| Once | ||||
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| Studio album by Nightwish | ||||
| Released | June 7, 2004 | |||
| Recorded | 2003–2004 | |||
| Genre | Symphonic metal, power metal | |||
| Length | 60:07 | |||
| Label | Nuclear Blast, Spinefarm Roadrunner |
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| Producer | Tuomas Holopainen, Tero Kinnunen | |||
| Nightwish chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Once | ||||
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Once is the fifth studio album by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, released on June 7, 2004 by Nuclear Blast and on November 24 by Spinefarm, with the US release on October 5 by Roadrunner Records. In an interview, Tuomas Holopainen (main song writer of the band) said that it is up to the listener to find out the meaning of the title Once. Every name has a meaning — though, he doesn't feel comfortable talking about it.[1] This is the last of the Nightwish studio albums to feature vocals by Tarja Turunen.[2]
Contents |
In 2008 Kerrang! interview Tuomas Holopainen remembered: "Doing this kind of really orchestral, symphonic stuff for four albums, you have to be prepared to take the next step and go 10 steps beyond, and that's how we ended up with the London Session Orchestra. At that time we also had the financial resources to do it. This was like our second breakthrough in a way; Oceanborn (1998) broke us, took us to the big league. Musically it was pretty laid-back from our side because everyone involved in the orchestra really knew their stuff, so we basically spent two days lying on the couch hearing all these people playing our songs, enjoying every moment. It was one of the most amazing experiences in my life. The first song they started to play was "Ghost Love Score", we had no idea what to expect, and I just thought: This can't be happening!"[3]
The album continues the more streamlined musical approach first heard on Century Child, moving further away from the power metal-influenced sound of their previous albums into a slightly more mainstream, approachable feel. Once utilizes a full orchestra in nine of the eleven songs on the album; unlike Century Child, Nightwish chose an orchestra outside of Finland, the London Philharmonic Orchestra. It is featured in their sixth studio album, Dark Passion Play.[4]
Once is their second album to feature a full-length song in Finnish,"Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan".[4] The band added new elements to their music for this album, such as the chorus riff and synthesized drum-beat of "Wish I Had an Angel", and the long Native American prayer chant on "Creek Mary's Blood".[4] The song "Ghost Love Score" is an apt example of the combined work done by the orchestra and Nightwish, which the name hints at.[4]
The angel on the album cover is a view of the Angel of Grief, a sculpture by William Wetmore Story. The original is in the Protestant Cemetery of Rome, Italy. The statue shows an angel crying on the tomb of Story's wife; after his death, Story was buried under the same statue, close to his wife.[4] The making of the album cost nearly €250.000,[5] being, at the time, Finland's most expensive recording of all time, but it was replaced by Dark Passion Play, also by Nightwish, which cost over €500.000 to produce.[1]
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic | [4] |
| Sea of Tranquility | [6] |
| Lords of Metal | [7] |
| Metal Symphony | [8] |
| The Metal Circus | [9] |
| Metal Storm | [10] |
During the first week of its release, Once entered the German,[11] Finnish,[12] Norwegian[13] and Greek charts as number one,[14] selling over 80,000 copies in Germany alone.[11] It was also the first Nightwish album to chart in the U.S., reaching #42 on the Billboard Top Heatseekers chart.[15] It was also the band's first album to chart in UK, reaching #8 on the Rock Chart.[16]
Once has sold triple platinum in Finland, platinum in Germany,[17] gold in Sweden and later reached #1 also in the Hungarian[18] and European album charts.[19] The single "Nemo" topped the charts in Finland[20] and Hungary,[18] and reached the top ten in three additional countries.[11][13][16] "Nemo" therefore remains their most successful single ever, and Once is in number #47 of the best of all time albums in Finland.[21] The total sales of the album have been more than 1 million copies.[2]
The success of the album allowed them to perform the Once Upon a Tour, which enabled them to play in many countries the band had never visited before. Nightwish performed at the opening ceremony of the 2005 World Championships in Athletics, held in Helsinki,[22] highlighting acclaim the band has recently gained.
Their song "Ghost Love Score" was featured on the very popular internet video, "nigga flip".
| Standard Edition | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length | ||||||
| 1. | "Dark Chest of Wonders" | Tuomas Holopainen | 4:29 | ||||||
| 2. | "Wish I Had an Angel" (second single) | Holopainen | 4:06 | ||||||
| 3. | "Nemo" (first single) | Holopainen | 4:36 | ||||||
| 4. | "Planet Hell" | Holopainen | 4:39 | ||||||
| 5. | "Creek Mary's Blood" (feat. John Two-Hawks) | Holopainen | 8:30 | ||||||
| 6. | "The Siren" (fourth single) | Holopainen & Emppu Vuorinen | 4:45 | ||||||
| 7. | "Dead Gardens" (feat. Jouni Hynynen) | Holopainen | 4:28 | ||||||
| 8. | "Romanticide" | Holopainen & Marco Hietala | 4:58 | ||||||
| 9. | "Ghost Love Score" | Holopainen | 10:02 | ||||||
| 10. | "Kuolema Tekee Taiteilijan" (Finnish for Death Makes an Artist) | Holopainen | 3:59 | ||||||
| 11. | "Higher than Hope" (in memory of Marc Brueland) | Holopainen & Hietala | 5:35 | ||||||
| 12. | "White Night Fantasy" (United States bonus track - originally found on the "Nemo" single) | Holopainen | 4:05 | ||||||
| 13. | "Live To Tell The Tale" (United States & Platinum Edition bonus track - originally found on the "Nemo" single) | Holopainen | 5:02 | ||||||
| 14. | "Where Were You Last Night" (Platinum Edition bonus track - originally found on the "Wish I Had An Angel" single - Ankie Bagger cover) | Tim Norell, Ola Håkansson and Alexander Bard | 3:52 | ||||||
Charts |
Sales and certifications
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| Preceded by To The 5 Boroughs by Beastie Boys |
European Album Chart number one (1st run) 10 July 2004 - 16 July 2004 |
Succeeded by The Cure by The Cure |
| Preceded by The Cure by The Cure |
European Album Chart number one (2nd run) 24 July 2004 - 30 July 2004 |
Succeeded by Anastacia by Anastacia |
Credits for Once adapted from liner notes.[36]
The band
Guests
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Main crew
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