Lyrically, the album is particularly uplifting, well at least for every song except for "Swanheart" and "Sleeping Sun." Regardless, "Swanheart" may be the best ballad the band has ever recorded. Virtually every line in the song conveys deep emotions that simply are not found in most music. This is not because of the lyrics, though they too are good, but because of Tarja Turnen's vocal performance, which should be counted amongst the top female singers. "Sleeping Sun" does not lack any of the emotion portrayed in "Swanheart," but has an interesting subject matter. The song was inspired by a solar eclipse during 1999 in Europe, and has a dreamy atmosphere surronding it.
Though these songs are slow and emotional, there are faster, more upbeat tracks. One such is "Gethsemane." Honestly, I cannot figure out what the song is exactly about, but it seems to have religious overtones. This likely is true considering that gethsemane is the place where Jesus and his disciples went to pray the day before his crucifixion. Also, there is the line in the chorus that is inspired by Christianity, which reads: "You wake up where's the tomb? Will Easter come, enter my room?"
Other songs such as "Devil and the Deep Dark Ocean" are quite dark in content, but have an uplifting section. Particular, in this song there is this verse:
"We shall come to set the dolphins free
We shall wash the darkened bloodred sea
Our songs will echo over the mountains and seas
The eternity will begin once again in peace"
As their previous album was musically interesting, this album has much improved technically. Particularly with the guitar work. This release sees the growing skill of guitarist Emppu Vuorinen. There are many songs that have guitar and keyboard harmonies, which lend to a fuller sound not found on their debut. Many, including myself, believe this is the bands greatest album, and it should not be missed by anyone remotely interested in wonderful female vocals and interesting song writing.
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