Album Review: Nightwish – Yesterwynde (Nuclear Blast)

Legendary symphonic rock band, Nightwish, are back with their latest epic opus. It, the band’s tenth studio album overall, is called ‘Yesterwynde’, and it will be released on September 20th, 2024.

Listening to a Nightwish album is an investment to say the least and over an epic career, the band has shifted and shimmered in style to the point where you almost have to ask a Nightwish fan which vocalist era is their favourite.

I’m old-school. Going back to the Tarja Turunen days. While enjoying the Anette Olzon era and being immensely impressed by what Floor Jansen has done in the latter period of the band’s life. No matter the vocalist though, Nightwish has had a fairly consistent sound, one rooted in symphonic rock and metal with big splashes of cinematic detail. However, like so many, I’ve not always been wowed by what they’ve done and approach each new release with a sense of apprehension.

Which is certainly how many will approach Yesterwynde because of its size and length. Featuring 12 tracks, many of which are egregiously long, once again, Nightwish demand an investment, but this time, on the promise of something that songwriter/keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen sums up as being the true essence of Nighwish.

To me, Yesterwynde sounds, tastes, and feels strongly like the true essence of Nightwish – enriched with new moods and flavours.

What is the true essence of Nightwish? Well, it involves the word bombastic, it involves the word lavish, and it involves the word cinematic. All of which, and so much more, is evident with a start that encompasses melody, the introductory title track. and delivers incomparable elegance with An Ocean of Strange Islands. The latter is great, showcasing a Nightwish on epic form, combining their more elaborate and progressive side with their accessible, infectious, and dramatic side.

It is the first of many big sounding tracks, perfected musically to point where the gleam is blinding. Which, for a band like Nightwish, is a must even if Floor Jansen would sound amazing regardless. Guess what? She is the star of this record, and gives life to so much of this music through her impossible range.

Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but The Antikythera Mechanism, The Day Of…, Perfume of the Timeless, Sway, The Children Of ‘Ata, Something Whispered Follow Me… it’s extravagant song after extravagant song and there’s only so many different ways this kind of music can be summed up as ‘majestically cinematic’. It never fails to impress, and while each of these tracks have their own individual vibe and flair, the overall notion of the album is clear. It just so happens to not be very concise, as is their prerogative, Nightwish like to wander.

Unfortunately, there are many times when the mind will inevitably wander because of Nightwish love of going big and not going home. It’s fair to say that come the final section of the album, it’s harder to be as engaged with the likes of Spider Silk, Hiraeth, The Weave, and Lanternlight. Not that there is a lack of enjoyment to be found here. After all, Nightwish are masters of their cinematic craft and always find clever ways grab the attention, even doing so from a traditional rock and metal stance on occasion.

It’s easy to forget, so often is the borderline pretentious symphonic side of this band the focal point, but Nightwish can be delightfully rocky, groovy, and even heavy. Yesterwynde showcases a lot of this while still being undeniably pompous in the best way possible. It’s a mighty Nightwish album and one that balances all aspects of the band well. For a band with a storied history as theirs, that’s not bad at all for a 10th album.

Nightwish – Yesterwynde Track Listing:

1. Yesterwynde
2. An Ocean of Strange Islands
3. The Antikythera Mechanism
4. The Day Of…
5. Perfume Of the Timeless
6. Sway
7. The Children Of ‘Ata
8. Something Whispered Follow Me
9. Spider Silk
10. Hiraeth
11. The Weave
12. Lanternlight

Links

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter