Human. :II: Nature. explained

Human. :II: Nature.
Type:studio
Artist:Nightwish
Cover:Nightwish_-_HumanIINature.jpg
Border:yes
Recorded:August–October 2019
Studio:
Genre:
Length:81:31
Label:Nuclear Blast
Producer:Tuomas Holopainen
Chronology:Nightwish studio album
Prev Title:Endless Forms Most Beautiful
Prev Year:2015
Next Title:Yesterwynde
Next Year:2024

Human. :II: Nature. (stylized as HVMAN. :: NATVRE.) is the ninth studio album by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, released on 10 April 2020 by Nuclear Blast. It is the band's first double album, with the second CD complete with orchestral music rather than metal.

Following the departure of original drummer Jukka Nevalainen the previous year, this is the first album to feature Kai Hahto as official band member, although he had already acted as Nevalainen's replacement on the band's previous album, Endless Forms Most Beautiful.[1] It is the sixth and final album to feature bassist/vocalist Marko Hietala before his departure in January 2021.[2]

The album became the band's seventh consecutive album to top the Official Finnish Albums Chart.

Background and recording

Production

Following a tour in support of the band's previous album, Endless Forms Most Beautiful, the band took a year-long break in which Jansen was focusing on her first child. Holopainen said in a 2016 interview that the band would continue between the years of 2018 and 2020, with another album that will continue the themes explored in Endless Forms Most Beautiful.[3]

According to Tuomas Holopainen, after the creation of the previous album, which he described as "the band's best so far", he could not write new material for the next album because of his lack of inspiration, which was "emptied". In 2017, Holopainen, along with the singer and his wife Johanna Kurkela and the band's member Troy Donockley, formed the trio-band Auri to create a self-titled album. After the release of the album, Tuomas said that "all the flood gates opened" and he started to write new material for Nightwish.[4] [5]

In July 2018 while the band was out on tour, Holopainen stated that he had written "80 or 90%" of the material for Nightwish's next album, which would consist of ten or eleven songs. Recording would start in July 2019, for a planned Spring 2020 release. The band would "use the [orchestral] instrumentation in a different way than before", with Holopainen stating, "You want to search for some new ways of using it so that it doesn't end up sounding the same as before."[6]

Jansen stated in November that she believed the recording process would be similar to Endless Forms Most Beautifuls, for which the band went through lengthy rehearsals before starting to record.[7]

On 31 October 2019, Floor Jansen confirmed that recording for the new album had been completed, stating that she was "very, very happy" with it.[8] Tuomas Holopainen was confirmed on 18 December 2019 to be at Finnvox Studios mixing Nightwish's upcoming studio album, set for release in the first quarter of 2020.[9]

The mixing was done by Holopainen, Tero Kinnunen and Mikko Karmila, and mastering by Mika Jussila, at Finnvox Studios. On 10 January 2020, it was confirmed by Holopainen that the production was finished, and the album was ready for release. The album title, cover and other details were released on 16 January 2020, including the release date of 10 April 2020.[10] [11] [12] [13] [14]

Composition

Influences, style and themes

The album features a wide vocal collaboration between Marko Hietala, Troy Donockley and Jansen, which "brings a whole new sound in the band", according to Jansen. It can be reflected for example in first song in the album, "Music", which describes the history of music, "from the first rudimentary sounds to the music as we know today". This song starts with a long intro and described as very harmonic and melodic.

The second track, "Noise", has been described as a commentary on modern society. Following the release of the song's music video, when asked if the video was criticism towards technology or cell phones, Holopainen responded:

"Shoemaker" is about Eugene Shoemaker, whose biography inspired Holopainen to write a song. According to Jansen, the song lacks a typical structure. Consisting of operatic voices, the song was a challenge to Jansen to sing, and it took several times to record until the desired result.[15] Johanna Kurkela, Holopainen's wife, took part in this song, performing a spoken part before Jansen's ending operatic part.

According to Donockley, the lyrics of "Harvest" consist of the meaning of the whole theme of the album and even of life.[16]

According to Holopainen, "Pan" is described as an ode to the human imagination.[17]

About "How's the Heart?", Holopainen had commented: "Human empathy, altruism, true love. They truly are the better angels of our nature. The nature of the human kind. We have the potential to be such a great species. And in many ways we already are. It is really important to remember to ask your family, your friends, strangers and yourself the important question: How's the Heart?"[17]

On the topic of the seventh track on the album and the first track written, "Procession", Holopainen stated that the listener would have to delve into the lyrics to understand what the song is about, stating that the American television series Stranger Things was an influence for the song.[18]

"Tribal" is described by Hahto as heavy and very percussive. This song along with other tracks in the album demanded Hahto to upgrade his drum kit. According to Hahto, this song is an example to the variety of the different musical styles presented in the whole album.

According to Hietala, the ninth track "Endlessness" is about "a 'multiversal' force so grand that it actually binds and permeates everything or all of our lives; just tiny particles in this mighty flow, and then there's this mere human vocalist and his friend a human being as well has written the story and we are in this rock pool; try to bring its unique loneliness across to other mere humans."[19]

Release and promotion

The first single of the album, "Noise", with an accompanying music video, was released on 7 February 2020.[20] The second single from the album, "Harvest", was released on 6 March 2020 with a lyric video to accompany its release.[21] On 11 March 2020, "Ad Astra", the last track of the album's second disc, was released in a video that revealed Nightwish's new partnership with World Land Trust.[22]

Nightwish stated on 22 January 2020 that they became the "first band ever to be given permission" to do a photo shoot in the "legendary Cathedral that is the Natural History Museum, London", where they had four hours to themselves during the shoot.[23]

On the day the album was released, Nightwish released lyric videos for all of the songs on the album.[24]

In an interview with Floor Jansen, she had revealed the band had originally asked natural historian David Attenborough to speak on the album. She commented:

On 21 January 2021, the album was nominated at the Finnish Emma Awards for Album of the Year and Metal Album of the Year.[25] The album ended up winning the category of Metal Album of the Year.[26]

Tour

See also: Human. :II: Nature. World Tour. The band toured in Europe, South America, Asia and North America throughout 2021 to 2023 in promotion of the album. The tour was originally scheduled to begin in spring 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the band had postponed the tour to next year.[27] [28] [29]

The band began their world tour in support of the album in May 2021 with an interactive livestream experience in a virtual reality built tavern which featured songs from the album.[30] [31] [32] Both of the performances had broken records with the first drawing 150,000 viewers and setting it as the most viewed virtual performance in Finland, with the box office exceeding one million in euros.[33] The band resumed their tour in Finland in late July 2021 with a "secret" performance in Oulu.[34] The tour concluded in June 2023.[35]

Reception

Critical reception

The album received generally mixed reviews from music critics upon the album's release.

At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has an average score of 66 based on 4 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". AllMusic gave the album a positive review, saying that "Human. :II: Nature....is, with one exception, a consistently and deeply satisfying outing that was worth waiting for." The exception, for them, was "Harvest", which they remark "just doesn't work".

Kerrang! gave the album 3 out of 5 and stated: "At its best, Hvman:||:Natvre has the impressive magic that has made Nightwish one of Europe's biggest bands. But there's a feeling this time that for such a big concept, things haven't gone quite far enough."

Louder Sound gave the album a positive review and stated: "You know a band feels pretty confident when they take liberties with the rules of the language of rock'n'roll. But however you pronounce the punctuation-incontinent title, Human. :II: Nature., Nightwish's first studio album for five years, doesn't try to confuse us any further."

Accolades

YearCeremonyAwardResult
2021Emma-gaala AwardsAlbum of the YearNominated
Metal Album of the YearWon

Track listing

Notes

Personnel

Credits for Human. :II: Nature. adapted from liner notes.

Nightwish

Additional personnel

Metro Voices

Pale Blue Orchestra

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2020)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Croatian International Albums (HDU)[36] 1
Swedish Hard Rock Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[37] 1
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade Romandy)[38] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (2020)! scope="col"
Position
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[39] 52
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[40] 32

Notes and References

  1. Web site: NIGHTWISH's JUKKA NEVALAINEN Officially Exits Band; KAI HAHTO Named Permanent Drummer. Blabbermouth. July 15, 2019. January 17, 2020. 15 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190715192330/http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/nightwishs-jukka-nevalainen-officially-exits-band-kai-hahto-named-permanent-drummer/. live.
  2. Web site: Marko Hietala leaves Nightwish . Metal Hammer . 12 January 2021 . 12 January 2021 . 12 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210112093533/https://www.loudersound.com/news/marko-hietala-leaves-nightwish . live .
  3. Web site: Beebee. Steve. Nightwish The BIG Uber Rock Interview Exclusive. Uber Rock. January 16, 2020. November 5, 2016. 13 March 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180313093903/http://www.uberrock.co.uk/interviews/62-november-interviews/18703-nightwish-the-big-uber-rock-interview-exclusive.html. dead.
  4. Web site: TUOMAS HOLOPAINEN Has 'Written About 80 Or 90 Percent Of The Material' For Next NIGHTWISH Album. Blabbermouth. July 19, 2018. BLABBERMOUTH.NET. January 17, 2020. 10 April 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200410221729/https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/tuomas-holopainen-has-written-about-80-or-90-percent-of-the-material-for-next-nightwish-album/. live.
  5. Web site: TUOMAS HOLOPAINEN Says New Project AURI 'Opened All The Floodgates When It Comes To Writing Songs For NIGHTWISH'. Blabbermouth. February 18, 2018. BLABBERMOUTH.NET. January 17, 2020. 10 April 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200410221731/https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/tuomas-holopainen-says-new-project-auri-opened-all-the-floodgates-when-it-comes-to-writing-songs-for-nightwish/. live.
  6. Web site: Nightwish have written up to 90% of new album. Louder. 23 July 2018. 16 January 2020. 17 December 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191217201853/https://www.loudersound.com/news/nightwish-have-written-up-to-90-of-new-album. live.
  7. Web site: FLOOR JANSEN On Songwriting Process For Next NIGHTWISH Album: 'It's Very Exciting'. November 15, 2018. Blabbermouth.net. January 16, 2020. 8 November 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201108211515/https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/floor-jansen-on-songwriting-process-for-next-nightwish-album-its-very-exciting/. live.
  8. News: NIGHTWISH Has Completed Recording New Album: 'I'm Very, Very Happy With It,' Says FLOOR JANSEN. October 31, 2019. January 16, 2020. Blabbermouth. 1 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191101185329/https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/nightwish-has-completed-recording-new-album-im-very-very-happy-with-it-says-floor-jansen/. live.
  9. Web site: NIGHTWISH Is Still Mixing New Album. December 18, 2019. Blabbermouth. January 16, 2020. 19 December 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191219004425/https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/nightwish-is-still-mixing-new-album/. live.
  10. Web site: Kerromme teille nyt ilouutisen: Nightwishin uusi studioalbumi on valmis. January 10, 2020. Soundi. fi. January 10, 2020. 10 January 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200110215332/https://www.soundi.fi/uutiset/kerromme-teille-nyt-ilouutisen-nightwishin-uusi-studioalbumi-on-valmis/. live.
  11. Web site: Nightwish Announce New Album HUMAN. :II: NATURE.. January 16, 2020. Kerrang. January 16, 2020. 16 January 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200116141605/https://www.kerrang.com/the-news/nightwish-announce-new-album-human-ii-nature/. live.
  12. Web site: Nightwish detail new double studio album Human. :II: Nature.. January 16, 2020. Louder. January 17, 2020. 3 March 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200303155058/https://www.loudersound.com/news/nightwish-to-release-new-double-album-human-ii-nature-in-april. live.
  13. Web site: NIGHTWISH Announces New Album, 'Human. :II: Nature.'. January 16, 2020. Blabbermouth. January 17, 2020. 16 January 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200116215442/https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/nightwish-announces-new-album-human-ii-nature/. live.
  14. Web site: Nightwish Announce New Double Album. January 16, 2020. antiMUSIC. January 17, 2020. 10 April 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200410221031/https://www.antimusic.com/news/20/January/17Nightwish_Announce_New_Double_Album.shtml. live.
  15. Web site: SHOEMAKER - COUNTDOWN #8. Jansen. Floor. 9 April 2020. YouTube. April 9, 2020. 8 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201008103842/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vd2EYheiurU. live.
  16. News: NIGHTWISH's TROY DONOCKLEY Talks "Harvest" Single In New Countdown Video. Bravewords.com. December 16, 2020. April 5, 2020. en. Bravewords. 24 February 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210224210257/https://bravewords.com/news/nightwish-s-troy-donockley-talks-harvest-single-in-new-countdown-video. live.
  17. Web site: NIGHTWISH's TUOMAS HOLOPAINEN On 'Human. :II: Nature': 'It's A Concept Album Without Intending It To Be'. Blabbermouth. February 4, 2020. August 9, 2020. 3 March 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210303063726/https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/nightwishs-tuomas-holopainen-on-human-ii-nature-its-a-concept-album-without-intending-it-to-be/. live.
  18. Web site: NIGHTWISH Keyboardist TUOMAS HOLOPAINEN Talks New Song "Procession" In Human. :II: Nature. Countdown Video . BraveWords . April 1, 2021 . April 6, 2020 . 24 February 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210224204213/https://bravewords.com/news/nightwish-keyboardist-tuomas-holopainen-talks-new-song-procession-in-human-ii-nature-countdown-video . live .
  19. Web site: ENDLESSNESS - COUNTDOWN #6 . . April 1, 2021 . 23 July 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200723055832/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfc9wbqyDZ4 . live .
  20. Web site: Nightwish soitti Infernolle tulevan albuminsa – lue ensitunnelmat. Inferno. January 21, 2020. fi. January 21, 2020. 19 January 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200119055146/https://www.inferno.fi/uutiset/nightwish-soitti-infernolle-tulevan-albuminsa-lue-ensitunnelmat/. live.
  21. Web site: Nightwish launch lyric video for their new single Harvest. Louder. March 6, 2020. March 6, 2020. 22 March 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200322125121/https://www.loudersound.com/news/nightwish-launch-lyric-video-for-their-new-single-harvest. live.
  22. Web site: NIGHTWISH Announce Partnership With World Land Trust International Conservation Charity Organization; Video Featuring New Track 'Ad Astra' Posted. BraveWords. March 11, 2020. March 11, 2020. 1 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220101185830/https://bravewords.com/news/nightwish-announce-partnership-with-world-land-trust-international-conservation-charity-organization-video-featuring-new-track-ad-astra-posted. live.
  23. Web site: NIGHTWISH Becomes First Band Ever To Be Given Permission To Hold Shoot At London's Natural History Museum. Blabbermouth. January 22, 2020. January 22, 2020. 23 January 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200123003818/https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/nightwish-becomes-first-band-ever-to-be-given-permission-to-hold-shoot-at-londons-natural-history-museum/. live.
  24. Web site: NIGHTWISH Releases Lyric Video For Every Song On 'Human. :II: Nature.' Album. Blabbermouth. April 10, 2020. April 10, 2020. 1 January 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220101185803/https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/nightwish-releases-lyric-video-for-every-song-on-human-ii-nature-album/. live.
  25. Web site: Nightwish has been nominated for the prestigious Finnish Emma Awards! . Nightwish . January 28, 2021 . January 21, 2021 . 1 February 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210201223705/https://nightwish.com/news/nightwish-has-been-nominated-for-the-prestigious-finnish-emma-awards . live .
  26. Web site: NIGHTWISH Wins Emma Gaala Award 2021 For Best Metal Album Of The Year . . 17 May 2021 . 18 May 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210518010339/https://bravewords.com/news/nightwish-wins-emma-gaala-award-2021-for-best-metal-album-of-the-year . live .
  27. Web site: NIGHTWISH - RE-SCHEDULED NIGHTWISH USA 2021 DATES HERE. Nightwish. August 10, 2020. September 30, 2020. 25 September 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200925180100/https://nightwish.com/news/re-scheduled-nightwish-usa-2021-dates-are-here. dead.
  28. Web site: Nightwish Announce Rescheduled Tour For 2021. Kerrang!. September 4, 2020. September 4, 2020. 19 September 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200919223852/https://www.kerrang.com/the-news/nightwish-announce-rescheduled-tour-for-2021/. live.
  29. Web site: NIGHTWISH - Postponed Russian, Belarus, Ukrainian Tour Dates. May 9, 2020. 30 September 2020. 12 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210112014226/https://nightwish.com/news/postponed-russian-belarus-ukranian-tour-dates. dead.
  30. Web site: Nightwish will kick off their 2021 tour with a gig in an imaginary pub . Louder . 17 December 2020 . December 17, 2020 . 17 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201217112105/https://www.loudersound.com/news/nightwish-livestream-2021-tour . live .
  31. Web site: NIGHTWISH To Start 'Human. :II: Nature.' World Tour In Virtual Reality . Blabbermouth . December 17, 2020 . December 17, 2020 . 17 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201217123942/https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/nightwish-to-start-human-ii-nature-world-tour-in-virtual-reality/ . live .
  32. Web site: NIGHTWISH - Upcoming Human. :II: Nature. Virtual Livestream Show Rescheduled For May 2021 . BraveWords . February 4, 2021 . February 4, 2021 . 4 February 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210204114953/https://bravewords.com/news/nightwish-upcoming-human-ii-nature-virtual-livestream-show-rescheduled-for-may-2021 . live .
  33. Web site: Nightwish's virtual concert broke records . Helsinki Times . May 30, 2021 . May 30, 2021 . 23 September 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210923142258/https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/culture/19316-nightwish-s-virtual-concert-broke-records.html . live .
  34. Web site: Nevski & The Prospectsin konsertti Club Teatrialla järjestetään heinäkuun loppupuolella – tapahtuma siirtynyt yli vuodella . Kaleva . 12 August 2021 . fi . 9 July 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210709185632/https://www.kaleva.fi/nevski-the-prospectsin-konsertti-club-teatrialla-j/3770421 . live .
  35. Web site: Nightwish: "Vi älskar världen vi bor i" . Göteborgs-Posten . October 6, 2022 . sv . June 10, 2022 . 6 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221006151637/https://www.gp.se/kultur/kultur-n%C3%B6je/nightwish-vi-%C3%A4lskar-v%C3%A4rlden-vi-bor-i-1.74584847 . live .
  36. Web site: Lista prodaje 17. tjedan 2020. (20.04.2020. – 26.04.2020.). 2 May 2020. hr. Top Lista. 8 May 2020. 13 July 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200713032115/http://www.top-lista.hr/www/lista-prodaje-strano-17-tjedan-2020/. live.
  37. Web site: Veckolista Hårdrock, vecka 16, 2020. sv. Sverigetopplistan. 21 June 2022. 5 February 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230205111915/https://www.sverigetopplistan.se/chart/93?dspy=2020&dspp=16. live.
  38. Web site: Suisse romande: Top 10 des ventes d'albums et de singles. 20 minutes. fr. 26 April 2020. 21 June 2022. 1 June 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200601092747/https://www.20min.ch/fr/story/top-10-des-ventes-d-albums-et-de-singles-273130433902. live.
  39. Web site: Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts – 2020. de. GfK Entertainment. 18 December 2020. 18 December 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201218182034/https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/album-jahr/for-date-2020. live.
  40. Web site: Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2020. hitparade.ch. de. 28 December 2020. 21 January 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210121141340/https://hitparade.ch/charts/jahreshitparade/2020. live.

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