Band:	Nightwish
Album:	Oceanborn
Style:	Symphonic power metal
Release date:	December 07, 1998
A review by:	Deadsoulman

01. Stargazers
02. Gethsemane
03. Devil & The Deep Dark Ocean
04. Sacrament Of Wilderness
05. Passion And The Opera
06. Swanheart
07. Moondance
08. The Riddler
09. The Pharaoh Sails To Orion
10. Walking In The Air [Howard Blake cover]
11. Nightquest [bonus]
12. A Return To The Sea [bonus]
13. Sleeping Sun [bonus]

It's always hard to be objective when you talk about one of your favourite bands.I can's pretend I am going to be objective here, because I like this band so much.

The most noticeable thing with Nightwish is that everything lays on Tarja Turunen's fragile shoulders. And as her voice is perfect, everything works, even better than on the first album Angels Fall First. Compared to this one, Oceanborn is heavier, more varied and has, of course, a better sound, and finally Tuomas Holopainen decided to stop singing (his voice scared me when I first heard Angels Fall First): he who writes everything, and has stunning keyboard sounds decided to let Tarja do the job.

This album is in pure Nightwish style, with an alternance of speed and heavy-metal songs ('Stargazers', 'Sacrament of Wilderness', 'The Riddler') with ballads ('Swanheart' and the beautiful 'Walking in the Air') and violent moments ('The Pharaoh Sails to Orion', its ?Beauty and the Beast?-like structure and its beginning riff makes me headbang all the way), but they are still able to remain melodic, thanks to the voice and to the keyboards. The instrumental track ('Moondance') is a pure moment of delight: just lay on your sofa, close your eyes and listen carefully, and you will see elves dancing around a fire in the depths of a distant forest. You too might jump everywhere while hearing it...

Every musician perfectly knows his part, making a jewelcase for Tarja's crystal voice, the opera arrangements are as good as they can be ('Gethsename', 'Passion and the Opera'), and even the guests work for Nightwish's cause ('Devil & the Deep Dark Ocean', 'The Pharaoh Sails to Orion')

My favourite track remains 'Stargazers', because it is the one that made me know (and love) Nightwish: it is still a special moment when I hear this speedy riff and this wonderful voice (it reminds me of the bad times when I didn's know this band).

It has to be said that if you had the luck to find the Limited European Tour Edition, here are 3 bonus tracks:
'Nightguest' is probably the heaviest song they ever recorded, with a speedy riff that gets stuck in your brain after the first listening.

'A Return to the Sea' is a mid tempo track, closer to a ballad than to a power-metal song. 'Sleeping Sun' is, in my opinion, the best Nightwish song of all time. I still don's understand why it has not been released on album. No heavy-metal, no violence here. Just the most beautiful, the sweetest ballad I?ve ever been given to hear... It's more than melodic, Tarja excelled herself, her voice is pure, so pure that it washes you far away in a blue and fluffy world... And this album ends up with a jewel. The only thing I can reproach to this song is that it is too short!

If you don's know Nightwish, try to get this limited edition, just for this song. It's worth doing it. Enjoy your journey in fantasy lands...

Highlights: Stargazers, Sacrament Of Wilderness, Sleeping Sun