Endless Forms Most Beautiful by Nightwish - Song by song

Nightwish, the queen of female fronted symphonic metal bands, doesn't want to step down from its throne. That's why they keep making metalheads happy with their endless wit for melodies. With a new singer and renewed siprit, Endless Forms Most Beautiful seeks to condense in eleven songs the idea of the greatness of the cosmos which we have the fortune to belong to.

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In 2007, when the Finnish band selected a pop singer as replacement for operatic vocalist Tarja Turunen, many fans were very disappointed. Though the music didn’t lose quality, time proved them right, and it was evident that Anette Olzon didn’t fit the role. Fortunately, the band decided to give the part to the best singer in the scene, Floor Jansen. Her enrolment was received with excitement and curiosity. That is why Endless Forms Most Beautiful arrives with very high expectations and, in my opinion, pays off.

It is a delight to listen to Floor Jansen singing. She is a vocalist with lots of presence, who frees all her power when necessary; but caresses notes with sweetness and delicacy in the most intimate moments of songs. Her voice fits to perfection with the one of Marco Hietala (male vocalist and bassist of the band). However, in this particular record, he lets Floor Jansen be the center of attention and mostly supports with backing vocals.

In contrast with the latest records of Nightwish in Endless Forms Most Beautiful the orchestral arrangements are not as present as the rock band. Every member of the group shows off with his instrument. Readers who have been following Nightwish for many years can enjoy songs that evoke the music of albums like Oceanborn and Wishmaster.

There is a great balance between distorted guitars, fast drum beats, keyboards and orchestral elements. There’s also a lot of presence of piper Troy Donockley, who adds folky sounds to the music and very tasteful backing vocals.

Each of the songs of Endless Forms Most Beautiful is worthy of attention. All the tracks have particular stories to tell, so I think all of them deserve to be analyzed.

1. Shudder Before the Beautiful:

A few spoken sentences, pronounced by British scientist Richard Dawkins, are the sparkle for an explosive introduction to the album. The band and the orchestra show off with all their might in this song, and honor its title by making whoever listens to it shudder before its beauty.

Floor Jansen starts singing delicately, almost whispering; but unfolds the full potency of her voice before the track reaches the chorus. At last, Nightwish has a strong vocalist again and this song proves it.

Another of the surprises that caught my attention was that, after many years, keyboard player Tuomas Holopainen and guitarist Emppu Vuorinen engage in a battle of solos. The tangling harmonies of both instruments demonstrate amazing chemistry between both of them.

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2. Weak Fantasy:

It is one of the heaviest tracks in the album. It has a very rhythmic riff and very clever vocal melodies. The song also has some solid acoustic guitar passages that give it an unconventional touch. One can notice the hand of bassist Marco Hietala in the composition. There are certain parts that remind listeners of Marco’s other band, Tarot.

The harmonies that Floor and Marco sing together are proof of the great chemistry their voices have. They do not take too much advantage of it in this particular record, but I consider that their vocal combination is better than the one Marco and previous singer, Anette, made.

3. Élan:

This song is a jewel that invites the listener to enjoy the wonders that being alive offers. It is simple, festive and folky. Élan has melodies that can stay ringing in one’s mind for weeks.

The protagonist of this tune is, definitely, Troy Donockley. With flute and pipes arrangements, Troy shows that he can provide many fresh sounds as the new member of Nightwish. He also provides some solid backing vocals.

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4. Yours is an Empty Hope:

Another heavy song empowered by one of Empu’s classic tangled riffs. Its lyrics talk about hatred in the internet, a topic that has turned recurrent in metal albums over the past few years. The symphonic orchestra frolics with guitar and drums, in order to achieve a powerful musical storm.

5. Our Decades in the Sun:

A ballad dedicated to the parents of the members of the band. It’s a heartfelt and enjoyable song, but it can easily be skipped.

 

6. My Walden:

The lyrics of Endless Forms Most Beautiful present many literary references worthy of listing. "My Walden" is based on an essay about life in the woods by American writer Henry David Thoreau.

The pleasure of enjoying nature is a recurring topic in the lyrics of Nightwish. It has a marvelous effect when accompanied by folk music and a catchy chorus. The only turn-off this song has is that it suddenly changes to a second movement, less cheerful, that cuts the inspiration of listeners who are expecting to sing the chorus one more time.

7. Endless Forms Most Beautiful:

The title of the album is inspired in a phrase that appears in Charles Darwin’s The Origin of Species. “Endless Forms Most Beautiful” is a very animated song with a “bombastic” beat. Its lyrics are about the wonders surrounding evolution. With a very catchy chorus and magnificent orchestral passages, it generates an atmosphere as intense as the words in its verses.

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8. Edema Ruh:

Music is a cosmic force that has the capacity to reach ears and hearts, just to whisper the phrase: “I understand you”. “Edema Ruh” is a tribute to those who make that magic force possible. It is a beautiful song that tucks the souls of the ones who have played a musical instrument.

9. Alpenglow:

This song will be very much appreciated by fans of the first records of Nightwish, like Oceanborn or Wishmaster. It generates the mental image of white guitars and owls on album covers. For those of you who aren’t familiar to the past of Nightwish, this means lyrics about nature, “bombastic” music, lots of keyboards and plenty of female vocals.

10. The Eyes of Sharbat Gula:

At this point, Endless Forms Most Beautiful slows down violently and indulges to a monotonous and dark instrumental song. This piece is inspired in the famous National Geographic picture of a green eyed girl from Afghanistan. Piano, flute, orchestra and choir succeed in expressing the harm suffered by innocent people during wartime.

11. The Greatest Show on Earth:

Brace yourselves for the 24 minute finale of Endless Forms Most Beautiful. It is the most ambitious piece ever written by Nightwish. It has the intention of representing the fascination for millions of years of evolution in a glorious heavy metal symphony. For this purpose, the band makes use of atmospheric and natural sounds and several speeches by scientist Richard Dawkins.

The effort is titanic, but a track that runs for nearly half an hour should have the power of keeping the attention of listeners during all that time. That is my concern with the “The Greatest Show on Earth”. I see this song as “big”, not great. As the “legendary” conclusion of the album, I find it terribly diffuse. On its defense, the mix of Toccata and Fugue and Enter Sandman is fucking awesome.

Endless Forms Most Beautiful is a great start for a new stage in the career of Nightwish, with two new members (the new drummer is a temporary replacement) and many new soon-to-be classics.

Have you listened to Endless Forms Most Beautiful. What did you think about it? Please, comment and share.