Nightwish – Dark Passion Play (2007)
Artist: Nightwish
Album: Dark Passion Play
Released: September 26, 2007
Label: Nuclear Blast / Roadrunner Records
Genre: Symphonic metal, power metal
Length: 70:32
Producer: Tuomas Holopainen, Mikko Karmila
Overview
Dark Passion Play is the sixth studio album by Nightwish, and the first to feature Anette Olzon as lead vocalist following Tarja Turunen’s departure in 2005. The album marked a new era for the band, with a mix of symphonic grandeur, cinematic arrangements, and more contemporary metal accessibility.
The album blends epic orchestral soundscapes with fast-paced metal riffs, atmospheric keyboards, and emotional vocal performances. Lyrically, it explores themes of love, loss, personal struggle, fantasy, and human emotions.
Album Credits
Band Members
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Anette Olzon – lead vocals
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Tuomas Holopainen – keyboards, songwriter, orchestrations
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Emppu Vuorinen – guitars
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Jukka Nevalainen – drums
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Marko Hietala – bass, male vocals
Additional Credits
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Orchestration: Pip Williams (conductor) and the London Session Orchestra
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Choirs: Metro Voices Choir
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Producer & Mixing: Tuomas Holopainen, Mikko Karmila
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Mastering: Mika Jussila
Tracklist
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The Poet and the Pendulum – 13:57
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Bye Bye Beautiful – 4:21
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Amaranth – 4:03
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Cadence of Her Last Breath – 4:48
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Master Passion Greed – 4:31
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Eva – 4:06
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Sahara – 5:04
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Whoever Brings the Night – 3:59
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For the Heart I Once Had – 4:57
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The Islander – 5:14
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Last of the Wilds – 4:54
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7 Days to the Wolves – 4:40
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Meadows of Heaven – 7:20
Note: Special editions include bonus tracks such as Escapist and orchestral versions.
Musical Style & Themes
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First Nightwish album with Anette Olzon, featuring a softer, more pop-leaning vocal style, but still maintaining symphonic metal roots.
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Strong orchestral arrangements and choir work.
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Lyrical themes: personal reflection, love, loss, fantasy, nature, and societal commentary.
Key Tracks
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The Poet and the Pendulum: A 14-minute epic with multiple sections, widely considered the highlight of the album.
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Amaranth: The first single with Anette Olzon, catchy and melodic, became an international hit.
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Bye Bye Beautiful: A heavier track addressing the departure of former vocalist Tarja Turunen.
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The Islander: Folk-influenced ballad with acoustic guitars and orchestration, showcasing cinematic diversity.
Fun Facts & Trivia
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“Bye Bye Beautiful” is a subtle tribute and message to Tarja Turunen.
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“The Poet and the Pendulum” was the most ambitious composition Nightwish had attempted to date, divided into several dynamic movements.
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Dark Passion Play was the first Nightwish album recorded entirely with Anette Olzon, marking a stylistic shift.
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The album features a mix of metal, folk, acoustic, and orchestral passages, making it highly diverse in sound.
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The London Session Orchestra contributed to several tracks, continuing the band’s tradition of cinematic orchestration.
Did You Know?
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Dark Passion Play became Nightwish’s best-selling album at the time, reaching platinum status in Finland and high chart positions in Europe.
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The album contains tracks that blend multiple musical genres, from symphonic metal to folk ballads to power metal.
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“Amaranth” won the Emma Award for Best Song in Finland in 2007.
Commercial Performance & Legacy
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Reached #1 in Finland, Germany, and several European countries, selling over 2 million copies worldwide.
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Tracks like The Poet and the Pendulum, Amaranth, and Bye Bye Beautiful became live staples for years.
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The album helped Nightwish transition smoothly to a new lead vocalist while maintaining international success.
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Influenced the next generation of symphonic metal bands by balancing accessibility with orchestral grandeur.
Critical Reception
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Widely praised for:
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Ambitious compositions and orchestration
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Successful integration of Anette Olzon as lead vocalist
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Diversity of musical styles within a symphonic metal framework
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Minor criticism:
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Some fans of Tarja Turunen’s operatic style preferred the previous era, feeling Anette’s vocals were lighter.
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Album Rating
⭐ 9/10
Dark Passion Play is a turning point for Nightwish, successfully blending symphonic grandeur with accessible metal. Its epic compositions, orchestration, and stylistic diversity solidified Nightwish as a leading symphonic metal band in the 2000s, and it remains a fan favorite today.
Download Nightwish's Albums from Amazon Music
More Albums:
Nightwish - Angels Fall First (1997)
Nightwish - Century Child (2002)
Nightwish - Imaginaerum (2011)
Nightwish - Endless Forms Most Beautiful (2015)
