HUMAN. :ǁ: NATURE.

Finnish symphonic metal superstars NIGHTWISH are like the uncle we all remember from extended family gatherings, the one whom nobody knew exactly by what thread he claimed membership, the one who always insisted on paying for group meals more for ego than generosity, the one with the over the top, larger than life yarns that always centered his touted heroics within their solipsistic frame, the one who smoked cigars continuously and blew the smoke in your face like it was a blessing, the one that everyone trash talked to each other, the one who elevated every such gathering from the unctuous familial ooze into a celebration of how grand life could be. That is NIGHTWISH, the band we love, only in private, of course, until now.

"Human.:II:Nature is the first NIGHTWISH studio release since the fabulous "Endless Forms Most Beautiful" in 2015, and it was worth the wait. Following a not dissimilar and equally grandiose concept, the premise seems to be that, if humanity is to survive, it must embrace nature, not as separate from it, as the biblical stewards if you will, but as an essential part of it, with an appreciation of the potential of our destructive nature to unravel its glorious and chaotic order. As usual it's a double CD, but this time the second disk is a symphony rather than a repeat of the first without the vocal tracks. For 30+ minutes, not even a distant snarl, riff, or disruptive moment is discernible, just stately melodies, strings, choirs, and a little narration to guide us along a somber soundscape relative to prior excursions. It serves notice that NIGHTWISH won't be confined by past conscription.

Disk 1 won't disappoint most long time fans, though the metal quotient continues to gradually boil off, seemingly at the expense of the Celtic overtones, augmented by the wonderful Troy Donockley and his pipes, particularly on the pub friendly "Harvest", the anthemic "How's The Heart", and the genre busting "Procession" and "Shoemaker". Whether it's the expected radiance of main vocalist Floor Jansen or the targeted precision of Marco Hietala, the personnel of NIGHTWISH have once again sacrificed individual recognition for commitment to something bigger than themselves and their fans, indeed all of them combined. It's no wonder that, even more than prog rock, NIGHTWISH counts film music as one of their bedrock influences, a realm where descriptions like too grandiose, pretentious, or excessive are devalued and mocked currency. That's why we need NIGHTWISH.

2020 has seen Nightwish with what to my ears is their finest work to date, as the individuals within the group combine to produce the album I had hoped and expected with 'Endless Forms Most Beautiful'. Here the bombast has purpose, real purpose, Troy's pipes have become integral, both he and Marko have a much bigger role with the vocals, and then at the front there is Floor. No longer is she the quick replacement who learned the set on a commercial airplane, no longer the third singer, now she stands astride the band like a colossus, prepared and more than ready to deal with anything thrown at her by Tuomas. With this album, the band have finally mastered their craft, and possibly created yet another subgenre, progressive symphonic folk metal anyone?

The music swoops, drives, demanding supreme performance from everyone, with Floor in particular being asked to sing in multiple styles, from the commerciality of Olzon and the soprano heights of Turunen through metallic gymnastics in a manner which neither of her predecessors managed. One of the major delights of this album is that although there is plenty of the bombast which one expects from the band, it can also quickly disappear as on 'Shoemaker' where the guitars stop to allow simple harmony vocals to take place instead. Towards the end of that particular song Floor is at her most operatic, lifting that trained voice above the maelstrom and bringing back memories of how the band sounded 15 years or more ago. Emppu Vuorinen has always reminded me of Tony Clarkin in that he has an unusual role as guitarist, very rarely taking a musical lead but instead there to provide force and presence, and here he delivers dramatically. Kai Hahto at the rear is also no longer the new boy, as he has been blooded on the road, and now is making the seat his own and has a quite different style to Jukka Nevalainen which works well with the new form of Nightwish being crafted by Holopainen.

Contrast all this to 'Harvest', a Celtic-style song where Troy is given the lead vocal role. Here we get some bodhran- style drumming, acoustic guitar, and even a stunning a capella chorus. I can guarantee anyone playing this will be reminded more of Iona than Nightwish, and it is an absolute delight. But not to be outshone, Marko has the lead on 'Endlessness' where his growls and attack are far more metallic. As if all this was not enough, there is a second disc which features "All the Works of Nature which Adorn the World". This is a symphonic orchestral piece in eight connected but far ranging movements which Tuomas describes as his love letter to our world. This isn't the first time they have had orchestral interpretations, but this time the music is totally different from the first disc, allowing the listener to understand that here is a composer of many different talents, and a band who are still reaching for new heights nearly 25 years on from the beginning. This is a simply stunning release from the band.

Eighty-one minutes of intricately composed and performed music that, unfortunately, I feel I've all heard before. I mean, to my ears, there is never any doubt in my mind, no matter where I "drop the needle," that I'm listening to Nightwish. I love that they think that they're trying to push the boundaries on what they've already done but, in the end, it's still just variations on exactly that: stuff they've already done. This release generated a lot of excitement in the prog and metal communities. To me, it sounds like Nightwish being . . . Nightwish! Tight, even virtuosic performances of strong compositions, it's just that I don't hear anything new or innovative. Even the all-orchestrated second disc is not anything that the band hasn't done before. Maybe it's more polished and concise this time (at 31 minutes) but it was fresher the first time. Floor is amazing. Tuomas is amazing. Emppu is amazing. Troy Donockley is amazing. Marco and Kai are amazing. But these people are always amazing--doing exactly the same thing that their doing here. I think it's time they pull a "Remain in Light" and all do a musical chairs instrument-switch. Then let's see what comes out of Nightwish! Excellent and amazing but I'm tired and old . . . I need something fresh and unusual to pique my interest. But of course, I can't help but recommend it to you--for you to make your own judgments. It probably deserves four stars, so . . .

I've known about NIGHTWISH at some fleeting capacity for over a decade now. My ears pricked by some of their music, but low on my list of musical journey priorities so to speak. I distinctly remember a high school buddy and band mate, who was a straight metal-head (not a prog nerd like me) a fan of In Flames and Children of Bodom, making fun of this weird lame band called NIGHTWISH and scoffing at the idea of a vocally female lead operatic metal group. That is about the time they got on my radar, but I didn't consider them much at the time. That conversation was back in 2005 or so. This week NIGHTWISH founds its' way into my rotating playlist once again, and my god do they sound good lately! So many bands seem to lose steam over the years, which is a shame and frankly unacceptable, when like any professional a band should be improving their craft over time! Clearly NIGHTWISH have had the support of their home country to improve upon not only their musicianship, but their production values, and pump some of those fan dollars into the overall quality of their brand. With this latest album, I've become a fan of NIGHTWISH, there is a clear evolution of their sound and fine tuning. Although NIGHTWISH had some really catchy and fun symphonic music before, it is with this album (and the previous) that show they aren't just a one trick. Not too technically impressive, not really all too progressive, but this is just a wonderful piece of musical art with direction and purpose. Now, yes, this album clearly takes an approach and inspiration from orchestrated movie scores. I don't find that a detractor at all, in fact, it elevates this music from a production standpoint to a tier far beyond most of the competition. For a band with home country absolutely in love with them, it is great to see that NIGHTWISH move in a musical direction that pays homage to the sounds of their homeland. At least that's what I think of what I hear the instrumentation used. Most importantly, we hear not one note out of place. I've been, possibly, overly critical of music where-as the fat was not cut where it should have been. Sure, I like a good jam session like the rest, but without direction and thematic purpose a meandering 8 minute jerk-off with no rhyme or reason doesn't cut it for me as a final product. This is one of the biggest problems I have with progressive music in general, the temptation for bands to play overlong unnecessary self-congratulating pieces and ruin the 'flow' of the artistic vision they've created. Not here, this is a piece of musical art with purpose. I'm not going to be the one to argue if this is progressive rock or not. I really don't care anyway. Musically concise, high quality production, and a value and respect for the time and dedication that their fans have given them over the years, that is what I hear with this latest 2020 album from NIGHTWISH.