I would not consider Dead Boy's Poem, Ever Dream, Higher Than Hope or Meadows of Heaven to be among the calm, quiet songs (that's why I didn't use the word "ballad"). All of those songs (especially Ever Dream and Higher Than Hope) have tons of dynamics. Angels Fall First is the only one to really slip through.
Swanheart got killed way too early. So did Lappi. I was absolutely stunned when those two songs, which are both among the best songs on their albums in my opinion, were gone by the second round of each of their albums. That was how the survivor began—with two calm songs that I think are absolutely stunning both being voted out within two goes.
Then that was immediately followed up with the merciless killing of Two For Tragedy and Forever Yours. Right off the bat, and by a pretty wide margin. I would not consider those two to be among the best of their albums, but they are far from the worst, and there's no way, in my opinion, that they should have gone first without the voting being extremely close.
Then Kuolema went out in round one. I voted for it, since I'm not particularly in love with the song, but it's another data point.
Then The Islander went out insanely early.
Then they came for Taikatalvi.
I mean, people will like what they like. I'm not legitimately mad that people dislike Nightwish's quieter songs for some reason. I've been doing this over-the-top scandalized act for the whole roulette. But there is a definite trend here, and as someone who tends to like those quieter moments from this band, I don't particularly like the trend. That's why I keep making the statement. I mean, feel free to disagree with me and have the opinion that the quiet ones are often the worst. But I don't think that it should be perplexing to anyone that someone who likes the quiet songs is noting that they keep getting voted out early, because, for the most part, they have been.
Personally, I'm not a genre stickler, and I think that might be what distinguishes me from other fans of the band. I was first drawn in to Nightwish by the symphonic bombast, and I absolutely love that about their style, but it wasn't what ultimately kept me around. It was Tuomas's songwriting that really keeps me following this band. I love that they keep making symphonic metal, because it's a really cool style of music and works well with Tuomas's songwriting style. But I'm not at all wedded to that style, and that's why I gladly embrace all of the quiet symphonic stuff or celtic elements that they want to throw in there. That's all good, too, and for me it's ultimately the songwriting that matters (not to say that the style isn't important, though, because I really do love their style).
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Topic: Nightwish Survivor - Imaginaerum - Round 4 (Read 1170 times)