NIGHTWISH – Yesterwynde

Yesterwynde starts with the faint ticking of an old mechanism, like an old slide projector gathering dust amidst artefacts and apparatus from another time in an attic. It’s an invitation to travel back in time at lightspeed and to slow down only when reaching the birth of humankind.

After Endless Forms Most Beautiful and Human Nature, Nightwish has been shaken to its core. Floor Jansen is still here, but her bandmate Marco Hietala has left the ship. Even if Troy Donockley is an outstanding instrumentalist and vocalist, he evolves in a far different range with a soft and dreamy voice. From then on, Nightwish can only pursue a different course.

Now the wynde calls a storm from the past…

Once more, Tuomas Holopainen invites the listener to reconsider humankind’s place in the universe through twelve songs exploring the possible meanings of this neologism. He still gathers inspiration from human inventiveness and engineering, combining them in heavy rhythms which structure the songs. On the other hand, Troy’s melodies and Floor’s voice symbolize the forces of the natural world.

From the very introduction, there is a perfume of melancholy imbued in the music. Nightwish may reuse familiar poetic images, but that does not mean their evocations are any less powerful. “An Ocean Of Strange Island” is one of the best songs released by the band in recent years. It features a multitude of atmospheres and an epic chorus which suits Floor’s perfectly and allows her to showcase her abilities.

“The Antikythera Mechanism”, which refers to the oldest known gear mechanism, is another example of Tuomas’s inspiration. On this track, you can find the almost kitschy atmospheres of Tarja’s old albums when Nightwish still had a Power Metal vibe. It’s this interplay with ‘old Nightwish’ that lends Yesterwynde’s first half such charm. No matter how much bands are criticised for advocating a ‘return to their roots’, Nightwish have produced a varied and majestic new album, with a nod to their earlier efforts.

Longing for the woods…

“The Day Of…” is perhaps the most modern track on the album, with an ’80s vibe. The song explores the fear of the end of the world, omnipresent in the media and communications. While the song itself is very enjoyable, this incursion into modernity comes as a bit of a surprise, and almost makes a glaring contrast with the poetic world skilfully created in the rest of the album. However, after a few listens, it allows a bit of diversity and gives some perspective to the whole.

The second half of the album slows down a little, bringing back the soft, cinematic ambience of the last album. If Nightwish is not your cup of tea, the ballads “Sway”, “Hiraeth” and “Lanternlight” will not sound very convincing. However, Yesterwynde still has some more aggressive anthems to offer with the tracks “The Weave” and “Spidersilk”. The song “Children Of ‘Ata” also deserves a special mention for its originality. The only flaw that would mar this positive experience is the sound mastering. From time to time Floor’s voice seemed drowned in the orchestrations, and although it seems it was intentional it can sometimes be a shame.

Final Thoughts

Yesterwynde is ambitious, and perhaps for the first time in a good while, Nightwish has the means to fulfil these ambitions. The songs are varied, epic, emotional and surprising. The guitars are back in the spotlight in many instances and the vocals are never what one could expect. Yesterwynde is a beautifully crafted piece of art that does not care for such simple things as categories.

Yesterwynde – Tracklist

1. Yesterwynde
2. An Ocean Of Strange Islands
3. The Antikythera Mechanism
4. The Day Of…
5. Perfume of the Timeless
6. Sway
7. The Children of ‘Ata
8. Something Whispered Follow Me
9. Spider Silk
10. Hiraeth
11. The Weave
12. Lanternlight

Nightwish Lineup

Emppu Vuorinen – Guitars
Floor Jansen – Vocals
Tuomas Holopainen – keyboards
Troy Donockley – pipes, vocals
Jukka Koskinen – Bass
Kai Hanto – drums