"End of All Hope" by Nightwish from Century Child

The title "End of All Hope" sounds familiar, so I click on the song in curiosity. "Is this—the end of—all hope?!" I jerk in my seat, pulse skyrocketing from the hectic beat and clipped chorus. You would think that I'd know to be careful with Nightwish by now. (I promise I won't always review so many Nightwish songs.)

The beat in itself is done as a form of music, with more added. It's unapologetically synthetic in its almost techno declaration of apocalypse. The chorus can be followed without much trouble, but much of the verses of the song is hard to follow from the intentional emphasis.

Nightwish as usual manages to produce lyrics able to give the Christian pause. The narrator has lost innocence and faith, a common premise with what I've heard of Nightwish, and not only from Century Child. The narrator of "End of All Hope" might be suggesting that having "This life unforgiven" "is the birth of all hope", a distinctly unappealing premise. "It will end with a birth" doesn't seem to fit in that, though, so I am again confused.

Beyond that, the lyrics of "End of All Hope" are clean, using metaphor instead of the crass language some artists resort to. Tarja Turunen's operatic voice particularly suits the apocalyptic tone of this compelling song from Century Child.

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Lyrics: 4/5
Music: 4/5
Vocalist(s): 5/5
Overall: 8/10

"She Is My Sin" by Nightwish from Wishmaster

Yikes!

That's the first thought that comes to mind upon hearing the speedy music to "She Is My Sin" by Nightwish, repeated upon hearing Tarja Turunen's classically trained voice more often suited for an opera.

The symphonic power metal combined with the vocalist takes some getting used to, but it's pretty if you can get past the initial shock of hearing them together. Assuming you don't mind metal music or classical vocals, of course—some people find either the music or Tarja Turunen's voice intolerable. It's a combo you'll either love or hate, and their native Finland has decided to love Wishmaster and their other albums.

People struggle to classify the song's genre, since it's so alternative that hearers have rarely, if ever, heard anything comparable. A first impulse is to classify "She Is My Sin" as power metal with gothic and symphonic elments, not quite like Italy's Lacuna Coil (and select songs by Evanescence). The voice of vocalist Tarja Jurunen lead some to term "operatic metal". Furthermore, other genres of music equally influence Nightwish in its music, though I can't strictly identify what besides recognizing there's more there.

The music is striking and memorable, as are the lyrics. On the lyrical note, though, "She Is My Sin" is somewhat disturbing, which seems to be standard from the Nightwish songs I've heard, not all from Wishmaster. "I am the Fallen," admits the narrator. "God, I must confess: I do envy the sinners"? It makes my stomach turn. After a month of thinking about the song, I'm still not sure about it. The "God" is clearly used as if speaking to Him and not as a blaspheme, however.

At any rate, I'm still listening to the song repeatedly despite that, enjoying the haunting imagery in "A sin for him, desire within, a burning veil for the bride too dear for him," after the admission that "In the meadow of sinful thoughts every flower's a perfect one." I wonder if the poignant imagery of "She Is My Sin" is indicative of the rest of Wishmaster?

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Lyrics: 3/5
Music: 4/5
Vocal(s): 5/5
Overall: 7/10

"Ever Dream" by Nightwish from Century Child

Pity I don't know more about music genres; "Ever Dream" is a fun song to classify. It has a definite foundation that I understand as power metal, but above that is something else entirely. It's not just Tarja Turunen's operatic voice that appears again in Century Child, producing a love/hate response in listeners. I'm tempted to call the song "Ever Dream" something comparable to Evanescence's "My Immortal" (band version) meets power metal.

The music to "Ever Dream" is easily among the best I've heard from Nightwish, not that I've heard too many of their songs, but it's certainly better than the music element of even the hit "She Is My Sin". Of the Nightwish songs I've heard so far, "Ever Dream" and "Nemo" rank as my favorites on a purely musical level.

On a lyrical level, however, "Ever Dream" is another story entirely. "Give in for my touch, for my taste, for my lust," Tarja Turunen sings. No, thank you, and I think I'll keep my brother away from you, pretty lady. If "yours I truly wish to be," then why does the narrator seem to be speaking of a one-night fling? Maybe I'm misunderstanding it, but I don't think so. At least it's more oblique than explicit.

Sadly, the "eh" lyrics dramatically lower the quality of an otherwise lovely song.

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Lyrics: 3/5
Music: 5/5
Vocalist(s): 5/5
Overall: 6/10

"Nemo" by Nightwish from Once

Yay for pretty mus—hey, wait…

Did I hear that right? Where's the Replay button? The lovely piano beginning of "Nemo" (Latin for "No One") introduces and accents the heavy metal throughout the song. This single from Once didn't top charts in Finland on day one of its release without cause. Tarja Turunen's classically-trained voice soars with the weirdly pretty heavy metal. (Unfortunately, that piano is the most striking part of the song. The middle is much more ordinary.)

Even disregarding lyrics, this song is probably my favorite by Nightwish. If I could play an instrument, I'd want to learn that piano part of "Nemo." I wouldn't need much more encouragement to buy Once if I had the money, which I sadly don't at the moment. The heavy metal still manages to keep a classic beauty in its heart.

The lyrics of "Nemo" worried me a bit at the beginning, calling the narrator "for forever one of the lost ones," but they ultimately take that premise and have "Nemo" lost in the dark "forevermore". She is fallen, lost and nameless. The way it talks about that is a bit strange, but that seems to be Nightwish. (Or maybe I'm clueless; that's a possibility. I can't understand symbolism.)

I recommend this song to fans of heavy metal or operatic metal; I like the song, and I by far usually prefer the latter to the former.

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Lyrics: 4/5
Music: 4/5
Vocalist(s): 5/5
Overall: 8/10