LM. 15 [REVIEW] Nightwish - Human. :||: Nature.

[@pekkakarppinen1608]

First of all. Thank you Guylain for this wonderful journey. I don't give you the points, because while I'm professional accountant I don't like rank the Art. It's too subjective of the matter and there are too many variables. I say only my final thoughts (at now) of the album. It's not a metal album at all. It's a "prog" album with metal, folk, classical and standard rock elements, which are executed very well. Metal purists may be somewhat disappointed but I don't care because my taste of music is quite a wide. And when performed live this would be a much heavier. The production of the original CD is very good in soundwise and all the artists here are top of their game (Troy is the oldest, born 1964, so not 59 but near enough). The lyrics are intelligent and multilayered but also very enjoyable superficially. There Tuomas have always been a Master of the game. My only complaints are that there are no radio "hits", no power duet's with Marko and Floor (great harmonies there are) and not a single solo from Emppu, whose solo's are always very tasteful (great guitarwork and riffs although). The reason that I didn't mention Floor here is very simple. I love her singing and overall presence so much that I'm too biased. For me all of her doings are golden. That's all by me for now. Best of Wishes, brother Guylain!

[@GuylainPrince]

Thanks! We find, yes, the grandeur of Prog. But there is a level of excellence, both at the music and lyric level. Even a great band like Genesis (5 or 4 members) did not reach this level of excellence in the lyrics and in "prosody". They were five geniuses, but still very young. Here, we have the work of a mature man and an accomplished musician/composer. There is a quality to it that we find rarely in rock. We find it in classical, jazz. gospel and prog, where the musicians are there for ages. They have the time to grow.

[@gabriel.bardac]

It's hard to describe how important Nightwish is to me. They appeared in my life a few years ago, in difficult moments of depression, when I could no longer feel the taste of life. I was then looking for the Beautiful, hoping it would help me fight. I found much more than I searched, I found their optimistic energy, with emotionally regenerating effect. Naturally, I fell in love with them. Now, years later, they have released this long-awaited album. The theme, the interpretation, the style - were quite unexpected for me. It took me a few sessions to listen to the whole album to get used to it, because not all the new songs were easy to understand and accept emotionally. Now I have incorporated it, because I have accepted the "new direction" as an evolution, a maturation, of a loved one. Although the "language" in which they express themselves is still Metal, they have advanced surprisingly much, incomparably more, in the Symphonic realm, giving up the search at all costs for the spectacular in favor of the depth of the message. Fortunately, they all have the talent to do so without affecting the artistic value of their creation. I respect their courage to be themselves, to be honest with us and to look the way they are, with the risk of being less liked by those who expected them to correspond to their image formed over time. These days I live moments of stress and uncertainty regarding many aspects of my life, but the fact that I realize that I have the extraordinary opportunity to be contemporary with Nightwish and aware of their value helps me, gives meaning to my life. And in this context, the fact that people with multilateral education and an open heart like you confirm my opinions regarding them is an unexpected comfort for me. Thank you for letting me see them through your eyes! :)

[@GuylainPrince]

Lost for words. Touching and beautiful. Thanks, Gabriel. And peace! Lots of it.

[@Frank-qs9mp]

I also found Nightwish at a low point in my life. Economically and while loosing family members and friends. The positive energy in their music makes you realize that life has so much to offer. Just look around and open up your eyes. Thanks to Nightwish and their great community of fans, I learned how to handle whatever life throws at me and have some fun in the meantime. People like Guylain help me to understand why this affects me so much. I am very grateful for that.

[@gabriel.bardac]

@@Frank-qs9mp That's right, their music has antidepressant qualities. I noticed this effect on me at first, but lately I've been able to identify - here in YT comments, as well in the last year in the NW discord - several people who have said that Nightwish changed their lives for the better, helping them get through difficult situations. Many people (I just heard 2 reactors this weekend.. ) noticed their positive energy. I consider it to be the most intense I have ever encountered. As an interesting aspect, we Nightwish fans don't have the usual profile of fans of other bands, being from very different ethnic, social, cultural and age backgrounds. We've all had a kind of inner calling, and we get along almost wordlessly in what we feel for Nightwish. Someone should study this matter..

[@GuylainPrince]

Peace to you all! Very beautiful testimonies.

[@dubsfehr9574]

Nightwish has been present in my life for a long time, and the music, the emotions behind the music have served to get me through very difficult times. I used to believe that I could not identify with or love their music even more, and then this album came out. It has a maturity and strong voice that their earlier records didn't have yet - while losing some of the sweet naivete that makes early records so endearing. As a 41 year old woman, I long for complexity, for shades of grey, and for the hint of sunlight behind a cloud - this album fulfilled a wish I didn't know I had until I listened to it. As someone with a chronic illness that impacts my entire life it is important to me to be able to see other worlds and dreamscapes to feel hope and humanity. Music does that for me. I can't tell you how much I appreciate your careful analysis and review of each song and then the album. For me, it made me feel very connected. I gave this album a 98 - with recording and meaning only missing one point each. :)

[@GuylainPrince]

Well, I commented publicly in my part of the world about the pop music scene. I listen to the radio on "Scan" when I arrive in a new area. I love to have a general feeling of the people I come to. For 30 years, I get the impression that pop music is stuck on "repeat" mode. It is as if everybody is pain and heartache, bad love stories and regrets. During this time, mature artists, writing the very best music of their life (35-55 yo) are NOT played on the waves. I really envy the blues, gospel and country genres for that: they support their artists all their life. You will find, there, topics of mature people and an honest quest for peace and happiness. Nightwish turns a genre from revolt to energy, from heartache to healthy relations, from abusive couple relations to long-lasting involvement and... children! Like my American neighbour says: "Get out of here!" This is so different. And they tell such beautiful stories. Their imagination seems without limits. They become inspiring. You are a witness to that effect it has on a lot of people. One day, I will do a series on Triumph, a Canadian group. They were called the "White Knights" of hard rock. Songs like "Fight the Good Fight" (Live 1983) or "Follow Your Heart" (Live in Halifax) inspired hundreds of thousands. I believe in the healing and inspiring power of music.

[@waltteriwirtanen8753]

When Tuomas asked from Nuclear Blast could they publish his side project Auri, he got an answer: " whatever you do, we will publish it". They promised to publish Auri songs without hearing any example of it. Same goes naturally with Nightwish.

[@GuylainPrince]

Well. That says it all!

[@davidcoyne7291]

This is a very special album for me and for countless others out there too i would guess. Unless you are a teenager you most likely listen to new albums alone. None of my close friends share much of my current musical taste and i don't personally know anyone who likes Nightwish and i have been a massive fan since 2004 when 'Once' was released. I did get my daughter into them recently though and that is a funny story for another time maybe. But what makes this release so special is You tube believe it or not. The reviews, the reaction channels, the comments sections, the unbelievable Nightwish army promoting the band across the planet. Beste Zangers where Floor finally got the international recognition she deserves was a great publicity tool for both her and the band and a perfect lead into this albums release. Its been like sitting with a bunch of friends every evening around a camp fire playing our favorite tunes to each other. I think the most amazing thing i have learned is just how many people cry or at least tear up during Nightwish songs. I thought i was the only one LOL. Seriously though i have never seen any other band have such a profound effect on people and there lives. So i guess where i am going with this is that i feel so privileged to be in the company of so many wonderful like minded people upon this albums release. Because of that extraordinary situation i feel totally unable to rate this album in any meaningful way. To add to that we are only a few months into its release and who can guess how much more worth it will gather in the coming years. its already a classic in my mind but i still await seeing what the band will do with these songs live. I have a ticket for Amsterdam in November and if it wasn't for this pandemic i would buy a couple more somewhere in Europe too. As always Guylain it has been a pleasure to be in your company. Thank you very much for all your wonderful reviews.

[@GuylainPrince]

Well, you just put into word my impression as well. While I enjoy the spontaneous reaction of some of the reviewers, like you say, - I feel like I am presenting a song to an old friend, just to watch his reaction - is really enjoyable. What I found sad was the poor quality of comments, after the song. It sounded so fantastic to me, and beautiful. Many times I was out of words... I hope that my analysis helped in conveying my admiration for Tuomas and the band. It kept growing constantly. I was amazed and amazed and amazed. What a journey!

[@bigg2988]

I had 93/100 at the end. This is as well-thought-out record as I have listened to in many years, and it does not tell some contrived story, does not move from pt. A to pt. B, but plays with meanings, melodies, each reinforcing the other, and drives us to embrace and appreciate the vision that the author has. What is more, it tugs at the heartstrings with a beautiful performance to match, understated always when necessary (and not because it is uninspired or running low on "gas"), but hitting when the distortion is called for - like in "Noise" or "Tribal". The presentation is, thus, also not random (as if anything was on here!) but adjusted to the message of a given song. THIS, I think, is what some listeners misundestand about "Human. :||: Nature." - it did not HAVE to come out sounding as another Power metal record. The biggest part of criticism directed at the band is precisely that the full package is "too mellow": after several years of wait avid fans of the old style expected more straight up power, more driving songs. I wouldn't have objected to have a couple more, but after getting to know this piece of art intimately, I do not long for those. So unless a listener only is looking for a quick fix, and rarely bothers with something that did not "click" right away, they will be converted eventually. Almost every reactor concedes that the album grows mightily with re-listens - even if one did not care for lyrics at first, one is swept up by the sincerity and simultaneous complexity within the delivery - a blend only the most gifted PROG bands have mastered. In spirit, this is a Prog record really, even if the music does not contain strictly what is associated with that subgenre. I gave perfect scores for Prosody (the songwriting unity of vision between the text and the music), and for Delivery - what was written was brought to life in exquisite harmony and technical mastery. I hope the groaning that "Floor is not used to the max" is dying down as we speak, because not just the power and highest head vocals denote mastery. Every vocal coach I've heard is puzzled how she could even sing those verses without tripping. So 30/30. I gave 19/20 for the Lyrics, as I felt in places Tuomas indulged too much in form, playing his "Pan tricks", while in certain spots "connecting the dots" too much for us. Maybe those were the necessary emphasis points (like "Noise", the first single) that he wanted even a random listener to "get" - and still some didn't! - but in the context of the full work it might sound "preachy". Same 19/20 for the Meaning, as I tend to agree with Guylain that the fleshed-out cosmic vision combined with a human heart lacked just a little bit of objectivity / sensitivity to subjects like "tribalism" among us, as in - it does not have to be spiritually based or organized, there are numerous forms of manipulating the society. For a holistic viewpoint, one could also give thought to existing streams of thought that try to bridge our understanding of faith, and the scientific knowledge, instead of choosing one over the other. But - how many bands even delve that deep?! I liked the production, and gave it 9/10 - especially Floor's vocals are coming through very clearly, and the orchestration does not overpower the songs, as was the case for the glossy studio versions of "Endless Forms Most Beautiful" album. Still I would have expected a more organic orchestral sound on the "Nature" disc (they seem to have said they only used a string quartet for the "Human" part). That would have helped to bring out full beauty of that cinematic part. And yeah, did not hear much of Marco's bass either; this is not IRON MAIDEN, you know, but an area to consider. At least the man got to perform the lead on the pinnacle song of the album! Finally, my evaluation of the Music contained herein was 16/20. I CAN see why somebody would hand out an even lower score, because most of us are used to talk about NIGHTWISH in a Metal context. Here, we are served Metal in measured doses among other musical influences. For some, it does matter. But if we see this album as a work of art in its overarching form - it can even bring more fans to Metal, or rather - Metal to the main stage. It does not have to stay limited to the chosen few among us, especially with profound ideas to be heard. For me, the question mark was more the fact that some passages were sacrificing a bit of the flow, it seemed, for the sake of accepting the challenge "if NIGHTWISH can write more complex stuff this time out". :)) Also, a couple of songs were either oddly structured (like "Music", which ran it's course too fast after a long intro, a song that was done and re-done, per Tuomas' own admission), or left me wanting a little of instrumental climax to bring them home ("Procession" especially, although I can totally see why it was left understated as it was - Prosody!). Just personal preferences, like everybody. But I am fully hopeful for NIGHTWISH's career arc after this one. Let us see where they take us next - first, hopefully, a great world tour, to win (back) hearts the world over. Thanks to the patient readers, and peace...

[@GuylainPrince]

Thanks. You are right about "Metal, but not Metal". There might be the fan's expectations, but there is the path they want to follow as a band. I feel that the lyricist/composer wants to expand, to open up space. For him, for the band, and for us. To have a "resolution" of such an album with the "nature side" is like "bringing home" all the fans.

[@nickhoughton6663]

Bonjour, I know that I have arrived very late to this party, but, I wanted to say a big thank you to you Guylain.I only discovered Nightwish in 2019, after losing my Sister to cancer, I found myself searching for some music that would, give comfort, remind me of her, help to heal my mind and soul. I discovered Nightwish quite by accident, and I have been hooked ever since, I don’t think a day has passed since, that I have not listened to some of their music. During the COVID nightmare I lost many friends in my community and also another dearly loved family member. I am sure that I would not have been able to get through that period without the music of Nightwish, this album, and Imaginarium too especially. Lately I had been getting tired of reaction videos from very “similar” content makers who fancy themselves as “influencers” - your series on this album has reviewed my spirits and faith, that there indeed others out there that want more that just a loud mouth saying “wow”! As for the scores, well I have never thought to score an album in such a way, but certainly this album is as good as any I have heard, but the musicianship of this band is by far the best I have heard, in any genre, I myself have always considered myself to have eclectic taste in music and listen to, and like music from almost any genre (but not country or western!). But I think I might have gone one point higher than you? Perhaps this is a long enough time difference, since you posted this review video, to adjust you score, as you indicated that you might? Once again thank you, I shall begin to look at your other Nightwish videos in due course.

[@Frank-qs9mp]

Thank you Guylain for your excellent reactions and analysis of this awesome album. From the first listen I have appreciated this album and I notice it is memerizing me each and every time I listen to it. However your video's helped me to understand it better and to recognize all these little elements that makes this a masterpiece. I am taking a musical journey myself in these weird times and your wonderful insights makes it very interesting and enjoyable. I am looking forward to your next adventure. Thank you (again ;-).

[@mojito5268]

I agree with Fraddy and have only one thing to add: another thank you Guylain, for finding the words to express the experience that this album can bring to us, natural humans.

[@GuylainPrince]

Thanks, Fraddy! When I listened to Music, the first time, I had NO IDEA. From one piece to another, every time, there was something exceptional. Simly wonderful!

[@lonl2119]

Lieber Guylain, ich möchte dir in Deutsch schreiben, da Du ja diese Möglichkeit angeboten hattest. Ich bin so froh, dass ich dich hier gefunden habe und ich genieße deine wertvolle Arbeit sehr. Du gibst dir so unendlich viel Mühe mit diesen Videos bzw deren Vorbereitung und ich bewundere deine Fähigkeit Gefühle in Worte zu fassen sehr. Sich so tief auf die Musik einlassen zu können, das ist eine wunderbare Fähigkeit. Als ich dein erstes Nighwish Video sah, (es war dein zweites Nightwish Video überhaupt) da hattest Du eine handvoll "follower". Jetzt sind es fast 2000 und das hast Du dir redlich erarbeitet. Weißt Du worüber ich sehr glücklich bin? Als es langsam dem Ende des Albums "Human//Nature" zuging, wurde ich ein wenig traurig, weil ich mir nicht sicher war, jemals wieder von dir so tolle Rezensionen hören zu können. Umso glücklicher bin ich nun über deine Vorschau für die nächsten Monate. Du bleibst uns also mit deiner tollen Arbeit hier erhalten. Nicht nur Nightwish schafft es, Kontinentübergriefend die Leute zu vereinen, das schaffst auch Du. Ich danke dir dafür. Ich bin als Nightwishfan gekommen und gehe als Guylain Prince Fan!

[@GuylainPrince]

Was für ein wunderbarer Kommentar! Und was für ein Kompliment! Ich gestehe, dass ich mich auf dieses Abenteuer eingelassen habe, ohne zu wissen, dass ich auf eines der besten Alben meines Lebens stoßen würde. Ich war sehr beeindruckt, und ich muss zugeben, dass ich nicht leicht zu beeindrucken bin. Normalerweise. Aber wir sprechen hier von Nighwish. Ich verlasse dieses Album völlig erobert. Und um so besser, wenn es Ihnen gefallen hat. Wenn Ihre Standards auch nur annähernd meinen entsprechen, werden wir noch viele Jahre Handel betreiben. Ich freue mich darauf, wieder von Ihnen zu hören! Quel merveileux commentaire! Et quel compliment! J’avoue m’être embarqué dans cette aventure sans savoir que j’allais croiser l’un des meilleurs albums de ma vie. J’ai été très impressionné, et je vous l’avoue, je ne le suis pas facilement. En temps normal. Mais nous parlons de Nighwish, ici. Je quitte cet album complètement conquis. Et tant mieux si vous avez apprécié. Si vos critères ressemblent aux miens, nous allons avoir encore de longues années d’échange. Au plaisir de vous lire à nouveau!

[@bigg2988]

Nur ein Wort. TOLL!

[@sileylasloum.6848]

Wirklich schöne Worte für einen menschen der sie wirklich wirklich verdient ..kann ihm da eigentlich fast dasselbe wie Du sagen ..aber ich schau mal nach gefühl was für ein Kommentar ich da noch hinterlassen kann denn besser geht es eh nicht ..liebe grüße ..piece

[@ralfmeyer9086]

Toller Kommentar..🤗👍 Gruss aus Norddeutschland mit einem herzlichen Moin...

[@GuylainPrince]

Solche Freundlichkeit! Vielen Dank, vielen Dank! Ich freue mich darauf, Sie auf den Seiten dieses KZbin-Kanals wieder zu lesen!

[@StergiosMekras]

I really hope the album does well financially, because we need more of that. I've done my part by purchasing it.

[@ChantalLalonde]

Lith Maethor it’s the first actual CD I have bought in a very long time. And also preordered, which I have never done

[@GuylainPrince]

I don't know for how long, but in Canada, it reached no 2, at least one week. Let me check that.

[@kammurabi2313]

It was global # 4 which is across all reporting countries and all genres and it was #1 in like nine countries. Pleasantly surprised by that level of interest, as it certainly is a departure from the normal releases modern humans have to choose from. I know the charts aren't necessarily a direct indicator of financial gain but I would guess that it will have made more than at least the previous two albums. Nothing there to discourage more from them, that's for sure!

[@GuylainPrince]

EXCELLENT news ! So happy. Can't believe this kind of record having commercial success. Extremely pleased!

[@luxferrum8367]

The first time I bought an album even if I have Spotify

[@CraftyBadger86]

I appreciate the time and thought that you have put in to this video. Great analysis 👍🏻

[@GuylainPrince]

Thanks!

[@Pitchblackbones]

@Guylain , I was so surprised! I was totally prepared, had the audio up on my TV, turned on the english subtitles, and out of nowhere comes a video in pure english! I was very pleasantly surprised, but had a good laugh at how my expectations were challenged. Clearly you took some notes from NW when it comes to challenging expectations! Even my fiancee, who has been watching your videos alongside me from time to time remarked from the other room: "Who is that? I know that voice, but I can't put my finger on the name!" 😂 With that being said, I very much appreciate this review, and I agree with your broad, sweeping analyses. I haven't had the time to evaluate my precise numerical values for each category, but my numbers are likely identical to your own. Though, my skill in the realm of music is limited at best, which makes me less than perfectly capable of noting the complexities of the album on a microscopic level. I did notice that Marko's contributions seemed less prominent on this album in comparison to the previous albums, but, as you said, this may be largely due to mixing/mastering. I also agree that as with each member of the band, they were clearly present where they were needed. I will say that I also feel like Emppu didn't sit as prominently as he has in the past, which may have contributed to some of the more "sour" reviews that people have offered of the album. As you said in your very first videos, this is not a NW traditionalist's idea of a NW album, but for those who recognize the *spirit* of the band, I would say that this album has a crystal-clear focus, and I found virtually nothing to be "out of place". Every piece was precisely where it belonged for each individual piece of music, especially when compared over the scope of the entire album. I will be sharing this review to many people; your hard work is greatly appreciated, and I congratulate you on the 2,000 subscribers. Impressive work, I am very much looking forward to learning about Epica for the next two months with your series. I am not a fan (yet!), so my contributions will only be from the perspective of a first-time listener; but I will take time to cultivate the best top-10 songs for your NW retrospective. Excellent job, my neighbor to the North! 😉

[@GuylainPrince]

Most welcome ! By doing it in English, I was able to have a little help from the KZbin recognition voice algorithms. Then, to make the subtitles in English, it took me 45 minutes instead of 3 hours. From there, to have them in French and Spanish, was very easy. So, instead of 7-8 hours, it takes 90-120 minutes. Big improvement. I will try the French voice recognition (was not very good, the last tim I checked), do some tests, and decide for the future of the series.

[@Fidel_L.Bousquet1970]

I absolutely love this record and I think it's a timeless classic. I guess it's so ahead (or out) of its time that other reactors completely missed the point and were "disappointed". I hope one day they'll realize how wrong they are. But as you said, only time will tell, but I think 5, 10 or 25 years from now it still will be a masterpiece. I'm not going to rate the record because I have little musical knowledge and I can only give a very subjective and emotional review, but your reactions/reviews are 100/100. Merci beaucoup Guylain.

[@GuylainPrince]

Ha ha ha ! Thanks. Well, I do my best. Glad that you enjoyed them!

[@thomasjanke470]

WOW, Thank you sir. I love Nightwish. But I have to tell you I love Floors voice even more. From her 2 previous bands to her numerous side projects. Her voice and her heart gets me every time. They say tears heal the soul. I think that is true. Peace

[@GuylainPrince]

I can vouch for the healing power of music. In Gospel music, this is something well known. Both in the choirs and in the crowd, I witnessed many healing moments. And this is true of all great music, deeply connected to our heart/soul.

[@fjnw]

These reviews and analyses took my listening to music to a whole different level, specifically where it comes to the interpretation of the lyrics. Thank you for your interesting lessons, Guylain. The album is majestic (both CD's), although it took me a few listenings to become fully appreciative of it. Today the majority of the songs leave me with a lump in my throat or even with watery eyes. They really do something to me. Nightwish has that effect on me, as does Floor. I think Nightwish are their own sub-genre, it's not a specific box they tick. And why should they, I like them the way they are and I feel I am not alone. The purists I would recommend to try to listen outside of the box. And appreciate the musical evolution of Tuomas and Nightwish. My only little criticism concerns the recording/mixing/mastering. Johanna's narration in Shoemaker sounds quite dull. She has a crisp and angelic voice and this sounds totally different. Some instruments are mixed a little too dominant to my liking (eg. in the beginning of Music) or too shrill for me (although my ears too are no longer the quality they used to be). This is the first album in years I physically bought and the first album ever I pre-ordered. And I am enjoying it every day since the moment it was delivered.

[@GuylainPrince]

We are pretty much on the same track, here. Totally agree with everything, except for the instruments. I have tried in three settings, and they sounded excellent to me. Only the bass guitar was a bit discreet. But, hey, we listen in very different conditions.

[@diogonavarro3145]

Lyrics:20 Music:20 Prosody:9 Interprets:19 Meaning:19 Recording:9 Floor's voice in shoemaker 100 :D The album is a masterpiece!!!!!

[@GuylainPrince]

:-) I disagree. Floor : 125%.

[@ChrisPage68]

@@GuylainPrince Come on...150%! 😋

[@zraven2931]

This is most probably the most rational, thoughtful and enjoyable album review I've ever seen. You are an incredibly likeable person and have a very pleasant voice to listen to, I'll be sure to follow your upcoming videos. Stay healthy, everyone!

[@GuylainPrince]

I just dug into After Foerever and Epica. Lost of good years to come, listening to great music. Thanks for the nice words.

[@nenhont]

Really enjoyed all your analysis and reactions. Paz y Bien !!

[@GuylainPrince]

Thanks !!!! Pax et bonum!

[@ghostnf9650]

Absolutely excellent content. Couldn’t agree more.Merci

[@GuylainPrince]

Thanks!

[@galadballcrusher8182]

basically way i feel about this album.... is how i feel about my favorite opera. And by that i mean while i love plenty of Verdi operas as well Mozart and Wagner.... there is only one that really i can call my favorite and that is Carmen by Bizet. Because while in most operas there is one good aria and at times a second or third piece i like while rest of the opera is just filler for me Carmen happens to have like 5 of them pieces, counting in that Habanera, m arch of the bull fighters, the urchins song that mocks the soldiers entering town , the seductive sequidilla and toreador song.... so basically in terms of great pieces i prefer it for the quantity of them as in most other operas i m getting a bit bored by the fillers and care mostly for the main piece or pieces but with Carmen the percentage of interesting music is much higher . Now comparatively that may happen with some metal records too as not all songs are equally appealing to me but in this album there were no boring or less appealing songs, maybe noise i can find a bit less amazing than the rest but all over the record percentage of great pieces is amazing (and as i m a fan of listening to soundtrack music while working out or doing work.... that includes also that amazing second disc)Then we come also to the vocal acrobatics Floor managed perform in this album as well the amazing chorus backing vocals harmonies by all three vocalists ( cause yeahh i could Say Marco and Troy in most songs but then again there is Harvest and Endlessness as well Ad Astra in a way where Floor is doing the backing vocals ) that make this album quite rare in our day an age.

[@GuylainPrince]

I agree. 100%. I don't recall an album with no "lemon". I don't have the same "emotional" attraction to all of them, but I am still amazed and I enjoy listening to them. I love it!

[@billattercliffe8655]

I rarely get past the first couple of minutes of the typical album review, but I happily stayed with yours right till the end and in one sitting to boot. :) I agree that Marko gets a little buried in the mix on this one. For a while it's like, "Where's Marko". I don't think Tuomas is ever unintentionally cheesy. There's always a method to his madness. I saw some of the chart results for this album and it's doing extremely well, so it looks like the risks were worth the taking.

[@GuylainPrince]

Excellent! Success for this album will be my own joy.

[@loriec6918]

Thank you for your excellent series of video journeys through the Nightwish masterpiece Human. :ll: Nature. My numeric rating for this album is 100/100. I found NW via a reactor on YT in December 2018. Following a link in a reaction in July, 2019, I found the Nightdreamers Reacticide community which is the finger on the pulse of all things Nightwish, including my securing tickets and flights from Missouri, US, for the NYC show in September. We were going to meet the band as a honeymoon gift to each other after 38 years of marriage. The new album was coming. I was so excited, just as we all were: Live for Nightwish live. Then something Covid our way came. My copy of HN arrived on April 6, from Finland. I couldn’t believe it! We listened to the entire album, H & N. An emotional reaction was an understatement. I felt like I was Human Nature drunk! The next morning, I broke with Covid, with all symptoms, except lung/breathing issues. My husband had to work the 2 weeks before this because he was afraid of loosing his job. I was home for a month already because of my age, 63 and chronic health issues. The little cold he had! I remember when the science and dates hit me. I could not get tested, even though my Doctor wanted me to. CDC regulations: must have breathing problems to be tested. I was sick for over a month and I’m still not quite myself. I am grateful to be alive. I’m not sure what day I was into my illness, but I realized that this album was literally preparing me for the possibility of dying sooner than I was ready for. Endlessness. I listened to it so I could sing along. Crying while singing “the pain of the slow evil of an unsung life”? Decades matter. Floor greets me with, Await my touch, the luck of the draw Enter now Come Here is life Endlessness” ...To the birth of everything. I am forever changed by a sextet called Nightwish. Thank you, Guylain. Respect.

[@GuylainPrince]

This kind of comment should be sent to Nightwish as well. You are a witness of the healing power of music. And it brings life and hope in our lives. I am glad I have been of little help in that regard. Enjoy your encounter with this ban in the fall. Let's hope it will be possible.

[@tarmotyyri6733]

Great review. Can't really add anything or change anything you said. Songwriting, interpretation & production is just superb for someone like me placing a strong emphasis on the lyrics. P.S. I read a comment on another reaction channel to one of Nightwish's songs saying that the bassist of Metallica was amazed by the quality of Nightwish's touring equipment including microphones, amps, etc. saying that Metallica only uses such top of the line equipment in the studio.

[@GuylainPrince]

I would not be surprised AT ALL! Everything is first class in this album. Pretty sure the tour team and equipment will be of that level.

[@allenhuling598]

Certainly one of the reasons that their Live shows have such good sound quality!

[@randominc.2251]

Thank you Sir Friar , You have done a masterful job and I truly enjoyed watching these videos... I will withhold my rating on this album until years have passed and time has changed me . It is the only true test of greatness...

[@GuylainPrince]

I agree, For now, I put it in my top-five! Let's see, as time pass.

[@ChantalLalonde]

Can’t wait 😊 bonjour Guylain

[@GuylainPrince]

Bonjour !!!

[@Evil_Peter]

This was a great review with very interesting criteria and, while I'm perhaps being a bit boring, I agree with pretty much everything you say. When I heard the album for the first time I really liked it but I felt that I wasn't quite grasping everything because there were so many new things that I wasn't used to hearing from Nightwish. It therefor took a few listenings before I could fully appreciate the album for what it is. From my experience with music and how my tastes have grown and evolved I'm really glad that this happened since the albums I tend to keep loving the most, and that don't seem to lose any luster with years of repetition, are the ones that I had to work a bit to fully appreciate. That's a sign that I'm finding something new that truly has depth and that is helping developing myself as a fan of music. To try and find some differences, or added points, to what you said (there is little point in marking out the huge number of agreements we have) I don't think I would deduct a point for the "cheesiness" of the instrumentals as it's what I expect in Nightwish composition, but I would perhaps instead do it due to that I wish that Emppu got at least one real guitar solo where he could show off his melodic prowess in addition to his fantastic riff work. It's a very minor point, and no song feels like it's clearly lacking a solo to be complete, but it may be in the same spirit as your slight criticism on the music aspect. I enjoy that you bring up Prosody, but I think there is also one similar thing that occurs on the album regarding the combination of lyrics and recording that I really enjoy. That would be the choice of making Noise a worse recording than the other songs by purposefully using dynamic compression. This is a very interesting touch on two levels for me. First we of course have the superficial effect of that compressing the dynamics of the sounds create less musicality and therefor is something that you could call noise, even though the song still doesn't sound bad by any stretch of the imagination. The second is that I think it adds another meaning to the song as it can be seen as criticism of the state of modern (or well, it's been going on for a long time now) recordings in the so called "loudness war" (which originated in radio where they found the effect increased the chance of listeners staying on the channel). in the attempt of the music industry to just immediately grab your attention with large, loud sound they are pushing noise on us and drowning out the real music, if we allow ourselves to exaggerate a bit. It's a separate and smaller point to the main one of the song, but still holds clear correlation. Further on, regarding the recording, I have not really had any issue with insistent string sounds, and I haven't really thought of whether the spoken voice has been a bit low, but I do think that Marco's voice in the frequent three singer harmonies could have been brought up a bit more. I'm mainly listening on a high end set of floorstanding speakers, so that alone makes the listening a bit different from using headphones, but I feel that while I still hear him he can get a little too pushed back because he's delivering the bottom end and that cuts through the other sounds less well. I do also agree that Marco's bass is also a bit low, although I do have the feeling that both of his mixing issues may be different in future live performances. They do tend to have some mixing differences there, which makes their live albums even more interesting to get after having listened for the studio album for a long time. Overall I can get behind your grades and I enjoyed to see the very detailed numerical breakdown of the different criteria, even though I myself prefer to use very rough scales. You explained your thoughts very well, especially with the knowledge I have from having watched all your other videos, and the numbers made perfect sense. Personally, if I have to grade, I tend to do it on a 5-graded scale with no decimals or fractions. That way I can arrive at a grade and don't feel compelled to constantly reevaluate whether I've given the correct one. My brain lends itself best to pursuits of science and it's pretty analytical, but it's not suited to be extremely consistent on subjective matters so I tend to think over details again and again, not going anywhere. I'm not fit to create art, but I'm highly appreciative of it. In the end the album is a masterpiece to me and I thank you for your videos as I think it's helped me gain some other viewpoints to further my appreciation of it. I'm looking forward to your future video series and the ones that aren't Nightwish will be very interesting to me since while I'm aware of the bands I have never delved deeply into their work. I have been thinking of listening to more Epica as I've mainly heard them in live performances where they've been joined by Floor, so this will be the perfect way to do that. I've also had a pretty progressive period in my music listening and just a few days ago I actually stumbled on Rush's 'Tom Sawyer' on KZbin again. I've heard it a long time ago but thought it was "just" good, but now I think it suited my current taste much better since I had a real "wow" experience. It's an amusing coincidence that you're doing a Rush series just after I've decided to start listening to them more. I'll wait for your series to do that as well. So thanks for everything this far. I'll be ready for what's next. Take care.

[@GuylainPrince]

I love your comments. You probably know, by now, that I like to see myself as a "starting point" more than a "final word". I enjoy deeply debates and discussions, even in complete disagreement. I have been like that all of my life. It is just carrying my state of mind and my being on YT in such a manner that people have a place to express themselves. This video was a bit boring? I agree with you. This is the cost for speaking in English, and this is why I chose to talk in my mother tongue in the first place. I am not the same in "International French" or in English. Maybe, on day, I will be able to react and analyze with the same freedom I have in my own language, but for now, this is what I can do. Nightwish deserves more enthusiasm from me. I gave my best shot, directly in English, because I found that most English reactors missed important points. I am pretty certain at this moment in time that I will continue in French with English subtitles. Especially the [REACTION] vid. Peace to you. And, by the way, I find your contribution so good that I pined you up there, at the top!

[@Evil_Peter]

@@GuylainPrince I'm glad I could provide some thoughts that you found interesting. As for this video being boring, I definitely do not think so. I found it very interesting and thought provoking, and while I understand the feeling of feeling limited in a language different than your native one (Swedish is my first language) I think you did a great job of conveying your thoughts. Then again the difference to me personally is negligible as I have to read the subtitles on the French videos anyway. I sadly only understand a tiny fraction of that language, although I can still enjoy the cadence and expressiveness of it. I will enjoy your videos regardless of which language you choose to go with.

[@basicguy5785]

I think this is only boring if you have too little patience patience or no time to really listen.

[@Vimana]

@@basicguy5785 What I think "Evil Peter" really meant to say in the first sentence of his first comment is this: "This was a great review with very interesting criteria. I agree with pretty much everything you say, which is perhaps a bit boring". So, he probably meant that the fact that he pretty much agrees on everything is perhaps a bit boring... I love these discussions. I'm not a native English speaker as well and sometimes it's easy to misunderstand us. :-) Anyway, take care and have a wonderful day.

[@Evil_Peter]

@@Vimana You're spot on the interpretation and in my response to Guylain I somehow completely forgot to go back and read what he read as me saying his review was boring. You reminded me to do that and it was immediately obvious that I did phrase myself in an unclear way, which is now fixed. Thank you for reminding me.

[@joop558]

I am completely in agreement with your conclusions, however I think that Nightwish is selfsupporting in their finances, but Napalm is doing very good things for not popular but beautiful music. So they are takng some risks, but it will be rewarded. This album is different and you have to listen to it more than a few times, it is growing and growing, Also the second cd is beautiful musical wise. I wondered immediately how they will perform this album or parts of it live. Anyway it is a great piece of art.

[@GuylainPrince]

I did not know that, but happy to learn. That could explain the "liberty" they have, both musically and in terms of lyrics. In America, that kind of words would not be accepted from a major company. So happy that they are in Europe!

[@ChrisPage68]

Nuclear Blast is their record company.

[@jaska6875]

Again great analysis of great record. I could very much follow your steps. One thought I got when you said that there could have been critics or handling of politics etc things going at our time...maybe they wanted to avoid that angle to make the album last time better. You can handle scientific and spiritual themes, they were, they are and they will be. But politics is like yesterdays news or fish that was bought few days ago.

[@GuylainPrince]

Yup! I understand that. They did it a bit, in making an alliance with World Fund for nature. That was a bold move: their official videos with that kind of association. Without talking the "concrete politics", there could have been a few words about "tribalism" on the internet, politics and economics. Just general and poetic terms. But, like I said, very little things compared to what has been accomplished.

[@guimich2478]

Merci encore pour ce point de vue qui représente bien votre touche personnelle! I always have a hard time ranking album and giving different scores. I try to go without the words like best but that's for me. Aestehetic judgments are often a difficult task to achieve. This album reflects my appreciation I have been a fan of Nightwish since the Wishmaster tour and but I was not the most loyal I stopped listening to them for a while that was when I had my death/black metal phase. Like you said this album is very 70's in is style and structure. Sound mix is pretty good and the overall production makes it a world class release. Tuomas took a leap or made a Pascal's wager with Nuclear Blast and it paid off. Emotions and rythm are blending to paint a picture of a broader context. Tuomas is still playing on his train of thought drawing a mosaic revealing itself in combinaison with the instruments and the voices. A catalyst bringing into a cathartic moment like in Shoemaker. Tuomas is indulging us with an another tool to his work. Coming from the side of heaviness, I would of like 1 or 2 aventurous solo from Emppu, I still side with the TRVE KVLT that this a missed opportunity. Sometimes I think they exagerate and only live with nostalgia and I get their feeling but I am not on board with their final judgements on the band. That is their lost to gain. Different strokes for different folks! I ear you friar when you talk about some of the lyrics and point of views on the state of the world but to me Nightwish are not that engaged on that road. It could be a slippery slope! Nightwish are not like RATM or Kreator I do not feel there comfortable with that position. I am with you with their posture on science I wish they would take an even bigger step towards interdisciplinarity but this is a record and not a thesis in epistemology. Thank you friar i will be watching your Epica journey! They are one of my favorites also! Audaces fortuna juvat!

[@GuylainPrince]

Merci beaucoup! To me, Nightwish is a credible voice. That we are able to share with this level of deepness after listening their song, while enjoying at a more superficial level is a "tour de force". Pretty remarkable from Tuomas.

[@etienneleconte6914]

Txs, votre explication is superbe, encore txs.

[@GuylainPrince]

De rien. Merci ! Ce fut un réal plaisir d'analyser cet album!

[@danceswithwombats8256]

First off I want to thank you for your full analysis of every song and the album in a greater context. You deepened my appreciation for the band and the album and enlightened me towards some aspects of the songs that I did not grasp before. I did the same ratings you did on human nature: Lyrics: 16 I do think the lyrics of the album are some of the best Nightwish lyrics ever. Tuomas has a knack for cheesy vocabulary which was really hard to grasp for me for a long time but here I was on board from the very first read. I agree with everything you said, yet I redact some points from the 20 for the following reasons: - "Noise" felt a bit too simplistic, like the lyrics speak through blinders. It talks only about the negatives and cannot (or does not want to) appreciate the other side of the medal. It imposed a opinion more than exploring an aspect of humanity. Finally, it did not fit as well into the mold with the other lyrics. - "How's the Heart" fit better into the mold with the other songs, yet I did not feel the texture or the multiple layers in the lyrics as I did with the other songs. The song for me came across like a prose narrative and lacked poetic depth for me. Music: 17 Again, I agree with what you sad. As a concept album I like that Human :||: Nature is cut out from one big sound that is found again and again in each track. It makes it easy to listen through it in one go and helps to suspend your disbelief into whatever world Nightwish wants to carry you. The absolute highlight for me personally was "All the Things of Nature that Adorn the World" which really showcased how Tuomas thinks in terms of composition. He paints what he sees with music more than he tries to compose around it, with my favorite movement being "The Green" where you can hear the leaves rustling and birds taking off and flying away through the carefully chosen instrumentation. I detract from a perfect score because: - "Noise" does not fit with the musical flow of the album at all. It feels more like an insert because the song lend itself to be a standout single. The instrumentation and soundscape feels completely different to a point where I skip the songs completely when I listen to the album in one go. - the album sounds a bit "samey" in some of its parts. We know that Floor Jansen is a great and versatile singer yet the main utilization of her voice in this album is sweet breathy head voice with hard diction passages, yet I feel like switching it up by letting her sing on the off-beat in the next song is not enough change for me. I miss her voice getting some more parts in different registers, longer sustained notes, different color of her voice etc. A similar argument could be made for other instruments. Prosody: 10 The standout for me is "Harvest" because it shows how much thought is put into how the lyrics affect the music and how much the music points toward meaning of lyrics. The dark and creepy rumbling in the background of harvest when Troy sings "something unsung our way comes" together with the switch of harmony for that one note in the end of that passage foreshadows the meaning already. Otherwise the song gives you a Celtic folky happy appearance and the lyrics seem to support that outward pose of "everything is great and beautiful" but once you start reading between the lines you start to feel the dread that the whole song transports from beginning to end. Another notable standout is the "laudato si ad astra" part of "Shoemaker" gives me ice cold showers down my spine every time, still. Interprets: 20 (copied) I do not want to dare suggest any other musicians that could produce a record like this, it's way over my head. So I just copied your score. Meaning: 18 I think the concept of the album is rather unique and shows how greatly Tuomas cares about anything he composes. If I, as someone else in the future, would pick up this album after our mass extinction and listen to it, I would get a good picture of the struggles and pleasures of humanity. Is the view on humanity that Tuomas presents here a bit too narrow and bleak? Maybe, but at the same time I do not know if anyone could do batter given the amount of songs you have. I think there are topics that Tuomas hints on but then did not explore further, e.g. few people ruling over many, kind of hinted at in "Noise" but not brought up again. There are songs on the album that I would've given up to explore it more. Recording: 9 (copied) As with Interprets I don't know enough about recording to judge, so I just took your score. Total score: 90 / 100 I think the decision to cut a few songs and instead add the 30 minute orchestral piece was the greatest decision on that album. I am so in love with it. :) Very much looking forward to your Epica interpretations!

[@GuylainPrince]

WOW ! This is great. I you made me appreciate some elements I overlooked. For Noise, I have a different point of view. Each song has a very distinct signature. In fact, it is close to falling apart at some point, but by some miracle hand, it holds its focus. And like you, I appreciate the B side very much. I think it makes a lot of sense considering the POV of the composer/lyricist. So, thanks for your overall opinion. I love it ! Peace!

[@danceswithwombats8256]

I think Noise is a great song and it will be amazing live but from a lyric standpoint and in the scope of the album for me it is the weakest link. On most albums it would've been my favorite. The topic also fits the album, just the way it was executed nags on me. Mind that I would still give the album version of the song a 7/10, it is by no means a bad track. One thing I forgot to mention: I think we should all appreciate the visual appeal of the album. The design of the cover is great and fits so well within the music and also gives hint to the meaning (like ruins found of a civilization long gone, but that civilization is us).

[@grabtharshammer]

Can't wait for the next reviews. I know Rush, great band i loved them , but underated in the UK at the time. Not listened to very much Epica, and not much of the early NW either so looking forward to learning

[@GuylainPrince]

We will discover all of this together! Thanks for being there!

[@ServantOfOdin]

To me it was like yet another masterpiece unfolding before me. I have been listening to Nightwish since their album Century Child was released and ever since then they impressed me time and again. Back then, I was engaged with a Chinese girl, so English was our lingua franca, and my vocabulary received fortuitous extensions due to that Yet the lyrics Tuomas spun continued to present me with words unheard of until then. And yet, I still learn more words, thanks to Nightwish. The level of intricacy and depth of meanings (it is, quite as you say, there are sometimes four, five, or even more meanings to a line) is something only few bands can manage to uphold over more songs, let alone across several albums. Musically, I have been starving for symphonic, melodic music, as by my upbringing. Nightwish was my first metal-band and they were just the right band to embrace metal. Of course, over time I found many others, and albeit not all are symphonic or melodic, I still find great joy. The combination of these meaningful lyrics and artful musicianship is something very few bands can manage to keep. Tuomas has crafted at this level of mastery over words and music since the beginning of Nightwish, and that alone makes him stand out from among all composers and songwriters. There are quite a few great ones, but they, sadly, either only manage to bring great symphonic and melodic music but lack the depth of lyrics, or vice versa. Tuomas has managed to combine these two over such a long time successfully, that I fear the day he will truly be called from the cares of the world. Nuclear-Blast Record has quite a set of contracted bands which make heavy use of traditional, natural instruments. Eluveitie (Swiss band, features flutes, hudry-gurdy), Equilibirum (German band, also hurdy-gurdy, backpipes, flutes), Korpiklaani (Finnish band, features flutes, backpipes), Rhapsody (of Fire) (Italian band, features violins, flutes, piano), Therion (Swedish band, features flutes, violins, pianos, etc.) Since you asked about their live-shows: The Greatest Show on Earth, live-performance at Tampere has them synch fireworks to the beginning parts of the song. Great crowd-interaction, perfect setting. But really, the fact that synched firework, actual real firework to explode along their musical notations.... You don't find that every day.... Their live-performance of Poet and the Pendulum (there is only one as far as I am aware, and that is due to the nature of the song being the lyrical suicide of Tumoas after their former singer left) is just as chilling and intensive with the screen-boards behind them. The End-of-an-Era version of Phantom of the Opera has a truly operatic atmosphere to it and is outperforming their studio-version. And of course, one should mention the Wacken-version of Ghost Love Score, which gave birth to the term floorgasm. So yes, their live-shows are quite the sight to behold. And they do them really live, no backup, no recording. During one live-session of Planet-Hell, Marco forgot the lyrics, is just silent and at the end he just blurts out a cheery "f**k". That shows just how casual and relaxed they go about their business. On your question about other bands being able to play this, I would have to say yes and no. I know several bands who could play a song (or maybe even two) with the same level of power, meaning, bravado and intensity. But there would indeed be no band that could play the entire material as well as they did. Of those, Therion (a lot of great choir-work), Wintersun (Finnish band, also Nuclear-Blast-Record, very symphonic and powerful), Sonata Arctica (Finnish band, also Nuclear-Blast-Record, melodic, great vocals), Rhapsody (of Fire) (very melodic and at times baroque), Blind Guardian (German band, also Nuclear-Blast-Record, also focuses on the powerful part, using several melodic pieces). Again, all could at least one song to equal status, but none would be able to perform all pieces.

[@GuylainPrince]

Great, great comment! All the bands you mentioned are new to me. I realize that I have to dig deeper into European/symphonic metal. As I understand it, even with your knowledge of these bands, you confirm that this material could not be played in extenso by another formation. I tried it, while preparing this video. I had to bring together musicians of other eras. One great rhythm section able to play that would be Rush, but then you would have to add a great keyboardist like Tony Banks from Genesis. A multi-instrumentalist and singer like Troy can be found, but able to play on pitch like this? And so versatile? It is very hard to find. A great voice like Marko is still, again, hard to find. And do I have to say anything about Floor? I think she is irreplaceable. Unless you have 2-3 singers. This formation is unique. But, like I said : Tuomas knows the band and composes music with them in mind. He knows their flaws and abilities and match everything perfectly, and they are up to the task. Even for them, they must have worked a LOT.

[@ServantOfOdin]

@@GuylainPrince Indeed. Nightwish is a well-balanced, perfectly harmonised group. They have been before, with Tarja, until that Marcelo-fiasco, but that is another topic, or chapter. Yes, to create a band that could compete with them, you would have to draw masters from a lot of different other bands. I am currently compiling a list of songs for your 10-songs of. Gotta admit, I got a lot more than that....... And as per the other bands, I'd be happy to point you to some of them as time passes, introduce you to other bands that go this general way.

[@georgefer8923]

Damn, why such a spoiler about "The Poet And The Pendulum" ?? Maybe our dear friend didn't know about that and we would have had such a great reaction and analysis videos !! Please people, please, try not to spoil other songs, don't say too much. We'll have so much joy and interest to discover how Friar Guylain will make his interpretations. The next NW session will be here soon enough. Let's keep his mind as "free and virgin" as possible about the next 10 pieces he'll have to discover. Again this is just my humble opinion....

[@kezca]

I concur with you Sir, thankyou for doing this. I gave it 97/100

[@GuylainPrince]

Excellent, thanks!

[@neffscape6353]

First of all, thank you very much for your analysis and your deep reading of this album. At the beginning I had a hard time digesting this album because its complexity and depth make it quite difficult to penetrate and appreciate. As they get older, Nightwish have become more cryptic and complex (probably more mature) and therefore less accessible than in the past. But after some listenings, the shell breaks and what is inside is a true masterpiece. In some ways all of this reminds me of some very difficult books to start but which once passed the first 3/4 chapters are revealed to be sublime works. My judgment according to your criteria give me a score very similar to yours (97/100). Unfortunately I have a bitter aftertaste at the end of the album because I realize that my vision of the world is starting to diverge a lot from Tuomas', especially when he speaks about religion. Beyond the conclusions that Tuomas reaches, I believe that when he speaks of religion he is not as profound and acute as when he speaks about other subjects. It seems to me that he simply repeats what Dawkins says and that does not leave me satisfied. It is evident that the author is not a superficial person at all. I am sure he has his good reasons for becoming an atheist after a past in which he declared himself at first a believer and then substantially agnostic. For sure he always said that he wasn't contrary to religion. The only thing I don't understand and would like to understand better is what happened in these last years and why he seems so angry. Overall, the meaning of this record is perfectly compatible with the Christian world view (The only difference is that for Christians at the origin of everything there is a creator and benevolent God). I whish he could explain why all this hate. As a christian I sometimes feel attacked by the new nightwish and that makes me sad. Great album BTW, i hope you'll react to other NW albums of the past starting from Imaginaerum and Endless Forms Most Beautiful which is similar masterpiece IMHO. Greetings from Switzerland and thank you for your videos.

[@GuylainPrince]

Thanks you, Marko! This is a first-class comment! 1) I feel comfortable, as a Christian, with 97% of the content of the album. 2) I noticed that Tuomas puts a LOT of effort to name things in a "secular" way : works of nature/creature of God, Endlessness/Eternity, etc. So, there is a clear stance from him to stay away from a religious perspective on things, 3) it is true of the vocabulary, but not of the "musical vocabulary". He uses all the tricks and effects of sacred music, and gives a spiritual twist in a lot of songs, 4) I share your deception about Tuomas perspective on religion : I see an open minded man and artist, a man of great quality. I don't see the same level of nuanced judgment towards religion. In interview, he says he respects religions, but hate sectarianism; but sadly, in his work, I have not seen - yet ! - this kind of nuances. I still have a lot to explore. In August, I begin a survey of their previous albums. 5) Some of the songs, it took me 5-6 hearings before appreciating them to their due level. For me, this was the case for Music and Noise. So, I understand your point of view very well. Among the albums I prefer today, some I did not even liked at first hearing (Ex: Yes--> Close to the Edge). I would not leave home without them in my phone, today! To me, it is the sign of a true great classic: time will separate it from the rest. Anyway, thanks for you generous comment. Peace to you! From Canada.

[@chancellor05]

I, for one, would very much appreciate (and watch!) a thorough analysis of Nightwish's 2015 album Endless Forms Most Beautiful.

[@GuylainPrince]

Maybe one day. Beginning next month is a survey of their repertoire, in chronological order. It will be great!

[@maximegosselin1119]

A huge influence of my love of this record (and Imaginaerum as well) is that it is very cohesive, every part makes sense in the context of the album. My favourite Nightwish songs are probably still Weak Fantasy (sorry!) and Storytime, but this album is well above the others for me.

[@GuylainPrince]

Well, I will undersand your statement about "Wild Fantasy". As for Storytime, I love it!

[@leopendent3291]

The only musical "group" that could possibly play this would be one put together by Arjen Anthony Lucassen. His Aryeon Projects deliver a similar level of musicianship, but of course he also selects the BEST Metal musicians to play on them. That would also include Floor and Marco who have both been featured in his videos. His lyrics are also evocative but all have a similar feel of a SciFi world that, although complex, does not have near the depth of thought and feeling that Tuomas does. So he isn't the composer of lyrics that Tuomas is but the musicianship of his compositions could allow a possibility of playing this album. I have now listened to your complete Human:Nature reactions/analysis and will continue on this journey with you. At some point you may like to at least listen on your own to some Aryeon as a side thing just to realize that there are a few others out there trying to change the way music throughout the world can be changed by being yourself and an original. Much like you are doing with these in-depth reviews of great music.

[@GuylainPrince]

Wow. Thanks for the good words, and for the suggestions. Noted!

[@Schaapje123]

Totally agree. Ayreon was on my mind too when Guylain said that it isn’t done anymore. I witnessed the live shows of Ayreon last year in Tilburg, The Netherlands. The Blu-ray of that concert is a must have for every proggie. Talking about composing, mixing and above all: storytelling. I think you will like it, Guylian. And thanks for the strong review. The album: 98/100 (mixing issues). Your review : 100/100.

[@GuylainPrince]

Yup! Looking forward to look at this closely. Someone suggested me something, and it was like 8-9 different characters. So, I decided to postpone a bit, to take the time to listen to it calmly! Si I will do next summer!

[@leopendent3291]

@@GuylainPrince The one thing I do know is that Aryeon will intrigue you. Arjen is a master similar to Tuomas with a different twist, but a master nevertheless. Everyone in the international Metal music scene is more than willing to work with him, which says something. Again a European (Dutch) who is totally unknown in N America, much to our loss. And his music has way more than 8-9 different characters. It's more like a Tolkien novel than a group of songs. A cast of thousands.

[@GuylainPrince]

Oh, ok, you talked about his whole work. I was thinking more of an individual song/piece of music that was sent to me. When I saw that there were characters/different actors, I stopped and wanting to listen to it calmly.

[@paulmdevenney]

...waiting!

[@GuylainPrince]

I was right there with you.

[@2012ImportePeu]

Merci, Guylain, pour cette revue. Encore avec celle-ci et un peu partout le long de tes réactions à chacune des chansons de l'album, tu m'as ouvert les yeux sur certains éléments tant au niveau technique que conceptuel auxquels je n'avais jamais songé. Bref, j'ai apprécié tes commentaires et réflexions et en prime, j'ai appris. Question : Est-ce ici que nous devons te faire nos suggestions pour ton " 10 songs of Nightwish " ou tu vas nous revenir plus tard avec une vidéo spécifiquement là-dessus ?

[@GuylainPrince]

Il y aura une vidéo pour lancer le processus. Au début du mois d'août. Sache que j'ai déjà compilé beaucoup de suggestions.

[@erissera8629]

@@GuylainPrince Il est encore temps de faire un top 10 pour Epica ?

[@GuylainPrince]

Non. Tout est compilé. Ma sélection des 11 est faite. Et j'ai commencé à écouter les pièces de After Forever, pour me préparer à "Cry to the Moon".

[@erissera8629]

@@GuylainPrince Super ! J'ai hâte d'avoir vos impressions, ressentis et surtout votre éclairage sur ce groupe. En parlant d'After Forever, Prison of Desire est un pur chef d'oeuvre et Floor a déjà une maîtrise incroyable alors qu'elle n'avait même pas 20 ans !

[@GuylainPrince]

Je n'ai écouté que quelques pièces de cet album. Album de jeunesse qui n'est pas sans défaut, mais qui est remarquable de créativité. J'aime beaucoup.

[@esakoivuniemi]

Thank you Guylain. Great review. At the moment I'd score the album better than 9/10. Somehow it seems to get better every day, thou...

[@GuylainPrince]

At first hearing, I would have given a 8,5 or a 9. My appreciation grew as I dug into the lyrics and the music.

[@esakoivuniemi]

@@GuylainPrince My experience has been similar. At first I felt quite a bit out of my musical comfort zone. The most surprising thing for me has been that I find the 2nd CD absolutely awesome. I didn't see that coming at all.

[@TimSeraphiel]

I pretty much agree with your review, Guylain. I feel that this is the strongest album that Nightwish has released so far and has become my favourite of theirs. For me the Nature part of the album is the weaker part as it still sounds more like a soundtrack composition than neo classical, which is what I think Tuomas was going for, but that's a minor nitpick. Just a little background on me and where I'm coming from... I'm now 46 and I've been a fan of Nightwish since Century Child came out in 2002 - their first three albums were good with some great tracks in there, but for me they hit their stride with Century Child and from then on I was hooked. This was back in the days when I had to import a lot of music myself via friends in Europe or Amazon . de because none of the music stores in Australia sold albums from bands like Nightwish, Therion, Within Temptation, After Forever, Edenbridge, Ayreon or even the first Epica album when it was released. Australian music stores didn't start stocking any symphonic metal until around 2004 - none that I could find in Sydney anyway. For me, my love of symphonic metal stems from a childhood love of classical music (Mozart etc.) and being introduced to bands like Metallica and The Alan Parsons Project in the 1980s. I also loved ABBA so yeah. I listened to a wide variety of music as a youngster. I look forward to your future videos!

[@GuylainPrince]

Thanks Tim ! We have a similar background, except for one thing. I knew nothing of Symphonic metal apart Dark Passion Play, 10 years ago, and "Showtime, story time", 3-4 years ago. For the rest : fan of Hard rock/prog and american metal, I was the only "rocker" look alike at classical music concerts. I was introduced by a friend to Brahms, Mozart, Tchaikovsky. The romantic period, that I still love dearly. I listened to blues, traditional and Gospel music since then. I found great things in all these fields. Symphonic metal brings all of that together. Especially with the addition of Troy. Because of that, it is impossible for me NOT to enjoy dearly NW!

[@bigg2988]

Man, Tim, if you are fond of ABBA and 80s dance music, you should really look into a band called AMBERIAN DAWN! I am not trying to try and describe them, but they earn their classification as "ABBA metal". :))) Of course, in the present day of KZbin, another band from Finland may not be a mystery to a fan in Australia! Anyway, enjoy! \m/

[@bigg2988]

@@GuylainPrince Dear Guylain, once we get around to that (so far proverbial) glass of beer together, I would be really curious to know what you thought of Anton Bruckner, especially his symphonies. He was in fact at odds with the circle of artists and critics around Brahms. The perpetuated image is of Bruckner "building cathedrals of sound" with those long, elaborated and complex lines - a skill he honed in his formation as master organist... Those are late Romantic creations, difficult by many standards, but their spirituality is something to look into.

[@TimSeraphiel]

@@bigg2988 Thanks, yes I'm familiar with Amberian Dawn. 🙂 And yes, they certainly sound like a metal version of ABBA these days.

[@GuylainPrince]

I haven't dig inot Bruckner for 25 years, but I have a clear memory that it was a 'specialty" of our ex-chef at the Montréal Symphonic Orchestra. I will certainly check it out! Put the beer in the fridge!

[@Freeze014]

11:29 Isnt Marco the eldest at 54 (being born in 1966)?

[@GuylainPrince]

I thought Troy was older. My mistake!

[@Freeze014]

@@GuylainPrince Oh i am sorry he is, but he is from 1964, so still not 59, Guess i had my eyes crossed too!

[@GuylainPrince]

Ha ha ha ! That's my year of birth! And I am not 59! What a mistake! LOL.

[@Carl30442]

Another wonderful review. I wish Floor and Toumas could see your comments.

[@GuylainPrince]

They have a lot of things to do. With the COVID-19, all their plans have been cancelled/rescheduled. Wish them well.

[@ChrisPage68]

Reply@Guylain - we are in accord as far as Floor's concerned - I don't think Tarja - for all her majestic operatic vocals - could convey the warmth in How's The Heart? or the mourning in Procession. Nor could she do the joyful soaring in Ad Astra. Nightwish are very definitely in their own genre. There are many copyists, but no-one quite has that "Special Sauce" they have. Where we differ, I think, is in regard to their appreciation of science, politics and economics. I think this shows in their environmental advocacy, and very definitely in their criticism of the excesses of the modern world in Noise.

[@GuylainPrince]

Sciences I agreed already. Politics and economics, I disagree. Noise is an excellent critique of a modern form of tribalism, but also of consumerism. Excellent, by the way! I agree with you also about the association with world nature fund; very bold move (again an artistic decision, with economical consequences). And I appreciate that a LOT!

[@Vimana]

@@GuylainPrince Oh, I've probably forgotten to ask you this: Have you seen the official video of Ad Astra? The title is "NIGHTWISH - 'Ad Astra' - [World Land Trust Partnership] (OFFICIAL VIDEO)" Here's the link: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jKTLoYN4d8qbrqc

[@cemgozlu3758]

I like your work very much, very original. I have never seen this kind of analysis and review on KZbin. There is a progressive metal band called Pain of Salvation. They released an album called "Be" which is very multi-layered in my opinion. It talks about human understanding of God and how God means to us in modern times. Also the album is about human greed and our obsession on money and power. The lyrics are great. I wonder your thoughts about this album. Lots of love :)

[@GuylainPrince]

Excellent !

[@Vimana]

This is a perfect or near perfect Nightwish album for me. I wish many more people would talk more about the second CD, which I find absolutely wonderful and an integral part of the album. I find this album just as great and meaningful as Close To The Edge and Relayer by Yes for example. Each of these albums have their own style and each of these albums have perfected that style of music.

[@GuylainPrince]

I agree with you. That is why I did my first review on the second CD. The Yes Albums, and Genesis « The Lamb Lies Down » come to my mind when I try to compare them. Lyrics and music. For the meaning, I see nobody.

[@dirk2267]

I like to thank you extra for your comment on Floor's voice. As a Dutch I am of course extra proud on her and her voice. But it's sometimes hard, especially when you hear her so much like me, to judge her from a neutral position. (to be honest: I don't want to). Thanks to your comment I don't have to; and just experience her beautiful sounds. I love this woman so.

[@GuylainPrince]

She is a gem. Nothing less.

[@jean-renemarie3857]

bravo pour toutes ces analyses. je n'ai pas trouver de réaction sur creek mary's blood de nightwish. musicalement intéressant quand aux paroles et au sujet c'est très engagé. continuez comme çà. je suis de charente maritime (france) là où est né samuel champlain fondateur de québec.

[@GuylainPrince]

Vous n'avez pas besoin de me présenter Charentes-Maritimes. Mon papa, spécialiste de Champlain et professeur d'histoire m'en a parlé abondamment! Heureux d'avoir un petit mot de votre part! La sélection des chants de NW a été obtenue par sondage sur mon canal YT. Elle a bien figuré dans l'ensemble, mais pas assez pour être sélectionnée. Je l'aime bien, écoutant régulièrement l'album (un des rares en permanence dans mon téléphone). Donc, je l'aime, mais il est vrai que je ne prévoie pas faire d'analyse du chant. Avec plus de 60 vidéos sur NW, je serai, pour un temps, penché sur d'autres artistes.

[@Antoon55]

Great set of reviews/analyses. Please continue in English. I'm agree about almost everything you say except the compression/mastering part. In my opinion and on my audio set it sounds mediocre and deserves better treatment. Would like to hear 'master quality' on Qobuz :)

[@GuylainPrince]

Do you listen the compressed MP3, and what level of compression (low quality, middle of high)? Last thing : do you use a wireless link (another type of compression)? I have tested pretty much all options, but yes, it happens. The compression/masterisation process is always a balance; we have to choose, at some point, knowing that it is not satisfactory for a certain kind of set up.

[@GuylainPrince]

Sadly, Qobuz is not available for me, in Canada. So sorry about that!

[@nikolasmichaelides9444]

.....Epica, then Nightwish, then RUSH?!? You just became my favourite KZbinr in the entire world. Who covers Rush in 2020? and why is October so, so, so far away? Can you also do... Tool, Supertramp, Jethro Tull, Savatage, Dream Theater after that? Please?

[@GuylainPrince]

Supertramp will be on the list, somewhere in the future, as well as Jethro Tull! You'll have to convince me, for the others. I work full time, and have to find a way to produce these videos easily. In choosing English, this time, I chose to cut the production time by 4 hours. this is huge. So, I do this in my leisure time, it has to be simple for me. But, I am a patient man. I will do it slowly, but with regularity. And if I can speed up a bit, I will. For now, I do all the research, the recording and the subtitles in three languages... all my myself. I am quite efficient, right now. I will be better. Bear with me. We are there for a little while!

[@randominc.2251]

I concur with the Savatage....Streets; A Rock Opera to me will forever be in my top 5 albums of all time . Right next to Nevermore's Dreaming Neon Black and Rush 2112.....

[@nikolasmichaelides9444]

@@GuylainPrince Convincing you on Tool: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j2iteGlpftqUjdU Convincing you on Savatage: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bZyUhYCeit14nbs

[@nikolasmichaelides9444]

Oh and convincing you of Dream Theater: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hZK4k6Rpm8ybjbM

[@bradleycole4914]

very good review!!!!! I too give it a 96 out of 100 it is something you have to listen to many times because so much is going on and it just makes it that much better when you keep finding more and more in the songs I'm on my second year as a Nightwish fan the things that draw me to them is the band is very "tight" as a group the songs are whet everyone can understand and relate to and the most important thing Floor she needs no explanation

[@GuylainPrince]

Really, really impressed by the rhythm section of the band. As for Floor, do we need other words?

[@philmus1]

I just don't get those who say they are done with Nightwish because this isn't a straightforward metal album. The skill of the band and the writing goes beyond that. The worst thing you can do is pigeonhole artists and demand the just produce facsimiles of their previous work. Nightwish cover evolution and human development in their music. It's the subject of the last two albums. So their music has evolved. The band is evolving. Did people complain when The Beatles went from three chord pop to producing some of the best music the world has known? Let the talent flow, give it its head. Appreciate this album for what it is, a musical masterpiece.

[@GuylainPrince]

Totally agree. When I heard the second side (the first review I made on "Human :||: Nature"), I said : "This album is not for closeminded metalheads." Bull's eye, I guess!

[@dirk2267]

Guylain. Thank you for your review. I tried to follow with my points your evaluation of different aspects but I stopped, as soon I recognized that I have no knowledge of certain sides of this music. Sorry, no online discussion with me possible. But I have a fear (I thought this already after "Endless forms most beautiful"); how can Tuomas and the band top this album. Almost Impossible. The bar is very high now. I sure hope that Tuomas will find new inspiration. Because we can't end their fantastic 50/50 journey this way. Thanks again and have a fantastic music year. Yours Dirk

[@GuylainPrince]

There might be other paths to explore. Symphonic metal with orchestra and choir. Or completely the opposite: an unplugged version of their past material. You know what? I don't worry at all.

[@grabtharshammer]

@@GuylainPrince Have you seen/heard the video of Floor and Troy performing "How's the Heart?" UNPLUGGED!! Just beautiful :)

[@dirk2267]

You are probably right; Tuomas also has to stick his roots. His Metalheads expect that from Nightwish. We will see.

[@creislaw4821]

I don't know if I'm late to the party, but if you liked the the Noise music video then you might also be interested of other works of the director Stobe Harju. Namely: Poets of the Fall - Carnival of Rust That video is apparently been voted "Best Finnish music video of all time" and if I remember correctly it snatched "music video of the year" pretty much instantly after publishing. I also find it kinda curious how visuals of the Carnival of Rust and Noise are so different but (IMHO) seem to still share same style. You might also enjoy the song itself :) It's pretty much only song from PotF that I like, but in all fairness I should admit that at least part of my aversion towards Poets of the Fall comes from the time when Max Payne 2 was released and suddenly "The late Goodbye" played on every radio station, music channel, store or door hinge in need of oiling and I got sick of it (that last one might have been hyperbole)

[@GuylainPrince]

I am EXTREMELY interested to know better this director Strobe Harju, and there is NO DOUBT in my mind I will look at his work elsewhere. The creativity and the expertise of this man is exceptionnal. I will look into this, no doubt!

[@paulmdevenney]

Vocally the trio work so well together. I see them as the Devil, the Angel and the common man. Troy fills that gap of being able to give a "down to earth" voice when needed. The blends have been really fun, but Marko is very in the background sometimes. (I understand he was also working on private projects so might not have contributed as many harmonies as he might). I fully expect that live Nightwish will move the mix of marko/bass forward, focus on the 6 present members not the symphony and generally turn the performance dial to 11. I have tickets for London in December, I'm hoping against hope that I will be able to see them then. Something I felt Tuomas has done so well over the last two albums is to celebrate scientists as people to be looked up to and science as something to drive us. I do feel that the last two albums have said "we won't be here one day, make the most of your time and if we work hard maybe we'll delay it". At this point we're fully expecting the next album to be the third of a trilogy. For me that has to mean humanity looking beyond what it is today. Perhaps themes such as AI, Transhumanity or leaving earth might appear. Mixing: Other than Noise I think there was not as much compression for sure. The theme of the album helps "all it needed was time and silence. Tuomas is a master of understanding the importance of tension and space between the notes and how to build up and reduce a track. On the B side. I would guess that Tuomas put his own money into this. Lyric videos: I think Nightwish (and or Nuclear Blast) has been so smart here. They have cut out a bunch of KZbin re-posters who steal views from agenuine channel by releasing in tandem with the album. They've realised the world has changed, that reactors are a thing and rather than stamping on them, they understand some level of value in letting them promote the band. I think reactions to Ghost Love Score have certainly influenced NW ability to put on some US tour dates, along with Floor's brave and ultimately masterful choice to go on Beste Zangers.

[@GuylainPrince]

Great addition, from a different perspective. And I love it!

[@ImperiumiTV]

The ones sitting on the treasury chest and deciding on the financing this album (and all of the videos) are Nightwish themselves or rather, their company Oily Empire. Nuclear Blast then licenses the album and does the marketing and distribution.

[@GuylainPrince]

This explains a LOT of things to me. The freedom they have to do what they want. Excellent!

[@grabtharshammer]

@guylain ​I do like practicing my understanding of French in your other reviews though 😉 Though the subtitles are necessary as my French is so bad

[@GuylainPrince]

Make the calculation with me: French video with English Subtitles (6-7 hours). English video with French subtitles (1-2 hours). It is only a practical reason. And I have to admit, this series "Lectio Musica" has a very large international public...

[@johannessilver8653]

In 12:47 you say that they are 20 years old by the band...maybe you know that they already started in 1996 ?! After the previous album "EFMB" people said that "music can not become better than that" and " they can never do better than this". I personally believe that Tuomas has not shown all yet. But about your reaction...analysis ...I pretty much agree of your points...maybe I missed more "stronger" role of Marco as well both vocals and bass. Otherwise just superb.

[@GuylainPrince]

Good points. Yes, the "20 yo" time frame was more of a general statement. I knew they were an "old" band. I should have been more precise. They will surprise us again, I am sure of that.

[@ieradossantos]

Wait, English?

[@GuylainPrince]

:-)

[@ytbabbler]

The song Noise has a Easter egg where Floor say "shut up" , but you can only hear it if you listening in mono. (just before the music start)

[@GuylainPrince]

Yes, somebody told me that! Ingenious! A separation of a single sound on the two channels (L/R). Only when the two are combined we can hear it.

[@ytbabbler]

@@GuylainPrince In that case you would still hear -6db of the original. They must have done an inverted track that completely zero out the vioce if combined. But since we can hear it combined, they must do one step more, the inverted track that zero out the first track will be zero if combined but if we hear the 2 parts of that with different ears it don't zero out the part that zero out the original track. Yeah, that became complicated to understand, hope you understand anyway.

[@philmus1]

I agree with Pekka, it's not a metal album, it's a prog album with metal, folk and classical content. It meets all the criteria for prog, a mix of synths, orchestra, traditional instruments, rock vocals and operatic vocals. It is an album with an overarching theme. I don't know the order in which the songs were written but they appear to be in a narrative placed, like in a Tarantino film, out of order. So its a concept album. The album ends with a single orchestral piece, which is the type of thing Pink Floyd used to do. It's definitely my album of the year. On first hearing the album, I think on some songs the rhythm guitar and base have been pushed back in the mix. This may have something to do with the attention Floor's vocals have got in recent years. I suspect played live the balance will be different making the songs more like traditional rock. However, I suspect the band are looking to deservedly widen their appeal. I am still struggling to work out how Nightwish are not one of the biggest bands in the world at the moment. The musicianship, imagination and graft that has been put into this album deserves major award after major award.

[@GuylainPrince]

Dear Pippa: I hope and expect that they will become that. Just that : one of the biggest in the world. Their album has the quality for it, and I have heard that their shows also. Let's wish them the best!

[@johncheek2415]

i can honestly rate it a 9.9/10, not because i am a fan of nightwish, but as you said it is beyond Nightwish, it is unworldly

[@GuylainPrince]

Agree with you!

[@nikolasmichaelides9444]

After your comments on the Nuclear Blast Records, I went online to see who else have they signed. It does have a few recognisable names, like, Epica, Sabaton, Blind Guardian, Sepultura, Slayer, Edguy.... they are doing ok. They are doing fine. They can afford to make any decision they like, I am sure.

[@GuylainPrince]

Yup! I will dig into these in the coming years, I am pretty sure.

[@rvpalo]

99/100 ... I have listened to the disc, mainly in connection with the daily hike and usually it takes 60-70 minutes. This session has now lasted about three weeks so a few listens have accumulated. I haven’t really paid attention to not getting Marco’s bass, but maybe it’s because of the adjustments to my mp3 player as well as the earbuds, meaning the low frequencies are a little more pronounced (which fits the 56-year-old “former bassist” sound world, which also includes tinnitus). The record really needs to be listened to several times and specifically as a whole and not as individual parts of some playlist. Time and time again, it just seems to sound better and better. Empu I would have liked to have somewhere to let his fingers run wild and free on his guitar fingerboard. This is actually my “biggest” complaint in this whole. But otherwise, the man shows again how to make heavy guitars for lead when it is needed. (Funny detail: the number of times I've challenged myself a piece Noise and tried to walk into the rhythm of the song and especially for its entire duration, and it is hard ... It's so fast-paced ... Perhaps the quickest whole album?) Thanks for your sunny videos, as they make a smile rise even during the gray day and when they are still so carefully executed with all their background work. (I apologize for directly translating the text I wrote into Finnish with the Google Translate. This may result in some strange and unintentional train of thought into English)

[@GuylainPrince]

Perfectly understandable !!! The MP3 compression, yes, gives a little more bass. And the earphones might "colour" the sound a bit. I use natural sound headphones on purpose. To hear how it was mixed. But, hey, if I want a bit more bass, that is why we have EQ. No?

[@rvpalo]

Here are clip taken from "City Magasine" year 2009 that enlighning some background on Tuomas Holopainen (google translated) from finnish) Well. Now we get to the point. Your lyrics contain biblical images of tongues, the pains of Christ, and prayer tapes. Such are not terribly special in heavy music. What’s special instead is that you really have a Christian background. Your grandfather Martti Nortia was the pastor of Kitee in the 1950s and 1960s. How did he affect you? "In many ways. I've lived a Christian mother's side of the family all my life. Grandpa was a priest, and his father was a priest and beyond, all of whom were priests. The chain broke when Grandpa got seven girls. The ordination of women was not yet the case, there is not. I have lived in a Christian value in the world and received very Lutheran upbringing. Extremely benevolent. I have never experienced religion as a prison. I find religions interesting and fascinating. I learn a lot from them. " Your God is "a little chubby, with a sense of humor and tolerant." Chubby God sounds like a guy who enjoys the gifts of life? "Yeah. My God is just like that. It pulls the bumps every now and then and burns the barrel. It's tolerant. Yes, it clicks at the point when it's worth it, but it's by no means narrow-minded." You support the theory of evolution. So is your God a force, a "chubby" force? "I think evolution and Darwin are absolutely right, but did someone put it all over there somewhere. It's a different matter." We haven't gotten that far yet. "We really are not. It is worth keeping an open mind. Narrow-mindedness and inflating one's own truth is one of the great cancers of the world. People blame religions for the world's problems. There is nothing wrong with religions and their doctrines and books. not religions, but people's narrow-minded interpretations of sacred texts. "

[@bjarnecola6384]

I try not to be the first to comment this time. Oops I did it again. You really nailed the Pan = Tuomas. You know we have to read the lyrics, from more than one angle. I's right there in the title of the album. It's about how human have separated themself from nature, it's about the human nature and it's also dedicated to natures. Must be some angles I've missed.???

[@GuylainPrince]

I think you got it all ! And don't forget the 'cyclical aspect" of Nature. Indefinite. And Human, might not be so.

[@bjarnecola6384]

@@GuylainPrince I agree. It is two things humans, normaly can not understand, exponential curve/growth(e), and especially the concept of infinity (ꝏ). And we certainly does not belong to the latter.

[@matofako1]

Awesome reactions! Can you react also nature part of album?

[@GuylainPrince]

Done ! LM. 05 [REVIEW] Nightwish. It was my first video on this album.

[@wmlye1]

Salut Guylain! I've been having many (very strange) dreams through the shut-down. The night before last there was a very short scene at a Nightwish concert, and right in front was you. Crowd Surfing. It made me laugh and I think it would make you laugh too!

[@wmlye1]

And yes, your final comments to Nuclear Blast Records are spot on. Years ago we had an extremely challenging project at work and we were trying to figure out the appropriate word to insert into the phrase "We are the only company _______ enough to do this." You can imagine there were a lot words like "crazy", "insane", "stupid", but in the end we all agreed the best word was "brave". I think Nuclear Blast was incredibly brave to release this record in the way that they did and they need to be commended for that.

[@GuylainPrince]

@@wmlye1 Crowd surfing? Me? You would need a dozen bodybuilders to carry me since I am a heavy man. In my dreams, that is both, wonderful and hilarious. There was a lot of people to thank, in this video. Difficult to make is short, since I was amazed from beginning to end.

[@wmlye1]

@@GuylainPrince Well if you aren't crowd surfing, I'm sure you would be right up front singing, laughing, crying, and having a great time nonetheless. Bonne Chance.

[@bjarnecola6384]

Agree on most of the stats, especially lyrics-music, and the harmonies with Troy, Floor and Marko is like honey for the ears. lol But, as you also mention, the bass is to low in the mix. Bass and drums, when you here them together, is what I like in heavy metal. Maybe because I'm an old Dimmu Borgir fan. (94/100)

[@GuylainPrince]

Ha ha ha ! Well, you know what it means... you'll have to boost the mid-low and low frequencies. Happy equalizer of yours! I had to do the same thing.

[@johncheek2415]

Nightwish is a live band, they thrive in a live setting, they take thir live shows 120% higher than their albums.. Their sound crew, and crew in general have all been with them for at least 20 years, one of the sound guys, is the recording engineer on their albums, and helps with mixing ..........so you decide if their sound will be decent, good excellent or angelic.

[@GuylainPrince]

A recording engeneer being there for live performance? I thought I was alone to do that (for 10 years). Then it means : not a sound technician, but an artist, an artful mix. If the venue is good, the sound will be perfect! IN-CRE-DI-BLE !!! So happy to hear that.

[@nathaliecazenave8677]

Nightwish put the level really really high, even for them. Nobody can be as good as them, Nightwish is a complete band : lyrics, music composition, musicians, vocals, sound quality. Tuomas is a genious, but I don't know he will make a next album as good as Human :||: Nature.

[@GuylainPrince]

He's really exceptional. He and the group can continue to progress. In my opinion, he currently has a band at hand that lives up to his musical ambitions. The rest of their story will be really interesting to follow. Il est vraiment exceptionnel. Lui et le groupe peuvent continuer à progresser. À mon avis, présentement, il a un groupe sous la main à la hauteur de ses ambitions musicales. La suite de leur histoire sera vraiment intéressante.

[@danellwein8679]

wow .. English I like listening to you in French but okay English it is … if I might add 'a single man' is a collection of many ages … another comment .. my reaction to the first couple of times I saw the Noise video was one of numbness … I had a hard time taking in what I was seeing … I don't seem to relate to anything that my eyes were seeing in that video … interesting that you view it as a masterpiece … maybe as I watch it more and more .. I may feel differently about it … last thing … my favorite song on the album is 'Procession' … that song to this day spell bounds me.. it takes me to a place I seldom go to .. it has my favorite line in it 'we wrote this in a tongue you will understand' … lets us know that we are without excuse … a very sobering thought ..

[@GuylainPrince]

You are right about this. It is a beautiful line. I agree. Here is a suggestion. Listen to the music, all by itself. (WITHOUT the Video). Try to understand the words (WITHOUT the VIDEO). And than, watch the video WITHOUT the MUSIC. Look how it is very well done. It is exceptional, in fact. And finally, watch the video with the music. You will be convinced for all your life.

[@pin-upmariposa412]

Sir, most of us speak in english. If You prefer french, upload Your video in this langue. I forgot lot of french but english subtitles help me understand everything (it something like french review for me). That was very interesting video. Thank You very much. I hope You like Epica too.

[@GuylainPrince]

I loved "Façade of Reality" and the "Stabat Mater" (see my past [ANALYSE]). Next week, we begin our tour!

[@pin-upmariposa412]

@@GuylainPrince I saw this videos befor and both was very good and interesting. Stay safe and healthy.

[@GuylainPrince]

We will begin our tour with "Cry to the Moon". It will be awesome! Recording my reaction tonight.

[@pin-upmariposa412]

@@GuylainPrince I will be wait. 🙂

[@nephyla]

Reply@Guylain This album went straight to my favourites list. That's my review! On regards to the Science bit, I advise you, if you haven't, to listen and look into the album "Endless Forms most Beautiful", which is the precursor to "Human. :||: Nature." I think you'll enjoy it immensely. Here's a playlist that includes two extra songs that don't come on the album kzbin.info/aero/PLRGwump0eyytJ4-6mj_Npdr1T3NkVOH-S (there's some fanmade videos and the 2 last songs are alternative versions.)

[@GuylainPrince]

I will certainly give a good ear to some of these songs since I will do a retrospective into Nighwish's repertoire in August. For now I keep it in my first 3 best of all times.

[@MustaLaatta]

The least known 2nd lead singer in Nightwish is Annette - she was good in studios. Many KZbinrs made a video with For the memory of Ann Waychoff (Requiescat in Pace). It's Annettes Meadows of Heaven (studio version) It may be her best song... kzbin.info/www/bejne/rKnWm6lsgdmFsJI

[@GuylainPrince]

It will be noce to see how the Annette's period will be requested by the fans.

[@elsenm3965]

Bonjour et merci Guylain pour tout ce travail et toutes ces belles réactions ! J'arrive moi aussi à 96/100, mon seul petit reproche concerne certaines sonorités synthé qui auraient mérité plus de finesse ou être remplacé par du naturel. Sinon je souhaiterai partager une interview de Tuomas, ou il explique sa façon de composer et comment l'orchestration est mise par écrit par Pete Williams, c'est très intéressant : kzbin.info/www/bejne/amqvZ4qnrad4b5o A bientôt pour EPICA !

[@GuylainPrince]

À bientôt!

[@Fidel_L.Bousquet1970]

About what band could perform or do justice to this record or to Nightwish music I guess it had be a super band made with members of King Crimson, TOOL, Dream Theater, Pink Floyd , Afro Celt Sound System and the musicians that played with Peter Gabriel or Frank Zappa live but... the female voice has to be Floor Jansen. In my 50 years of life I've heard many great female singers, but no one can do what she does with her voice. Maybe I'm just a fanboy, but no one else I know comes even close.

[@GuylainPrince]

I made the same exercise. It could be Rush (rhythm section) + Tony Banks (Genesis) + a multi instrumentalist like Troy (I know one or two) + Martin Levac (Peter Gabriel Impersonator and singer) + .... Floor (or two three female vocalists). That should cover it. And they would have to be in their prime time (35-55).

[@sileylasloum.6848]

Ahoj captain Prince ..wie geht es Dir ?..ich hoffe gut ..ich schreibe Dir hier mal in Deutsch ..bisher habe ich Dir ja in englisch geschrieben, so gut ich konnte aber ich dachte mir heute, in deutsch ..ich habe mir dein Video zu der gesammtwertung des albums Human:||:Nature von Nightwish angesehen und stimme Dir vollkommen zu. Das Album ist ein Meisterwerk oder wie ich es vielleicht natürlicher ausdrücken würde, sehr cool. Es ist ein Album das einfach in jede Plattensammlung gehört, so wie zum Beispiel Mike Oldfields Tubular Bells. Aber ist es ein Album das man wirklich bewerten kann? ich finde ja und nein. Ja wenn man es bewerten möchte und Nein weil es zeitlos ist, denn ich denke dieses Album hätte 2030 erscheinen können, und es wäre dann genauso gut. Es ist völlig unabhängig von der Zeit, aber nach meinem Gefühl ist Human:||:Nature das zweite von drei Alben die vielleicht zusammen gehören. Also ein Teil einer Trilogie vielleicht und den Anfang gab es mit dem Album Endless Forms Most Beautiful. Natürlich ist das nur eine Meinung die nach meinem Gefühl so in mir entstanden ist, aber es ergebe vielleicht einen Sinn wenn man die Komplexität der Texte vielleicht multipel betrachtet. Und sehr viele Texte sind ja aus multipler Sicht ansehbar, so wie das Universum. hm ..ich selber schreibe songtexte und bin natürlich nicht so gut dabei wie Tuomas, aber ich schreibe oft in Metaphern die dann oft sogar in drei Hinsichten multipel zu verstehen sind. ich nenne meine Songs dann meistens Multipel Tripel Notizen. Notizen nur deswegen, weil ich glaube das meine Songs nicht so gut sind, sondern nur kleine Notizen oder Demos. Bei Nightwish ist das natürlich etwas anderes, aber trotzdem glaube ich das Human:||Nature die Nummer zwei von drei ist, denn Endless Forms und Human:||Nature gehören irgendwie zusammen und beide Alben sind gleich cool und es gibt zuviel Verbindungen zwischen den beiden Alben und wenn ich mir das Cover von Human:||:Nature ansehe mit dieser Keilschrift und den Symbolen und die Pyramide ..Dreiecke ..nun eben Drei ..Trilogie ?..was denkst Du von Deinem Gefühl ?.. Nun soviel zu dem Album. Aber was ich Dir gern noch hier sagen möchte ist das ich Deine Analysen und Deine Reactionvideos einfach liebe. Du machst alles mit soviel Herz und ich genieße es wirklich sehr Dir dabei zuzuhören und die Art und Weise wie Du alles genaustens beachreibst, ist einfach schön. mach weiter so und ich freue mich sehr auf die nächsten Reisen mit Dir bei Epica und Rush und ich hoffe bei Nightwish und Endless Forms Most Beautiful ..liebe grüße

[@GuylainPrince]

Vielen Dank für die freundlichen Worte. Das wird sehr geschätzt. Ich schreibe auch Lieder. Etwa dreißig sind von verschiedenen Künstlern veröffentlicht worden, aber nichts im Vergleich zu Nightwish. Ich habe gerade genug Erfahrung, um die Arbeit anderer Menschen in ihrem wahren Wert zu schätzen. Ja, wir werden in der nächsten Serie wieder schreiben. Es beginnt sehr bald! Mit freundlichen Grüßen. Merci pour les bons mots. C’est très apprécié. J’écris aussi des chansons. Une trentaine ont été publiées par différents artistes, mais rien de comparable à Nightwish. J’ai juste assez d’expérience pour apprécier le travail des autres à sa juste valeur. Oui nous écrirons à nouveau dans les prochaines séries. Ça commence très bientôt! Bien à vous.

[@EnigmaTimGaming]

"If a show is 80% of the quality we've seen on this album..." We need to get you to review some live stuff. Maybe listen and Review Endless Forms Most beautiful and then watch Vehicle of Spirit. Seeing The Greatest Show on Earth live after hearing it on the album you will understand how much they step everything up for the live shows. Generally that figure is reversed, the album is like 80% as good as the live show. As for appreciation of science? See above album, Endless Forms Most Beautiful, whic Human :II: Nature is a kind of sequel to

[@GuylainPrince]

I will certainly dig deeper into EFMB. I haven't, except one or two songs htat I heard without paying much attention. As for the live. You probably know that the live album "Showtime, Storytime" is among my favorites of all time. And I watched two times "Wacken 2013" ; I knw how great they are, in live performance.

[@fani5000]

Keep doing your videos in French, s'il vous plaît!

[@GuylainPrince]

There will be some in French and some in English. It will depend of the public I am talking to. I will test the voice recognition of French in the next series.

[@fani5000]

@@GuylainPrince I understand, it's a lot of work. I'm just being selfish ;)

[@skeezesmith7954]

If you’re looking for an Anette song to react to here’s a very pretty lyric video of Meadows of Heaven: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rKnWm6lsgdmFsJI

[@GuylainPrince]

I will certainly consider it when we will start the "Going back in time" series of Nightwish. Thanks!

[@lpn828]

Of course, it's you the pro for the évolutive rock.. Nightwish is very best group. I listen every albums. With Tarja, with Anete in studio and one live, with Floor... it's very different singers....different musics and different shows... no comparable... NIGHTWISH is always NIGHTWISH.... sorry for error language... because i speak not english. Only french 🇧🇪 🇧🇪

[@GuylainPrince]

Peace to you, thanks! I really think that the actual version of NW is hard to match. I will know better, about the previous versions, in few months. Peace!

[@lpn828]

@@GuylainPrince Hello Mr guylain Prince . Thanks for your message.. I see NW with Tarja is opera-rock. It's realy good for the "old" generation (50 years for me 🙂). I love it.. With Floor, it's rock- opera..i see. Yes, hard. The teenagers love, and me too... without shows. I love too Klaus Nomi and the first périod of Bowie.. I listen very well and I see you too...because your analyse and your words... you love not absoluty NW ..Me too.. Have a night day. Lpn