Nightwish - End Of An Era

Year of Release: 2006
Label: Nuclear Blast
Catalog Number: 27361-16782
Format: DVD
Total Time: 105:00:00

The bad news is that the title of the DVD, End Of An Era, truly means what it says. Nightwish has parted ways with vocalist Tarja Turunen and this show marks the last time the band will perform with her. The good news is that this DVD is one of the best shows I've ever seen. It is a major contender for DVD of the year right now, but moreover, one of the best DVDs that I own. The show was filmed in their home country of Finland and is absolutely amazing in its presentation and performance. Nightwish had already become the dominant force in this style of symphonic power metal, and the show itself indicates just how big and powerful the band had become. Sporting a huge stage, incredible lighting, and enough pyrotechnics and flames to start a war, the band pulled songs from all of their discs, but pulls firmly from their Once disc, given its success and powerful approach. I have seen the band play live, and own another Nightwish DVD, but they cannot hold a candle to what this show is all about. The performance is unmatched by any of their previous appearances, and they pull out all the stops, easily indicating who the kings of their domain are in this genre.

Once the band starts the show, it is a full blown, non-stop assault on all senses, including emotion. In fact, I'd have to say that emotion plays a large part of the appeal of this show. The fact that it is Tarja's last show with the band creates a lot of emotion in itself, but the way that the music is presented certainly provides one with a rapid heartbeat throughout the show. The band hardly stops to breathe during the 18-song set, and all of the Nightwish hits are here in force. The band does not shy away from playing anything that requires an orchestra behind them, as they tape in the orchestrated parts effortlessly and tastefully. With your eyes closed, the sound is so huge that you would swear there was an orchestra behind them on the stage. From the opening notes of the show, and the moment Tarja appears on stage, they have the audience easily in their grasp and never let go for a moment. The band covers plenty of their power hits, and slow it down to showcase Tarja's soft, angelic voice. They cover Pink Floyd's "High Hopes" to give Tarja a rest, and also do an incredible cover of "Phantom Of The Opera," which really gets the crowd going and into the feeling of the show. The true show stopper comes when the band brings out Indian John Two-Hawks on stage to sing "Stone People" and "Creek Mary's Blood." It is a very emotional moment, and defines the meaning of class. Once the show is over, the band stays on stage a bit to bond with the audience one last time before Tarja disappears from their lives in Nightwish. It is easy to see that some of the band members are saddened by this ending of the era, as evidenced by the look on their faces and the shedding of tears.

The DVD also includes a 55-min documentary called "A Day Before Tomorrow" in which we see the band preparing for a large show. They do interviews, take photos, and mingle with fans on camera. The video and audio quality are exceptional. The DVD offers true Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and 2.0 Stereo Sound and both live up to their expectations. It is shot in 16:9 aspect ratio and comes in PAL format only for all regions. If you are a Nightwish fan, this DVD is absolutely essential to own. It shows Nightwish not only at the top of their game, but at the top of anyone's game.

Tracklisting:
Dark Chest Of Wonders / Planet Hell / Ever Dream / Kinslayer / Phantom Of The Opera / Kinslayer / The Siren / Sleeping Sun / High Hopes / Bless The Child / Wishmaster / Slaying The Dreamer / Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan / Nemo / Ghost Love Score / Stone People / Creek Mary's Blood / Over The Hills And Far Away / Wish I Had An Angel

Musicians:
Tarja Turunen - vocals
Tuomas Holopainen - keyboards
Marco Tapani Hietala - bass, vocals
Jukka Nevalainen - drums

Discography:
Angels Fall First (1997)
Oceanborn (1998)
Wishmaster (2000)
Wishmastour 2000 (2000)
Over The Hills And Far Away (ep) (2001)
From Wishes To Eternity (FI only) (2001)
Century Child (2002)
Once (2004)
Tales From The Elvenpath (2004)
Bestwishes (2005)
Highest Hopes: The Best Of Nightwish (2005)
End Of An Era (2006)
Dark Passion Play (2007)
The Sound Of Nightwish Reborn (2008)
Made In Hong Kong (2009)
Imaginaerum (2011)
Walking In The Air: The Greatest Ballads (2011)
Imaginaerum: The Score (2012)
Showtime, Storytime (2013)
Endless Forms Most Beautiful (2015)
Vehicle Of Spirit (2016)
Decades (2018)

From Wishes To Eternity (DVD/VID) (2001)
End Of Innocence (DVD) (2003)
End Of An Era (DVD) (2006)
Made In Hong Kong (DVD) (2009) Imaginaerum (DVD/BR) (2011)
Endless Forms Most Beautiful (2015)

From Wishes To Eternity (DVD) (2001)
End Of Innocence (2002) (DVD) (2003)
End Of An Era (DVD) (2006)
Made In Hong Kong (DVD) (2009)
Imaginaerum (DVD) (2013)
Showtime, Storytime (DVD/BR) (2013)
Vehicle Of Spirit (DVD/BR) (2016)
Decades - Live In Buenos Aires (DVD/BR) (2019)

Genre: Progressive-Power Metal

Origin FI

Added: December 13th 2006
Reviewer: Larry "LarryD" Daglieri
Score:
Artist website: www.nightwish.com
Hits: 4549
Language: english