- Oceanborn
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Oceanborn Studio album by Nightwish Released December 7, 1998 Recorded 1998 Genre Power metal, symphonic metal Length 53:11 Label Spinefarm, Drakkar, Century Media Producer Tuomas Holopainen, Tero Kinnunen Nightwish chronology Angels Fall First
(1997)Oceanborn
(1998)Wishmaster
(2000)Singles from Oceanborn - "Sacrament of Wilderness"
Released: 26 November 1998 - "Passion and the Opera"
Released: 1998 - "Walking in the Air"
Released: 1 January 1999 - "Sleeping Sun (Four Ballads of the Eclipse)"
Released: 11 August 1999
Oceanborn is the second album of Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, released in December 1998 in Finland and in the Spring of 1999 worldwide.[1][2]
This album marked a definitive change in musical scope from its folk-laden roots in Angels Fall First, showcasing a more bombastic, power metal-oriented sound with faster tempos, harmonic guitar/keyboard leads, and plenty of double-bass-heavy drumwork. Oceanborn's sound hearkens a more dramatic approach in the overall musical scope, mostly relegated to the symphonic keyboard work and lead singer's Tarja Turunen vocals. Most of the album is fantasy-themed with tracks like "Swanheart" and "Walking in the Air", a cover from the animated motion picture The Snowman; however, other songs, such as "Gethsemane", have a more religious feel to them. In addition, there are also some theatrical tracks like "Devil & the Deep Dark Ocean". Oceanborn is among their darkest albums, making use of the harsh vocals of Tapio Wilska in the songs "The Pharaoh Sails to Orion" and "Devil & the Deep Dark Ocean".
Since the album's release, "Sacrament of Wilderness" has remained a fan-favorite at concerts, and it's still performed often. Both "Sleeping Sun" and "Walking in the Air" have also been performed often on shows, but "Stargazers" has been dropped since Turunen's dismissal in 2005. "Walking in the Air" returned to the live setlist of the band at September 19, 2009 at Hartwall Arena, this time as an acoustic song and sung by current vocalist Anette Olzon.
Oceanborn has sold more than 68,000 copies in Finland alone.[3]
Contents
Track listing
No. Title Writer(s) Length 1. "Stargazers" (originally titled "Aztecs") Tuomas Holopainen 4:28 2. "Gethsemane" Holopainen & Emppu Vuorinen 5:22 3. "Devil & the Deep Dark Ocean" (feat. Tapio Wilska) Holopainen 4:46 4. "Sacrament of Wilderness" (first single) Holopainen & Vuorinen 4:12 5. "Passion and the Opera" (promo single) Holopainen & Vuorinen 4:50 6. "Swanheart" Holopainen 4:44 7. "Moondance" (instrumental) Holopainen 3:31 8. "The Riddler" Holopainen 5:16 9. "The Pharaoh Sails to Orion" (feat. Tapio Wilska) Holopainen 6:26 10. "Walking in the Air" (Howard Blake cover) Howard Blake 5:31 11. "Sleeping Sun" (bonus track) Holopainen 4:05 12. "Nightquest" (japanese bonus track) Holopainen 4:17 Personnel
Main article: List of Nightwish membersCredits for Oceanborn adapted from liner notes.
The band
- Tarja Turunen - Vocals
- Tuomas Holopainen - Keyboards
- Emppu Vuorinen - Lead guitar
- Sami Vänskä - Bass guitar
- Jukka Nevalainen - Drums and Percussion
Main Crew
- Tero Kinnunen - Sound engineer
- Mikko Karmila - Mixing
- Mika Jussila - Mastering engineer
- Maria Sandell - Cover Artwork
Guests
- Tapio Wilska - Male Vocals
- Esa Lehtinen - Flutes
- Plamen Dimov & Kaisli Kaivola - Violin
- Markku Palola - Viola
- Erkki Hirvikangas - Cello
References
- ^ "Nightwish releases to hit the USA". Nightwish.com. http://www.nightwish.com/en/news/archive?month=02&year=2001. Retrieved 2009-11-06.
- ^ "Oceanborn releases worldwide". Nightwish.com. http://www.nightwish.com/en/news/archive?month=02&year=2001. Retrieved 2009-11-06.
- ^ "Nightwish albums". Ifpi.fi. http://www.ifpi.fi/tilastot/artistit/nightwish. Retrieved 2009-11-06.
External links
Categories:- Nightwish albums
- 1998 albums
- "Sacrament of Wilderness"
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