While most Nightwish albums open with something of a bang, Human. :II: Nature. gets underway much more slowly. The album's opening song Music has quite a lengthy orchestral intro, which is perhaps a deliberate foreshadowing of the instrumental suite to come, that builds up slowly around a stark, droning melody. It is quite an eerie piece of music; a feeling that is soon reinforced by some tribal percussion, muted chanting, and Troy Donockley's uilleann pipes; but this then abruptly transitions into a more sweeping orchestral tapestry - which soon becomes the backing for Holopainen's understated piano and Jansen's whimsical vocals. This opening three or so minutes of the album is very representative of many of the musical themes that will be referenced again throughout, but it is another couple of minutes before the rest of the band crash in and the band's trademark symphonic metal sound is presented in full. This long build up is actually very effective. It helps to showcase Jansen's vocals in a low-key setting early on, with the song's first rendition of its chorus being a mellow affair, but it also reinforces the band's power when Emppu Vuorinen's guitars finally crash in to bulk up the next chorus. A short, bluesy guitar solo allows him some time to showboat, and the song mostly continues on this heavier path until it comes to a crashing end. Music is a wonderfully dynamic and varied opening number that showcases the band at their best and Holopainen at his most creative. Lead single Noise is less diverse, but it is packed full of instantly catchy melodies and classic Nightwish bombast that is sure to draw the listener in. In many ways it is the perfect choice for a single. It is the song here that most stylistically recalls the band's previous albums, with Jansen's playful vocal melodies particularly recalling the style employed vocally on 2011's Imaginaerum, while the guitars and bass chug away rather simplistically - providing a strong backdrop for the vocals and orchestrations. That being said, the production style employed here certainly gives the song plenty of punch. As much as I love Endless Forms Most Beautiful, I thought that the production style sometimes meant that the guitars in particular got a little swallowed by the mix. Throughout this album Vuorinen's guitars are nice and weighty throughout, which helps to give the album a heavier feeling. This, when taken in conjunction with Hahto's drumming, makes for a powerful listen. Shoemaker is a bit more progressive and dynamic sounding, with rhythmic verses that sound as if they are in a strange time signature - with Vuorinen, bassist Marko Hietala, and Hahto creating off-kilter rhythms with their tight, interlocking riffing. Occasionally the song really strips everything back and lets Donockley take the lead vocally - his gentle, folky voice filling these short atmospheric segments perfectly, while at the same time contrasting well with Jansen's powerful vocal display. Male vocals (lead vocals in any case) are featured far less frequently throughout this album than on most of the band's previous efforts - with the spotlight being shined on Jansen most of the time. Her epic operatic closing section of the song is particularly hair-raising, and it demonstrates her first full-on classical outing on a Nightwish album.
Harvest is a folky number, that takes the style that the band flirted with on songs like The Islander and pushes it further. Donockley handles the lead vocals throughout, with Jansen providing delicate harmonies, his warm voice perfectly bringing the gentle song to life. Despite the very mellow tones and folky instrumentation, the song still sounds very much like Nightwish. Holopainen's melodies are often very recognisable, and his piano breaks recall many of his usual melodic tropes, while a lengthy instrumental section sees Donockley unleashed with a small armoury of folk instruments - his pipes and whistles mixing in well with Vuorinen's crunchy guitars (which have arrived by this point to give the song more weight) to create a jaunty and infectious instrumental jig section that tops their previous efforts at such a style. It is delightfully simple and catchy song that is nestled in and amongst a heavy an varied musical platter, and it is great to see that Donockley's role in the band is continuing to grow. After that respite, Pan launches back into the band's more traditional symphonic metal territory - although there is a much more atmospheric bent taken throughout. Heavy moments with the guitars placed right at the front of the mix are intertwined perfectly with more whimsical piano-led moments - while Hietala's lyrical bassline keeps everything ticking. In many ways this is a classic modern Nightwish song. It recalls the songwriting style used liberally throughout the band's past handful of albums, but with perhaps a greater focus on creating a strong rhythm throughout. 'Rhythm' seems to be a bit of a theme used throughout the album, with many of the songs whipping up a strong groove to sit nicely alongside the band's usual emphasis on grandeur and dancing melodies. Some of Vuorinen's riffing throughout the song are some of the heaviest moments on a Nightwish album since their early days, and it is great to hear his playing driving the band again at times - despite the lack of many showcase moments for him. How's the Heart? in many ways sounds like a song that could have been left over from the Endless Forms Most Beautiful sessions. It sounds very similar to the overall style of that album, and has the feel of a slightly heavier version of Élan - with Donockley providing catchy pipe melodies throughout, while Jansen's vocals dominate sparse verses. With much of this album proving to be quite diverse and dynamic, it is interesting to see that the band still decided to include a few 'simpler' moments. How's the Heart? is one of these moments, and it is a song that allows the more delicate side of the band to be shown while still wrapping it up in a crunchy guitars when necessary. I also really like the way that Jansen and Donockley harmonise with each other throughout. Donockley joins in vocally for the expressive choruses, with his warm, folky voice mixing perfectly together with Jansen's power. It is amazing how much singing Donockley does on this album, with his harmony vocals now seemingly quite a big part of the modern Nightwish sound. This allows for a little more warmth throughout, and How's the Heart? really benefits from his voice and playing alike.
Procession again opens slowly, and actually reminds me a lot of Music at times. While it does not have a lengthy instrumental opening, it does have a similar slow build up with Jansen's voice and Holopainen's piano dominating early on. Percussion and orchestration also join the fray, as does Donockley with a folky melody, when necessary, but on the whole the early portion of the song is a dramatic, yet low-key, affair with Jansen really carrying everything. Some felt that Jansen was underused vocally somewhat on Endless Forms Most Beautiful and that she never really got a chance to showcase her diverse and powerful voice. I never really agreed with that assessment, but there is no way that that accusation could be levelled against Human. :II: Nature., as her voice is constantly there driving everything - her power makes the album sound as good as it does. Even when the rest of the band eventually kick in, with a simple drum beat and guitar-led chug, the spotlight never shifts from her voice. This is a song that is made to demonstrate the power and diversity of Jansen's voice - her melodies the perfect vehicle for Holopainen's lyrics. As the song morphs into the shorter, but heavier, Tribal however there is a change of pace. Hietala's muscular bass playing takes over, and the band moves through the gears with some abrasive riffing and a much doomier atmosphere. Jansen also shows the harsher side of her voice here, singing alongside the howls of Hietala, which perfectly suits the heavier and oppressive backdrop of the song. This is easily the heaviest Nightwish moment for some time, and there are a lot of opportunities for Hahto to showcase his drumming skills. Nightwish have never been a technical band from a drumming stand point, which makes some of the rhythmic choices here stand out. He really makes the piece his own, and the drumming mixes well with the heavier riffing and harsher vocals to make for a different-sounding yet immersive listen. The album's first disc comes to a close with the doomy Endlessness, with Vuorinen's guitar opening up the track with a mournful lead - before he launches into a slow-paced, heavy riff that keeps the song moving. This is the only song to feature the lead vocal skills of Hietala. He sings the majority of the track, and lends his usual dramatic vocal style to the piece. If I was to have a main criticism of this album, it would be that there is not enough Hietala for my liking. His vocals have been a big part of the Nightwish sound since he joined the band in 2001, and I do feel that Human. :II: Nature. is lacking somewhat due to him singing less lead than usual. His voice can be heard in the background in other songs, but Endlessness is his only lead vocal on the album and, in my opinion, that is a shame. Unsurprisingly then, Endlessess is a real highlight for me. I love the slow-paced, doomy atmosphere that the song creates throughout, and this style is perfectly suited to Hietala's howling voice. Jansen does take the lead occasionally, her voice contrasting well with Hietala's, but this on the whole is Hietala's kingdom and he brings the 'main' portion of the album to a close.
The rest of the album is made up of the eight-part All the Works of Nature Which Adorn the World suite, the 30-plus minute orchestral piece of music mentioned previously. Book-ended by spoken word sections courtesy of actress Geraldine James, the suite is a dynamic and varied piece of music that, while containing some of the Nightwish hallmarks in a melodic sense, is unlike anything the band have done previously. In truth, the suite is a less a Nightwish song and more Holopainen turning his hand to composing. He has long said that film soundtracks, particularly those by dramatic composers like Hans Zimmer, are a big influence on his writing and it seems that All the Works of Nature Which Adorn the World is his attempt at writing something similar. In fairness to Holopainen, I think he has succeeded. It is certainly a gorgeous piece of music, and at times it is dramatic, but I am not sure that a Nightwish album was the best way to present it. 'Nightwish' as a band are not really featured at all; besides Holopainen's piano, the occasional folky addition from Donockley, and perhaps some of the wordless vocals; with the suite largely played by the Pale Blue Orchestra that was put together for the album. It just seems a bit out of place, even by Nightwish's standards, and I think it will certainly turn some people off from the album. There is already a cohort of Nightwish fans (or, probably, ex-fans) who feel that Holopainen has been a bit full of himself of late, and this orchestral suite is only going to compound that view. I am certainly not someone who agrees with that sentiment, but I have to concede that All the Works of Nature Which Adorn the World is not really my thing and I am not sure that it ever really will be. I would not listen to music like this usually, and I am not sure that having it 'tacked on' the end of a 50-odd minute excellent modern Nightwish album is the best way for it to shine. I certainly commend Holopainen's vision, and the suite is executed exquisitely, but I think it is fair to say that it is just not for me. Frustratingly too, there are times during the suite where it seems as if it is about to explode into a bombastic metal anthem - but this moment never comes! I think Holopainen actually did this sort of thing better on Imaginaerum, with the lengthy spoken word closing section of Song of Myself and the orchestral title track that harked back to many of the album's previous songs proving to be an excellent way to close out an album. When taken as a whole however, Human. :II: Nature. is still an extremely impressive piece of work. Time will tell where it sits in the band's overall canon, but the strength of the opening nine songs alone make for a fantastic listen. The main bulk of the album is modern Nightwish at their best, with a heavier production than previously really allowing the band to shine. It is clear however that this really is Holopainen's baby - more than ever. This is the band's only album besides 1997's Angels Fall First to not feature any songwriting contributions from the rest of the band. Even Hietala; who has contributed a lot in the past, particularly to Endless Forms Most Beautiful; was not involved in the album's creative genesis - which may have also led to his reduced vocal contributions. This singular vision certainly has its pros and cons, but I still think that many of the bands fans will love Human. :II: Nature. even if, at times, it can be a difficult and lengthy listen.
The album was released on 10th April 2020 via Nuclear Blast Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Noise.
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