Yesterwynde

Description

Once there was a dream. And once upon a time - many, many moons ago - there was an enchanting summery twilight - a night full of wishes - on the rocky shores of a North Karelian island. There and then, under the luminous sky and by the crackling campfire, the magic was refined: beautiful acoustic melodies and serene chords began to shine with shooting stars.No difficulty has been able to stop them ever since as they have wandered the path of the elves, gazed at the stars, recited the poems of dead boys, slayed dreamers and wandered the meadows of heaven - just to name a few twists and turns along the fascinating journey. They were certainly there - and they are still here.They are the Finnish / Dutch / British troupe NIGHTWISH - one of the most fascinating rock bands of the last decades, whose enigmatic paths have proceeded from acoustic passages to symphonic heavy metal and from catchy folk to progressive majesty. If there is one trait the band has year after year, it might be this: expect something familiar but also expect the unexpected. NIGHTWISH has indeed broken all kinds of boundaries - never deliberately, but perfectly naturally.Now guess what? NIGHTWISH's new studio album "Yesterwynde" - the band's tenth overall - is no exception to the rule. There's a fascinating, but inexplicable feeling that NIGHTWISH has once again been able to find unprecedented nuances, spices and perspectives in their new works - exactly: after a career of nine classic albums. "Yesterwynde" is an experience that takes time to digest. The gravid ingredients of the songs are easily recognizable, but beneath the surface lies a large number of intriguing details and features.The lyrics of "Yesterwynde" deal with large-sized universal themes: memories, mortality, humanism, time and much more. The new album is the conclusion of the trilogy - textually it follows in the footsteps of it's predecessors "Endless Forms Most Beautiful" and "Human. : II: Nature" while at the same time, "Yesterwynde" is the band's most lyrically driven album. And what does the term 'yesterwynde' mean? It describes a feeling that cannot be found in any human language. That's why Nightwish had to invent a whole new word. Formed in 1996 and working with Nuclear Blast since the release of their highly lauded 2004 album "Once", NIGHTWISH have gained international fame and success selling more than ten million records and receiving more than 60 gold and platinum awards, with seven No #1 albums and thirteen No #1 singles to date. In October 2018, NIGHTWISH was inducted into the Tähtikatu - Walk of Fame Finland, becoming the honorary gallery's eleventh member. 2020 saw the release of the band's last studio record, "Human. : II: Nature". that crowned the band's discography with another No #1 success in Finland and Germany as well several other impressive chart entries worldwide. Review: Absolutely Beautiful!!! - I learned about Nightwish during the Covid Lock down when bored to death. I was watching videos on YouTube when I came across one of their videos (Ghost Love Score). I instantly had one of those "Where has this band been all of my life moments." Yesterwynde is easily one of the best things they have ever done. Over the years their music has evolved from Metal,to Symphonic Metal, to a genre as yet to be named. The band appears to have become fully integrated with the orchestra. Don't get me wrong. Nightwish is still a Symphonic Metal band. Parts of Yesterwynde are Metal. Other parts are Symphonic, Classical, almost ethereal. Yesterwynde is a work of pure genius and one of the most beautiful things I have ever listened to. Review: Excellent companion to *Endless Forms Most Beautiful* - I almost wrote, "Excellent conclusion to...," since Yesterwynde is described as the third in a trilogy beginning with "Endless Forms..". But I hope someday there will be even more releases exploring these themes further. I first discovered Nightwish with their video of "Élan" and I fell in love with that album, "Endless Forms Most Beautiful". And though I later came to know and love their older releases, EFMB remains my gold standard. While I like much about "Human :||: Nature," the 2nd in this trilogy, I felt something was missing (though I still can't put my finger on it). For me, "Yesterwynde" is the sequel to "Endless Forms..." that I've been waiting for. The more I learn the new songs, musically and lyrically, the more I want to listen to them -- the more satisfying I find this album. While the released singles are several of the best songs on this album, "The Children of 'Ata", based on a true story, has become my favorite. And though I do miss Marko, I think Troy and Floor sound better than ever together, especially on "Hiraeth". I know the songs of Yesterwynde will be a frequent part of my playlist for decades to come.