Muddin' with Nightwish

The year was 2002. I, like millions of others, spent many days forcing Napster to give up its fruits to a unknowing thief.

I honestly didn't realize at the time the impact Napster and Kaza would have both on me and the industry. Back then, I was still anti-establishment, and I believed that artists wouldn't be hugely impacted by this guy living in a trailer in McKean, PA.

Napster did do some good for me despite it changing the way musicians and fans pay and receive. Through it, I discovered Sonata Arctica, Opeth and the mighty Nightwish.

Nightwish was an acquired taste at first, but once it clicked I was amazed by them. Tarja was one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen, heard or otherwise. Her voice and delivery was something to be held in the highest regard, and she changed the symphonic metal landscape forever with it.

But there was something more than just a goddess on vocals. The material was stellar. I slowly discovered that this was due to master songwriter, Tuomas Holopainen, who was single handedly laying the groundwork for the funnily degrading, but absolutely accurate, Disney Metal sub genre of the Prog Metal world.

I read the history, followed the band and bought everything I could get my hands on. Wishmaster blew my face clean off.

Not only did I fall in love with this band, I forced it on my son also. To this day, we can have conversations about Emmpu that will clear out an entire room, rolling their eyes on exit.

Riding an upswing of material and creativity, "Once" was released in 2004, and even though it was less epic, the songs were so well crafted that it showed a huge step forward for the band. I relished in every second, and Creek Mary's Blood is still one of my favorite Nightwish moments.

Then, disaster. 

Tarja's inner diva (and manager husband) turned the rest of the band against her. In an open letter on the Internet, Tarja, the defining voice of symphonic metal, was fired from the best band of the genre.

I was crushed. I was so invested in them at the time. Back then, they were easily in my top 5.

I convinced myself that Nightwish could exist without Tarja, especially since Tarja wasted no time turning her fan base off with weird cover versions of Nirvana songs and very sub-par songwriting on her solo releases. She needed Tuomas and he needed a muse.

He found his next project in the unlikely form of Anette Olsen. She had Pop sensibility, and brought new life into the camp. Unfortunately the new direction did not sit well with many of the hardcore fanbase.

I accepted and rooted for her through every second of 2007's "Dark Passion Play" LP. I drove to Cleveland with my son to finally see the band that had my admiration since 2002 and the new voice that would launch them to the next level.

That would have been a good story, but on the touring cycle of the 2nd Anette released LP "Imaginarium" the pressure proved too much. She cracked, had a meltdown, and was fired. 

Anette's voice, albeit perfect for her  LP's, held no power in the operatic portion of the catalog. When she sang Tarja songs, it was uncomfortable. She was very honest about her issues, and resented the hate that was thrown at her by hardcore Nightwish purists. The band really should have seen that coming honestly. 

Now we have the third vocalist in Floor Jansen. I have nothing against her, and she is ridiculously talented, but I think I've lost interest.

As a former rabid fan, I have been through too much Nightwish drama to care much. It seems very inconsiderate and phoney. From what I have heard, the new material is stock. No new ground here to mention. It's like Tuomas needs friction to write a masterpiece.

Maybe that's why the Tarja releases were great? Inner tention sucks, but if it breeds great art then the sum really is greater than the parts.

With Anette, Tuomas had something to prove. Dark Passion Play, and the opening track "The Poet and the Pendgelum" owned. The second LP "Imaginarium" less so, but it was a cool concept. 

I've yet to see the movie that was to be released based on the Showtime, Storytime script. Maybe it would help the LP resonate?

With Floor, the message was: "See, we still got this." First a Live LP, then, this year, a studio LP, and I just don't care. It's like Tuomas and Co are getting married, again, again.. Do I really need to swing by JcPenny's and get you another Crock Pot?

It's been 10 years. It's time for the return of one of the best bands to ever carry the Metal torch. You are all still young and your fans are still begging for it. 

Tuomas, bring back Tarja.

Tarja. It's time to go home.

In the meantime, if someone could let me know if this new LP is any good, I'd appreciate it. I'm putting Oceanborn and Wishmaster back on rotation for the short term. I've decided to stay home for the third wedding. I hope you all understand. 

Anthrax, Van Halen, Exodus, Black Sabbath and Skid Row all dragged themselves through the vocalist mud. Please don't be that band. There is still plenty of time to rule the world as one unit. Tarja's era is the best Nightwish, and Nightwish is best with Tarja. Fix it.

Nago