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Nightwish - Endless Forms Most Beautiful



7.6 | 657 votes |
Release date: 27 March 2015
Style: Symphonic power metal, Symphonic metal

Owners:

445 have it
41 want it
1 trades it


01. Shudder Before The Beautiful
02. Weak Fantasy
03. Èlan
04. Yours Is An Empty Hope
05. Our Decades In The Sun
06. My Walden
07. Endless Forms Most Beautiful
08. Edema Ruh
09. Alpenglow
10. The Eyes Of Sharbat Gula
11. The Greatest Show On Earth
12. Sagan [bonus]

The Best Symphonic Metal Album Of 2015 / The Biggest Letdown Of 2015

Additional info
Available as:
  • Standard CD
  • Digibook (including instrumental CD)
  • 2LP (vinyl in gatefold) in different colors
  • Earbook (including instrumental and orchestral CD)
  • Earbook (deluxe version including bonus vinyl)
  • Download

  • Staff review by
    Susan
    Rating:
    8.5
    Short answer: Yeah, it's really great.

    Long answer:

    Read more ››
    published 25.03.2015 | Comments (57)

    Guest review by
    Metren
    Rating:
    6.0
    Some bands keep evolving and some don't. Those bands that change their style or genre or - most importantly - change their approach towards songwriting itself are sometimes heavily criticized, and at times rightfully so. Not all change is good and change for the sake of change is pointless for obvious reasons.

    However...

    Doing the same thing over and over again for five albums is even more pointless. How ironic is it that Nightwish's least original album is inspired by the writings of the father of evolutionary biology? And how unfortunate is it that the inclusion of two new capable musicians to the band has left Holopainen so uninspired?

    Read more ››
    published 10.10.2015 | Comments (14)

    Found in 49 lists
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    Comments page 5 / 5

    Comments: 136   Visited by: 1550 users
    13.08.2018 - 23:28
    Bad English
    Tage Westerlund
    Written by abysss on 15.06.2018 at 16:59

    I'm actually disturbed by the amount of support Floor gets regarding Nightwish. I discovered Nightwish somewhere after they released the Bless The Child album. It was AWESOME!! I felt in love with them immediately, then the album Once came out and I was really hooked, I loved everything they ever done, from Angels Fall First to Once, and not just because of Tarja. These albums were a masterpiece, they all were, both, vocally and instrumentally. And there came the shock...

    And then came Anette, I wasn't happy, but I got slowly used to it. ...And then came Floor. I mean, I listened to After Forever in the past and apart from a very select few songs I was pretty bored with the whole band and her voice... it just neverendingly dragged, if that's even a word. Then they released this last album, which is not that bad, but... BUT. I don't get it. Why Floor?? why are Nightwish so happy with her? And why Nightwish fans are crazy about her that much as well? I feel like the word really has gone mad under this aspect and I just don't get it, WHY?!

    Musically wise they changed from Special and epic to above mediocre at it's best.... And not just because of Floor. Their whole music lost dynamism and Marco is the only thing left that saves the band at this point, IMO.


    I did didcover band after Nemo video, but my mate hade their debut, I spinned it, this band this album is brilian, back to the roots as old one, as 1th one, but you can see musicians are older. I never liked Anette era and mid Tarja so much, yes good metal but those are not a esential albums, like this and opener.
    ----
    Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

    Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
    apos;'
    [image]
    I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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    12.11.2018 - 01:18
    screenshot

    Vote 10 or create something better, maggots!
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    12.11.2018 - 02:04
    Rating: 6
    tominator
    At best deranged
    Written by screenshot on 12.11.2018 at 01:18

    Vote 10 or create something better, maggots!


    We don't have to create something better. A lot of bands already did that for us... And that includes Nightwish themselves.
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    13.11.2018 - 01:55
    screenshot

    Written by tominator on 12.11.2018 at 02:04

    We don't have to create something better. A lot of bands already did that for us... And that includes Nightwish themselves.

    and that Lot might be ...... ?
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    13.11.2018 - 02:19
    Rating: 5
    Metren
    Dreadrealm
    Written by screenshot on 13.11.2018 at 01:55

    and that Lot might be ...... ?


    Therion with Theli, Vovin, Lemuria, Sirius B, and even Gothic Kabbalah
    Haggard with Eppur Si Muove and Awaking The Centuries
    After Forever with Decipher, Prison Of Desire and the self-titled
    Todesbonden with Sleep Now, Quiet Forest
    Legenda Aurea with Sedna and Ellipsis
    Kamelot with Karma, Epica, and The Black Halo
    Dreams Of Sanity with Masquerade and The Game
    Epica with The Phantom Agony and Consign To Oblivion
    Nightwish themselves with Oceanborn and Wishmaster

    That's around 20 albums that come to mind from someone who doesn't even really care much for symphonic stuff and while only a few of those albums are truly great (Dreams Of Sanity FTW), they are all leagues better than Endless Forms. Heck, Tuomas' solo duck-opera is a million times better than Nightwish's later albums.

    P.S. I really can't recommend Dreams of Sanity's The Game highly enough. It's dark, melancholy and utterly beautiful female-fronted metal perfection, so do yourself a favor and check it out
    ----
    My one-man project's Bandcamp with free downloads: https://dreadrealm.bandcamp.com/
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    13.11.2018 - 03:04
    Rating: 6
    tominator
    At best deranged
    Add to the excellent list from Metren others like:

    Tristania - Beyond The Veil
    Beyond The Bridge - The Old Man And The Spirit
    Winds - The Imaginary Direction Of Time, Reflections Of The I and Prominence And Demise (so basically all their albums...)
    Little dead Bertha - Age of Silence
    Ancient Bards - A New Dawn Ending, Soulless Child, The Alliance Of The Kings

    And a bunch of Avantasia and Lacrimosa records...

    Nightwish wise: both albums Metren mentioned as well as Once and Century Child.

    I'm sure there are probably many more that I missed.
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    13.11.2018 - 18:49
    screenshot

    So you are basically trying to compare power metal to gothic metal
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    14.11.2018 - 08:31
    Rating: 6
    tominator
    At best deranged
    Written by screenshot on 13.11.2018 at 18:49

    So you are basically trying to compare power metal to gothic metal


    Nah, we're comparing symphonic metal to symphonic metal.
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    16.11.2018 - 23:58
    screenshot

    Why are you doing it under power metal then?
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    17.11.2018 - 03:36
    Rating: 5
    Metren
    Dreadrealm
    Written by screenshot on 16.11.2018 at 23:58

    Why are you doing it under power metal then?


    The last (symphonic) power metal album by Nightwish was Wishmaster, everything after that is pretty straightforward symphonic metal with minimal to no power metal elements. Comparisons to Therion, After Forever, Epica are perfectly appropriate.

    Also, here's your original statement:

    Written by screenshot on 12.11.2018 at 01:18

    Vote 10 or create something better, maggots!


    Nothing in there about creating something that is 100% the same genre and sound-wise identical, you simply asked for something better. You've been given 20+ symphonic metal albums that are immensely better than this forgettable album. Not that anyone needs to point out or let alone create something better than EFMB to have the right to rate it less than a 10.

    I've never understood the "can you do better" argument and I never will, it is such a silly way to try and make a point or establish a position tbh.
    ----
    My one-man project's Bandcamp with free downloads: https://dreadrealm.bandcamp.com/
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    17.11.2018 - 15:19
    Rating: 6
    tominator
    At best deranged
    Written by screenshot on 16.11.2018 at 23:58

    Why are you doing it under power metal then?


    Nightwish has always been at its core a symphonic metal band. That has been the constant factor throughout the years. Sometimes they combined that with power metal elements and other times they didn't, which is totally fine.

    So comparing them to other symphonic metal bands makes absolute sense. Whether those combine those symphonic elements with gothic elements or death metal elements, or progressive elements,... doesn't matter. All those bands and albums fall under the category of symphonic metal.

    Also, something tells me you only checked the first band on the list I gave you, because bands like Ancient Bards and Avantasia are symphonic power metal aka exactly the same thing as EFMB is labeled... so even if you want to be pedantic about the genre label, there are still multiple bands with better albums than this one. The two I just mentioned and the ones Metren mentioned like: Kamelot and Legenda Aurea.
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    21.03.2020 - 21:34
    Rating: 6
    Mountain King
    K i K o
    I did make it through the whole record but it's not good. I like only 1 song "My Walden" and "The Eyes Of Sharbat Gula" although it's just a simple atmospheric instrumental while the rest of the songs were just okay songs, and definitely by Nightwish standards (although I am the farthest from being a Nightwish fan) it's a mediocre album.
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    23.07.2022 - 06:13
    Rating: 7
    24emd
    Theory Snob
    This is a very good album, despite the scientific lyrics. Now I usually like science lyrics, but not when it focuses on evolution and Darwin and that stuff I really don't care about. But overall, this is my favourite Nightwish album alongside Once. Mostly very enjoyable songs, and I very much enjoy the epic too. But... in the end, I am no Nightwish fan, and I believe they are the most overrated of symphonic bands.
    ----
    "I am too stupid to be human, and I lack common sense." - Proverbs 30:2
    "Music? Well, it's just entertainment, folks!" - Devin Townsend

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    03.07.2023 - 13:33
    Rating: 6
    majormalfunction

    Very hit and miss, mostly misses though. The Greatest Show on Earth is a great great song (Nightwish best) and it's a great thing they are using at closing song on their concerts. Weak Fantasy is also a favourite of mine along with the title track.
    ----
    Everything's twice as bright with money in your hands
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    28.09.2023 - 11:37
    Rating: 7
    24emd
    Theory Snob
    It's never really worth it to wade through song after song of meh to get to the absolutely incredible final 30 minutes (only if the instrumentals of those last two songs, closer is so perfect musically that the unremarkable vocal/spoken parts aren't even worth mentioning).
    ----
    "I am too stupid to be human, and I lack common sense." - Proverbs 30:2
    "Music? Well, it's just entertainment, folks!" - Devin Townsend

    Best 2024 Albums
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    01.01.2024 - 22:13
    Furiator

    The album is painfully generic at times. The vocal style for the most part is just not fitting the music, which is a damn shame. I feel like Anette would fit here perfectly, but that's another story. That being said, there are good songs on this album for sure. I really like My Walden, Elan, Alpenglow.
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