Imaginaerum
Nightwish approach Imaginaerum like a film you should be able to follow without pictures. This 2011 album accompanies a film project, yet has enough changes of mood to work by itself. Metal, folk, orchestral music and even jazz find a place here. That freedom produces some lovely surprises, although the band sometimes make the journey unnecessarily difficult.
Storytime provides a familiar starting point. The chorus is direct, the backing is grand and the melody is easy to remember. Then the album starts showing other faces. Slow, Love, Slow exchanges the usual weight for a quieter, jazzy setting. Anette Olzon sounds particularly comfortable there. Her voice no longer has to climb over a wall of guitars, leaving room for a different kind of expression.
I Want My Tears Back brings more movement through its folk melodies. The passage with the pipes makes the appeal of that combination especially clear. Turn Loose the Mermaids takes a gentler approach and again lets the singing shine. These are moments when the different styles add something meaningful to the songs. The variety serves a purpose beyond surprise alone.
Not every large scene fits quite so well. The excess of Scaretale can push the song itself out of view. Song of Myself also asks for more attention through its long spoken section than its musical development gives back. Towards the end, the route feels longer and less connected than necessary.
Imaginaerum remains interesting because of the choices that step outside the safer Nightwish formula. Its quieter singing and folk passages give it character. The complete work could have been tighter, but listeners willing to take a few detours will find several worthwhile sides of the band here.
