I'm afraid that I wasn't impressed either, it's not a very exciting album. It goes a long way to describe my opinion of it when Noise, a song I was 100% nonplussed about when it first appeared is by far the stand-out track on the album.
However, the best 'moment' of the album is the soprano vocal in the closing few minutes of Shoemaker. Worst song on the album in my opinion being Tribal which I just didn't get, sounds nothing like Nightwish and had a very odd mid section with the band grunting...
As for the Orchestral suite, Kerrang! hit the nail on the head, it's just boring, nice melodies etc and performed very well, but it's not a piece that demands any attention, it's quite superficial.
Not the worst album I've heard, far from it, it's a good record, it's just not a good record by Nightwish standards. Endless Forms... is miles and miles ahead of this one. I don't think they're ever going to top The Greatest Show On Earth.
__________________  Triumphant sight on a northern sky |