Wishmaster (album)

Wishmaster
Studio album by Nightwish
Released	May 19, 2000[1] May 29, 2000[1] February 6, 2001[2]
Recorded	Jan 2000-Mar 2000
Genre	Power metal, symphonic metal
Length	56:03
Label	Spinefarm, Drakkar, Century Media
Producer	Tuomas Holopainen, Tero Kinnunen
Nightwish chronology
Oceanborn (1998) Wishmaster (2000) Over the Hills and Far Away (2001)
Singles from Wishmaster
"The Kinslayer" Released: 2000 "Deep Silent Complete" Released: July 16, 2000

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[3]
Kerrang!
The Metal Crypt	[4]
Metal Storm	[5]
ProgressiveWorld.Net	[6]

Wishmaster is the third album of Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, released on May 19, 2000 by Spinefarm Records.

Wishmaster's sound continues the bombastic symphonic power metal approach originally featured on Oceanborn, albeit with more emphasis on atmosphere and melody versus powerful speed and heaviness. Perhaps even more so than its predecessor, Wishmaster has a very clear fantasy theme. While commonly considered to be closer to conventional power metal, there is still a great variety with slower songs like "Come Cover Me" and "Two for Tragedy", and more epic pieces like "Dead Boy's Poem" and "FantasMic". "The Kinslayer" is written about the victims of the Columbine High School massacre.^[7] Wishmaster was inspired by the fantasy novels The Lord of the Rings and Dragonlance, mentioning Elbereth, Lórien, and the Grey Havens from the former; and Dalamar, Raistlin Majere (Dalamar's shalafi, or "master"), Gilthanas, the Sla-Mori, and the Inn of the Last Home from the latter.^[7] "FantasMic" is a song about the Disney animated movies, particularly their fantasy and fable elements, taking its title from the Disneyland show Fantasmic!.

The song "Wishmaster" has remained one of Nightwish's greatest hits, appearing on several best of compilations. Since its release, it has been a recurring track during live performances, and was featured on the live DVD End of an Era, recorded in 2005. As of 2010^[update], it is still often performed live despite the band's change of vocalists. A new orchestral intro for the track was recorded during the orchestral recording of Dark Passion Play.^[8] The song was brought back to the metal community's mind by a cover version and video of metal a-cappella band van Canto in 2008. Other recurring live songs from the album are "She Is My Sin", "Dead Boy's Poem" and "Come Cover Me".

Wishmaster was #1 in the official Finnish charts;^[1] the album also debuted in the European charts at #21 in Germany and #66 in France.^[9] Today, Wishmaster has sold more than 77,000 copies in Finland alone.^[10]

Track listing

	Title	Writers	Length
1.	"She Is My Sin"	Holopainen	4:46
2.	"The Kinslayer" (feat. Ike Vil)	Holopainen	3:59
3.	"Come Cover Me"	Holopainen & Vuorinen	4:34
4.	"Wanderlust"	Holopainen	4:50
5.	"Two for Tragedy"	Holopainen	3:50
6.	"Wishmaster"	Holopainen	4:24
7.	"Bare Grace Misery"	Holopainen & Vuorinen	3:41
8.	"Crownless"	Holopainen & Vuorinen	4:28
9.	"Deep Silent Complete"	Holopainen	3:57
10.	"Dead Boy's Poem" (feat. Sam Hardwick)	Holopainen	6:47
11.	"FantasMic"	Holopainen	8:17
12.	"Sleepwalker" (Bonus track)	Holopainen	2:55

Credits

The band

• Tarja Turunen – Vocals
• Erno "Emppu" Vuorinen – Guitars
• Sami Vänskä - Bass guitar
• Tuomas Holopainen – Keyboards
• Jukka Nevalainen – Drums and Percussion

Guests

• Ike Vil - Spoken parts in "The Kinslayer"
• Sam Hardwick - Spoken parts in "Dead Boy's Poem"
• Esa Lehtinen - Flute
• Ville Laaksonen - Tenor singer
• Matias Kaila - Tenor singer
• Kimmo Kallio - Baritone singer
• Riku Salminen - Bass singer
• Anssi Honkanen - Bass singer
• V. Laaksonen - Choir arrangements

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "New album: Wishmaster". Nightwish.com. http://www.nightwish.com/en/news/archive?month=05&year=2000. Retrieved 2009-11-06. 
2. ^ "Nightwish releases to hit the USA". Nightwish.com. http://www.nightwish.com/en/news/archive?month=02&year=1999. Retrieved 2009-11-06. 
3. ^ Wishmaster (album) at Allmusic
4. ^ "Review: Nightwish - Wishmaster". Metalcrypt.com. http://www.metalcrypt.com/pages/review.php?revid=286. Retrieved 2009-11-06. 
5. ^ "Nightwish - Wishmaster review". Metalstorm.ee. http://www.metalstorm.ee/pub/review.php?review_id=54. Retrieved 2009-11-06. 
6. ^ "Nightwish - Wishmaster". ProgressiveWorld.net. http://www.progressiveworld.net/nightwish.html. Retrieved 2009-11-06. ^{[dead link]}
7. ^ ^{a b} Tuomas Holopainen. "Lyrics - Wishmaster". Nightwish Official Website. http://www.nightwish.com/en/article/7. Retrieved 2006-08-26. 
8. ^ http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=fRwz0RoJcJE
9. ^ "Charts-update". Nightwish.com. http://www.nightwish.com/en/news/archive?month=06&year=2000. Retrieved 2009-11-06. 
10. ^ "Nightwish albums". Ifpi.fi. http://www.ifpi.fi/tilastot/artistit/nightwish. Retrieved 2009-11-06. 

External links

• Nightwish's Official Website