Nightwish are a symphonic metal band who formed in 1996. Showtime, Storytime is a live album released in 2013, two years after the Imaginarium album.
So, recently I was taking the Dropkick Murphy's to task because I couldn't understand their lyrics. But... ummm... the inconvenient truth here is that most of the time I can't distinguish Nightwish's lyrics either. In my defence though, Ms Jansen's vocal's are a tad more musical than a bunch of angry middle-aged Irish guys...
Without further ado, Dark Chest of Wonders is an excellent, high-energy way to kick off proceedings.
Wish I Had An Angel has many great Nightwish ingredients, however the slightly uncouth male vocals are a letdown for me (this is compared with Ms Jansen, and living up to that standard is a huge ask). On the other hand, the male vocals work very nicely in I Want My Tears Back, and the pipes are also a good addition to inject some variety.
She's My Sin is a case of "don't bore us, get to the chorus" (thanks, Divinyls). It's verses aren't particularly memorable, however the immensely powerful chorus single-handedly carries the song. The extra intensity of the final chorus is the icing on the cake.
There's a nice contrast provided by the softer verses and bridge of Ghost River. Personally I find the breakdown at the start of the pre-chorus is awkward and disjointed, however it does serve its purpose by allowing the song to build nicely into the chorus. The instrumental Last of the Wilds also features a nice ebb and flow, has a catchy melody for the pipes and is a great way to lead us into the intermission.
Ever Dream kicks off with a wonderfully simple piano-and-vocals opening, which later blossoms into an incredibly powerful and catchy chorus. Speaking of choruses, the melody of Storytime's chorus is utterly infections. As for the other bits of the song... well, they do an adequate to fill in time before the next hit of that wonderful drug. Bless the Child also features an hugely powerful chorus, perhaps my favourite on the album. It's all quite simple, but with incredibly vivid and hauntingly beautiful imagery. The first half of the chorus wafts across the moors at night... before being joined by an army of rock angels playing at full noise. Also, I really dig the slow-burn build-up through the intro.
Romanticide kicks off with great energy through the verses, courtesy of some excellent guitar riffs. Unfortunately, the energy tapers off in the chorus and the latter parts of the song, however maintaining a Ramones-esque style for about five minutes would probably get quite monotonous. While I'm nit-picking, the second half of Ghost Love Score somehow seems a bit cobbled together. Before this, though, it settles into a nicely contrasting slow-paced feel once it settles in after the intro. And then it builds up perfectly into each chorus, thanks to powerful and haunting vocals.
Amaranth follows a familiar - but enjoyable - recipe, before exploding into another chorus for the ages.
Last Ride of the Day takes a while to get into its groove, and the chorus is very different to the others. But it's definitely worth persevering for, especially when it cranks up another gear for an epic ending.
Overall, this live album manages to achieve a mostly-crisp sound, while still capturing the sense of a grand occasion (complete with fireworks at various times). And while the kick-drum sounds a bit 'slappy', all is forgiven for the sublime sounds of the lead vocals. Speaking of the live concert, the banter between songs varies between endearing and awkward, but it adds to the feeling of a genuine, real-life event.
Favourite songs
Dark Chest of Wonders, Ghost River, Ever Dream, Storytime, Last of the Wilds, Bless the Child, Amaranth
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