Nightwish uses backing tracks with real orchestral instruments and full choirs. LUCA is our "Last Universal Common Ancestor". The first life form. Your expertise is something that has been absent in the reactor world. The song features short excerpts from Minuet in G major by Christian Petzold, Toccata and Fugue in D minor, BWV 565 by Johann Sebastian Bach and Enter Sandman by Metallica which are probably references to the evolution of music and arts as part of evolution of the human race. Tuomas wrote the symphony (Orchestre de Grandeur) & choir parts (Metro Voices) with arrangement help from Pip Williams at Angel Recording Studios in London. The last part is part of the song. This song is actually longer on the recording. Great job my friend. Loved the musical analysis and detailed explanation. Peace.😊🎶🎶🎶🙏✌

@MrSpasbia

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you, thats one hidden song i had missed. I really love the contrast of playing Bach and Metallica as a form of "pinnacle" in their genres while simultainiously showing the worst of mankind on the screens.

@ingsve

3 жыл бұрын

LUCA is not actually the first life form but rather the first life form that all current life can be traced back to. The difference is that life before a certain point didn't just multiply by sexual reproduction but by something called horizontal gene transfer. This means that genetic material is shifted from one organism to another by for example viruses and other mechanisms rather than simply from parents to offspring like is common for most animals. Because of this it is impossible to trace a lineage backwards past a certain point since the relationships becomes all jumbled by the lateral movements of genetic material. LUCA is simply the first organism that can be traced simply by normal vertical gene transfer by sexual reproduction.

@Green-Lyon

3 жыл бұрын

And the "Orchestra de Grandeur" appears to be a nickname for the particular group of orchestral musicians chosen to work on this album. I have been unable to find any outside reference to a musical entity by that name.

@Thorgrim247

3 жыл бұрын

@@Green-Lyon Great point my friend. I think they are just a group of talented musicians that Pip was able to put together. Many may have been members of the London Philharmonic or some other English orchestra group.

@Green-Lyon

3 жыл бұрын

@@Thorgrim247 Thanks! Yeah, I went looking for some musical organization by that name and could find nothing. I assumed it must probably be a nickname for the musicians that Pip assembled, either from the larger London Symphony as usual, or perhaps from a wider pool of musicians from a number of sources like the Philharmonic, etc. I like the name a lot. It's pretty cool sounding. See you in the next vid, Nightwish friend :D

A 30 min song finally ends. Doug: "That's it?!?" *dies*

@sarawussow3123

3 жыл бұрын

Hahaha! That was my response too! That's it?! 🤣🤘

@SarahRichardsGraba

3 жыл бұрын

Hahaha yep that's the Nightwish effect

@JacobMinger

3 жыл бұрын

Honestly though, that was my first reaction to the end of this song. I was like wait a minute it’s over?

@raphaellamarinho9017

3 жыл бұрын

Man... Saw your comment when I started watching the video and I was like "stop overreacting" and then I HAD to come back to your comment fo say. .. yeah... damn, you're right lmao

@nyobunknown6983

3 жыл бұрын

Great music always leaves you wishing for more.

Every time I hear this song, the words “we were here” bring a tear to my eye. All human endeavor, everything from writing our name on a bathroom stall, to the tallest skyscrapers, the greatest works of art, to planting a flag on the moon, is all about us screaming into the uncaring void that we were here.

@hardanheavy

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah. I have the feeling Tuomas meant this more to be a celebration of all our endeavours, following on Dawkins' hopeful suggestion that we spend our brief time in existence finding out what it all is, or what it's all about. I, however, can't help but feeling a spot of hopelessness or anticipation of nostalgia, knowing that it is all going to be just history at one point. We *were* here. But no longer will be. Goodbye, humankind.

@torgiwankenobi1155

3 жыл бұрын

Word

@Dani.Torres

3 жыл бұрын

That's exactly how I feel every time I listen to that part. The first time I listened to this song and that phrase came, I cried convulsively. This song it is so well written that only one single phrase of three words makes you react that way. Now that I know the song pretty well, it brings one or three tears. Really awesome. I love it!

@kianhoo9197

2 жыл бұрын

Ah man it got me again🥲

@fmtpulmanns7593

2 жыл бұрын

This. This song goes right down to the bedrock of our existence. It doesn't get much deeper than that.

here is this Masterpiece in plain english. Lyrics are in " " Part 1: 4.6 "Archaean horizon, The first sunrise" Earth's history is divided into four principal Eons: the Hadean, the Archean, Proterozoic, and the Phanerozoic. The Hadean is the Eon during which the Earth and Moon formed; in the Archaean, primordial life appeared. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Earth) "On a pristine gaea" Gaia is the primordial Greek goddess of the Earth. More recently, the Gaia hypothesis is a recognition of the living and nonliving Earth systems which form an interdependent whole. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…) "Opus perfectum, Somewhere there, us sleeping" Pristine perfection (of silence, of a blank page, of the very point from which the big bang itself sprung) implies a rich creative potential. Here Earth is painted in the same powerful way. Diversity awaits; unborn beings are sleeping the same sleep to which they will return at death. This interpretation is thematically linked with the album's opening track, "Shudder before the Beautiful," which includes the lyrics, "The music of this awe, Deep silence between the notes, Deafens me with endless love." Or as the furious hobbit screamed at the novice trumpeter, "An artist respects the silence, it serves as the foundation of creativity." (youtu.be/…) [Part 2: Life] "The cosmic law of gravity Pulled the newborns around a fire, A careless cold infinity in every vast direction. Lonely farer in the Goldilocks zone" Gravity pulls the Earth and its inhabitants around the energizing Sun in an otherwise inhospitable universe. Earth is the only planet in our solar system's circumstellar habitable zone, orbiting at the "just right, not too hot, not too cold" distance from the Sun. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…) "She has a tale to tell, From the stellar nursery into a carbon feast, Enter LUCA" In astronomy, stellar nurseries are the birthplaces of stars: they nurse stars (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…). Poetically, our solar system is another "stellar nursery," in which a star is the nurse, caring for and warming a planet of 'newborns,' early carbon-based life. "Feast" evokes the incorporation of plentiful chemical building blocks into rudimentary life forms. "LUCA" stands for "Last universal common ancestor," the one single organism from which all other presently existing life on Earth descended. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…) "The tapestry of chemistry is a writing in the garden, Leading us to the mother of all" The periodic table of elements does look like a sort of patchwork tapestry, but this can go further. The historical function of tapestries was as "nomadic murals," pictographical histories which moving people could pack up and revisit wherever they went. The "writing in the garden," in nature, is not only the stone murals left by dead animals in the form of fossils, but is also this chemical writing that encodes the relatively nomadic DNA molecule with the instructions for life. The scientific investigation of this information leads us back to LUCA, and further. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…) "We are one, We are a universe," This is the natural conclusion to draw from the fact that life shares common origin, that all life is built with the same blocks, and that all life on Earth is interdependent (gaia hypothesis). The multiplicity of beings on Earth are one, just as the cells in a body are one. "Forebears of what will be Scions of the Devonian sea." The Devonian geologic time period marked the first significant, rapid diversification of life (and the more well-known Cambrian explosion is another of these 'adaptive radiation' events). It was during the Devonian that the 'higher plants' appeared and blanketed the continents with forests. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…). The word "scion" refers to a shoot of a plant cut for grafting, and is also used to denote a descendent of a notable family. Both meanings apply. "Aeons pass, Writing the tale of us all. A day-to-day new opening For the greatest show on Earth" Evolutionary adaptation is written in the DNA and as fossils in the rocks, and is ongoing. Species die, diversifiy and delineate. Every day is different, every day something changes. "Ion channels welcoming the outside world To the stuff of stars" Ion channels are found in the membranes of all cells, controlling the flow of energy through the cells. The stuff of stars is all the physical matter we're made of. So it's the ion channels, guiding enery, which allow living bodies to interact with the rest of the world by exchanging energy with it. "Stuff of stars" is surely a Sagan reference: "The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of starstuff." (For fun: youtu.be/…) "Bedding the tree of a biological holy, Enter life" The bed of a tree is the nutrient-rich soil from which it grows, a soil made of dead things. The "tree of a biological holy" is probably the tree of life (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…). This line refers to the "holy" legendary tree of everlasting life but also means the conceptual, branching family tree of all life, whose bed consists of all deceased beings (in a more literal sense), or all extinct ancestral species (in a more abstract sense). This is thematically linked with the song "Alpenglow." "We are here to care for the garden, The wonder of birth Of every form most beautiful" "We" could be human beings tasked with acting as nature's stewards, garden of eden style, but that's not chronological -- human beings haven't quite appeared in the song yet. "We" could instead be all of life itself, in a gaia-philosophy sense, which posits that life creates environments ever more hospitable to more life. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…) Or maybe it's a combination of these two thoughts: life eventually creates an environment suitable for the development of consiously acting, thinking human stewards. [Part 3: The Toolmaker] "After a billion years, The show is still here. Not a single one of your fathers died young." Every single one of a given person's ancestors, male and female, lived past puberty at least. But "fathers" evokes "forefathers," which has a nicer storytelling ring to it than "parents." "The handy travelers Out of Africa Little Lucy of the Afar" Handymen are good with tools; travelers posessing hands rather than forefeet walk upright. Hominids originated in Africa and spread to the rest of the world from there. Lucy is a particular specimen of the Australopithecus, one of many "missing links" between modern humans and nonhuman ancestors. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…) "Gave birth to fantasy, To idolatry, To self-destructive weaponry. Enter the God of gaps Deep within the past. Atavistic dread of the hunted!" The brain grows, consciousness and creativity along with it. Atavism is the tendency to revert to ancestral type, an evolutionary throwback. Fight-or-flight instincts that helped human ancestors survive have now been creatively projected onto the world to both explain it (origins, meaning, suffering) and gain security in it (bargaining through sacrifice). These are the roots of theism. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…) "Enter Ionia, the cradle of thought, The architecture of understanding. The human lust to feel so exceptional, To rule the Earth" Nomadic people develop agriculture and settle down into civilizations. The word "architecture" is at once both literal and figurative. The efficiency of civilization graces people with free time to do more than just feed themselves. They develop rich cultural traditions, arts and philosophies, much of which are deeply influenced by how different humans now are from all the rest of life. "Hunger for shiny rocks, For giant mushroom clouds, The will to do as you'd be done by." Shiny rocks are wealth: gold, precious stones, jewels, and later uranium which leads to the nuclear arms race. The golden rule -- "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" -- is a coin with a dark side: "an eye for an eye," revenge. This ensures the "MAD"ness of mutually assured destruction. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/…) "Enter history, the grand finale. Enter ratkind." "Ratkind" comes from Richard Dawkins' book "The Ancestor's Tale." Dawkins imagines a post-apocalyptic world in which rodents feast on the remnants of humanity (and humanity's garbage). The rat population explodes, and then as they exhaust these resources they turn on one another for food. As a consequence of natural selection, the rats diverge into new carnivorous and herbivorous species, and perhaps, eventually, a specices of rodent whose intelligence rivals that of humans. This is "ratkind." (iberianature.com/wildworld/tag/ratkind/) "Man, he took his time in the sun, Had a dream to understand A single grain of sand." From William Blake: "To see a World in a Grain of Sand, And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an hour." ...And the story of the planet in 24 minutes. Not bad. "He gave birth to poetry, But one day'll cease to be. Greet the last light of the library" A bittersweet redundancy: poetry with library, the last light with ceasing to be. Reminiscent of Elan: "Be the first to greet the morn [...] Travel with great élan, dance a jig at the funeral." "We were here!"

@nightwisher751

3 жыл бұрын

Magnificent understanding of the lyrics to the song liro, thankyou

@KelbenArunsun

3 жыл бұрын

Thx for sharing this again :-*

@iirockstar23562

3 жыл бұрын

@@KelbenArunsun only some times I do this.. Only those who I see deserve this and for those who I see will understand beauty of this Masterpiece 🙂❤️

@KelbenArunsun

3 жыл бұрын

@@iirockstar23562 Yeah, ive spread your post a few times, where i thought it could be usefull

@matsv201

3 жыл бұрын

Takes 24 minutes to listen to the song... takes half a decade to understand all of it

Still give me chills when a stadium of metal heads suddenly guess silent for a evolutionary scientist. Such respect.

@timorautiainen1783

3 жыл бұрын

And at the end there seems to be lot of dust flying around or people are allergic to something when teary eyes are seen. Tho that same dust still get's through the internet to my humble flat also. And I should be aware of it due to wast amount of reactions for this song.

@bryansmith7238

3 жыл бұрын

It's almost like truth penetrates all cultures

@utnaturalem4379

3 жыл бұрын

Pastor Dawkins

@dietersmit6639

3 жыл бұрын

The great deceit...

@sarahgraves6759

3 жыл бұрын

Metal heads, in my experience, get a bad rap. Most of them, in my experience, are quite level headed, sweet, people.

Floor: Enter Luca Marco: Enter Ionia Empuu: Enter Sandman!

@aeonspeace6995

3 жыл бұрын

🙌

@AndyMagnusson70

3 жыл бұрын

Everyone: Enter Ratkind.

@Michellinchen74

3 жыл бұрын

Top ;-)

@ChrisPage68

3 жыл бұрын

Bruce Lee - Enter The Dragon 🐲

@adecentdelinquent8986

3 жыл бұрын

Ionia*

I was immensely fortunate to be at this concert. I was close to the front, about 10 people back in front of Marco. Without doubt it was the best concert I've ever been to. They played 2.5 hours of pure awesomeness. However the most amazing part I feel is hard to express in words, but I'll try. The feeling we had in our hearts and minds and atmosphere right at the end when Richard Dawkins came out. You could hear and feel the gasps of pure amazement from my fellow audience members when we realised what we had just experience and what we were then seeing. A true once in a lifetime spectacle. An early Christmas present of sorts as it was early December. The cool air from the air conditioning had just been put back on and so the air became fresh, chilling, but also so uplifting. Enlightening. Once it was finally over we are now able to keep replaying it in our hearts and minds for evermore and reliving the wonder. Unforgettable :)

Floor Jansen is a goddess among us. Insanely good, unbelievable voice, I have never been more impressed with a rock vocalist.

Backing track; London Philharmonic Orchestra . That orchestra has been doing co-oparation with Nightwish for two decades.

@ApocalypseRider

3 жыл бұрын

LUCA = Last universal common ancestor

@mattphillips2530

3 жыл бұрын

@@ApocalypseRider Last Universal Common Ancestor Symphony Orchestra

@freshfresh5205

3 жыл бұрын

I just wanted to add that the greatest show on earth is a book about evolution by richard dawkins. This whole song is about evolutions... possibly from start to finish in the song?

@jurgenwittmann2905

3 жыл бұрын

What an honor for the London Philharmionic Orchestra to perform background for the Valkry Goddess !

The Tampere version doesn't have live Dawkins but it has live fireworks timed with the music

@Euroreissu

3 жыл бұрын

Yes he should definitely look at the Tampere version of this as well.

@Kekoapono

3 жыл бұрын

And Troy on that big recorder in the introduction!

@metallian2952

3 жыл бұрын

The Tampere version is better than this one........... just my 2 cents.

@Antawnyoo

3 жыл бұрын

You must check Professor's version as well: kzread.info/dash/bejne/pHiAyaSioLO3pLA.html

@pamelakilponen3682

3 жыл бұрын

and Troy's pipe which I think really accents it perfectly!

The piece that Dawkins narrated is actually the closing argument of Charles Darwin’s eternal work “On the Origin of Spieces”. For many, one of the most consequential scientific works in history.

@bigg2988

3 жыл бұрын

After this reference, a good deep look into "Procession" off NIGHTWISH's new album is required. Origin and fate of the species.

@tubehepa

3 жыл бұрын

Hmmm...Darwin's vs. Dawkins -- difference of only one letter? ; )

@unknownaccount8411

3 жыл бұрын

tumtuaresagitur Darwin is a real scientist, dawking is just an atheist godfather

@svolos1971

3 жыл бұрын

@@unknownaccount8411 whether you agree with his views or not, Mr Dawkins is a well established and respected SCIENTIST with a huge body of work in his field. Calling an Oxford tenured professor as an atheist godfather because you dont agree with his views or beliefs is juvenile and ignorant at best.

@NetAndyCz

2 жыл бұрын

@@unknownaccount8411 Atheists were here long before godfathers :p And Dawkins certainly is a well established scientist.

I have to be well hydrated when I listen to this song. I can't help crying and get emotional. I'm biologist, metalhead and I love science. Thanks for the video.

@ny8956

9 ай бұрын

A biologist with a terrible grasp of English.

LUCA is the Last Universal Common Ancestor, the very oldest* thing all lifeforms on earth can trace back to Edit: *last, not oldest

@Scalemailmailmail

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks! I learned something today!

@572Btriode

3 жыл бұрын

@@Scalemailmailmail Perhaps a bit better than traced back to, but that is accurate, every living thing on the planet has a DNA marker traceable to LUCA. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_universal_common_ancestor

@starsword-c2534

3 жыл бұрын

I literally only just learned that yesterday when I watched Tank the Tech's reaction XD

@martinsriber7760

3 жыл бұрын

Not oldest, last.

@jezusbloodie

3 жыл бұрын

@@martinsriber7760 fair enough

Just so you understand why the crowd was cheering at the end. "Endless forms most beautiful" is the name of the Nightwish's album that song is on.

@Zmasteri

3 жыл бұрын

Also because all the people in the audience are these endless forms

@lenchanted9698

3 жыл бұрын

also, because there's a fan cam somewhere around here showing that he actualy forgot the lines and had to take a peak at the paper he's holding. So they are probably cheering on him as well to show it's okay, because he looks reeaaaaly nervous :)

@caligo7918

3 жыл бұрын

@@lenchanted9698 yeah, he was soo nervous. As a professor and regular host of events, you would think it would have been easier for him.

@lenchanted9698

3 жыл бұрын

@@caligo7918 Well it's different standing in front of thousands metalheads who are there for the band and not realy for him :) Bet lots of them didn't even know he exists before the album. I think I've read somewhere that he said he doesn't realy listen to anything but clasicall music. That night must have been lifechanging for him too.

@deed5811

3 жыл бұрын

I think you underestimate the geekiness of most metalheads.

Great analysis. There's a world of difference between saying “this is good” and explaining WHY it's good.

@147pablox

3 жыл бұрын

Well, for me this isn't just "good". This is an absolute masterpiece. And I don't need an explanation of why is it. I do enjoy a lot these reactions, from a musical point of view, and also bc is nice to see someone else hearing for the first time such incredible songs. But by no means art needs to be "explained" in order to be appreciated.

Their sound engineers are the best in the world, not only are they the sound techs on tour but also in the studio.. They have one of the best and most talented stage crew there is. Most have been with them since the beginning.

My favourite rendtion of this is the 2015 Tampere concert. Check that one out when you relisten, you wont regret it!

@avesatanae

3 жыл бұрын

This version is my favorite. I think Floor sings way better and it has Richard motherfuckin Dawkins. Sorry, this version wins.

@MikeBobpokie

3 жыл бұрын

This is clearly the better sound quality , but the wooden flute at Tampere instead of guitar fits the arrangement better.

@timbroski4487

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah it has more emotion, but technically speaking the Wembley version is better (singing, sound, video etc)

@johnlanham9057

3 жыл бұрын

@@avesatanae Tempere has twins in the front row, Floor’s parents on the sideline, and Fireworks...fucking fireworks 🎇 🎆🎇🎆🎇 timed fireworks. 🤨

@Songfugel

3 жыл бұрын

Def. the Tampere show is by far superior to this, not just in showmanship but also in the quality of the vocal mix

I am also a very recent arrival to the Nightwish Army. I stumbled into this following reaction videos. I finally saw Floor and Henk doing the Phantom at Beste Zingers and followed Floor to Ghost Love Score. To think this group has been around for a quarter of a century and many folks have no idea they exist just says something. My reaction to the music that Tuomas puts together is that he composes music I have loved my entire life, even if I am just now hearing it for the first time. The music touches my soul, my emotions, my inner spirit. Your comments as a composer complete the other reactions by voice and music teachers, musical theater producers and sound guys. Together the expertise being explained helps me to understand the depth of the quality we all value.

@Nikioko

3 жыл бұрын

I know Nightwish for over 20 years an must say that the fanbase was better back then. Today there are too many people that are obsessed with Floor and claiming her to be the best singer in the world etc. She is great, but one should stay realistic.

@davehertle

3 жыл бұрын

@@Nikioko I am growing in my knowledge and respect for Tuomas. I listen to Auri partially as it is Tuomas and not Floor and not Nightwish. I know the man still has music in this soul to express.

@Nikioko

3 жыл бұрын

@@davehertle That is great. And in this reaction video finally his arts of composition are appreciated.

@jameswbster

3 жыл бұрын

@David Hertle That couldn't have been said any better!! :)

@xxwookey

3 жыл бұрын

@@Nikioko There were plenty of people obsessed with Tarja back in the day too (as became painfully obvious for several years after she left). People obsess about good singers, it's just one of those things. I'm not sure it's really fair to call the fanbase 'better', but it's certainly changed over the 20 years. I'm just happy they are still around and still producing world-class music. Some bands run out of ideas after the first few years; not Nightwish.

The first time they sang the line, "We Were Here", I cried. What a crushingly beautiful and significant song. To think we are here now on this planet, against all the odds, what a miracle.

@Sanquinity

2 жыл бұрын

What I find most interesting is the story being told throughout all of Nightwish's albums. Where Tuomas started out religious. But later on he started to doubt his beliefs. After a while he even grew kind of resentful towards religion. Then he read one of Dawkins' books, resulting in Tuomas rejecting religion and starting to embrace the beauty of evolution and science. Dawkins being a guest for this song is because of this. If you go through Nightwish's albums in chronological order there's clear signs of his journey. I feel like "The greatest show on earth" is Tuomas' Magnum Opus. The culmination of his journey from being a religious person, to finding the path of science. And realizing the beauty and complexity of the scientific world far surpasses what god could offer him.

@drumguy1384

2 жыл бұрын

@@Sanquinity I find this idea interesting. However, I wonder if it is just the wishful thinking of someone who is also a resentful atheist. Could you give me a set list of the songs you are talking about that document his journey, in your mind? I'm not saying you are wrong, just curious if I will interpret it the same way.

@Sanquinity

2 жыл бұрын

@@drumguy1384 It's just the general theme of all their songs as the years go by really. In the beginning, while Tuomas didn't write much religion into his songs there were still hints of it here and there. Then around the time of their album "Century Child" you notice some songs that seem to be a bit more resentful towards religion. During "Dark Passion Play" he turns more towards fantasy and dreams instead. And after that I believe he said himself in an interview (though can't find it atm) that he started reading one of Dawkins' books, opening his eyes to science and evolution. Which is evident in songs like "Endless forms most Beautiful" and "The greatest show on earth". Also, while I am an atheist I'm not resentful. :P I live in the Netherlands, a fairly secular country compared to places like the US for example. While I was raised with Christianity by my mom, my dad was actually an atheist too. And when I realized I never really believed and lost whatever little faith I had around age 15, there were no troubles. Mom just accepted it as long as we didn't try discussing religion with her, and she kept her religion to herself as well. My younger brother followed suit and became atheist a year or two later. Most of my friends are atheist too, and most religious people I meet (like 90%~95%) aren't openly religious or hateful towards atheists here.

I can't listen to this song without getting emotional. I heard this song for the first time live in Amsterdam and when they sang "we were here", I cried my eyes out. It was such a spine-chilling moment where you realize that we are allowed to be here, if only for just a blink of an eye, to leave our staple however insignificant, and to experience the greatest show on earth. What a masterpiece.

this performance of "the greatest show on earth" is great but the best is that from the concert in tampere, also in 2015, think about reacting to that too 😉

@572Btriode

3 жыл бұрын

Yep, if Doug does it again, privately, perhaps the Tampere version would be a very good idea.

@caligo7918

3 жыл бұрын

the bigger stage and venue make it more epic and some things sound better

@rolsen1304

3 жыл бұрын

@@caligo7918 Honestly think the composition and arrangement is more clear in Wembley, also guitar intro is superior to flute intro IMO. However Tampere has Floor really nailing the last part and crowd energy is even more hype. Both epic, but for a composer I think he did well listening to this first.

@Akvav1tix

3 жыл бұрын

Actually, from composition-perspective this Wembley Arena version was better. For once I have to say it was a good thing Doug chose this version instead of the Tampere edition. Yes, Tampere is more grand in multiple ways but tbh the recording was better at Wembley. And also, for some reason I like Troy's e-bow with the electric guitar more than the whistle/pipe. Both are great tho.

@rolsen1304

3 жыл бұрын

@@Akvav1tix I agree, Tampere better for a metalhead, Wembley better for a composer.

The title "The Greatest show on Earth" actually doesn't refer to the song itself, but to life on earth and it's evolution.

@res20stupid

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, Endless Forms Most Beautiful and Human :||: Nature are both about the entirety of our universe scientifically and human evolution.

@Hudson316

5 ай бұрын

@@trugvej And then the orchestral piece from the ending of the next album features Floor reading some Sagan too

In my opinion metal and classical music are 2 sides of the same coin, a yin & yang so to speak. This is why they go so well together, and no one does this better than Nightwish! Another fantastic reaction! 😁

@Sanquinity

2 жыл бұрын

Listen to Vivaldi's four seasons and you can definitely hear the influence classical music had on metal. :) Especially symphonic metal. Heck, you could even say that those classical music composers were kind of like the rock stars of their time.

Where others reach their limits,Nightwish begins to warm up.

The Classical arrangements are written by Tuomas, the Keyboard player (The Main composer of the band), but the actual recording is done by the London Philharmonic Orchestra for the albums, and played as a back-track during live performances (unless Tuoumas uses some samples with the keyboard when not a lot is needed). Yes, that last part is also part of the album song. That last movement is part of the Song The Greatest Show On Earth", wich is the last song of the Album of the same name.

@randar1969

3 жыл бұрын

The Greatest show on Earth was also the title of the book Richard Dawkins wrote about evolution by natural selection.

@markodimic

3 жыл бұрын

The name of the album is "Endless Forms Most Beautiful"

@justdave9610

3 жыл бұрын

@@markodimic was coming here to say this too

@diegojustiniano7356

3 жыл бұрын

@@markodimic You are right, my mistake ;)

@jamescann4309

3 жыл бұрын

He doesn't write all of the orchestral arrangements on his own though does he? I thought Pip Williams was typically brought in to flesh out the orchestral score?

LUCA is not a name but an acronym: the Last Universal Common Ancestor or Last Universal Cellular Ancestor (LUCA), also called the Last Universal Ancestor (LUA), is the most recent population of organisms from which all organisms now living on Earth have a common descent. LUCA is not thought to be the first life on Earth, but rather the only type of organism of its time to still have living descendants.

she has a voice of an angel... brings tears to my eyes .. she is a pleasure to listen to,,, the entire band is UNREAL!!!!!

@Hudson316

5 ай бұрын

like a goddamn avenging valkyrie

oh my goodness this is BEYOND music or poetry ... im speechless its the best...masterpiece...oh my goodness the lyrics and music are each masterpieces of their own story of life and universe WE are part of the greatest show !

Dead boys poem.. I'm usually in tears by the end of it.

@itako9

3 жыл бұрын

I absolutly love this song... i dont listen to it enough because i cry every time 😑 hahaa

@stefanhoimes

2 жыл бұрын

"Eva" does that for me. Saw Annette Olzon perform it at one of her last shows before Floor took over and couldn't stop sobbing.

They most definitely have a midi click track that everything is sync’d with (lights, visuals, pyro/cryo, etc). Lots of the orchestral is on the track and lots is played on key synth; just depends on each individual song.

@onslaught5012

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah, I saw a behind the scenes vid on youtube with their guitar / drum techs etc: they have a pro tools laptop off to the side of the stage, all the songs for the evening are queued up with all their multiple tracks, and each member has a click track via their in-ear monitors. Every time they play a song, it's always the same tempo etc, across many years. All the lighting and pyro can be triggered from this too? The strings and horns and stuff is all recorded by true players and instruments, the same tracks as from the studio albums, London orchestra and choirs.

Tuomas is The Metal Mozart. His mind is incredible.

I so enjoy seeing professionals explain why their music is so exceptionally good. The more I learn, the more impressive it is.

When you react to "The Poet and the Pendulum", you need to research the history of the song and play it with the lyrics, very important

@dietersmit6639

3 жыл бұрын

Personally my no1 nightwish song. A masterpiece. Perfect example of symphonic metal.

@horseshoe_nc

3 жыл бұрын

100% agree. Doug needs to know the backstory and have lyrics at the ready.

@zvolencan1

3 жыл бұрын

Here is the version with lyrics: kzread.info/dash/bejne/m3muvLSGpMvOiLg.html

@andreek8559

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah but do get the right version.

@dietersmit6639

3 жыл бұрын

@@zvolencan1 thanks. That is the best version. This song always make me realise what a genius Tuomas is. One of the few true artists in the world. Can be named in same breath as the composers of old... eg Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky etc. I am saying this objectively I believe, as NW are not my most favourite band, though in top 10.

Nightwish always plays to a click. Makes sense with all the orchestral intermezzos and such. Also useful for automatic pyro triggering.

I was there for this (yes we WERE here)! One of the best moments of my life . I only wish I had the genius to write something so profound and beautiful

Troy is playing the opening cello part on his guitar with an E-bow (electronic bow). But Tuomas makes great use of the London Symphony Orchestra and choir for his backing. In terms of the modulations, I promise Tuomas doesn't have to concern himself making it simple with this bunch of musicians. They are at the top of their game.

Welcome to the world of Nightwish, I was lucky enough to see two Nightwish shows from the Endless Forms Most Beautiful tour, (San Jose,, San Francisco) they played the full version of The greatest show on earth in one of those shows, and carrying my daughter in one arm, holding the other up in the air while singing "We were here" (both of us) was beautiful ,wonderful

Human Nature, their newest album, and the second cd on one sitting, you won’t regret it.

Yes everything is part of the song. I strongly recommend hearing this song at night, lights out, headphones on and eyes closed... such and experience

after the ending there is always a feeling of emptiness inside. as an understanding that no one else will write more beautiful music. Tuomas genius

The book by Dawson is titled "The Greatest Show on Earth"

@ChrisPage68

3 жыл бұрын

Dawkins.

@climber950

3 жыл бұрын

Tuomas took the beautiful word Dawkins wrote and brought them to an entire new level of beauty and color.

LUCA = Last Universal Common Ancestor. The first living being that is the ancestor of all life in Earth.

@utnaturalem4379

3 жыл бұрын

The last / most recent

@rayraudebaugh5395

3 жыл бұрын

@@utnaturalem4379 Nope, confusing but look it up. It is that first spark of life that all else descends from.

@SoulmongerV2

3 жыл бұрын

@@rayraudebaugh5395 The last universal common ancestor or last universal cellular ancestor (LUCA), also called the last universal ancestor (LUA), is the most recent population of organisms from which all organisms now living on Earth have a common descent-the most recent common ancestor of all current life on Earth. A related concept is that of progenote. LUCA is not thought to be the first life on Earth, but rather the only type of organism of its time to still have living descendants. Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last_universal_common_ancestor

@rogeriopenna9014

3 жыл бұрын

@@utnaturalem4379 its the last in the backwards direction, thus the first, the forafather of us all

@utnaturalem4379

3 жыл бұрын

@@rogeriopenna9014 No, if there are trains at 9 PM, 10 PM and 11 PM, then the LAST train is at 11 PM

When you say that it sounds like a movie type score, that is a very astute observation because Nighwish's songwriter, keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen says he imagines every song he writes as a film.

these musicians vibrating on a different frequency,,whats cool is to watch mere mortals make sense of what they just heard

I’m always thrilled when someone else discovers Nightwish. I know they’re in for some seriously jaw dropping amazement. It’s also a great pleasure to see it from someone who understands music and shares with those of us who just have no musical sense at all. Thanks 👍🏻. The Greatest Show on Earth is US. The rise of man and our accomplishments and evolution. 💙💙💙 All Hail Floor 💙💙💙 P.S. 06:06 that’s called "straight line singing?" Educate me please.... 20:17. Valkyrie Goddess..... 😏 25:25 much earlier the lyrics were “A careless cold infinity in ever vast direction." That’s us, here alone on our world. This "we were here" is our frustration and fury toward the cold carelessness. We are here. We have made/left our mark.

@Richard.Linder

3 жыл бұрын

I think “A careless cold infinity in ever vast direction." refers to the vast, infinite, empty coldness of space. (Between all the starts and planets, and even galaxies.)

@johnlanham9057

3 жыл бұрын

@@Richard.Linder correct. I must have stated that poorly if there is confusion on that. By "us, here alone on our world" I didn’t mean the people’s physical or social distance from other humans. I meant our world alone in our known universe as inhabited. Clearly I didn’t speak well enough. You’re correct. 👍🏻

@Richard.Linder

3 жыл бұрын

@@johnlanham9057 Cool.

From the several times I've seen them (including this concert at Wembley), Tuomas (on the keys) composes most of the songs, then from about album 4 or 5, orchestral arrangements are made based off his songs. Sometimes he'll outline all the orchestral parts, and I'm fairly sure for a few tracks the arrangements might be done by others. Then, for live performances, most of the orchestral parts will be pre-recorded, and Tuomas will be on piano/keyboards. I believe he'll do synth strings, especially for the earlier albums when all of the symphonic stuff was him on a keyboard, but at the very least, they'll make sure that he's always playing something, so even if there isn't a specific piano line, he'll be playing synth chords or something. Never seen him not playing something, at least.

You picked a good day for this. It's Charles Darwin's birthday.

I didn’t expect you to react to this one. Just about everyone listens to the Tampere performance, and the orchestra hits in the beginning are paired with live fireworks above the stadium. I definitely recommend listening to the Tampere performance sometime; it also features folk instruments played live by Troy, who played guitar in the introduction in this performance.

You pretty much need to react to Shomaker from the last Nightwish album (Human ::|:: Nature).

@Richard.Linder

3 жыл бұрын

But research what it's about first, or the song and its title don't really make any sense.

@guitar_noodle

3 жыл бұрын

For real. When I first read the title without hearing the song I thought it was some story about a Shoe Maker lol

@kynnvyr

3 жыл бұрын

ahh a good one, Music is also really good .... and harvest .... and Pan ..... the whole album?

@greywuuf

3 жыл бұрын

I have a preference for "Tribal" .....but yes Shoemaker is a must.

@judycyg6912

3 жыл бұрын

Please, please, please, react to Shomaker!!!!

Opening with Ghost Love Score and then this. Might as well go for Poet and the Pendulum next =) I strongly suggest research on that song to. Its from the same amazing Wembley show.

Troy Donockley is one of the most underrated multi-instrumentalists active today. The uilleann pipes have given Nightwish this interesting Celtic metal sound to some of their more recent work that I've not heard much outside of Enter the Haggis. But as with practically any bagpipes, the drones limit their flexibility in most settings.

@XtreeM_FaiL

2 жыл бұрын

He also has great voice and know how to sing.

@Hudson316

5 ай бұрын

Not to mention his work on the tin flute

From a musicians perspective, I love the way you react to these videos explaining the musical key changes and construct of the songs. Well done Doug!

@Sanquinity

2 жыл бұрын

I definitely like the change of pace. Most people reacting to music are either laymen or vocal coaches. It's nice to have the focus on the music for once, instead of "this sounds awesome!" or "listen to this thing the singer is doing!"

The section that starts with Bach and ends with Enter the Sandman is a stripped down version of the history of music.

@tommiturmiola3682

3 жыл бұрын

After the Sandman there is a beat that apparently is a reference to techno..

@leootjeeh

3 жыл бұрын

Yes and there is some tribal drum before Bach and after some banjo piece, it's easier to pick out in the studio version

@ddiachen

3 жыл бұрын

That section starts before the 2 Bach quotes. There are voices for the beginning of Western music, a quote of Dies Irae, now the most well known Gregorian Chant melody, one used by many classical composers.

@samulilahnamaki3127

3 жыл бұрын

And I think this is the first reaction where both Bach and Metallica are recognized, usually it's one or the other. Of those I've seen.

You should watch the live version from Tampere!

@Razgriz218

3 жыл бұрын

That in my opinion is the best version! Especially with the cool visuals, the fireworks and the fact they played in their homeland, Finland.

@wtgkb8

3 жыл бұрын

Floor's vocal are nearly perfection at Tampere, and Troy playing the flute and pipes...

@eddiewinehosen6665

3 жыл бұрын

Yup, this is good put Tampere is perfection!

@the_titan_atlas

3 жыл бұрын

@@wtgkb8 Troy plays the pipes in this one too, plus his guitar work is sensational. :) I feel like other songs show off Troy's flute/whistle playing FAR better than Greatest Show does, yet this song really shows off his EBow guitar playing.

I really enjoyed your analysis. Hope you'll continue the Nightwish journey, you'll discover a lot of diamond and pearls :) Each of their songs is different, you'll see.

@brucenadeau5920

3 жыл бұрын

Gabriel, The Lame Dad here, KEEP the requests to Doug up! EVERYONE NEEDS to experience NW!! You guys CONVERTED me and now I AM on a mission to spread the NW Love! I'm shocked NO one is telling him DO the Tampere show! lol, first thing I was told! lol We ALSO NEED to get Keyz of Geebz and Dean Wolfe into doing NW Reacts! Well NW AND Floor reacts! lol

OOOOOHHHH GOODY classical composer reacting to Nightwish epics! Getting snacks, this will be fun!

Just watched your Ghost reaction, I was thinking about playing this song and your reaction lands in my lap. Brilliant Last Universal Common Ancestor, to answer your question. 10 points for getting both Bach and Metallica.

@dinVolt

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah, the first man who understand both

@paulriddle7818

3 жыл бұрын

But he missed Mozart 😆🤘

Tuomas tries to play as much as he can on the keyboards live, but there are some backing tracks used, as others have mentioned, recorded by the London Philharmonic.

I was there at this show in 2015. I've been to all three of Nightwish's Wembley shows. The Greatest Show on Earth is my favourite song, not just my favourite Nightwish song, my absolute favourite song. I remember reading in mid-2015 after the release of Endless Forms Most Beautiful that Tuomas in an interview said the band would likely never play Greatest Show live because of its length. At the concert, when those opening notes started playing...it was indescribable. I hope I get to see Nightwish at Wembley again (and hopefully with Marko again - miss you Marko :( ).

I was in that crowd. What a magnificent show it was. 🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘

Nightwish - The Islander, live at Tampere..

@ScottHough

3 жыл бұрын

My favorite version of that song.

@shirazzza

3 жыл бұрын

It's a beautiful song

Two Songs into Nightwish, and you aint seen nothing yet.

Floor’s voice gives me chills each time I hear this song which truly is a masterpiece !

Another Awesome reaction video. It is great to have you explain how music works together and why it effects us. Nightwish are truly Epic🤘😎🤘

Your on a great journey my friend. Did the whole discography on my channel. Loved your take as a classical composer. Reminds me of years ago when I lived with a bunch of guys that were taking the music course at university.

Tuomas is called the Metal Mozart. Hail Nightwish. Great reaction.

Love your comment about liking guitarists who play melodic stuff rather than just shredding. I've been listening to metal for a while and I totally agree. If you've heard one shred, you've heard them all.

Very very knowledgable. You certainly added to my understanding of that awesome song. tons.

Interested in hearing what you think of one of the songs in their latest album HUMAN. :||: NATURE. The song in question is Shoemaker.

@lauremo4005

3 жыл бұрын

The more I listen to Shoemaker the more I find to love; it's beautiful. But please, research Eugene Shoemaker before watching as it will greatly enhance the experience: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_Merle_Shoemaker

Music Reactions has been such an oversaturated YT genre. I am SO happy to watch some content that brings a new technical perspectives to this, and not just because I have some music theory under my belt. Seeing someone get into music the way you do is really refreshing.

I was at this show and this song was an experience i'll never forget. The hairs on the back of my neck were stood up for the songs entirety and several times during the performance of this song i actually went "Wow!" which i've not done before or since

I loved your reaction! i am so impressed you can give us all these awesome information about the composition of the song, AND understand the meaning of it (many ppl don''t even with the lyrics on ther screen] AND you figured out all the easter eggs like classical music pieces AND Enter Sandman! it made me so happy! :)

The tampere version is going to blow your mind.

I was there, in that crowd.. One of the best days of my life!

You'll hardly find a band who always looks like there's no place they'd rather be than on stage like Nightwish. Every show. Big show or small. Always having fun, goofing around with each other, with the audience, etc. Few bands put on a show quite like they do.

Superb reaction, very informativ, impressive how much you pick up, like the homage to classical pieces, Enter Sandman etc. Greetings from Denmark and looking forward to the next one.

You're the best, Doug! Your reaction was the best one I've seen. Very insightful and educational. Wish I'd had you as a music teacher when I was learning. Hope to see more!

The keyboardist, Tuomas, as "Nightwish Army"'s Gabriel described in the last video is the composer and main writer of every songs. And the London Philharmonic Orchestra play those backing tracks.

I was front row for this show. This truly was an experience I will never forget. Richard at the end what a highlight.

Omg! I am learning so much with this channel! Thank you so much!!!! i really love to hear your thoughts

Thank you for the thoughtful reaction. A challenge for Nightwish reactors is the vast body of work created by the band over the years, with various singers. To wrap up the four greats, do the Poet and the Pendulum, a story of Tuomas‘s depression, and the Dead boy‘s poem, which is about growing up lonely. If you are into the phantom of the opera, you‘d appreciate their rendition of it with their first singer, Tarja Turunen. But they also have a vast body of just great rock, ballads and folky songs. Enjoy the journey!

@GeoffInfield

3 жыл бұрын

I first heard Nightwish when "She Is My Sin" was the backing music to a video of a Counterstrike gaming tournament in 2003-ish, and several of us went and bought every CD we could, largely because of Tarja's voice. Was amazed to find sweet songs like "Sleeping Sun" that bring tears to your eyes and that was it for me, loved them til she was booted out - I can't get into anything post-Tarja (her singles are great and she does a mean Ave Maria lol) but honestly I'd love them just as much if I'd come to them post-Tarja I'm sure. But mostly I miss playing Counterstrike at work 😂 Wait, I had a point... oh yeah - The Phantom live really IS stunning, good call :)

Beethoven, Vivaldi, Bach, Schubert, Chopin and Mozart were the ancestors of metal. In fact, they can be considered proto-metalheads.

@fioddorsuperconcentrado2492

3 жыл бұрын

Mmmm I would skip Mozart from that list, but I sort of agree on the rest.

@rolsen1304

3 жыл бұрын

Tchaikovsky

@Skraeling1000

3 жыл бұрын

@@rolsen1304 I'd add Mussorgsky and Stravinsky.

@ondrejhanslik9368

3 жыл бұрын

@@fioddorsuperconcentrado2492 Mozart would be actually the most obvious. Many of his works are commonly played by metal bands, most notably Requiem.

@dennai7695

3 жыл бұрын

@@ondrejhanslik9368 Comparing body of work, I'd say that Beethoven and Bach are much closer to protometal than Mozart, which himself is more protometal than Vivaldi and Chopin. I'm not familiar enough with Schubert to give a veredict. However, from my experience the title of classic protometal has to go to Wagner, and not only musically, but thematically. Let's not forget than he, unlike most opera composers, wrote also the libretti.

You're never too old for Nightwich. I'm 60 years old myself. And I love this band. And don't stop so much with your next reaction. Most of what you're telling me, I don't know about that. Thank you for this video anyway.

@brucenadeau5920

3 жыл бұрын

Hey Frenk! This is the Lame Dad in his personal account! Hell NEVER to old to get into NW and once you do... I CAN personally vouch... You get LOST down the NW Rabbit Hole and CANNOT climb back out NOR do you want to! AND, AND... the FLOOGASIMS... I'm still floored! lol

@brucenadeau5920

3 жыл бұрын

Frenk, this guy IS entertaining to watch! I discovered him a week and some ago and been watching daily since. I have a background in music and theory so I LOVE his take on songs, along with Keys of Geebz.. Both composers and GREAT knowledge brought to the table!

@brucenadeau5920

3 жыл бұрын

I TRY and avoid being technical in my reviews, we have MUCH better out there to explain like Doug here and a few others. :)

The keyboard player is behind this creation. An absolutely brilliant person when it comes to music.

For your second listen, definitely check out the performance at Tampere. There’s a video of that performance with subtitles that should be pretty easy to find. The use of fireworks in that performance alone make it worth checking out, but I also enjoy hearing Troy playing on a big recorder in the introduction rather than a guitar.

I love how Doug goes into INTJ music dissecting mode, but when the hard parts come on, he shuts up and starts head-banging like a true head banger! Perfect example at 10:41. And again at 23:47. 😁 And he picked up the Enter Sandman easter egg riff.

I just came here to say that I was in this concert and it really was the greatest show on Earth!

One of the very best compositions ever made, in my humble opinion.

This version has the ending with Dawkins himself in person, The Tampere version has great intro (and outro) with fireworks. While I do appreciate the version with Dawkins more, you might enjoy the fireworks in sync with music, it is pretty cool as well. The last bit is part of the song, it is quote from Darwins' On the Origin of Species

@Hudson316

5 ай бұрын

There's also the Buenos Aires version where they add the entirety of Ghost Love Score in as an interlude, but it seems they cut up that performance for the video version so there's no full ~27 minute version uncut kicking around that I've seen

If you want to see this again, then check out the other version of this song, recorded live at Tampere (Finland) - there's even a version that has the lyrics shown. It's AWESOME.

here we go again, its in the middle of the night, i'm drunk und i watch nightwish reactions

part of dawkin's last speach is part of the actual song, but this inculded a few lines before it. It was from "the origin of species" by charles darwin btw.

I don't know who this Hodor-guy is, but he's insanely good at understanding music.

@Alan_Duval

2 жыл бұрын

He says quite a lot more than Ho-dor :D

if you liked this production, you should check Ayreon... "The day that the world breaks down" to start... and then everything live you could find.

When I first heard this I got obsessed with Troy's playing of the low D whistle and the uilleann pipes so much so that I ended up buying a low D whistle and learning how to play. My neighbors don't know how lucky they are that I didn't go for the pipes. ha ha

Btw... Tuomas, "our Metal Mozart" , also composes all the background music, that he later sends to the guys in "London for rehearsal ..., before he goes there, and makes sure they "do it correctly" . The main recording personnel there, says that he "never misses a beat"! He knows every tune, and can immediately "pick up" if an instrument is "wrong/playing the notes"; the way Tuomas envisions them...

The last bit is part of the actual track. Richard recorded his part for the album track for them.

You are the FIRST reactor I've seen who got both the Minuet AND Enter Sandman! Nice!

The string part in the beginning that sounds like a cello, is the guitarist using an E-bow (electronic bow). It’s a device that makes the guitar strings vibrate like if one was using a bow!

It's a wonderful celebration of our continued existence. The main versions for TGSOE are from Tampere 2015 and this, and in Tampere they were on an outdoor venue where they could do some things that were impossible to implement in this kind of indoor setting such as Wembley. This composition definitely can handle quite a bit of relistening, so you should check out the Tampere version someday for sure. You picked up many details, like LUCA, Bach, and Enter Sandman, but will you believe me if I say that through most of this "song" you have references to various things occurring basically every few seconds? They take place on various levels, too, not just with the lyrics. If you listen to it again you can pick up a few more details, and then a few more on every subsequent listen. LUCA is short for Last Universal Common Ancestor, btw. A lot of the references in this one are from biology or history, I guess Enter Sandman qualifies as a part of the history of music. Naturally doing that much research alone is a daunting task, that's why reaction videos to Nightwish are so popular. So many people from various backgrounds have analyzed this and everyone seems to be able to point out something different. I can't remember ever hearing anyone else go into any great detail regarding the chord structures and progressions, so it was interesting to hear some of that. Since so many other details from the melodies and lyrics are quite meticulously thought out I'd be most surprised if the chord progressions were just thrown around randomly (or on a basis of "man this sounds cool"). You asked about the symphonic stuff and that's prerecorded and then played back. The making of -documentary series about the album that this song is on ("Endless Forms Most Beautiful") has a virtually spoiler-free short episode about this process, you can find it here: kzread.info/dash/bejne/pGSd2MSKqpavd6w.html and some additional behind-the-scenes shots from the same session: kzread.info/dash/bejne/epeszK2lhcbQiNI.html For future Nightwish reactions, I have two recommendations. First is Shoemaker from their new album, and that's because you seemed to enjoy this type of science-meets-symphonic-metal mixture and that song is about Eugene Shoemaker, who was one of the pioneers of Astrogeology and the only human buried in the moon. There was a Shakespeare quote inscribed in the capsule with his ashes - The quote is recited in the song. There's an operatic part to it that's particularly interesting. Shoemaker is only available as a lyrics video currently, since the 2020 album hasn't had any live performances because of covid 19 reasons. Official video: kzread.info/dash/bejne/hJ6kwaafpq3Pnco.html Another recommendation would be Storytime from the Wacken 2013 concert, the same concert from where you picked Ghost Love Score for your previous reaction. They made very good quality recordings from that concert, so it's a favorite source for many people who do Nightwish reactions. Storytime itself is one of my favorites from all of Nightwish' extensive catalogue, but I'm especially interested in hearing what you can say about the chord progression sequence towards the end of it. I've always thought of it as one of the most brilliant chord sequences I've ever heard so continuing the theme of chord analysis you've done so far I'd be curious to hear if you think it's great or just m'eh. Storytime live from Wacken 2013: kzread.info/dash/bejne/oqqfu9mIer21frg.html I could recommend about 20 more songs right here, but perhaps it could all be summed up by saying that Nightwish doesn't really do "bad" music. Their early stuff from late 90s can sometimes be a bit simplistic compared to the modern stuff, and then there's some very ... lets say surprising (or "interesting") stuff like Elvenjig, but Tuomas has always composed with ideas and a vision in mind so all of their music feels like it has a degree of gravity to it. Even Elvenpath and Elvenjig. In that regard it doesn't _really_ matter what song you pick if you want to do more Nightwish reactions. There's one thing though that matters a great deal to the fandom and it needs some additional explaining. Some things to note if you want to continue with Nightwish. They have basically 3 different eras that are marked by different lead female vocalists. The 1st era went from 1996 to 2005 after the End of an Era concert when Tarja Turunen was fired from the band because of reasons. The song Poet and the Pendulum was written by Tuomas to highlight some of his chaotic mindscape from this time, and perhaps you might want to check the open letters between the band and Tarja before listening to it. The Finnish media painted Tuomas as the antagonist in this conflict, and they basically crucifixed him in the local yellow papers for quite a while. The songs "Bye Bye Beautiful" and "Master Passion Greed" also tell about this event. The 2nd era went from 2007 to 2012 when Anette Olzon was the lead vocalist. The 3rd era went from 2013 to present day as Floor Jansen has been the lead vocalist. Just a couple weeks ago the bassist and secondary vocalist (dude with the beard), Marco, resigned from the band citing personal reasons. He's been such an important part of their work for such a long time that it's possible that this either marks the start of a 4th era or could even signal the eventual disbanding of the band itself. Though honestly the band was extremely close to disbanding in 2005 when Tarja left, so I hope they can pull through this one as well. The result from this colorful history is that you have fans who have jumped aboard at varying parts of the process. Many of their songs were originally composed for a different vocalist than the one who performs it now. They have released 9 studio albums: 5 with Tarja, and 2 both with Anette and Floor. Some of the fans of the older stuff might not always be super happy about how things turned out, though almost every Tarjaholic has given up this argument by now. The arguments used to be _very_ toxic. Currently the loudest noises come from Floorfans who will fiercely thumb down any reaction video you do if it's an old song performed by the original vocalist that Floor has "fixed" later on. For example some reaction videos about Ghost Love Score pick the original version with Tarja Turunen performing the vocals and they get absolutely flooded with comments like "wrong version duh" and thumbed down. If you're really interested in the band then you might want to listen to these different versions anyway, I actually still prefer Tarja's GLS but it's very close. If you want to do comparison videos though... Tarja and the band had a messy breakup and a lot of fans are still unhappy with this. Anette's exit was more inevitable but you will find people who want to defend her and are rightfully offended when she's being put down by others.These types of comparison videos will remind the old fans about their scars and they also will make the Floor era fans extremely defensive, perhaps a sort of confirmation bias or whatever. I personally hate these comparison videos, or more precisely I hate reading the comment sections from them. I also hate watching those videos, even when the content itself is great, because I can already imagine what the comment section is like. If you ask the comment section they will tell you the previous lead vocalists are just trash who can't sing. You also got some comments in this one saying more or less "wrong version duh", and that's because there are unwritten rules regarding Nightwish reaction videos that every reactor should just somehow know before they start reacting to Nightwish (the logic here eludes me as well). Anyway the rules for maximizing the happiness of the various sections of the fanbase goes roughly like this: 1. Live versions only, and this can only be negotiated in a few special cases. Otherwise no exceptions period. The reason is that the fanbase has a concensus that the band performs better live than on albums. 1a. Music videos can sometimes be interesting to react to, since the band puts a lot of care in their visuals as well. This can be used as a way to spice up your Nightwish reaction career. Comparison videos with the live version and music video can be successful, this has been done with Storytime for example. 1b. Any song from the latest album Human :||: Nature can use the official lyrics videos (which are the album versions), since the pandemic cancelled all opportunities to perform these live. The only live recording for now is an acoustic version of the song "How's the Heart" where Floor and Troy did a special version of it for a radio station. 2. The live version should be chosen with the following formula: Wacken 2013 > Tampere 2015 > Wembley 2015 > Buenos Aires 2018 > all the rest. Note that Floor Jansen is the lead vocalist in all of these live shows, because any song with Tarja or Anette performing will draw countless defensive fans commenting about it being the wrong version. The last rule can be a bit tricky since for example the "official live version" of Ghost Love Score is from Buenos Aires 2012 and it was a great show and a great version, but if you react to it you'll get a billion comments saying "wrong version duh" anyway. If you don't particularly care whether some people get their panties in a bunch then these rules can be ignored to whatever degree you're comfortable with. There are even people who mainly react to Nightwish songs with Tarja, and the Floorfans do eventually learn to give up.