OVER THE HILLS AND FAR AWAY

In my own opinion, NIGHTWISH is much much much better than Rhapsody. While Rhapsody always brings the same route again and again with their progressive power metal, and it has lots of repetitions in their music -which is soooo boring!-, Nightwish delivers a great combination of gothic progressive metal and operatic female vocal which is always gives something new and refreshing in their music. This album for instance, actually is a collection of 1 new material, 1 cover track, 2 re-recorded tracks and the rests are live tracks. But, it has something you should listen to. Their music as always, so dynamic with powerful double pedal drums, heavy guitar riffs and melodius operatic voice. Even Gary Moore's classic "Over the Hills and Far Away" sounds so fresh and new. Very excellent. Overall this album is great, a must have for open-minded progressive metal fans.

I received the CD today. I started to spin it. I had a high expectation on this since I read some of reviewers here on how great and refreshing and some said a metal prog etc., etc.

Well, I tried to play it two times in three hours of my life. What a dissapointment I had. Nothing is special about them. Okay...they have a female vocallist...so what? Montserrat Caballe is much better if you really want to listen to a female opera-style singer, then you should get Ms.Caballe with Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden's CD tribute to Queen.

If you just want to complete your collection, then you should get it. But this is not for real prog-music fans. I cannot afford to give this album 2 stars actually, I am just being nice and generous here today.

Thanks for reading. :)

Defently one of my favourite Nightwishs albums is this one, the Gary Moore cover of Over the Hills is unbeliavble and 10th Man down is just sheer poetry in motion. This album is defently worht every penny, and is a great album to any nightwish collection.

(Also little note, thats the wrong album art for this album.)

This album is much more an EP than a real studio album. It contains a cover, two new songs, a re-recorded version of an old song and six live songs.

The Gary Moore cover "Over The Hills And Far Away" and "10th Man Down" are ok songs, but definitely not the best stuff the band has done. The ballad "Away" is really great, like every ballad done by Nightwish. "Astral Romance" is one of my least favorite track, and sure the new version isn't that better than the original. The live tracks are classic Nightwish tracks, but like almost every live album, the sound is pretty poor compared to what the studio tracks can render.

Rating: 72/100

When i saw Nightwish here for the fist time , i get impressed immediately, i didnt think that they were progressive metal, im not an expertc of metal in general, but i already known Nightwish. Im still doubting about if they are or arent progressive metal, i dont know , and thats not the point. i have this album, i dont know really if it is a studio album or if is it an EP, i say this because here we can listen to 4 studio songs ( the first 4 songs), and the other are live songs, thats why im thinking of this as an EP.

The studio songs are pretty good, Away is the song that i prefer, and yes, we can listen to some symphonic passages which makes it some kind of progressive metal, good keyboards and a strong guitar oriented sound. Most of the people including myself, know about Nightwish because of Tarjas´voice, it is so powerful and strong, with beautiful tones in some ways and she can reach high notes ii think this is one of the principal characteristics of Nightwish. Also the guitarist sings in some songs, his voice is not great, but its good for the moments in this album This is not a kind of Thrash, or Speed metal, maybe it could be darker but not as darker as bands such as doommies Dummu Borgir, and musically maybe they are not as complex as other bands, but anyway they sound great., i think it is attractive for any metal lover.

The second part of the album is the live part, starting with "The Kinslayer", that is a great song, hard edged and with good rythm, i like it, all the live songs are maybe some of the most popular of them. For me the most beautiful part of the album is the 8th track " Walking in the Air", that song is really great, we can enjoy all the time the beautiful voice of Tarja, and the keys in the fund are great.

So , maye if you are a metal fan you will enjoy this album, because it has both studio and live albums and you can listen how is the sound of them, and if you are looking for some female vocals try this album, i recommend it, i like it, but i think they have a couple of better albums, 3.5 stars really.

I am actually surpised that this album (EP?) has as high average rating as it does. This is, in all honesty a weak effort. I bought this after being amazed at the title track on the gobsmackingly good live album 'End of an Era'. Unfortunately the rest of this music isn't up this standard.

The musicianship of Nightwish is decent, but nothing to write home about. Tarja's voice of course is the band's defining feature, being far better than any of the other female-fronted gothic metal bands that followed in their footsteps.

The first track is the title track, a cover of a Gary Moore song. I have not heard the original, but this version is brilliant, unlike the rest of this EP. Next up is the memorable, but not too good '10th Man Down'. Pretty mundane by Nightwish's standards. Then there's another good song, 'Away'. A quite beautiful ballad, but they have exceeded themselves in writing songs in this vein many times. Last of the studio tracks is 'Astral Romance', a very forgettable track, which I can't remember enough about it to comment on...

Then there's the live tracks. These are decent but unnecessary. Highlights include 'She is my Sin' and 'Wishmaster'. Also there is a cover of the song 'Walking in the Air' which is rather beautiful, but more of a novelty than anything really.

All in all this is not worth investing money in as most of the tracks can be found in better versions elsewhere.

For ten long years he'll count the days...

No, no, not a Led Zeppelin cover. On this EP Nightwish puts forth a couple of new tracks as well as a cover tune and a number of live tracks. Released shortly after the Wishmaster album this full studio-lengthed EP makes for a great supplement to it's studio parent. Of the studio tracks we have an excellent cover of Gary Moore's Over The Hills And Far Away, a tune they likely covered because the lyrical content of the song is so close to something they'd do themselves, and a trio of originals. Well, technically the fourth track is simply a remake of Astral Romance from their first studio album, but whatever.

As far as the songs go they're all quite strong. Over The Hills And Far Away does great justice to the original, with it's powerful drums starting the track and moving into the rest of the song. yes, of course, the song has been given a very Nightwish spin and if you didn't know it was a cover you probably probably think nothing of the tune because it's so close to their style. 10th Man Down is a melancholic (but heavy) tune with that ever present topic of war (well, in the metal scene anyways - this is a first for the band). A heavy riff and some nice vocals make for another standout song. ''Today I killed/he was just a boy...'', very powerful lyrics in this one make it all the better. Of course we're going to need a slow tune in here so Away makes for a slow and sad piece that fits the bill well.

Afterwards we have a wide selection of live tunes with picks from all their 3 albums (at this time), even though most of them come from the most recent (again, at this time) Wishmaster album. All the songs are performed very well and it's great to hear some live energy put behind them. The live tracks are quite a treat too since they band is more likely to put out singles and eps than live albums.

This is a very good ep and to be totally honest over the years it's been one of the more played discs in my collection by the band. Some great stuff here, although not much of it is very progressive, still metal and prog metal fans alike will enjoy tis one, Nightwish fans will be absolutely delighted. 3 men down out of 5, good but not essential. A good way to start with the band if you don't know them though!

This is really two EPs in one: the first is more of a single with three new songs (the cover of Gary Moore's Over The Hills And Far Away and Tuomas Holopainen's two new compositios, the gothic 10th Man Down and the ballad Away) and the remake of Astral Romance (recorded originally for their debut CD Angels Fall First). The other EP is a six song live recording from a show that was originally included on their first DVD, From Wishes To Eternity. So in the end you have a 50 minute EP that equalls in length many full CDs.

What about the quality of the songs? The celtic Over The Hills And Far Away was a very unlike choice for a heavy metal band, but it turned out so well it remained on Nightwish's live set for years. Very good. 10th Man Down and Away are good tracks but not very outstanding. Worth the inclusion, though. the remake of Astral Romance (with Sonata Artica's Tony Kakko sharing vocals with Tarja) is quite an improvement over the original version and is very welcomed. The live tracks are the most interesting, since this energetic perfomance is very well captured. Although I rather see them on the DVD, there's is no way to dany their powerful delivering of those tracks, really awesome. One of the Highlights is the beautiful and progressive Beauty And the Beast (again with Kakko remaking the male vocals), quite better than the studio version.

The production is good. The ironic note here is the fact that bassist Sami Vänskä designed the cover art (at least the brazilian edition of the CD, which is different from the one shown on PA). It was his last work with the band for he would soon be fired.

Conclusion: a very good idea to bring those two EPs together. It is a must have for any Nightwish fan. Hiwever I dont think it is the best starting point for a newbie. So I guess it is not enough for a four star rating, but deserves more than just 3. 3,5 stars.

MY HAIRY PUSSY IS ON MY BED. THE STORY SO FAR... AND FOR ME TARJA TURUNEN IS MY WITCH

Because if for me (and from other friends of me) the rest of the band is not particular attractive!

Now I speak about the music of this album. And I speak about a great cover of Gary Moore penned song 'Over The Hills And Far Away', 'Away' and 'Astral Romance (2001 remake)' That for me are songs for any musical lover. The live songs? well? No? I have not words. Is another band that plays these songs. Tarja is perfect but these versions are pompous and redundant, heavy and Classic Metal Revival. But hell, I can not believe that many have idolized Nighwish as good musicians. Hmmm? This fact is typical of Classic Metallers? Sic.

One moment? Ah, yes? Nightwish= Tarja Turunen!

In my opinion tarja have too importance in the economy of Nightwish Mega success and for this fact Nighwish was famous also out of Classic Metal world. I've heard better things, however. Heavy guitars and bombast out of the ordinary... But I do not see even one gram of Prog in Nightwish. That if there has been eaten by the big bad wolf. Tarja is no longer in Nightwish... Because he has argued as Little Red Riding Hood.

So, five stars for studio songs and zero stars for live songs. But I'm sincere two stars is the correct rating with PA scale.

"Over The Hills And Far Away" in his overall result is a good record of the band. This "Ep" is basically made ​​of re-recordings and live versions. The title track as well as other remakes follow what the band was before the watershed, "Century Child". "Astral Romance" had a more serious tone in order to help "Tarja Turunen" interpretation. The original version required a lot of it and so ... The live tracks feature the familiar sound of the band, with the bases and guitar solos "Erno" Emppu "Vuorinen," the effects of keyboard "Tuomas Holopainen" and the voice of "Tarja", as well as a complement to other members . "10th Man Down" and "Away" are as previously unreleased tracks from the "Ep." The live tracks feature the familiar sound of the band, with the bases and guitar solos "Erno" Emppu "Vuorinen," the effects of keyboard "Tuomas Holopainen" and the voice of "Tarja", as well as a complement to other members . "10th Man Down" and "Away" are as previously unreleased tracks from the "Ep." Participations "Tapio Wilska" on track "10th Man Down". Nothing expecional in general, but applies to hearing.