Customer Reviews

Angels Fall First

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

One of my favorite bands! Fortunately, even their first one is rather good. Tarja's voice is truly wonderful and I think anyone who disagrees needs to have their ears checked! Second, the guitar work and background music is outstanding, to say the least. But I have to the slam the gavel down on the male vocals. They are mostly devoid of any emotion whatsoever, almost as if they were thinking "Yeah, right, like we're ever going to hit it big!" Little did they know . . . .

ELVENPATH: A good opening song. Lots of heavy guitar sounds for those of you that like your songs hard and heavy. Tarja is obviously still struggling with English pronunciation a bit. Notice how she says "swayrds" instead of "swords".

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: Starts off great . . . and then the terrible male vocals come in. However, it is actually fitting in this song, the terrible male vocals representing the Beast and the heavenly female vocals of Tarja representing the Beauty.

THE CARPENTER: A bit Egyptian-sounding but what I disliked about this song is that the male vocals--once again--ruin the song. Tarja doesn't start singing until halfway through and she doesn't sing much, either.

ASTRAL ROMANCE: Somewhere I've heard a different version of this (maybe a live version). I thought the other version was far better. But either way they're both good. Tarja has an outstanding solo . . . and then once again it is ruined by this monotone, lifeless male voice. Guys, please, for this album just stick to playing instruments!

ANGELS FALL FIRST: The title song that is totally driven by Tarja's vocals and the background music. This song is much slower and softer than previous tracks.

TUTANKHAMEN: My favorite! I don't know why, but I love it when she sings ". . . cats meowing in the temple . . ." Yet another song with an Egyptian theme to it and this time in more ways than one; the topic being the first and the background sound being the second. Truly fantastic guitars, background music, especially good lyrics and Tarja really seems to be having a blast with this song!

NYMPHOMANIAC FANTASIA: Another good one. Starts with some good flute-work followed by weird lyrics but fun to listen to, nonetheless. "Deeper shall be the wound . . . between your legs!" Ouch!

KNOW WHY THE NIGHTINGALE SINGS: This one sounds awfully familiar to one of their later songs but I can't put my finger on it just yet. The male vocals are gone (fortunately) but the song itself just doesn't grab me by the . . . oh wait, that's right, she cut them off in the last song!

LAPPI (LAPLAND) ERAEMAAJAERVI: A very good folksy-sounding Part 1 that is sung by Tarja in Finnish. Don't have a clue what she's singing but it sounds good whatever it is.

LAPPI (LAPLAND) WITCHDRUMS: An eerie sounding Part 2 that honestly doesn't make me think of witches per se, but certainly makes me think of some sort of eerie setting (maybe a haunted forest or something). No vocals on this track.

LAPPI (LAPLAND) THIS MOMENT IS ETERNITY: Takes off so seamlessly from the last Part that you won't even notice half the time that this is a separate one. Good vocals, but in English. Another goody in this 4-part song.

LAPPI (LAPLAND) ETIEAIIENEN: A half folksy/half lullaby that makes a great ending to a great song. This would be a great piece to go to sleep to and I mean that in a good way.

A RETURN TO THE SEA: This is an EXTRA song you'll hear, but ONLY if you buy the Import version. It's very good (I like the xylophone-like sounds), but I don't think it's worth paying an import price for just one extra song.

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.

I understand this is the first Nightwish album, and is not as good as oceeanborn, but it's still a great combination of classical music and rock album, one of the best songs is "Beauty and the Beast". I don't understand why people think S&M by Metallica is something amazing and new, but if they listen to bands like nightwish and some others like therion, they will notice that the orchestration work is a lot better than Kamen - Hettfield - Ulrich effort. Please listen to this album and see what a good fusion work is, it's got energy, melody and Tarja's voice is perfect.

Nightwish really hit upon a good idea: Take European power metal music and combine it with operatic vocals courtesy of classically-trained singer Tarja Turunen, throw in a dash of gothicism for good measure, for a sound like no other. Unfortunately, their debut album "Angels Fall First" is plagued by the same problems that typically afflict debut albums: questionable production, sketchy songwriting, and an uneven quality in musicianship the result of a band "finding its sound." AFF certainly isn't a horrible album, but it's totally outclassed by Nightwish's subsequent efforts.

No doubt that Tarja is a beautifully gifted vocalist. But the lyrics on this album are often simplistic and shallow, and suffer from the "cheese" endemic to many power metal lyrics. Songs like "Elvenpath" and "Tutankhamen" are the absolute worst, good musically, but atrocious lyrically. The former reads like poetry from a Tolkien fanboy, and the latter like a reject from the Stargate soundtrack. The tracks like "The Carpenter" and "Astral Romance," while possessing some lyrical depth, fail to rise above the cheese of the rest. The only track not reeking of cheese is "Lappi" and only because it's sung partially in Finnish.

Another problem is the use of male vocals from Tuomas. His high-pitched voice sounds like something from a boy band, and it positively ruins tracks like "The Carpenter," "Beauty and the Beast," and "Astral Romance." Tarja is a brilliant vocalist, easily one of the best in heavy metal music today, so why ruin it with such a mediocre accompanying singer who can't harmonize with the lead? Mercifully, subsequent Nightwish albums would feature few, if any, male vocals.

Production wise, the album is also lacking. The music often sounds needlessly harsh and lacking the crispness of later albums, coming through as thin and lackluster. Worst of all, however, has to be the use of synth string instruments. Nothing says tacky like badly synthesized string instruments. Listen to Nightwish's latest album "Once" where an actual orchestra was used, and you can hear the difference.

Song Summaries:

1. Elvenpath - Tolkien-esque (even reciting passages from the book) opener, which is probably the heaviest song on the album. The lyrics are pure cheese, but it doesn't hurt the song too badly. B+
2. Beauty and the Beast - Tuomas's vocals make their first appearance here, and ruin what otherwise might have been a good song. Goes on for too long and tends to drag. C-
3. The Carpenter - A song about mankind's relationship with Jesus Christ, once again ruined by godawful male vocals. The way Tuomas sings "...who for us had died" makes me cringe. D+
4. Astral Romance - One of the better songs on the album, with some good guitar work and (mostly) absent male vocals. B+
5: Angels Fall First - The title track is mostly acoustic and flute dominated. Nightwish wouldn't ever release a song much like this on any of their following releases. B+
6: Tutankhamen - It's not bad musically, but lyrically it's pure cheese. Like many of the tracks on Angels Fall First, it runs on for far too long as well. C+
7: Nymphomaniac Fantasia - Profoundly silly song about some spurned woman who decides to exact revenge in a rather...unpleasant fashion. One of the songs Tuomas regretted writing, and it's not hard to see why. D-
8: Know Why the Nightingale Sings - Faster in tempo than most of the songs here, it merely hints at what the band would do on later albums - B+
9: Lappi (Lapland) - Four-part track, with lyrics in both Finnish and English. Beautiful work here, and a good way to end the album. A-

I have rather mixed feelings about this album. At many times you can hear the greatness that would evolve on later albums, but too often it's buried under a layer of bad male vocals, lyrical cheese and poor production. It's different enough to warrant a purchase from more devoted fans, showing more of a folk influence than metal, but otherwise, it's best to stick to their subsequent albums.

This album proves that at the beginning, Nightwish rocked.

Tarja (the soprano)demonstrates that even at age 19, she could really, really sing. Some think the male vocals suck. I personally disagree. Tuomas (keys & male vocals) isn't World's Best Singer, but despite the fact that he is out of tune, he manages to sound okay. Anyways, to rate the songs:

Elvenpath (5 Stars) - An incredible opener that is a tribue to Tolkien.

Beauty and the Beast (4 Stars) - A duet between Tarja and Tuomas. It's a longish song, around 7 minutes. The live version from OTHAFA is superior.

The Carpenter (5 Stars) - Mainly with Tuomas' vocals. I love this song, but it seems like the chorus gets more and more out of tune throughout the song.

Astral Romance (4 Stars) - I'm really not crazy about this song, but it's still great.

Angels Fall First (1,000 Stars!) - One of my top three favorite Nightwish songs. Tarja sounds so beautiful on this. The acoustic guitar and the flute perfect it!

Tutukhamen (4 Stars) - An Egytian themed song. Sloe verses, with a faster staccato chorus. I adore the way Tarja says "Stargate" during the chorus!

Nymphomanic Fantasia (5 Stars) - This song has wonderful music. And Tarja sounds amazing when she sings "Hear the starry choir".

Know Why The Nightengale Sings (5 Stars) - I love the piano near the end. This song is pretty energetic.

Lappi (4.5 Stars) - I love the acoutstic guitars that the beginning. Witchdrums us a pretty good instrumental. A very nice way to end the CD.

I reccomend this CD to any familiar with Nightiwsh. I wouldn't buy this as my first NW CD, though. Oceanborn and Wishmaster are much better CDs to introduce yourself to this great band.

It's good for what it is. It's no surprise that Nightwish's presentation isn't quite as confident as on later releases. After all, who could've guessed that they would become one of Finland's most successful musicians in history? But Angels Fall First still delivers, and anyone who has heard their later material owes it to themselves to go back and pick this gem up.

Like any other Nightwish album, the music is clearly driven by Tarja's heavenly operatic vocals. The woman sings like no other, and she's what makes such songs as "Elvenpath" and "Tutankhamen" stand out from the typical power metal mold. Emppu, one of the guitarists I respect most, once again fails to disappoint with his fast and harmonious riffs. What makes Angels Fall First stand out from later releases, however, is the frequent use of acoustics. They are done quite beautifully, if I must say, and fit the songs very well. It is no surprise that the band originally started out as an acoustic project. Jukka's drumming and Tuomas' keyboards are once again well done, but the thin production isn't exactly to my liking, particularly the keyboards, which often blend in too much with the guitars. My main problem however, is Tuomas' vocals. I notice others have the same irritations - he sounds way off-key, can't harmonize with Tarja, has too strong of an accent, etc. I'm glad he doesn't sing on any other albums, if I must say so myself.

I'd say the highlights for me include the driving "Elvenpath", the beautiful ballad "Angels Fall First", the Egyptian-oriented "Tutankhamen" and also "The Carpenter", which is far from perfect (bad vocal parts, annoying clicking noises) but still manages to be a decent Nightwish single. Their first, actually. =)

Once again, get this if you've heard the other albums and like them. I still don't think I'd recommend this as a first Nightwish experience, let that be Oceanborn, or maybe Century Child.

9/10

I was reading the other reviews and I thought I would add my opinion. This Cd was their first effort adn I loved it. Although Tuomas' voice may not be as melodic as Tarja's I wouldn't call it awful. It's just not polished. Elvenpath is one of the best songs ever. Tuomas adds Lord of the Rings into a song. What other band could pull that one off? This cd gives way to the startings of metal you find in their other Cd's. Oceanborn is an acievement, often hailed as their best(Don't hurt me but I d no agree, although I do love the album). Wishmaster was my favorite until Once. I love the songs on Wishmaster, there are no bad tracks. Century Child breaks the mold, as they add in heavy guitars and Marco's voice. Once tops them all. Nightwish started with this and has worked their way to the top. Every band starts somewhere. Nightwish started on top and stayed there.

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.

With reasonable expectations, a Nightwish fan should thoroughly enjoy a listening of this album. One should expect that on this album, the band does not display the song-crafting prowess that can be heard on later efforts like Century Child and Once. One should also not expect to hear the amazing production quality found on the Once record. Those who complain about these aspects are clearly ignorant about the natural progression of a great band.

A true fan of NW SHOULD own this record, and treasure it as the beginning of the Nightwish journey. To describe the music as a whole, it is mostly very dark and gothic, with tinges of power metal influence. The slower ballad-style songs, such as the title track, are impressive and moving.

The worst song on the record by far is The Carpenter, being drenched with some of the worst male vocals ever recorded (a fact that Tuomas Holopainen, NW composer now admits freely). In spite of these weak moments; however, Angels Fall First is a record worth owning. Fans newer or totally new to Nightwish; however, should start with Once (for symphonic/melodic metal fans) or Wishmaster (for power metal fans). Each of these records is more accessible and gripping than Angels'.

To conclude, if you are building your Nightwish collection, buy this album last, but DO buy it. I do not recommend it as a first exposure to the band. If you're a fan of dark, off-beat, gothic music, make your purchase.

Well, this is the first Nightwish cd, and apparently is in fact a demo.
It is very raw, since they were just setting out, but in my opinion, it is still brilliant. I'd reccomend not to buy it untill you own all the other albums, and it its only for big fans, but if you do buy it, you will not be dissapointed.
On this albim, Tuomas (The composer\lyric writer\ keyboard and piano player) sings. Many people didlike his voice, but I don't. Its by no means perfect, but it fits the songs well.
This album also features more spoken passahes than usual.

Elvenpath.- Similar to Wishmaster and FantasMic, this song is a tribute to fantasy. Nice vocals and a good chorus. Very power metal-ish. Some may find it cheesy
4/5

Beauty And The Beast.- Beutiful song between Tuomas and Tarja, the fact that Tuomas' voclas aren't too great, makes Tarja's sound even better. great lyrics
4/5

The Carpenter. - Quite a good song, about Jesus. Tuomas' quiet vocals are excellent on this song, though the chorus isn't sung as well.
3.5/5

Astral Romance. - Nice guitars at the beginning, excellent double-tracked Tarja vocals, and not too bad Tuomas vocals. Good lyrics
4.5/5

Angels Fall First. - Beautiful slow song with beautiful acoustic guitars.
4.5/5

Tutankhamen. - Nice song, with Stargate references, kind of sexual, with agood bombastic chorus
3/5

Nymphomaniac Fantasia.- The only song Tuomas regrets writing apparenty. Freaky song about a woman who's husband as cheated on her, and is out for revenge. The last line which is spoken is disturbing... in a funny way
If you dislike this song, do not let it ruin your opinion of Nightwish. Like I said, even the band say IT WAS A MISTAKE
The lyrics are awful, though the vocals are good especially the line, "Hear The Stary Choir" is sung excellently
1.5/5

Know Why The Nightingale Sings- Excellent up - tempo song with great keyboards at the end.
4.5/5

Lappi. - A beautiful song with acoustic guitars, four parts, teo of which feature vocals, one in Finnish and the other in English. Creates a wonderful atmosphere
4.5/5

*A Return To The Sea (Bonus Track on some copies)- A good song, about the end of human existence, and the world being better off without humans. Good lyrics and vocals, though it drags a bit.
4/5

Well like I said, this album should only be bought if you lile Nightwish's other work, especially Oceanborn and Wishmaster.