for a CD to grow. I don’t advise you not to buy
it; it’s still above average compared to many other bands. Nightwish has
matured and so has Tarja. I hope their vacation will not be permanent and
the public won’t forget them
Spinefarm
Records released a 2-CD special edition of Century Child. It includes the
album on a copy-protected CD (the normal edition is not protected) with an
additional Video-CD containing the "Over The Hills And Far
Away"-video. In addition, you can find a personal code in the booklet
which allows you to download three hidden tracks and the entire album to
listen to on your computer.
More
information can be found here.
Reviewed by: Danny 'Camil' Focke
|
