Nightwish Imaginaerum

Imaginaerum is the seventh studio album by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. According to Nightwish songwriter Tuomas Holopainen, the album is a concept album that tells the story of an old composer who is reminiscing of his youth on his deathbed. The album was produced alongside the movie of the same name, directed by Stobe Harju, who previously directed Nightwish’s “The Islander” music video, and the album and the film share the same themes and general story.

Conceived and composed primarily by Tuomas Holopainen, Imaginaerum is a full-fledged concept album centered on themes of imagination, memory, childhood, dreams, loss, and the fragile boundary between fantasy and reality. The album follows a narrative structure that unfolds like a film or a dark fairytale, with each track functioning as a chapter in a larger story.

Musically, Imaginaerum incorporates a vast range of influences, including film scores, orchestral music, folk, jazz, vaudeville, and progressive rock, while maintaining Nightwish’s symphonic metal core. The use of full orchestras, choirs, unconventional instruments, and dynamic arrangements gives the album a highly cinematic atmosphere, often compared to movie soundtracks rather than traditional metal records.

Vocals on Imaginaerum are performed by Anette Olzon, whose melodic and emotive delivery adds warmth and accessibility to the album’s complex arrangements. Her voice contrasts with darker orchestral passages and heavy riffs, reinforcing the album’s recurring tension between innocence and melancholy.

Songs such as Storytime, Ghost River, I Want My Tears Back, Turn Loose the Mermaids, and Song of Myself showcase the album’s stylistic diversity and emotional depth. Lyrically, the album reflects Holopainen’s introspective writing, addressing the loss of imagination in adulthood and the enduring power of stories as a means of survival and self-understanding.

Imaginaerum was later expanded into a feature-length film, further emphasizing its cinematic nature and solidifying its reputation as one of the most multimedia-driven projects in metal history. Both the album and film received critical acclaim for their creativity, cohesion, and ambition.

Today, Imaginaerum is widely considered a cornerstone of modern symphonic metal—an album that transcends genre boundaries and exemplifies Nightwish’s ability to merge metal, classical music, and cinematic storytelling into a unified artistic vision.

Nightwish Imaginaerum Album Tracks

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

No.	Title	Length
1.	“Taikatalvi” (Winter Magic)	2:35
2.	“Storytime“	5:22
3.	“Ghost River”	5:28
4.	“Slow, Love, Slow”	5:50
5.	“I Want My Tears Back”	5:07
6.	“Scaretale”	7:32
7.	“Arabesque” (instrumental)	2:57
8.	“Turn Loose the Mermaids”	4:20
9.	“Rest Calm”	7:02
10.	“The Crow, the Owl and the Dove” (music: Marco Hietala)	4:10
11.	“Last Ride of the Day”	4:33
12.	“Song of Myself” “From a Dusty Bookshelf” “All That Great Heart Lying Still” “Piano Black” “Love”	13:38
13.	“Imaginaerum” (instrumental music: Holopainen, Pip Williams)	6:18

Imaginaerum Album Cover

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