Although doom is my burning passion nowadays, I got into the metal realm with Nightwish on Wishmaster. The band never was and Tuomas is very clear about it - won't be about pure metallish sound. Had Tarja Turunen never crossed paths with Tuomas, Jukka and Emppu and Nightwish would be an acoustic project. They only decided to play metal because it was a very good time for it - because of Children of Bodom and alike - but mainly because Tarja's voice was not suitable for acoustic at the time (she was studying classical music). Human Nature recovers much of that initial purpose, when the band was still trying to find its place by having to choose a more specific style to define itself, and failing from alien's perspective. Nightwish is mostly about composition. And this album delivers it in a master level.

Here is the good thing about Human Nature: Nightwish is branching out. They explored the shit out of the Once concept with Dark Passion Play and Imaginareum. Endless Forms was a bit of transition album the same way Century Child was. While in Century Child the band became less power metal and more symphonic, Endless Forms became less symphonic but proggier and folkier.

Human Nature kicks the prog and folk elements another notch. The band exploring a different sound to me is a positive, even if I don't like the album.

Now the negatives can all be pinned on Tuomas. The songwritting just isn't fun. I recognize that this is perhaps their most ambitious album, but it's just not an enjoyable album to listen to. It's too pretentious in theme and song writing, it's complexity for complexity sake rather building to something enjoyable. For example, Floor cameout saying this is the most demanding album she has ever worked on from a vocals perspective, but honestly who cares? I rather listen to her on a straight forward song like Monolith of Doubt, than the technical masturbation that is Tribal.

My personal raiting is 6.5/10 since there is some really good moments like in Music, Pan is fantastic song, and the opening of Endlessness gives me some serious Death/Doom vibes that I would NEVER expect from nightwish. And this is coming for a lifelong fan, and someone who gave Tarja's In the Raw an 8.5.

Ultimately it feels like Nightwish is moving away from their Disney phase and migrating to the Discovery Channel. Whatever the fuck that may mean.

I see lot of complaints about proggier and folkier direction (aldough I don't relly hear much prog elements here), but I was actualy hoping for even more folk heavy album. Troy's adition to the band and gradual increase of folk elements in songwritting from DPP onvards was something I really enjoyed. I like almost all Nightwish albums (Wishmaster is my least favourite, a few great songs there but it's their purest power metal album, not my cup of tea) and I tought that more folky direction was a good way of exploring different ideas since it's obvious Tuomas is not going heavier or anything like that. Human Nature is not exactely what I was hoping for, a few songs has that too sentimental almost poppy feel to them, but overall it's still good. The thing is I listen to lot of diferent genres outside of metal and I don't nesecerally think of Nightwish as a metal band anymore, and inclusion of a more folk sounds, something like Elvenjig from Decades tour could be the way of further reinventing their style and staying frash and interesting. Unfortunnately, Harvest the song that is most in that style is also the one with most of that sentimental blandness. The other one is How's the Heart, but outside of those two, all other songs are at least very good, and there are few great ones. Second disc I almost consider a bonus and not really part of the album. It's bottom tier Nightwish album but still good one.

Okay, the album is not that BAAAAD at all! The only song that I don't like is 'Harvest', just because of Troy's vocals.

Written by Guest on 02.07.2022 at 19:18

Okay, the album is not that BAAAAD at all! The only song that I don't like is 'Harvest', just because of Troy's vocals.

Yeah, but it's not great either. I used to really like Nightwish, but looking back, none of their albums are really worthy of a 9 or higher, I think the highest I've given is like 8.3 or something on Once.

So it's ok. It sits in the middle for me. Some good melodies here and there, but overall... meh.

I love Tarja, I love Anette and I love Floor. However, maybe we are already past this subjective discussion. The parallel movement from power metal/symphonic metal to progressive- and folk-influenced symphonic metal/power metal is interesting. Tuomas opens up new channels. Despite all the discussion about this direction in general, I assume that the only thing that is missing for most fans is a real "hit-song" (not in the commercial sense) for the beloved Floor. So far, her live recordings of old material are phenomenal and her new material is great. But she did only serve for the progressive/symphonic concept so far. I guess the idea is established that Floor can replace (in her way) both Tarja and Anette and that she can sing everything. I think most fans just want Tuomas to give her a hit song that his truly hers.

Most songs are pretty dull, with a few good moments, and the first two tracks being quite good. But alas it drops in quality dramatically after that. The second CD is a nice listen, spoken sections are meh, but not as awful as the previous album at least.

Not my cup of tea. It doesn't get any momentum and most of the tracks somehow feel "underwritten", or maybe it's just the song ideas are not strong enough to begin with.

Written by ickoriss on 09.04.2020 at 09:38

Listened to the record. I like it quite a bit, but I'm sure it'll grow on me even more over the coming months like the last one did.

It didn't grow on me. I kind of hate it now lol.