Nightwish – Once (2004)
Artist: Nightwish
Album: Once
Released: June 7, 2004
Label: Nuclear Blast / Spinefarm Records
Genre: Symphonic metal, power metal
Length: 61:25
Producer: Tero Kinnunen, Nightwish
Overview
Once is the fifth studio album by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, widely regarded as one of their most ambitious and polished works. The album features extensive use of full orchestras and choirs, recorded with the London Session Orchestra, creating an epic, cinematic sound.
It was the last Nightwish studio album with Tarja Turunen as lead vocalist, and the first to fully incorporate Marko Hietala’s bass and male vocals as an essential part of the vocal dynamics. Lyrically, the album explores fantasy, mythology, introspection, and existential themes, with a darker and more mature tone than its predecessors.
Album Credits
Band Members
-
Tarja Turunen – lead vocals
-
Tuomas Holopainen – keyboards, songwriter
-
Emppu Vuorinen – guitars
-
Jukka Nevalainen – drums
-
Marko Hietala – bass, male vocals
Additional Credits
-
Orchestration: London Session Orchestra
-
Producer & Engineer: Tero Kinnunen
-
Mixing: Mikko Karmila
-
Mastering: Mika Jussila
-
Label: Nuclear Blast / Spinefarm Records
Tracklist
-
Dark Chest of Wonders – 5:22
-
Ghost Love Score – 10:07
-
Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan – 5:11
-
Dead Gardens – 4:22
-
Wish I Had an Angel – 3:53
-
Nemo – 4:59
-
Planet Hell – 4:31
-
The Siren – 6:01
-
Creek Mary’s Blood – 5:16
-
Higher Than Hope – 4:57
-
The Poet and the Pendulum – 6:46 (bonus track in special editions)
Note: Some editions include bonus tracks such as Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan (alternative versions).
Musical Style & Themes
-
Symphonic metal with heavy orchestration and choir arrangements.
-
Operatic female vocals from Tarja Turunen, balanced with Marko Hietala’s male backing and lead vocals on key tracks.
-
Themes include fantasy, existential reflection, love, loss, and epic storytelling.
Key Tracks
-
Ghost Love Score: A 10-minute epic, widely regarded as Nightwish’s magnum opus, combining operatic vocals, orchestration, and dynamic metal passages.
-
Nemo: One of Nightwish’s most commercially successful singles, featuring melodic hooks and orchestral grandeur.
-
Wish I Had an Angel: Aggressive, fast, and cinematic, often used in movie soundtracks.
-
Planet Hell: Features male/female vocal duets and intricate orchestration.
Fun Facts & Trivia
-
The orchestral parts were performed by the London Session Orchestra, giving the album a truly cinematic feel.
-
Once was the first Nightwish album to achieve platinum status in Finland and multiple European countries.
-
“Ghost Love Score” is a live performance staple and is often considered one of the greatest symphonic metal songs of all time.
-
Tarja Turunen was dismissed from the band later in 2005, making this her final studio album with Nightwish.
-
“Wish I Had an Angel” was featured in the movie Alone in the Dark (2005).
Did You Know?
-
Once marked a major commercial breakthrough for Nightwish, expanding their fanbase globally.
-
The album combines cinematic storytelling with power metal energy, influencing many symphonic metal bands that followed.
-
Ghost Love Score’s live renditions can last over 12 minutes due to extended orchestral and instrumental passages.
Commercial Performance & Legacy
-
Achieved platinum certifications in Finland, Germany, and several other countries.
-
Cemented Nightwish’s reputation as a leading symphonic metal band internationally.
-
Songs like Nemo, Wish I Had an Angel, and Ghost Love Score are still mainstays of live concerts.
-
The album’s orchestral approach influenced bands such as Within Temptation, Epica, and Delain.
Critical Reception
-
Widely praised for:
-
Epic orchestration and cinematic production
-
Tarja Turunen’s operatic vocals
-
Strong songwriting and orchestral-metal integration
-
-
Minor criticism:
-
Some felt the album was overproduced compared to earlier rawer works, but most fans consider it a masterpiece.
-
Album Rating
⭐ 9.5/10
Once is considered Nightwish’s peak of the Tarja-era sound, blending metal, orchestration, and operatic vocals into a grand, cinematic symphonic metal experience. Its influence on the genre is lasting, and it remains one of the most iconic albums in symphonic metal history.
Download Nightwish's Albums from Amazon Music
More Albums:
Nightwish - Angels Fall First (1997)
Nightwish - Century Child (2002)
Nightwish - Dark Passion Play (2007)
Nightwish - Imaginaerum (2011)
Nightwish - Endless Forms Most Beautiful (2015)
