My Winter Storm

This album is just amaizing. Is everything I loved about nightwish and more. Tarja really did a good job in this cd. I hope to hear a lot more from her

The split between Tarja and her former band Nightwish was as public as it was bitter, so I won't dwell on that, save to say that I had high hopes for both parties. Sometimes these splits do in fact work well for everyone concerned (see Helloween/Gamma Ray and Angra/Shaman). Unfortunately that wasn't the case for Tarja's former bandmates in Nightwish. Instead of recruiting one of the readily available "opera metal" singers to take Tarja's place, they wasted what would otherwise have been their most epic and ambitious album with a singer (Annette Olzon) who was painfully inexperienced and out of her league. I was hoping that my disappointment with Dark Passion Play would be alleviated by My Winter Storm, but sadly that was not the case.

My Winter Storm could have been a triumph. Tarja's voice is in terrific shape, she assembled a solid backing band, and the symphonic elements that made Nightwish so appealing are in place. Unfortunately the album is, well, boring. It lacks anything remotely resembling a pulse. You hear the electric guitars kick in and start thinking "oh yeah, this is where it's going to start to rock", and then...nothing. The song ends. Imagine if every song on Once sounded exactly like "Creek Mary's Blood" and you'll get a feel for My Winter Storm. I realize Tarja probably wanted to distance herself from Nightwish, and that's understandable, but trying to suddenly become Sarah Brightman has the potential to alienate a huge group of the people who made her a household name (in Finland) in the first place. There are a handful of beautiful songs on this album ("I Walk Alone" is terrific), but by and large My Winter Storm just seems like another missed opportunity from the Nightwish breakup.

Oh, and as much as I love a creative cover song, Tarja's version of the Alice Cooper hit "Poison" is an absolute disaster. It literally makes my ears hurt.

Ultimately Nightwish fans lost out twice. Nightwish is no longer what it was, and Tarja's solo material is nowhere near what it could have been. It's a shame, but I guess we'll always have Once.

There is inevitably going to be comparisons with this and with "Dark Passion Play" Nightwish's new album that has also been released recently. People are going to be acrimonious and be either "for" or "against" and will likewise spam both albums with their viewpoint.

This will not be one of those reviews. I am both a fan of Nightwish, and a fan of Tarja. Each album deserves the respect of being judged on its own merits, and not on the merits of what "could have been".

That being said, I find this to be a decent attempt at Tarja establishing herself. She has had one previous album, but was still with Nightwish at the time. Now that she has not that protective failsafe, I find her caution with certain things understandable. This album offers a little to the rockers with some of the heavier songs, and the bombastic like deliveries of music. It also offers the crooning ballads. It tries to be many things to give many people a little of what she thinks they want.

It is VERY clear that her self-pride is intact. Her defiance seeths in "I walk alone", and casting herself as the phoenix that burns those that come near while she draws them in is classic Diva.

Ultimately this album is about Tarja showcasing her lovely voice. On that she delivers.

I allow myself this small comparison to Nightwish, because I feel it germane...the lyrics on this album are not very subtle. Tarja never strikes me as a subtle person, but I do rather miss the multi-layered and poetic lyricism of Tuomos to place her voice against. It is my hope in future albums she will become more comfortable and willing to expand into challenging material.

All in all, this was a competent, satisfying and safe debut as a totally single artist.

Being a fan of Nightwish, I really had high-hopes for this CD. Tarja didn't leave Nightwish under the best of circumstances, so this should have been her big chance to break free and show us her chops. Nope.

With Nightwish, not only was the solid music was a good contrast to Tarja's operatic style vocals, it masked the fact that she's just not that strong of a singer.
Because EVERY song on "My Winter Storm" sounds like melancholy Cirque du Soleil music, Tarja's vocals are front and center throughout which really shows her limitations. You'll find yourself thinking that there's got to be thousands of singers out there who are more qualified to make a CD like this. But then again, more experienced singers probably wouldn't have made a CD like this.
For those of you expecting this to be in the "symphonic metal" genre, it isn't. In fact, there's really not a heavy number on this CD. Just when you think something is about to happen, the tempo and energy drop to nothing. Every song ends up sounding like the same uninspired pablum with goofy lyrics.
I'm not even sure where you would even listen to this CD. It's too slow for the general consumption of its metallic target audience, and way too annoying to listen to while falling asleep.

I have mixed feeling about this release. One on side, there is Tarja's incredibly beautiful voice. Not much you can say to dispute that. On the other end, the songs are substandard. Tarja is not a songwriter, and her song selections are poor. At least for veteran Nigthwish fans.
As "Dark Passion Play" makes clear, the success of Nightwish is due to the great songs written by Tuomas. Insert another outstanding vocalist (Anette) and Nightwish continues. Tarja needs to get over being so pretentious and self-important.

but how can you not as it would be a rare person who didn't come to Tarja from Nightwish. I happened to buy both Dark Passion Play and My Winter Storm together because I wanted to listen to them together with no biases ahead of time as to what I would like or not.

Unfortunately I found DPP very lackluster, due to no fault of the new singer. I listened to it twice, the second time to confirm that it was still just as boring as the first time. Even had Tarja been on it, there was no saving it. I do own all their previous cds.

My Winter Storm, on the other hand, I've been listening to quite a bit. I'm actually surprised at how much I'm enjoying it, considering my favorite Nightwish song is Dark Chest of Wonders. There is nothing with that kind of hard punch on this cd at all (though Die Alive has a decent hard drive to it). But if you enjoy Tarja's singing, I don't see how you wouldn't like this recording. The songs create an atmosphere that suit her voice and style perfectly.

If it isn't Metal, it isn't music! At least, that's how I feel about things. Tarja, if you've read my review of the END OF AN ERA DVD, you know I once met you and personally thanked you for the touch of class you've brought to my music, HEAVY METAL! Metal is so full of power, passion, creativity, and drive. Yet your ballads with NIGHTWISH provided a positive and very beautiful contrast to the might and the power of hard rocking songs like SLAYING THE DREAMER and Metal epics like GHOST LOVE SCORE. Now you choose to create a boring album full of lack luster songs lacking in the passion, great musicianship, and the astounding compositions that Nightwish was famous for.

I said in my review of END OF AN ERA that the fans would be the ultimate losers. Sadly I was right on target eventhough I wanted desperatly to be wrong. Tarja, why do you strive to be so ordinary when you are the epitome of extraordinary? You have so much more to give the world!! Wake up and realize that in Heavy Metal, and ONLY in Heavy Metal, will the world truly be able to hear the full range of your voice and experience your incredible talents. Come back to us, Tarja. Tuomas has said, "we'll be waiting." So will I, my dear, for I love your voice and your music with the group. Your charisma with the band was astonishing! But MY WINTER STORM is like a slap in the face to me and ALL Metal fans. I think we all deserve much better than this boring new album. Don't you?

I'll make this brief. I completely enjoy Tarja's voice. It has power, warmth, and all those things that make for an outstanding voice. This album is superb and she's proved that she is better off without her old band. Some of us already knew that. I await the next album!

First off i must say, stop judging this as if it were a Nightwish album. It's not, and it wont be. It is Tarja's style and it not as heavy. She is more operatic and thats just her style, quite similar to Sarah Brightman. Dont expect a wicked heavy fast hardcore album, again its not Nightwish. Some people have called the album boring, but I think its excellent and beautiful. It's a different style, it's very relaxing and pretty. Tarja's voice is good as ever. If it's not heavy enough for you, theres plenty of stuff that is in similar styles.. Within Temptation... Nightwish... Evanescence.. Tristania..
Peace and love.
Cody

Forget Nightwish, Tarja's back with a vengeance!

Given the extremely disappointing CD Nightwish gave us with their new singer I wasn't expecting much from Tarja, heck I didn't know she was even working on anything. However, even though I adored her work with Nightwish, I always thought Nightwish was a huge reason those CDs were so good. One listen to My Winter Storm and you'll quickly find out that that wasn't the case at all. The first three songs alone put Nightwish's newest offering to shame on all fronts.

What I love about My Winter Storm is the fact that it has these gorgeous, sweeping interludes that play perfectly into each and every song. Thus making this one of those CDs you can listen to completely, without hesitation. Where Nightwish CDs were sometimes exhausting to listen to completely, Tarja's solo effort doesn't fall victim to that...which is definitely a good thing.

Did you love Tarja before? You'll love her even more now. Some of the music that accompanies her on here is nothing short of breathtaking. Take the symphonic heaviness of Lost Northern Star for example. Or even the calm, toy-esque beginning of My Little Phoenix. It just doesn't stop! Then you also have the classic moments you know you're gonna be left wanting to hear over and over again, such as the climax of Boy And The Ghost most notably. I'm hardpressed to think of a single hole in this CD, all the bases are covered magnificently.

My favorite songs are I Walk Alone, Lost Northern Star, Boy And The Ghost, Our Great Divide, and Ciaran's Well. Not enough good things can be said about this release. Most anything good you hear about My Winter Storm will have merit behind it, it's just that good. Listen and enjoy!

Tarja has gone from being the Goddess of Heavy Metal to the Mary Poppins of the Opera. After all those years with Nightwish I would have thought that she would have known what her forte is and how to exploit it, My Winter Storm is quite disappointing. There are some tracks on the album that show promise - Lost Northern Star, My Little Phoenix, Die Alive and Ciaran's Well, but the music is pushed way into the background. Tarja's voice dominates all and seems to result in the loss of fire and passion that characterized her performances with Nightwish. I love Tarja when she is competing on equal footing with the heavy metal music and not totally dominating, this is when she is at her best.

Most of the other tracks on the album are unobtrusive and almost somnambulistic at times, so much so that the album is only good for background music at dinner with friends. A complete remix by a heavy metal producer with free reign would work wonders with most of the tracks. I hope that this is something Tarja felt she had to do once or else the advice she is getting is way wrong.

Unfortunately, this album will probably be best remembered for the most appalling cover of Poison I have ever heard. I think that Alice Cooper fans the world over, myself included, cringe every time they hear this travesty. What was she thinking? I can only hope that her next album will have more of "The Rock" that she alludes to in the acknowledgements section. If you were thinking of buying this CD save your money and hope that the next album will be better.

If Tarja were a new artist, people would be raving about her soaring voice and her lovely stage presence, and would look forward to the next album.

I would like to see her do the more soaring vocals, like I Walk Alone, and do songs with more of an edge. But all in all a fine album from one of the best vocalist in all of pop.