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Dark Passion Play

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Untitled

Dark Passion Play is the sixth studio album by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, released on 26 September, 2007 in Finland, 28 September in Europe and 2 October 2007 in the United States. It was the first Nightwish album with the band's current lead singer, Anette Olzon, and the first album not featuring former vocalist Tarja Turunen, who was fired in 2005. Lead songwriter Tuomas Holopainen has referred to it as the "album that saved his life".[1]

The first single, "Eva", was leaked on the Internet six days before its official release, prompting the band to release the single earlier to boost downloads.[1] Several other versions of the song were posted on YouTube and torrent sites a month later; the entire album with record label voiceovers had been leaked on the Internet by 2 August.[1] The full album (without voiceovers) was leaked on 21 September 2007, as a result of several stores in Mexico selling the retail album much prior to the worldwide release date.[1]

During the first week of its release, the album entered the European charts as number one in 6 different countries, selling over 100,000 copies in Finland alone, where was certified with 3 Platinum Discs.[2] In February 2008, the album received its 4th Platinum Disc in Finland, after having sold over 130,000 copies.[2] Worldwide, Dark Passion Play has sold over 2 million copies since its release, being Nightwish's most successful album to date.[3]

Production

Anette Olzon (pictured), joined Nightwish replacing Tarja Turunen.

On 21 October 2005, after the Once Upon a Tour, the band's lead singer Tarja Turunen was dismissed via an open letter. In search of a replacement, the band conducted auditions from 17 March 2006 to 15 January 2007, receiving over 2000 demo tapes in the process.[4] Amidst much speculation the new singer was officially announced on 24 May 2007 to be Anette Olzon, previously the singer for the Swedish AOR band Alyson Avenue. In an interview, Holopainen said they had made the decision in January 2007 based on the impression she made while performing the song "Ever Dream" from the album Century Child.[3]

Of course it's gonna be a huge task for the singer — she will always be compared to Tarja but I'm pretty confident that she'll do well.
-Tuomas Holopainen regarding Anette Olzon's ability[3]

The recording process started in the spring 2006 in different studios across Europe; the drums were recorded by Nevalainen in Hollola, Finland, at the Petrax Studios, Emppu Vuorinen recorded the guitars in Kerava, Finland, were were also record the keyboards by Holopainen and the bass parts by Marco Hietala.[5] Hietala is also the band's male singer, and in 2006 Hietala sung some of the new songs to record the demo versions as a base for the final recordings, with definitve vocals being recorded by Olzon at the Petrax in march 2007, immediately after being chosen to replace Tarja Turunen, and nearly two months before her name was given to the media and the fans.[5]

When the drummer Jukka Nevalainen was asked about the overall cost of the new album, he was quoted as saying “(...)Roughly half a million... We don’t know the exact sum down to the euros and cents as yet.(...)”[5] Half of this cost was incurred in London, over an expensive eight days at the Abbey Road Studios in London, UK, during which time the London Session Orchestra, the Metro Voices Choir, a gospel choir and two Irish musicians recorded their parts at the studio.[5]

The orchestral line-up featured 66 members from the London Philharmonic Orchestra, 32 singers from The Metro Voices and twelve gospel singers.[5] The final mixing process spent more than 75 days at the Finnvox Studios in Kitee, Finland, the same place where Nightwish recorded all their previous albums.[5]

Composing and content

Tuomas Holopainen (pictured) composed the most of the lyrics on the album, as well as the most of lyrics on all Nightwish's previous albums.

Dark Passion Play brings an unusual amount of personal songs, including "The Poet and the Pendulum" which has been described as Tuomas Holopainen's life story, and about being a composer and musician. Another song, "Meadows of Heaven" is a depiction of Holopainen's childhood and the feeling that it'll never return;[3] Another songs are pure fantasy, like "Sahara", based upon a dream Holopainen had during the recording process;[6] the album also has the songs "Amaranth", with lyrics about never-fading things, and "Whoever Brings the Night", talking about sex and violence.[6]

The main musical ideas turned into compositions at the back end of 2005 and into early 2006, in the period immediately after the huge media spectacle that surrounded the very public sacking of the band’s former singer Tarja Turunen.[6] Two songs, "Bye Bye Beautiful" and "Master Passion Greed" are about Tarja and her husband Marcelo Cabuli. "Bye Bye Beautiful" is for Tarja and his feelings before and after the time she changed her attitude towards the band and its music.[6] This was at first rumoured among fans and later revealed by Holopainen in an interview. The chorus also contains the lyrics "(...)Did you ever read what I wrote you?(...)" and "(...)Did you ever listen to what we played?(...)" in which the first part is a reference to the lyrics written by Holopainen, and the second part is about her lack of dedication to the music.[6]

According to Holopainen, the band's keyboardist and main composer, the album's title was originally intended to be The Poet and the Pendulum, named after the album's first track. However, it was changed to Dark Passion Play for several reasons; taking into account that The Poet And The Pendulum was too long for an album title, and that he didn't want to name an entire album after himself (as he is the poet in the band); Holopainen also describes Dark Passion Play as a having a "(...)nice double meaning(...)".[6]

Music description

Before the album's release, band leader Tuomas Holopainen said in an interview that the album would have a lot in common with the previous album Once.[6] For example, the band have kept the new kind of heavier songs, such as "Master Passion Greed", "Whoever brings the night", "7 Days to the Wolves", and "Bye Bye Beautiful, but additionally there are softer ballads, such as "Meadows of Heaven", "Eva", and "The Islander.[6] This album includes lots of guest musicians and orchestral parts, just like Once, but with a bigger level.[6]

Just like the album Once, Nightwish included many new influences and experimentations in several tracks. On Once, much inspiration came from Native American music, especially "Creek Mary's Blood", which featured Lakota Indian musician John Two-Hawks.[6] However, on Dark Passion Play, much inspiration comes from Finnish and Irish culture and music, which can be clearly heard on "Last of the Wilds." Songs like "Master Passion Greed" included thrash metal elements as well, displaying the newer, more modern sound of the band.[6]

Holopainen also said that there are darker pieces reminiscent of the album Century Child, such as "The Poet and the Pendulum", and some others. It will be a dark album, both musically and lyrically.[6] Even though the album is much more upbeat than Century Child. Songs that reflect this mood are for example the second single "Amaranth" and "Bye Bye Beautiful"'s B-side "Escapist."[6]

The extremes are there more than ever before. So it's not going to be like Century Child 2. There is more hope in some of the new songs.
-Tuomas Holopainen, band leader, keyboardist, and main composer.[6]

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[7]
Metal Storm[8]
Sea of Tranquility[9]
The Metal Circus[10]
Lords of Metal[11]
Metal Symphony[12]
RockReviews[13]

The album has sold more than 130,000 copies in Finland to date, placing 26th on the list of best-selling Finnish albums ever released,[14] which has granted it a platinum certification four times. "Dark Passion Play" has sold over 2 million copies worldwide.[3] It has been certified as 2x platinum in Switzerland, Platinum in Hungary[15] and Gold in Germany,[16] Sweden,[17] Austria[18] and Poland;[19] Dark Passion Play is also the most successful Nightwish album in UK and USA.[20]

As of January 2008, the album has topped the album charts in six countries; the singles, "Amaranth" and "Erämaan Viimeinen" have both reached the first position on Finnish charts.[21] According to Last.fm, "Dark Passion Play" is their most played album, and its successful single "Amaranth" has as of February 2009 been holding the position of most played song since its release.[21]

The album was also critically acclaimed in most reviews. Allmusic called the album a "sort of opera aria" and praised "Bye Bye Beautiful", on a track pic and "Eva", that they say it focus on the new vocalist vocal abilities.[7] Metal Storm said of "The Poet And The Pendulum" as "not just a statement to anyone who may have questioned the future of the band, but is also if you will, the title track with the pendulum on the front cover of the album and is also the epitome of the whole album to come", and called the album a "very much a Nightwish album is one of the most adventurous outings of the band's history."[8]

The album was also given a positive review by Blabbermouth's Keith Bergman, who gave the album a 7.5 out of 10 and stated that it "may not be a masterpiece throughout, but it's got enough moments of symphonic metal bliss to warrant a high recommendation.[22] About.com writer, Chad Bowar, gave the album a score of 4 out of 5 stars, calling Dark Passion Play "an excellent album that's right up there with the best the band has done."[23]

Promotion

Main article: Dark Passion Play World Tour
Nightwish ending a concert in Melbourne, Australia, on January 31, 2008.

To promote the release of the album, Nightwish played the Dark Passion Play World Tour, that took place from 2007 to 2009.

On 22 September 2007, the band hosted a secret concert at Rock Café in Tallinn, Estonia, disguising itself as a Nightwish cover band called "Nachtwasser".[24] Their first official concert with the new singer was in Tel Aviv, Israel on 6 October 2007.[25] The Dark Passion Play tour thus started, visiting the United States, Canada, most of Europe, Asia, and Australia.[26][27] In 2008, the band played over 100 shows, with dates in Oceania, Europe and Asia. In November, the band played in South America, and before this leg they took a 3 months break; Nightwish start the third leg in 2009, with dates in North America and Europe, and also playing in several summer metal festivals, including Graspop Metal Meeting and Masters of Rock. The last show was played in Helsinki, Finland, in front of 10 thousand people.[3]

The support bands were changing throughout the tour. The frequent acts were the Finnish pop rock female group Indica, and the Swedish industrial metal band Pain. The USA tour was supported by Gothic metal band Paradise Lost.[28] In the last concert, the opening band was the Finnish Apocalyptica. On 11 March 2009, was released an EP/DVD, Made in Hong Kong (And in Various Other Places), with 8 live tracks recorded during the tour in various different concerts; the DVD contains three music videos as well as a documentary featuring material from Israel to South America, directed by Ville Lipiäinen.[3]

Track listing

Main article: List of Dark Passion Play editions
Standard Edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."The Poet and the Pendulum" (Nightwish' longest track ever)Tuomas Holopainen13:54
2."Bye Bye Beautiful" (third single)Holopainen4:14
3."Amaranth" (second single)Holopainen3:51
4."Cadence of Her Last Breath"Holopainen4:14
5."Master Passion Greed" (sung by Marco Hietala)Holopainen6:02
6."Eva" (first single)Holopainen4:24
7."Sahara"Holopainen5:47
8."Whoever Brings the Night"Holopainen & Emppu Vuorinen4:17
9."For the Heart I Once Had"Holopainen3:55
10."The Islander" (acoustic)Holopainen & Marco Hietala5:05
11."Last of the Wilds" (instrumental)Holopainen5:40
12."7 Days to the Wolves"Holopainen & Hietala7:03
13."Meadows of Heaven"Holopainen7:10
14."Escapist" (bonus track on the japanese edition)Holopainen4:57
15."While Your Lips Are Still Red" (bonus track on the Amaranth single)Holopainen & Hietala4:22

Charts, sales and procession

Personnel

Main article: List of Nightwish band members

Credits for Dark Passion Play adapted from liner notes.[47]

The band

Main crew

  • Tero Kinnunen- Sound engineer
  • Mikko Karmila - Mixing
  • Mika Jussila - Mastering engineer
  • James Shearman - Choir conducting
  • Pip Williams - Orchestral arrangments

Guest musicians

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Dark Passion Play Is The Album That Saved My Life". Metal from Finland. 27 August 2007. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
  2. ^ a b c "Tilastot: Nightwish". IFPI Finland. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "The Band - Biography: The history of Nightwish". Nightwish's Official Website. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
  4. ^ "The auditions for the new vocalist have ended". Nightwish's Official Website. 26 January 2007. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
  5. ^ a b c d e f "Nightwish release Finland's costliest-ever album". Helsingin Sanomat. 25 September 2007. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Tuomas About the DPP tracks". TuomasHolopainen.net. 26 January 2007. Retrieved 25 October 2009.
  7. ^ a b "Dark Passion Play- Nightwish". Allmusic. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  8. ^ a b "Nightwish- Dark Passion Play". Metal Storm. 28 December 2007. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  9. ^ "Nightwish- Dark Passion Play". SpeedSoft.com. 28 October 2007. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  10. ^ "Nightwish- Dark Passion Play". The Metal Circus. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  11. ^ "Nightwish- Dark Passion Play- Nuclear Blast". Lords Of Metal. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  12. ^ "Nightwish: Dark Passion Play- Nuclear Blast ( Mastertrax )". Dev-PostNuke.com. 16 August 2007. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  13. ^ "Music Review for Dark Passion Play". RockReviews.org. 25 September 2007. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  14. ^ Statistics by IFPI Retrieved on 2009-03-17
  15. ^ a b "Archive- Nightwish". Mahasz.hu. Retrieved 7 June 2010.
  16. ^ a b "Gold/Platinum: Date bases". Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  17. ^ a b "Gold and Platinum". Ifpi.se. Retrieved 7 June 2010.
  18. ^ a b "Gold & Platin". Österreichischen Musikwirtschaft. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  19. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Charts positions and gold awards". Nightwish's Official Website. 11 October 2007. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  20. ^ "Behind-the-Scenes Footage From Scandinavian Tour Posted Online". Blabbermouth.net. 29 January 2008. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  21. ^ a b c "Extended Search: Nightwish". Allmusic. Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  22. ^ "Nightwish- Dark Passion Play (Roadrunner)". Blabbermouth.net. 22 December 2007. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  23. ^ "Nightwish - Dark Passion Play". About.com. 22 December 2007. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  24. ^ "Nightwish performs secret gig in Estonia". Blabbermouth.net. 23 September 2007. Retrieved 7 October 2007.
  25. ^ "Nightwish performs first official concert with new singer". Blabbermouth.net. 7 October 2007. Retrieved 7 October 2007.
  26. ^ "Nightwish – Tour Info". Nightwish.com. Retrieved 7 October 2007.
  27. ^ "Nightwish Australian tour dates announced". Blabbermouth.net. 5 October 2007. Retrieved 7 October 2007.
  28. ^ "Nightwish.com - PARADISE LOST to support NW on the 2007 US tour"
  29. ^ "Extended Search: Nightwish". Allmusic. Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  30. ^ a b "Extended Search: Nightwish". ULTRATOP & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  31. ^ "Nightwish". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  32. ^ "Extended Search: Nightwish". Allmusic. Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  33. ^ "Extended Search: Nightwish". Allmusic. Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  34. ^ "Charts- Nightwish/LongPlays". PhonoNet. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  35. ^ "Extended Search: Nightwish". Allmusic. Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  36. ^ "Archive: Nightwish". Mahasz. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  37. ^ "Extended Search: Nightwish". Allmusic. Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  38. ^ "Extended Search: Nightwish". Allmusic. Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  39. ^ "Extended Search: Nightwish". Allmusic. Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  40. ^ "Nightwish- Nemo (song)". Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  41. ^ "Extended Search: Nightwish". Allmusic. Hung Medien. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  42. ^ "Extended Search: Nightwish". Allmusic. Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 January 2011.
  43. ^ a b "NIGHTWISH: More 'Amaranth' First-Week Chart Positions Revealed". Blabbermouth.net. 14 September 2007. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  44. ^ a b c "Dark Passion Play- Nightwish". Billboard.com. Retrieved 17 January 2011.
  45. ^ "German- End of Year Charts". MTV Germany. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  46. ^ "Gold from Switzerland and Norway". Nightwish's Official Website. 21 July 2004. Retrieved 1 June 2009.
  47. ^ "The band- Releases: Dark Passion Play". Nightwish's Official Website. Retrieved 1 June 2010.

External links

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