Nightwish – Yesterwynde (2024) – Review

Nightwish - Yesterwynde - Album Cover

Nightwish came a long way since they started their endeavor in 1996. The band around Tuomas Holopainen truly was with the pioneers of what was to become Symphonic Metal. Their fulminant career didn’t come without their hiccups, though. First, the somewhat messy divorce from Tarja Turunen made headlines across the mainstream metal press. Anette Olzon didn’t fare much better after a couple of thunderous records or so. And that left the band – rightly or wrongly – with a bad rap.

Luckily, with the arrival of the spirited and somewhat carismatic Floor Jansen, some calm finally came to Nightwish[...] Click to raid more!

Nightwish – Dark Passion Play (2007) – Review

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RockmusicRaider Review - Nightwish - Dark Passion Play - Album Cover

Hey, fans and friends. Dark Passion Play is an amazing record! I absolutely love it.

I am not sure if this was the first record I ever listened to from Nightwish. But it definitely beats everything out of the sky that the band produced so far. And yes, that specifically means the Tarja records that came before it. Even if Once really upped the ante.

It is of course not only the frontwoman who makes the difference. But here Anette Olzon really delivers. And this, in spite of the hate that fans directed at her for the simple reason … [...] Click to raid more!

RMR’s Hall of Fame of All Time!

RockmusicRaider - Hall of Fame

Welcome to Valhalla.

The hall of fame of the most remarkable records that crossed our hawse to date. It’s the RockmusicRaider version of the feasting hall, where the mead flows in streams, meat comes in abundance, and earthly pleasures of the flesh beckon you at every table end. And you don’t even need to die with a sword in your hand to get there.

Sounds good, huh? Free, eternal props and laurels galore. Only and as always, there is a catch to it. Rulez, always those friggin’ rulez, I tell ya.

For your divine right to appear on this list … [...] Click to raid more!

Marko Hietala leaves Nightwish!

RockmusicRaider - Marko Hietala 2020

May we live in interesting times, right? The bad – or strange – news never stops, and we’re in for more in 2021.

Nightwish‘s Marko Hietala has decided to quit the band with immediate effect and to – in his words – “…leave public life.” It appears that during the terrible last year, he had second thoughts about his life as a musician and the music industry as a whole. Which – wisely – led him to take a time-out and leave one of the greatest Symphonic Metal bands of all time. And that is a pity.

Hietala always … [...] Click to raid more!