Note: The original review in Finnish can be read here.
Riku Juutilainen and Hannu Juutilainen from Metalliluola attended the pre-listening event for Nightwish’s tenth full-length studio album, ”Yesterwynde” (2024), which was played for Finnish media for the first time, just before the start of the Hellsinki Metal Festival.
The weekend featured extensive coverage of Nightwish, culminating in the premiere of the music video for the album’s second single, at the festival that evening.
”Yesterwynde” is the final part of a trilogy that includes the previous albums ”Endless Forms Most Beautiful” (2015) and ”Human. :||: Nature.” (2020). However, the release of a trilogy was not originally intended before ”Endless Forms Most Beautiful” was released. When that album, inspired by evolution and humanity, was released, Tuomas Holopainen decided to compose more music on the same theme and explore it on a much broader scale.
The songs on ”Yesterwynde” were composed over approximately one year, beginning in January 2021, and the entire album took about three and a half years to complete. Mikko Karmila’s mixing took approximately four months, and Mika Jussila mastered the album no fewer than seven times. Four of the band’s six members were present at Finnvox; after a brief album introduction, they settled into the back row of the listening room.
The album is best experienced when listened to from start to finish, preferably while following the lyrics and observing the cover art. However, during the pre-listening, the lyrics and cover art were unavailable, so the music was left to speak for itself. (RJ)
1. Yesterwynde
The album opens with the nostalgic hum of an old film projector, transporting the listener to a cathedral-like soundscape dominated by majestic choirs – a truly stunning introduction! With beautiful melodies, we hear Floor Jansen’s calm vocals for the first time. The acoustic guitar is present in a magnificent way. (RJ)
The sound of an old film projector initiates the album, and an elegant acoustic melody guides listeners on a varied journey. The wonderful choir sections complement the song beautifully. (HJ)
2. An Ocean Of Strange Islands
The transition from the ”Yesterwynde” intro to the second track is seamless. The powerhouse track, which runs nearly ten minutes, starts with a super-fast tempo. Floor fades in, with intricate orchestrations playing in the background. The versatile chorus brings a smile to your face. Delightfully, Emppu Vuorinen’s guitar stands out strongly, and soon, we hear both guitar and keyboard solos. Not only Emppu, but all the members of Nightwish prominently stand out on this album, creating the sound of a perfectly harmonious band.
Kai Hahto’s drum and percussion work is more nuanced than previous recordings. Shortly thereafter, we hear Floor’s sinister laugh, reminiscent of ”Scaretale”. This wildly detailed track also includes tranquil sections, somewhat in the style of ”The Poet And The Pendulum”, with Floor’s vocals evoking a celestial quality.
Soon, everything is let loose again, and once more, the highest gear is engaged. What remarkable melodies! Towards the end, the track features one of the heaviest sections in Nightwish’s musical history. After an infernal onslaught of sound, the song moves to Troy Donockley’s diverse instruments.
”An Ocean Of Strange Islands” felt pleasantly lengthy, even though its actual length for this future fan favorite is ”only” 9:26. The song is a perfect blend of Nightwish’s longest and finest epics, such as ”Beauty Of The Beast”, ”Ghost Love Score”, ”The Poet And The Pendulum”, and ”Song Of Myself”. However, I would not compare this track to ”The Greatest Show On Earth”. The heavy soundscape complements the song’s peak composition. (RJ)
A long and epic piece that makes you stop and listen. The diverse and dynamic song hits hard, with a vibrant soundscape. Floor’s vocals are a pleasure to hear. The song’s multi-faceted structure draws you in, and at the end, there is a Scottish-tinged atmosphere. This track is likely to become a classic. (HJ)
3. The Antikythera Mechanism
The song about the Antikythera mechanism features a lovely soundscape and wickedly winding melodies. The track features mechanical sounds reminiscent of Arjen Lucassen’s Ayreon production, likely the sound of gears rotating. Even Eastern influences are present, somewhat in the style of Epica’s ”Omega” album. This is also an absolutely stunning song, where Emppu’s guitars particularly stand out once again.
It must be emphasized that Nightwish has not attempted to copy other symphonic metal bands. These songs sound completely original and unique. I don’t know what has happened to Holopainen’s compositions, but this album is a huge step up from the previous ”Human. :||: Nature.”. Of course, the orchestrations are used much more extensively compared to the previous album, which was intentionally more stripped down. (RJ)
A strong follow-up to the previous song and another impressive performance from Floor! The structure features a good balance of melody and heavier sections. Orchestrations are once again prominently featured. (HJ)
4. The Day Of…
The song is musically different from anything ever heard from Nightwish before. The lyrics and interesting keyboard melodies lead the track forward, which is truly brought to life by the chorus of children’s choirs. At the end, Floor joins the choir, the key changes, and the song builds to its climax. The relatively long instrumental section in the middle is a treat and very typical of Nightwish. (RJ)
The album’s second single offers a softer and more theatrical approach. The choirs are excellent. A different, but good-sounding track. (HJ)
5. Perfume Of The Timeless
Kai Hahto’s impressive two-minute drum intro is definitely the album’s most striking individual drum part, and the sound is massive. Floor’s meandering vocal melodies guide the listener into the album’s catchiest chorus, where Floor joins the choir. The furious finale towards the end provides a strong indication of the album’s musical diversity. (RJ)
The album’s first single release. The song represents a typical Nightwish production with a catchy chorus and good melody. At the end, Troy’s calm vocal section is featured. (HJ)
6. Sway
”Sway” starts with an acoustic guitar intro and features a beautiful duet between Floor and Troy. The chorus ”Sway over the mountain tops…” is memorable, and the storytelling is pleasant to listen to. This song, which seems to be the calmest on the album, also surprises me with its versatility. While listening, you can imagine yourself in a jungle, a savanna, or just out in nature. (RJ)
Starting with an acoustic intro, the song grows into a duet between Floor and Troy. A beautiful and serene atmosphere prevails. (HJ)
7. The Children Of ʻAta
The song about the teenage shipwreck survivors on the uninhabited island of ʻAta in the Tongan archipelago in 1965 (Tongan castaways) starts with Tongan language phrases spoken by native speakers and the background sound of the Pacific Ocean. Soon, a completely new keyboard sound from Holopainen is introduced, and the 1980s pop beat is strongly present. However, it is important to clarify that this track leans more towards metal than pop.
The track showcases perfect harmony, and ”The Children Of ʻAta” is both very catchy and epic. The chorus is the catchiest on the album, alongside ”Perfume Of The Timeless”. The song also includes Tongan ”hu ha hu” chants reminiscent of ”Tribal”. Jukka Koskinen’s bass makes a particularly strong impression during this section. (RJ)
The intro features the Tongan language. Catchy pop rhythm, a powerful guitar riff, and a nice melody. Possible future radio hit? (HJ)
8. Something Whispered Follow Me
The track starts acoustically, but soon the soundscape fills with truly ominous and dismal melodies. All this becomes astonishingly entwined in a progressive synthesis. Emppu, Jukka, and Kai are excellently present. Emppu’s guitar sound is incredibly cool, driving the song to its peak. Floor gives her best in the final melodic interpretation. (RJ)
The balanced composition continues. The song features a calm tempo, strong instrumental sections, and an enjoyable chorus melody. (HJ)
9. Spider Silk
Upon hearing the opening notes of ”Spider Silk”, one is reminded of the band’s early roots, particularly the ”Angels Fall First” and ”Oceanborn” eras. The song has an overwhelming atmosphere that fills the entire room, with beautiful piano and sounds that are hard to describe.
However, there is not much time to enjoy the calm melodies before things heat up, and it is like the hat flies off your head. Following a heavy section, the composition transitions into a delicate interlude, featuring a subtle contribution from Troy. Soon, we are back to ominous sounds, and only at the very end do we return to soothing atmospheres. (RJ)
The song is a theatrical mix of softer and heavier melodies. Floor is again prominently featured in the vocals, but otherwise, the track feels somewhat weaker at this point. (HJ)
10. Hiraeth
As many have already guessed, ”Hiraeth” is a song where Troy sings first. The acoustic guitars fit the song beautifully. Soon, Floor joins Troy on vocals. Once again, the harmonies are fantastic – wow! Troy sings at least part of the song in Welsh. The ending surprises with short but powerful heavy riffs and a beautiful outro. “Hiraeth” is the only track on the album that does not include orchestrations. (RJ)
Troy starts the vocals, and Floor joins in later. The acoustic guitar is elegant and calm, a style in which Troy always excels. Surprisingly, the song hits hard at the end, and the album’s diversity is once again highlighted beautifully. (HJ)
11. The Weave
Heavy, heavy, heavy! In this heavily orchestrated blast, we hear Kai’s intensive double bass drums playing and exhilarating ”Disney-like” sounds reminiscent of ”Imaginaerum” in Holopainen’s style. ”The Weave” is full of hilarious musical details. The orchestrations are once again very prominent, like it was an Armageddon.
It is hard to believe how such a composition can fit into less than five minutes (4:53), with the song feeling much longer, similar to ”An Ocean Of Strange Islands”. It is an incredible mix of a bit of everything. Jukka and Kai especially shine on this track. In the end, there is a jaw-dropping, bloodcurdling surprise from Floor and a very fast-tempo finale. This was one of the tracks that I immediately wanted to hear again. (RJ)
Heavy riffs and orchestrations once again work in a spectacularly great way. The composition is typical of Nightwish, and Floor continues her flawless vocal performance throughout the entire album. (HJ)
12. Lanternlight
The forthcoming third single serves as a beautifully orchestrated and serene conclusion to the album. It may be the most exquisite and delicate composition on the album, evoking a deeply emotional response. ”Yesterwynde” ends where it begins. (RJ)
In the end, we get to a beautifully melodic atmosphere in the light of a lantern. The beautiful melody captures your attention, and the circle closes. The sound of the film projector signals that the listening experience is over. (HJ)
Nightwish has once again made an album with much to explore. The hours spent recording with the orchestra at Abbey Road in London are beautifully reflected in the final product, and the orchestrations play a significant role in supporting the band’s work.
”Yesterwynde” is not just a bunch of individual tracks, but a cohesive piece that captivated from the very first listen. The album is like a cornucopia, and fully understanding it will require many more listens. (HJ)
This is the most diverse, intriguing, challenging, complex, progressive, and surprising album in Nightwish’s history. It stands out as unique in Nightwish’s catalog and is different compared to any other album from any band. The album is so packed with various elements that it is entirely impossible to note everything on a single listen, for example, the lyrics were lost in the focus on the instruments and melodies.
With this album, Nightwish once again proves that it is the top band in the symphonic metal genre. I believe ”Yesterwynde” will rank very high, perhaps even at the top, on fans’ favorite lists. However, this music is not made for the masses. For those unfamiliar with symphonic metal, ”Yesterwynde” may be overwhelming.
If I had to rank the tracks on ”Yesterwynde” based on a single listen, the already released singles ”The Day Of…” and ”Perfume Of The Timeless” would likely be at the lower end of the list. However, creating such a ranking would be extremely challenging, and there are definitely no bad songs on the album, though there are not any outright hits like ”Nemo”, ”Amaranth”, ”Storytime”, or ”Élan”. The released singles do not provide an overall picture of what the album as a whole is like.
The compositions and orchestrations on ”Yesterwynde” most closely resemble those of ”Once” (2004), ”Dark Passion Play” (2007), ”Imaginaerum” (2011), and ”Endless Forms Most Beautiful” (2015). If you love the orchestrations on ”Dark Passion Play”, you will love ”Yesterwynde”. This time, the professionals at Abbey Road faced greater challenges than on previous projects and they gave rare standing ovations after the recording sessions. The album is also the heaviest overall since ”Dark Passion Play”, particularly in terms of its musical content.
The album will truly challenge its listeners and reward those who delve deeper into the tracks. Troy Donockley sings surprisingly little, and I believe he could have featured more on the album. However, I did not miss Marko Hietala’s voice at any point, as the album is already a cohesive and beautiful oeuvre.
For those who think the mixing and sound of the singles are poor, this perception should be reconsidered. I did not notice any deviations during the listening experience that were distracting or annoying; on the contrary, the album is very dynamic. The significant investment of effort and resources in the album is evident, making it one of the most meticulously produced albums in recent years.
Tuomas Holopainen will provide further insights into the Finnvox team and the professionals who mixed and mastered ”Yesterwynde” in an upcoming Metalliluola interview.
Following the stereo listening session, I had the opportunity to engage in a detailed discussion about the album’s Dolby Atmos mix with Atmos mixing engineer Risto Hemmi and Atmos mastering engineer Niklas Jussila. They revealed some secrets behind the Atmos mix, and we delved deeper into a few tracks.
We had the chance to hear the “Yesterwynde” Atmos mixes in two different 7.1.4 setup studios at Finnvox, and wow – what a sound! The sound quality was truly remarkable. Atmos is at its best when listened to through a proper home theater system that includes ceiling speakers. However, other configurations are feasible, as Atmos can scale according to the available speaker configuration.
According to Jussila, the Atmos mix is as dynamic as it can be, practically without compression. The original Atmos file for ”An Ocean Of Strange Islands” is approximately 10 gigabytes in size – just for one track. Impressive! (RJ)
Review: Riku Juutilainen and Hannu Juutilainen
Translated from Finnish by Riku Juutilainen
Photos: Hannu Juutilainen ©Metalliluola.fi
”Yesterwynde” will be released on September 20, 2024, via Nuclear Blast Records. Album orders and pre-saves can be made here.
The latest single, ”The Day Of…”, along with a new music video, can be heard and seen via the link and below:
”Perfume Of The Timeless”, along with a music video, can be heard and seen at the link and below:
Perinteisen raskaan rockin ja melodisen metallin ystävä. Livekeikkojen ja (vinyyli)levymusiikin suurkuluttaja. Musiikin ohella vapaa-aikaan kuuluvat viskiharrastus ja frisbeegolf. Kamera on mukana keikalla kuin keikalla.
Intohimoinen livekeikoilla kävijä ja fyysisen musiikin raskaan sarjan keräilijä. Hifistä hullaantunut ja albumien teknisestä toteutuksesta kiinnostunut seikkailija, jonka sydän sykkii eniten Nightwishille, mutta tarkassa seurannassa on hard rockin ja perinteisen hevin monipuolinen maailma 70-luvun Black Sabbathista aina 2000-luvun sinfonisen metallin aaltoon asti kaikkine orkestereineen. Vapaa-ajalla ohjelmaan kuuluu frisbeegolf, jos radoille vain keikoilta ennättää.
