Angels Fall First [EXTRA TRACKS] [ORIGINAL RECORDING REISSUED]

Nightwish

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 6, 2008)
• Original Release Date: August 26, 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Extra tracks, Original recording reissued
• Label: Fontana Universal
• ASIN: B000WD66BW
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #74,234 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  Music > World Music > Europe > Scandinavia > Finland

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
2007 digitally remastered UK reissue edition with four bonus tracks. The Finnish symphonic metal band's auspicious debut album comes with four pieces that didn't appear on the original issue: 'A Return To The Sea', 'Nightwish', 'The Forever Moments' and a re-recorded version of 'Etiainen'. The package includes an extensive booklet with new sleevenotes, photos and details about the band. Spinefarm

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Metal Milestone - Now Remastered, July 14, 2008

By	Justin Gaines "Corporate Rocker" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Originally released in 1997, Angels Fall First was the debut release from Finland's Nightwish. The album came at a time when European artists were radically changing the heavy metal landscape. Bands like Stratovarius and Conception were redefining the idea of progressive metal, the Gothenburg scene revolutionized the death metal genre, and bands like Blind Guardian and Rhapsody were changing the face of power metal. In this same manner Nightwish came along and essentially offered up an entirely new kind of heavy metal.

Keyboardist/songwriter Tuomas Holopainen merged elements of traditional heavy metal with orchestral arrangements (initially via keyboard and later with an actual orchestra), and operatic female vocals courtesy of classically-trained Tarja Turunin. The result was an album that was classy and melodic yet still retained a measure of the aggression and power that is so characteristic of heavy metal. Tarja's powerful and emotional vocal performance is what immediately stands out, though the symphonic elements and captivating songwriting reinforce the music's overall presence.

Today, symphonic metal bands with female vocalists are literally a dime a dozen, but the whole scene started with this album. Overall, Angels Fall First is probably the weakest of the "Tarja Era" Nightwish albums, but it's better than most of its imitators and will always stand out as a milestone for the genre. The fact that Nightwish would continue to improve significantly with each release that followed shows just how incredible this band was in their prime.

NOTE: The 2008 reissue of Angels Fall First features digitally remastered sound, expanded liner notes, and a handful of bonus tracks. The bonus tracks are Return to the Sea (originally from an import version of Angels Fall First) and demo versions of Nightwish, Forever Moments, and Etiainen. Another key difference between this reissue and the original version of Angels Fall First is that each part of the epic song Lappi (Lapland) is broken down here as a separate track. Between the improved sound, bonus tracks, and the new info and band photos, I didn't think twice about replacing my old copy of Angels Fall First with this classy reissue.

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome first album, June 6, 2009

By	rzkRamm - See all my reviews

I'm not sure why some people don't like this album as much as Nightwish's subsequent albums, but I thought it was great. Anyone who truly loves Nightwish will appreciate Angels Fall First. Beautiful music.