Oceanborn

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We were all such amateurs when it came to recording. We didn't really know what we were doing, so we were just experimenting with a lot of different things, we even brought in this string trio who were complete shit, then another violin, then another violin on top. So we ended up with 'Moondance' having 20 tracks of violin, just because we hadn't done this before and didn't know what we were doing! It's a pretty stuffed album, but I also think it's one of our best because you can hear the excitement of trying all these new things. It seems strange that this became a breakthrough album, because back at the time the music was so funny. It was really operatic, and when you look at the pictures, they look pretty horrific. [12]

According to Kerrang!, "for all its Royal Albert Hall grandiosity, Oceanborn was actually recorded in a Finnish school." [12]

Style

This album marked a definitive change in musical scope for Nightwish from their folk-laden roots in Angels Fall First , showcasing a more bombastic, power metal-oriented [13] sound with faster tempos, harmonic guitar/keyboard leads, and plenty of double-bass-heavy drumwork. During that time, Stratovarius was Holopainen's biggest inspiration, hence the power metal sound of the album. [14] Oceanborn's sound hearkens a more dramatic approach in the overall musical scope, mostly relegated to the symphonic keyboard work and lead singer Tarja Turunen's vocals. According to Mape Ollila, who penned the band's biography:

Along with Therion's Theli , the album came to be known as one of the cornerstones of the emerging genre of symphonic metal. [15]

Most of the lyrics are fantasy-themed, with tracks like "Swanheart" and "Walking in the Air", a cover from the animated TV special The Snowman , as typical examples; however, the song "Gethsemane", has a more religious feel to it. In addition, there are also some theatrical tracks like "Devil & the Deep Dark Ocean". Oceanborn is among their darkest albums, making use of the harsh vocals of Tapio Wilska in the songs "The Pharaoh Sails to Orion" and "Devil & the Deep Dark Ocean".

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Tuomas Holopainen, except where noted; all music is composed by Holopainen, except where noted

Oceanborn
Nightwish Oceanborn.jpg
Studio album by
Released7 December 1998 (1998-12-07)
RecordedAugust–October 1998
Studio
Genre
Length49:02
Label Spinefarm
Producer Nightwish [1]
Nightwish studio album chronology
Angels Fall First
(1997)
Oceanborn
(1998)
Wishmaster
(2000)
Alternative cover
NightwishOceanbornAltCover.jpg
European edition
Oceanborn track listing
No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."Stargazers"  4:27
2."Gethsemane"  5:21
3."Devil & the Deep Dark Ocean"  4:46
4."Sacrament of Wilderness" 
  • Emppu Vuorinen
  • Holopainen
4:12
5."Passion and the Opera"  4:50
6."Swanheart"  4:44
7."Moondance" (instrumental)  3:31
8."The Riddler"  5:16
9."The Pharaoh Sails to Orion"  6:27
10."Walking in the Air" (Howard Blake cover)BlakeBlake5:28
Total length:49:02
1999 reissue added track
No.TitleLength
11."Sleeping Sun"4:01
Total length:53:03
Japanese edition bonus track
No.TitleLength
11."Nightquest"4:17
Total length:53:19
Limited European Tour Edition bonus tracks [5]
No.TitleLength
11."Nightquest"4:15
12."A Return to the Sea"5:46
13."Sleeping Sun"4:01
Total length:63:04
2007 reissue bonus tracks
No.TitleLength
12."Nightquest"4:15
13."Sleeping Sun" (live at Summer Breeze Open Air)4:31
14."Swanheart" (live at Pakkahuone)3:55
15."The Pharaoh Sails to Orion" (live at Pakkahuone)6:39
Total length:72:23

Personnel

Credits for Oceanborn adapted from liner notes. [16]

Charts

Certifications

CountryOrganizationYearSales
Finland IFPI 2001Platinum (+ 40,000) [23]

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Bibliography