END OF AN ERA

I don't know exactly why I love Nightwish. It's probably I have grown up with symphonic kind of music like Genesis, ELP, Triumvirat, Yes, Symphonic Slam as well as straight forward rock music like Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Grand Funk Railroad. And I think the music of Nightwish blends together all elements of symphonic music and heavier part of rock music which lately people call it as metal. I have no single complaint to the music of Nightwish. They are just perfect to my ears, really.

When I'm referring back to my basic philosophy that music is emotion this live set does its job brilliantly. Why? I got totally energized with the streams of music these guys and gal in the band have delivered wonderfully. The music has successfully exploded my adrenaline; completely elevate my emotion to the top of the hill with ultimate satisfaction. There is no such things like extreme nice melodies, nor complex arrangement, nor long solos (either guitar or keyboard) - it's just perfect and it does move me man! From the blast of opening track "Dark Chest Of Wonders" with its heavy riffs and energetic beats, the band brings to another dynamic style of "Planet Hell" and "Ever Dream". Well sometimes I feel that Nightwish music is a heavier version of the music of Royal Hunt which I also love the music.

What I originally only heard at compilation CD "Highest Hopes", now I can hear excellently the legendary song by Pink Floyd "High Hopes" which was performed excellently by Nightwish. The grass is greener .. "Wishmaster" concludes the Disc One wonderfully.

Disc Two starts beautifully with "Slaying The Dreamer" using heavy guitar riffs in energetic mood. The music calms down with the entrance of second track of Disc Two: "Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan". Oh man . this is a music with great and touchy melodies especially when it is augmented with violin. Another track which touches me is "Creek Mary's Blood" from "Once" album. The album concludes with the band's hit "Wish I Had an Angel".

Thislive set was recorded at the final concert of "Once World Tour" on 21 October 2005 for 11,500 people in Hartwall-Arena in Helsinki. After the concert, Tuomas, Emppu, Marco and Jukka fired Tarja Turunen. The reason for this was because during the Once Tour her attitude and actions had turned out to be against almost all that Nightwish members. By the end of 2005, "Once" has sold approx. 1,000 000 copies worldwide and received triple platinum in Finland, platinum in Germany, and gold in Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Greece, and Austria. The "Highest Hopes" collection has sold double platinum in Finland and gold in Norway by the end of the year 2005.

Peace on earth and mercy mild - GW