Released as their 20th anniversary world tour began,
Decades marks the recorded history of
Nightwish, Finland's most popular symphonic gothic prog metallers. Containing 22 tracks spread over two discs, it was compiled by founding keyboardist and songwriter
Tuomas Holopainen. It's a curious document. First, it contains no new material. The closest thing comes in the form of the demo version of "Nightwish" instead of the studio version found on their debut album. Everything else comes straight from the studio catalog. This presents a conundrum, of course. Who might purchase
Decades? Reductively, it comes down to two groups of people: completists who need absolutely everything (since this band is no stranger to compilations) and the blessed, daring souls curious enough based on a few songs, an album, or reading an article.
Legacy
Nightwish fans will argue endlessly about the choices
Holopainen made, and what he left off ("The Phantom of the Opera," "Dark Chest of Wonders," and "Over the Hills," for starters). Some fans have argued vociferously that
Nightwish should have simply re-recorded these songs with current vocalist
Floor Jansen. Wisely,
Holopainen lets the originals stand; his twist, apart from song choices was in how he sequenced
Decades: in reverse chronological order. This means, of course, that the material from the
Jansen era is in the minority, as she was preceded by founding vocalist
Tarja Tarunen and
Anette Olzon. The first arguable choice is the set's leadoff: the 24-minute "The Greatest Show on Earth" from 2015's
Endless Forms Most Beautiful. The other two of its tracks here, "Elan" and "My Walden," might have been better complemented by a shorter choice or even two more, had he left the opener off. Interestingly, only two were culled from
Imaginaerum ("Storytime" and I Want My Tears Back").
On the other side, the set is peppered with great singles including "Amaranth," "Nemo," and "Wish I Had an Angel," along with other tracks that reveal the band's effortlessness with shifting styles, textures, and drama, including "The Poet and the Pendulum." Disc two's 13 cuts offer a number of real highlights: the inclusion of "Ghost Love Score" to open disc two is a particularly welcome choice. Other excellent picks include the mighty "The Kinslayer," "Sleeping Sun," and "The Carpenter." The decision not to include even one unreleased or new track is troubling, as it would provide a real reason for fans to purchase the set. That said, what is here is a solid, excellent representation of what
Nightwish have accomplished in their long, pioneering career. The curious will find this a more than adequate introduction to the band's powerful, mysterious music. ~ Thom Jurek
![DC's Dark Nights: Death Metal [Original Soundtrack]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0888072230880_p0_v1_s90x140.jpg "DC's Dark Nights: Death Metal [Original Soundtrack]")
![Sabotage [Super Deluxe Edition]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0603497844845_p0_v1_s90x140.jpg "Sabotage [Super Deluxe Edition]")
