Wishmaster

The star of the band of course is vocalist Tarja -- a trained opera singer with a voice that grabs you by the front of the shirt and drags you in. The first time that I heard Nightwish, I was a little put off by Tarja's style -- but after a few more tries, I had to admit that I was hooked. I think it was "Come Cover Me" from Wishmaster that did me in. It's still one of my favorite tracks on this album. Her voice soars and croons perfectly with the classically-inspired music.

But as much as Tarja is the focal point, the true unsung hero is keyboardist Tuomas Holopanien -- the mastermind behind the music. Although I'm not familiar with his musical backgound, I bet the big bucks that he too is classically trained. The music weaves and soars just like an opera or a symphony. The man kicks serious keyboard booty on "Wishmaster" and "Crownless," a heavily opera-influenced tune if ever there was one. Not to be left out, the rest of the band is top-notch too. I'm a throw back to the days of the butt-kicking guitar solo -- it's one of the many things that I find lacking in this day of "nu metal." But not to worry friends, solos and hot guitar work abound. Yipee!

Some of my favorite tracks: "She is My Sin," "Come Cover Me," "Wanderlust," "Bare Grace Misery," and "Crownless." But don't worry, there's not a weak one in the bunch -- every song is a mini-masterpiece.

While Nightwish may not be for everyone, I think that it will appeal to fans of heavier, more intricate music. It might take a few tries to get used to Tarja's rather impressive pipes -- but you won't be disappointed. Fans of other female fronted bands like Lacuna Coil, Flowing Tears, Theatre of Tragedy, and others will probably warm up to this a lot more than, say your average nu metal fan (i.e. Bizkit, Korn, etc.) -- but that's to be expected.

If you can appreciate talented muscianship, a dedication to producing something stunning and worthwhile, and maybe even a little classical music, then you might want to give Nightwish a try.