Dark Passion Play

by Nightwish

Overview

Judging from the way Dark Passion Play starts out, it's understandable to assume that it's some sort of opera aria. But hold tight, dear friends, because from out of nowhere metal guitar riffs come swooping in. That's Nightwish for ya -- a Finnish quintet that had been walking the line between symphonic and metallic for ten years by the time of this 2007 release. The album signals the arrival of new singer Anette Olson (who replaced longtime member Tarja Turunen), but for longtime fans worried that this lineup shuffle may alter the band's sound and direction, there's no reason to fret -- Nightwish are as bombastic and dramatic as ever. Understandably, there are quite a few similarities between symphonic metal and prog metal, and this is certainly the case on such tracks as "Bye Bye Beautiful," which contains a very Dream Theater-esque opening. Elsewhere, "Eva" focuses primarily on the vocal talents of Nightwish's new frontwoman, while the slow-building album opener, "The Poet and the Pendulum," proves to be a neat summary of Nightwish's style. Depending on which side of the metal fence you're on, Dark Passion Play is either a symphonic metal triumph or merely pretentious twaddle. ~ Greg Prato

Product Details

Release Date:	03/01/2019
Label:	Nuclear Blast
UPC:	0727361453503
Rank:	30510

Tracks

1. The Poet and the Pendulum
2. Bye Bye Beautiful
3. Amaranth
4. Cadence of Her Last Breath
5. Master Passion Greed
6. Eva
7. Sahara
8. Whoever Brings the Night
9. For the Heart I Once Had
10. The Islander
11. Last of the Wilds
12. 7 Days to the Wolves
13. Meadows of Heaven

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Nightwish   Primary Artist,Vocals
Jude Sim   Vocals
Beverley Skeete   Vocals,Soloist,Choir/Chorus
Sara Jane Skeete   Vocals,Choir/Chorus
Derek Green   Vocals,Choir/Chorus
David Fuest   Clarinet
Janet Ramus   Vocals,Choir/Chorus
Allen Walley   Cello,Bass
Jussi Tegelman   Sound Effects
Ricci P. Washington   Vocals,Choir/Chorus
Charlie Baker   Vocals
Steve Trowell   Vocals
Guy Elliot   Soprano (Vocal),Soprano
John Barclay   Trumpet,French Horn
Andrew Crowley   Trumpet,French Horn
Peter Hanson   Violin
Carol Kenyon   Vocals,Choir/Chorus
Emppu Vuorinen   Guitar (Acoustic)
Matthew Hargreaves   Vocals
Patrick Lannigan   Cello,Bass
Lance Ellington   Vocals,Choir/Chorus
Ian Balmain   Trumpet,French Horn
Chris Laurence   Cello,Bass
Dave Stewart   Trombone (Bass)
Derek Watkins   Trumpet
Tommy Blaize   Vocals,Soloist,Choir/Chorus
Faye Simpson   Vocals,Choir/Chorus
Mary Scully   Cello,Bass
Tom Williams   Soprano (Vocal)
Steve Williams   Cello
Matthew White   Vocals
Dermot Crehan   Violin
Bryan Chambers   Vocals,Choir/Chorus
Nicki Kennedy   Vocals
Laurence Davies   French Horn
Maurice Murphy   Trumpet
Marco Hietala   Guitar (Bass),Bass,Vocals,Guitar (Acoustic)
Tony Lewis   Cello
Alison Jiear   Vocals
Peter Lale   Viola
Martin Loveday   Cello,Soloist
Troy Donockley   Bodhran,Low Whistle,Uillean Pipes
Rita Manning   Violin
Skaila Kanga   Harp
Helen Keen   Flute,Piccolo
Everton Nelson   Violin
Patrick Kiernan   Violin
Greg Knowles   Cymbalom
Ben Chappell   Cello
Michael Dore   Vocals
Jukka Nevalainen   Drums
Tuomas Holopainen   Piano,Keyboards
Rachel Bolt   Viola
Catherine Bott   Vocals
Thomas Bowes   Violin
Mary Carewe   Vocals
Nicholas Bucknail   Clarinet
Andrew Busher   Vocals
Claire Henry   Vocals
Samantha Shaw   Vocals
Jeremy Avis   Vocals
Cathy Thompson   Violin
Nollaig Casey   Fiddle
Julian Leaper   Violin
Perry Mason   Violin,Orchestra Leader
Warren Zielinski   Violin
Michael Clarke   Vocals
Anthony Pike   Clarinet,Clarinet (Bass)
Mark Berrow   Violin
Gerard Bentall   Vocals
Heather Cairncross   Vocals
Andrew Parker   Viola
Owen Slade   Tuba
Bruce White   Viola
Sarah Eyden   Vocals
Donald McVay   Viola
Michael McMenemy   Violin
Samuel Burkey   Vocals
Bob J. Harms   Vocals
Frank Schaefer   Cello
Morag MacKay   Vocals
Ann de Renais   Vocals
Senni Eskelinen   Kantele
Pete Beachill   Trombone
Eliza Lumley   Vocals
Yona Dunsford   Vocals
Chris Pitsillides   Viola
Helen Brookes   Vocals
Kate Musker   Viola
Gary Kettel   Percussion
Boguslav Kostecki   Violin
Gustav Clarkson   Viola
David Daniels   Cello
Jackie Shave   Violin
Andy Findon   Flute,Soloist,Whistle (Human)
Frank Ricotti   Percussion
John Heley   Cello
Pip Williams   Director
Richard Edwards   Trombone
David Theodore   Oboe,Cor Anglais
Liz Edwards   Violin
Anthony Pleeth   Cello,Soloist
Johnathan Rees   Violin
Simon Preece   Vocals
Emlyn Singleton   Violin
Richard Berry   French Horn
Garfield Jackson   Viola
Helen Meyerhoff   Vocals
Susan Flannery   Vocals
Tom Pearce   Choir/Chorus,Vocals
Simon Fischer   Violin
Sarah Ryan   Vocals
Andrew Tinkler   Vocals
Anne Marie Cullum   Vocals
Catriana Sandison   Vocals
James Shearman   Conductor
David Porter Thomas   Vocals
Cherith Milburn-Fryer   Vocals
David Stewart   Trombone (Bass)
Rosemary Forbes-Butler   Vocals
Anette Olzon   Vocals
Lindsay Wagstaff   Vocals
Jenny O'Grady   Vocals,Choir/Chorus
Michael Thompson   French Horn
Caroline Dearnley   Cello
Stephen Henderson   Percussion
Timothy Grant   Viola
Steve "Syco Steve" Williams   Bass
Michael White   Vocals
Gabrielle Lester   Violin
David Woodcock   Violin
James McLeod   Violin
Christopher Tombling   Violin
Tom Pigott-Smith   Violin
Julie Andrews   Bassoon,Contrabassoon
Katie Wilkinson Khoroshunin   Viola
Jonathan Williams   Cello,Vocals
Gavin Wright   Soloist
Helen Parker   Vocals
Jon Thorne   Viola
Steve Morris   Violin
Lawrence Wallington   Vocals
Gavyn Wright   Violin,Soloist,Orchestra Leader
Sonia Slany   Violin
Andy Wood   Trombone
Joanna Forbes   Vocals
Richard Watkins   French Horn

Technical Credits

Emppu Vuorinen   Audio Engineer,Composer
Kinnunen   Audio Engineer
T. Kinnunen   Audio Production
Mikko Karmila   Audio Engineer,Audio Production,Mixing,Engineer,Producer
Tuomas Holopainen   Audio Production,Arranger,Composer,Lyricist,Producer,Art Direction
Haydn Bendall   Audio Engineer
Jukka Nevalainen   Arranger
Marco Hietala   Arranger,Composer
Jussi Tegelman   Soundscape
Isobel Griffiths   Orchestra Contractor
Richard Lancaster   Assistant
Mika Jussila   Mastering
Pip Williams   Orchestration,Choir Arrangement,Orchestral Arrangements
Richard Ihnatowicz   Music Preparation
Robin Baynton   Assistant
Leila Stacey   Coordination
Andrew Kitchen   Assistant
Janne Pitkaenen   Artwork,Layout Design
Ville Akseli   Photography
Gina Pitkaenen   Artwork,Layout Design
Sam O'Kell   Assistant