Nightwish Dark Passion Play

Dark Passion Play is the sixth studio album by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, released on 26 September 2007 in Finland, 28 September in Europe and 2 October 2007 in the United States. It is the first album without original vocalist Tarja Turunen, who was dismissed in 2005. More @ Wikipwdia

Composed primarily by Tuomas Holopainen, Dark Passion Play is deeply personal and introspective, shaped by themes of loss, betrayal, emotional pain, resilience, and rebirth. The album reflects a period of transition for the band, transforming personal turmoil into a grand symphonic metal statement with cinematic scope and dramatic intensity.

Musically, Dark Passion Play expands Nightwish’s orchestral ambitions, featuring lush symphonic arrangements, choirs, and heavy guitar work balanced with melodic accessibility. The album blends symphonic metal with elements of progressive metal, gothic atmosphere, folk influences, and film-score-inspired compositions, reinforcing the band’s move toward a more cinematic and narrative-driven style.

Tracks such as The Poet and the Pendulum, Amaranth, Bye Bye Beautiful, Sahara, and Last of the Wilds showcase the album’s stylistic diversity—from epic multi-part compositions to radio-friendly symphonic metal anthems. The Poet and the Pendulum, in particular, stands as one of Nightwish’s most ambitious works, combining orchestral drama, heavy riffs, and deeply emotional storytelling.

Anette Olzon’s vocal performance brings a new melodic clarity and emotional warmth to the band’s sound, contrasting with the album’s darker orchestration and reinforcing its themes of vulnerability and renewal.

Widely successful both critically and commercially, Dark Passion Play helped solidify Nightwish’s global status and demonstrated the band’s ability to reinvent itself without losing its artistic identity. Today, the album is regarded as a cornerstone of modern symphonic metal and a defining moment in Nightwish’s career.

Tracks

All lyrics are written by Tuomas Holopainen; all music is composed by Holopainen, except where noted.

No.	Title	Music	Length
1.	“The Poet and the Pendulum”I. “White Lands of Empathica” (1:19)II. “Home” (3:08)III. “The Pacific” (2:43)IV. “Dark Passion Play” (3:01)V. “Mother and Father” (3:44)		13:55
2.	“Bye Bye Beautiful”		4:15
3.	“Amaranth”		3:51
4.	“Cadence of Her Last Breath”		4:15
5.	“Master Passion Greed”		6:03
6.	“Eva”		4:26
7.	“Sahara”		5:47
8.	“Whoever Brings the Night”	Emppu Vuorinen	4:18
9.	“For the Heart I Once Had”		3:56
10.	“The Islander”	Marco Hietala	5:06
11.	“Last of the Wilds” (instrumental)		5:41
12.	“7 Days to the Wolves”	Holopainen Hietala	7:04
13.	“Meadows of Heaven”		7:10

Album Cover