Oceanborn | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | 7 December 1998 | |||
Recorded | August–October 1998 | |||
Studio | ||||
Genre | ||||
Length | 49:02 | |||
Label | Spinefarm | |||
Producer | Nightwish [1] | |||
Nightwish studio album chronology | ||||
| ||||
Alternative cover | ||||
Singles from Oceanborn | ||||
|
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
Chronicles of Chaos | [3] |
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal | [4] |
Metal Storm | [5] |
Metal Crypt | [6] |
Oceanborn is the second studio album by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. It was released in Finland by Spinefarm Records on 7 December 1998 [7] and in the spring of 1999 worldwide. [8] It was released by Drakkar Entertainment in the rest of Europe,and by Toy's Factory in Japan. It is their first album with bassist Sami Vänskä.
Oceanborn has sold more than 68,000 copies in Finland. [9] The single "Sleeping Sun" was released in August 1999,and the song has been included in every reissue of the album since then. The album was released in the US by Century Media in March 2001. [10]
In 2017, Loudwire ranked it as the 10th best power metal album of all time. [11]
Speaking to Kerrang! in 2008,band founder Tuomas Holopainen reminisced that the band got really ambitious after the debut album "that was never meant to be released as a proper record. It happened almost by accident,so we decided to put everything into making Oceanborn great." [12] He added:
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]
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".
All lyrics are written by Tuomas Holopainen, except where noted; all music is composed by Holopainen, except where noted
No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Stargazers" | 4:27 | ||
2. | "Gethsemane" | 5:21 | ||
3. | "Devil & the Deep Dark Ocean" | 4:46 | ||
4. | "Sacrament of Wilderness" |
| 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) | Blake | Blake | 5:28 |
Total length: | 49:02 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
11. | "Sleeping Sun" | 4:01 |
Total length: | 53:03 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
11. | "Nightquest" | 4:17 |
Total length: | 53:19 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
11. | "Nightquest" | 4:15 |
12. | "A Return to the Sea" | 5:46 |
13. | "Sleeping Sun" | 4:01 |
Total length: | 63:04 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
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 |
Credits for Oceanborn adapted from liner notes. [16]
Nightwish
| Production
|
Additional musicians
|
Album
| Singles
|
Country | Organization | Year | Sales |
---|---|---|---|
Finland | IFPI | 2001 | Platinum (+ 40,000) [23] |
Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Kitee. The band was formed in 1996 by lead songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former lead singer Tarja Turunen. The band soon picked up drummer Jukka Nevalainen, and then bassist Sami Vänskä after the release of their debut album, Angels Fall First (1997). In 2001, Vänskä was replaced by Marko Hietala, who also took over the male vocalist role previously filled by Holopainen or guest singers.
Angels Fall First is the debut studio album by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, originally released by Spinefarm Records on 30 September 1997 as a 500-copy limited edition, featuring seven tracks, two of which are not on the regular edition. This edition is highly sought after by collectors and in 2012 a copy was sold for $1137.23 on eBay. The album was released in the US by Century Media in March 2001.
Wishmaster is the third studio album by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. It was released on 8 May 2000 through Spinefarm Records in Finland. The album was released in the rest of Europe by Drakkar Entertainment on 29 May, and in Japan by Toy's Factory on 19 July. In the US, it was released by Century Media on 6 February 2001.
Over the Hills and Far Away is the first EP by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, released on 25 June 2001 through Spinefarm Records in Finland, and Drakkar Records in the rest of Europe. It was also released by Toy's Factory in Japan and Century Media Records in the US. Bassist Sami Vänskä left the band after its recording, due to musical differences between him and Tuomas Holopainen. He was replaced by the bassist and male vocalist, Marko Hietala.
Century Child is the fourth studio album by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. It was released in 2002 through Spinefarm Records in Finland, Drakkar Entertainment in the rest of Europe, Century Media Records in the US, and Toy's Factory in Japan. It is the first album which features former bassist and male vocalist Marko Hietala. It is also the first Nightwish album to feature an orchestra.
Once is the fifth studio album by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, released on 7 June 2004 by Spinefarm Records in Finland and Nuclear Blast in the rest of Europe. It is the fifth and last album to feature Tarja Turunen on lead vocals. The album cost nearly €250,000 to make, which made it Finland's most expensive recording ever until the release of Nightwish's next album, Dark Passion Play, which cost over €500,000 to produce. As of 2013, Once had sold 2.3 million copies worldwide, becoming Nightwish's most successful album to date. The remastering of the album was released on 6 August 2021.
Tarja Soile Susanna Turunen-Cabuli, known professionally as Tarja Turunen or simply Tarja, is a Finnish heavy metal singer, best known as the former lead vocalist of Nightwish.
Tuomas Lauri Johannes Holopainen is a Finnish musician, songwriter, and record producer, best known as the primary songwriter, keyboardist, and a co-founding member of symphonic metal band Nightwish. He has stated that his songwriting is influenced by harmonic film music.
Erno Matti Juhani "Emppu" Vuorinen is a Finnish guitarist, most famous for being a founding member and occasional songwriter of the symphonic metal band Nightwish. He is the oldest of five children, having a twin brother and three younger sisters. He started to play guitar as a private study at the age of 12 and since then has played in various bands including Nightwish, Brother Firetribe, Barilari, Almah, and Altaria.
"Nemo" is the eighth single by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish and the first from the album Once. A big-budget video was made for the song; the director was Antti Jokinen, who had previously worked with Shania Twain, Celine Dion and Eminem. The video was number one on MTV Brasil Video Chart. The song was nominated for the Kerrang! Award for Best Single. Although Nightwish already enjoyed a solid fan base in Europe and South America by the time of the single's release, it is considered their breakthrough song since it helped them reach a wider audience.
Sami Vänskä is the former bassist of Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish.
"Sleeping Sun" is a power ballad and the fourth single by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. It was released as a maxi single with three other songs on 2 August 1999 to coincide with the total solar eclipse that would occur on 11 August.
"Sacrament of Wilderness" is the second single by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, released as the first single from their album Oceanborn, and a split-single with Eternal Tears of Sorrow and Darkwoods My Betrothed.
Tapio Wilska is the main vocalist of the heavy metal band Sethian. He is also the ex-lead vocalist for the band Finntroll and is the current vocalist of Canadian band Obscene Eulogy. He gets his inspiration from bands like Black Sabbath, Motörhead, Dead Kennedys, Venom, Thin Lizzy and The Pixies.
End of Innocence is the second official DVD release of Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. It features numerous clips of the band performing livetracks, including a recording of the band performing one of their first songs, "Beauty and the Beast", with bassist Marko Hietala performing the male vocal part.
Dark Passion Play is the sixth studio album by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. It was released on 26 September 2007 by Spinefarm Records in Finland, 28 September by Nuclear Blast in Europe and 2 October 2007 by Roadrunner Records in the US. It is the first album without original vocalist Tarja Turunen, who was dismissed in 2005, as well as the first album involving future member Troy Donockley on uilleann pipes and tin whistle. It is the first of only two albums with vocalist Anette Olzon, who was eventually dismissed in 2012 after the release of the band's subsequent album, Imaginaerum. Tuomas Holopainen has referred to this album as the "album that saved his life".
The discography of the Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish consists of nine studio albums, one extended play, six live albums, seven compilations, eighteen music videos and twenty-two singles. The band was formed in 1996 by songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former vocalist Tarja Turunen; Nightwish's current line-up has six members although Turunen has been replaced by Anette Olzon and later by Floor Jansen, and the original bassist, Sami Vänskä, has been replaced by Marko Hietala, who also took over the male vocalist part.
Highest Hopes: The Best of Nightwish is the fourth compilation album by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. Their first, Tales from the Elvenpath, was considered incomplete by many fans as it contains only tracks from Oceanborn, Over the Hills and Far Away, Wishmaster and Century Child, leaving out Angels Fall First. This compilation, though, contains songs from all previously released Nightwish albums, plus a live cover of Pink Floyd's "High Hopes".
Showtime, Storytime is a video release, released as a double Blu-ray, DVD, CD and LP from Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. Nuclear Blast recorded their live performance at Wacken Open Air in Wacken, Germany on 3 August 2013. Showtime, Storytime is the first Nightwish production to feature Floor Jansen on vocals. She initially replaced previous vocalist Anette Olzon during their North America tour leg, and on 9 October 2013 it was revealed that she would become an official band member, along with Troy Donockley. The running time of the concert is 1 hour and 38 minutes. The album also contains a 120-minute documentary about the first days of Jansen in the band, still as an only live member, and her process of adaptation in the band, called "Please Learn the Setlist in 48 Hours".
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)