Date: 2020
Total Τime: 50:33 (CD 1), 30:58 (CD 2)
Label: Nuclear Blast

   NIGHTWISH. One word, so many emotions. A band that has given thrills to millions of fans around the world. A band that has released 10 Full-Length Albums, a band that has established itself as the ultimate symphonic Metal band in the world. And in fact quite easily enough. When NIGHTWISH release a new album, the whole Metal community is shaken right to their foundations. Also a given fact is that as time goes by, they seem to be leaving their Metal elements behind and leaning more into the Progressive symphonical genre, with just some Metal influences.

   We could say that Human. Nature is an ambitious record, but then again, we would underestimate the term “ambitious”, as we are talking about a double CD and since the content of the second half is purely orchestrical. First of all, let’s clarify that “Human. :: | ::  Nature” is a concept effort which, as you may understand from the title, tells the story of Mother Earth and Nature, until it finally shows the destructive role of Human towards it (“Procession”).

   The first half of the album is consisted of magical melodies, clever refrains, well-structured and beautifully inspired orchestrations and some classic NIGHTWISH tracks (e.g. second half of “Music”, “Noises” and some more), which all together compose the puzzle of a cinematic adventure, a theatrical performance which unfolds in the ears and consequently inside the mind of the listener. Reminiscent of “Wishmaster” in some parts, it introduces many new aspects that we never heard before from the band. Heavy with Progressive influences (this is perfectly understandable in “Shoemaker”), it contains some Folk parts (“Harvest”, “How’s The Heart”), some tracks that will be truly live when played live (“Pan”), fairytale melodies and orchestral pieces. Therefore, we must make it clear that the Metal parts are not as much as one would expect. In fact, we can safely say that here we have a symphonic record with some Metal elements, and not the opposite, which characterized NIGHTWISH at the beginning of their career. Whether this change is fine with you or not, you will have to decide.

   Marco Hietala on bass and mainly Emppu Vuorinen on guitars are reminiscent of a goalkeeper in a match where their team get just some balls back in the goalkeeper area. This one part is definitely “Tribal”, which is the heaviest song of the album, and it also contains some ethnic elements as the title suggests. The person in charge, Tuomas Holopainen, does a magical job on the keyboards and the whole project, which he has composed and written. Kai Hahto on drums is what NIGHTWISH need, and Troy Donockley is in charge of various instruments such as pipes, bouzouki, bodhran, aeriophone and more. Floor Jansen’s voice is magical, fits perfectly throughout the project and also perfectly renders the theatrical role assigned to her. The production is one of the best you will hear this year, as we are talking about a mix that had to coordinate dozens of different instruments, orchestral parts, Metal elements and bind all of this difficult task together. And it does deliver in a great way!

   As for the second half of the release, “All the Works of Nature Which Adorn the World”, it could only be described as an acoustic spring of emotions. An orchestral inflorescence, which shows us how the great classical composers of the past genre would write music today. From an emotion of melancholy in “The Blue” of the sea, to the mental exaltation and euphoria of the green forests in “The Green”, to the nostalgia of “Moors” of the endless swamps, to the rejoicing of “Aurorae”, which is reminiscent of a Soundrack and from there to the thrilling of “Quiet As The Snow”. These all lead to a great disturbance, which represents climate change and an adventurous atmosphere full of surprises in “Anthopocene”, which means Young Human. All this to come to redemption with “Ad Astra”, which contains an excerpt from Carl Sagan, just to understand how small is the human being when compared to the infinite Universe.

   NIGHTWISH as a perfect conductor conducts the perfect orchestra. Emotions, melodies, arrangements set the Metal parts aside. If you are fine with that, then you have a double record, which is the most open-minded disc of the year in the Metal genre, and it shows how Vivaldi would imagine the composition of the Music in the year of 2020. Not just music, but Music!

Rating: 9/10
Editor: George Kourou
Related Link: Nightwish – Official Page