[MorbidToaster]

I mentioned those because they feature the band heavily rather than the new singer. I didn't mention Last of the Wilds because I was mainly pointing out the fact I like their voices a lot, but I'm fine with more instrumental stuff.
 
Shame you didn't like The Islander. I thought it was a beautiful break from the norm. The driving drums and catchy (amazing) chorus blew me away the first time I heard it. While not as good, it reminded me of Opeth's The Lotus Eater at the beginning of Watershed.
 
EDIT: The other thing to consider with Nightwish is that they aren't just Power Metal, IMO. They're Symphonic Power Metal. You get bands like Rhapsody of Fire or HammerFall that may use symphonic elements sometimes, but those elements are absolutely integral to the Nightwish 'house sound'.
 
Also, I like The Poet and the Pendulum, but honestly...They basically wrote a Tarja song and tried to get her to sing it. That's the one song on the album I think just absolutely crumbles without Tarja...It's kind of upsetting, because I love the lyrics and the song in general...but man it just shows how weak their sound can really be without her. The break around 5 minutes is just embarrassing.
 
The driving Siren-esque guitar solo gets me every time though. Simple but oh so sick. Starts at 7:10 with the strings and then just builds to that sick lead and rhythm entrance. I could listen to those few bars all day long.
 
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Not my favourites from that album. I know many really enjoy The Islander, but I just find it boring.
My favourites are Last of the Wilds (I know, another instrumental), Amaranth and The Poet and the Pendulum (apart from the very last bit).
To me The Poet and the Pendulum is one of the strongest songs in this genre, though I think it should end at the ten minute mark.
Though I must admit I don't have that much experience with this kind of music, as I listen more to melodic metal and american stuff like Slipknot, Avenged Sevenfold and Killswitch Engage.

 

[markm1]

Hmmm..had to rethink my Nightwish CD's. I'm going to go with the awesome-Century Child.
 
Ocean Born and Wishmaster are vintage and really good. Once is IMO their best later recent album-pretty commercial really-but a solid album.
 
If I were going to introduce someone who had never heard Nightwish to one album-I'd go with Century Child. Note to self-listen to it again-but from memory it is a classy sounding album that almost functions as a rock album.
 
If I might make a comparison.  Think of bands like Heart. OK-this is going to the back of the rack and my childhood-but Dreamboat Annie had classics like Crazy on You and Magic Man. 1976! It holds up as a great classic rock album and dynamite rock vocals that stand toe to toe with the men of their generation.
 
I'd suggest Century Child in that kind comparison-albeit quite different stylistically. Both share the similarity of diamond hard edges and gorgeous vocals. Hard edged American rock with folk influences vs symphonic influenced European power leaning metal- both with outstanding bands and pop sensibilities.
 
Chick metal? Sure. But, if you haven't heard Century Child, you like melodic metal and operatic female vocals and are willing to give extreme metal a break-it's a damn good album.
 
Court dismissed

 

[markm1]

Redcarmoose,
I want to thank you for consistently recommending interesting extreme metal that hits the X spot, especially DM- Like so many of your other finds, I've never heard of Yrkoon-me likes!

 

[BLACKENEDPLAGUE]

Immolation is incapable of creating mediocrity. Every release is a gore-tastic masterpiece

 

[Redcarmoose]

Redcarmoose,
I want to thank you for consistently recommending interesting extreme metal that hits the X spot, especially DM- Like so many of your other finds, I've never heard of Yrkoon-me likes!

They are really cool. I don't even remember how I found out about em. I had Ocult Medicine for years. The guitar is great!

 

[Origin89]

Anyone into Latitudes? Their newest album Individuation is pretty sweet.
 

 

 

[Pritolus]

Quote:

I mentioned those because they feature the band heavily rather than the new singer. I didn't mention Last of the Wilds because I was mainly pointing out the fact I like their voices a lot, but I'm fine with more instrumental stuff.
 
Shame you didn't like The Islander. I thought it was a beautiful break from the norm. The driving drums and catchy (amazing) chorus blew me away the first time I heard it. While not as good, it reminded me of Opeth's The Lotus Eater at the beginning of Watershed.
 
EDIT: The other thing to consider with Nightwish is that they aren't just Power Metal, IMO. They're Symphonic Power Metal. You get bands like Rhapsody of Fire or HammerFall that may use symphonic elements sometimes, but those elements are absolutely integral to the Nightwish 'house sound'.
 
Also, I like The Poet and the Pendulum, but honestly...They basically wrote a Tarja song and tried to get her to sing it. That's the one song on the album I think just absolutely crumbles without Tarja...It's kind of upsetting, because I love the lyrics and the song in general...but man it just shows how weak their sound can really be without her. The break around 5 minutes is just embarrassing.
 
The driving Siren-esque guitar solo gets me every time though. Simple but oh so sick. Starts at 7:10 with the strings and then just builds to that sick lead and rhythm entrance. I could listen to those few bars all day long.
 

 
I sort of figured it was becaused they feature the band, and fir what it's worth I like it. Though Amaranth does work better than Reach, imo.
I would too like to see a new band formed (and why not, now that they're vocalist-less again) like you suggested. What made me get into Nightwish is the orchestra backing, and it's still what I like the most about their sound. I love their orchestral pieces, and would love to see an entire instrumental album with lots of orchestra only tracks. Though I love it when they throw in the hard hitting metal drums and riffs as well.
That might be why I'm not that into their older stuff. I'm listening to Stargazer for the first time now, and I don't really like it. Many might hate me for saying this, but the vocals really aren't doing it for me. And even if they did, I still wouldn't love the song. The extensive use of synth to imitate other instruments also puts me off. Each to his own, I guess.

 

[Jibrille]

If you really want the orchestra focused music then I assume you've listened to Epica?
But you'll have to deal with super boring guitar riffs and even cheesier themes. Epica is an odd band for me. There's so much I should like about them and yet I seem to hate every CD overall besides 1-2 songs. Their last album was a major snoozefest for me. I haven't listened to it since the week after it came out.
 
Tuomas seems to be going in a much more folksy direction so I think they'll continue to develop this newer sound even if Floor joins and they get back the operatic vocals. I mean, Troy Donockley is pretty much the 6th (5th?) band member these days.
 
A lot of people have been big on Xandria's latest album with the new singer and how it reminds them of old school Nightwish. But I actually liked their earlier sound with Kill the Sun and India and wasn't able to get into the new record.

 

[Pritolus]

Anyone heard this?
It showed up on WiMP today. Never heard Ghost before, but I quite liked this.
 

                                     Ghost - Infestissumam

 

[Trogdor]

Anyone heard this?
It showed up on WiMP today. Never heard Ghost before, but I quite liked this.

Really?

I have been waiting for it. I think their debut was a bit over rated but that's me. Waiting to review this one.

 

[Jibrille]

Ghost is a hipster band now. Metal fans aren't allowed to like them

 

[macrocheesium]

Here you go, Leprous fans:
 
http://www.metalhammer.co.uk/news/leprous-premiere-new-track-chronic/

 

[BLACKENEDPLAGUE]

Have a friend that likes them and was pretty disappointed with it. I'll update with my entirely-subjective opinion in a while

 

[MorbidToaster]

So it's no XL, but I talked with my dealer today and we agreed that we can work something out for me on trading my Amadeus for a Kuzma Stabi S. There were just too many 'little nagging things' on the Amadeus. I thought they were fun and quirky in the beginning, but after living with them for awhile they just got kind of annoying.
 
I think I'll be happier with this one...plus there's a lot more options for smaller upgrades (like the heavier platter and what not), so that'll keep me busy, too. Looking forward to it.
 
Quote:

Indeed. Origin, Brinkmann, Hanss, Kuzma, etc. I like em heavy.

 

[MorbidToaster]

Just one last suggestion to extend on what I said about Poet and the Pendulum before. I feel Ghost Love Score (Once) is probably the closest thing to a Poet and the Pendulum-esque song Tarja ever did. I think it's one of my favorites. Absolutely lovely instrumental break at around 5 minutes.
 
Great as an instrumental or vocal piece. The scale is absolutely epic.
 
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