From fantastical realms to elaborate filmic sagas and love-letters to Darwinism, the Nightwish discography is rich in intrigue – and low on dull moments. As its central creator, Tuomas Holopainen is inextricably bound to the sounds, feelings and memories that saturate each of these nine albums. His life is in this music. But if it came to it, in a castaway situation, which albums would he most (and least) want to be stuck with? It’s a tough call. “They are my children,” he pleads, “how would they feel if they saw the ranking? Wishmaster would be so sad!”
Still, he did manage to settle on an order, and here it is.
9. WISHMASTER
(Spinefarm, 2000)
to No.1 in Finland, but to me is one of those albums that was kind of ‘in-between’. It doesn’t stand out to me on a personal level. There was nothing revolutionary about it after [1998’s] It was made in a really good spirit – everybody in the band was happy after the success of – so this was just a natural continuation oflyrically, it’s very much in the essence of Nightwish.”
